- Title: UGANDA: Thousands of anti-gay protesters marched through Jinja
- Date: 16th February 2010
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) OKWARE ROMANO, PROTESTER SAYING: "I have a verse in the bible in Leviticus 20 verse 13, it says that homosexuals should be put to death ... yes."
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Uganda
- Country: Uganda
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAS27GKAKXH2PDUHZXPUBPPULA
- Story Text: Thousands of anti-gay protesters take demonstration to Jinja, 70 kilometres from Uganda's capital Kampala in support of a bill proposing life imprisonment for homosexuals.
Thousands of anti-gay protesters marched through Jinja, a small town East of Uganda's capital Kampala on Monday (February 15) shouting slogans and waving placards in support of a bill that proposes harsh punishment for homosexuals, including life imprisonment.
The protests dubbed the "million man march against homosexuality" had been planned for Wednesday this week but were brought forward following a ban by authorities in Kampala. However the protesters marched freely in Jinja town, 70 kilometres from Kampala in the biggest demonstration against homosexuals in the country since the bill was introduced.
Uganda, long a darling of donors for its stable economy and widespread economic reforms, has come under intense pressure from Western nations to ease its anti-gay stance.
Under the original proposal "serial offenders", and those who commit "aggravated homosexuality", faced a death sentence.
Now the east African nation appears to have heeded condemnation from Western governments as well as international Christian and community leaders, and leaders said the legislation will probably limit the the maximum penalty for offenders to life in prison rather than execution.
Anti-gay activist Martin Ssempa is at the forefront of the antigay movement in Uganda and said he supports the death penalty saying many homosexuals were "pedophiles".
"We are happy that at the source of the river Nile, here in Jinja, we have been able to speak and Jinja has shown the world that Homosexuality whether Obama wants or does not want, we do not want it, and people keep saying yes homosexuals can change, yes we can make a law that protects our children and we have also asked a simple question, if you do not want the death penalty for pedophiles, what punishment do you want? otherwise are you a defender of pedophiles? or are you a protector of children," said Ssempa at the rally.
Earlier this month, U.S. President Barack Obama denounced the bill as "odious". U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking before Obama at the annual bipartisan gathering of religious and political leaders, also criticized the draft law being considered by Uganda's parliament. Clinton said she called Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and expressed the "strongest concerns" about the proposed legislation.
"The point is not death penalty, the point is what they do in our country. Before somebody concentrates on the penalty, some body should concentrate on what these people do to our society. We have already advised the government that if the world pressure says that the death penalty is a very bad thing, they can amend that but they proceed with the bill," said David Kiganda, another anti-gay activist.
The act also criminalises anyone "who acts as an accomplice or attempts to promote or in any way abets homosexuality", and a person in authority who "aids, abets, councils or procures another to engage in acts of homosexuality".
Activists see the legislation as another sign of the growing impact of U.S. evangelicals and anti-gay campaigners in Uganda.
The proposed law had threatened to divide African and Western Christians, as attitudes in some African countries have hardened against same-sex unions, while most Western communities are becoming increasingly tolerant.
"I have a verse in the bible in Leviticus 20 verse 13, it says that homosexuals should be put to death ... yes," said Okware Romano, a protester at the march. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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