US urged to recall Uganda envoy over gay bill
Rights group says ambassador should be withdrawn after Ugandan
president says he will sign anti-gay law.
Last updated: 20 Feb 2014 06:54

The bill was first tabled in 2009, with a proposed death penalty for
some homosexual acts [Al Jazeera]
Human Rights Watch has said the United States should recall its
ambassador to Uganda and review diplomatic relations after the
Uganda's leader said he would sign into law a bill prescribing life
imprisonment for homosexuals.
The New York-based group also said Uganda's international donor
partners should "clearly and publicly" specify the consequences for
relations with Uganda if the Anti-Homosexuality bill becomes law.
Uganda's international partners need to show unequivocally that if
this bill is passed, it will not be business as usual with the Ugandan
government.
Daniel Bekele, Human Rights Watch
"There is real urgency now that [Yoweri] Museveni has stated his
intention to sign the bill," Daniel Bekele, the Africa director for
Human Right Watch, said on Wednesday, referring to the Ugandan
president.
"The US should temporarily recall the ambassador to conduct strategic
consultations on the US/Uganda relationship, while making clear the
range of concerns for yet another clawback to human rights in Uganda."
Human Rights Watch said the bill violates the country's human rights
obligations and would act as a barrier to advancing critical public
health goals.
It called for a review of funding assistance to Uganda to ensure that
US funds are not used to further prosecution of anyone under the
homosexuality law.
"In particular funding for the police should be subject to close
scrutiny as they would be legally mandated to enforce this law," the
group said.
Though popular among Ugandans who insist homosexuality is a "vice"
from Western countries, the bill has attracted criticism from world
leaders as it seeks to increase penalties for some forms of consensual
same-sex conduct between adults and infringe on constitutionally
protected rights to privacy.
Obama warning
US President Barack Obama has called the bill "odious" and warned
Museveni that enacting an anti-gay law would complicate relations.
The bill was first tabled in 2009, with a proposed death penalty for
some homosexual acts, drawing a firestorm of criticism from rights
groups and Western leaders.
The death penalty was later removed amid international pressure, but
rights groups want the whole bill scrapped.
"If Museveni signs the Anti-Homosexuality bill, it would be yet
another blow to fundamental human rights in Uganda," said Bekele.
"Uganda's international partners need to show unequivocally that if
this bill is passed, it will not be business as usual with the Ugandan
government."
The bill was passed in December by parliament without the required
number of MPs in the house, prompting criticism from Museveni who said
it was rushed, adding that he would only sign it after seeking the
opinion of scientists.
Last week, a Ugandan government spokesman said Museveni had decided to
sign the bill after a team of "medical experts" from the country's
health ministry issued a statement saying "there is no definitive gene
responsible for homosexuality".
Homophobia runs deep in Uganda, and religious leaders and some
Ugandans on social media have been urging the president to sign the
bill, saying laws punishing same-sex sex acts will save the country's
moral fibre.
Source: Al Jazeera
http://www.google.ca/gwt/x?gl=CA&hl=en-CA&u=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/02/us-urged-recall-uganda-envoy-over-gay-bill-201422053858626170.html&q=us+envoy+uganda
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