Block anti-gay bill, US urges
2009-12-19 14:17
Washington - The United States said Friday it is urging the Ugandan leadership to block a bill calling for draconian measures against homosexuals, warning it would be a setback in fighting Aids.
Johnnie Carson, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, told reporters that he has urged President Yoweri Museveni twice since October "to do everything he can to stop this particular legislation".
Carson, who earlier briefed groups representing gays, lesbians and transgender individuals about the situation, noted that the Ugandan president has the power to veto any legislation.
The top US diplomat for African affairs said the bill, if passed, would not only violate human rights, it would also "undermine the fight" against HIV and Aids by stigmatising homosexual acts.
He added that it is premature for US government to consider withdrawing aid from Uganda because Museveni himself said he does not support the legislation and the battle is not yet lost.
"We won't make any threats (about withdrawing aid) but we are strongly opposed to this legislation," Carson said.
Protect rights
"And we're looking to President Museveni to show the same kind of leadership that he's shown in the fight against Aids, in the fight to protect the rights of all adults," whatever their sexuality, he added.
He also expressed concerns that passage of the bill could encourage other African countries to take similar actions.
Under the draft Ugandan law, any individual who promotes homosexuality could be sent to jail.
The bill compels any person of authority to report known homosexual activity to the police and imposes the death penalty in cases of rape of a minor by a person of the same sex, or where one partner is HIV positive.
But senior government officials have said the death penalty provision will be reviewed in parliament.