- Title: UGANDA: Murdered Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato buried amid scuffles
- Date: 29th January 2011
- Summary: MUKONO, UGANDA (JANUARY 28, 2011) (REUTERS) FRIENDS OF ACTIVIST DAVID KATO SHOUTING AT ANTI-GAY PRIEST (IN BLUE) / WOMAN JUMPING ON A TABLE AND SHOUTING 'WE HAVE NOT COME HERE TO FIGHT' PRIEST BEING WHISKED AWAY BY VILLAGERS MAN SAYING "WE CAME TO SEND DAVID IN PEACE SO LET HIM PREACH THE GOSPEL IN GOOD FAITH" (SOUNDBITE) (English) UGANDAN PRIEST, SAYING: "We are not g
- Embargoed: 13th February 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Uganda, Uganda
- Country: Uganda
- Topics: Religion
- Reuters ID: LVADF6JCTSDNB3NISATLBH5MN6XJ
- Story Text: Friends of murdered Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato exchange angry words with anti-gay priest at his funeral.
Scuffles broke out between local residents and friends of a murdered Ugandan gay activist at his funeral on Friday (January 28) after the pastor conducting the service berated homosexuals.
There were angry outbursts as villagers refused to bury David Kato's coffin.
Kato was beaten to death with a hammer on Wednesday (January 26), police say. His photo was printed in October on the cover of a newspaper that called for gays to be executed under a headline reading: "Hang them".
The murder has sparked worldwide condemnation.
About 300 people, many of them homosexual, attended Kato's funeral. But a scuffle broke out when the priest conducting the service lashed out at homosexuality, provoking a strong reaction from friends of Kato.
"We are not going to promote gays but what am saying is you should repent," the priest told the congregation.
Gay activists, wearing T-shirts featuring Kato's face and rainbow coloured-sleeves stormed the pulpit and grabbed the microphone.
"As long as he's gone to God, his creator, it is God to judge him. Who are we to judge Kato," one woman shouted.
Others found it hard to control their emotions.
Julian Pepe, a gay rights activist and Kato's friend, said she was disappointed in the police investigation of the murder.
"I think part of it is anger, that by the time David passed away the police did not treat it as a priority issue and I saw a report on TV yesterday where they dismissed that it could have been a hate crime. Yes, he was being harassed before his death. I am calling on the police to investigate as a priority issue and not to eliminate it as a possible hate crime," Pepe said.
The priest was led away to calm the situation.
A former Anglican bishop who was ex-communicated for speaking in support of gay rights offered words of comfort to the gathering.
"You may be different from me. Myself, I am straight, am not LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people) but I have known this people who are LGBT, I respect them for what they are and I believe they are going to heaven. Like you, others they are going to heaven. If they don't believe that is another matter, but if they are believers don't be discouraged. I know people have been discouraged even not going to Church, because they are being abused as I found today, people are abusing them. Please don't be discouraged. God created you. God is on your side. This is the gospel I am preaching," said Senyonjo Christopher.
When villagers refused to bury the body, Kato's friends carried his coffin to the grave and buried it themselves.
Uganda's anti-gay movement first made international headlines in October 2009 when a bill was tabled in the country's parliament proposing death penalty for homosexuals who are "repeat offenders".
The bill was quietly postponed under international pressure, but rights groups fear it may be passed after a February presidential election that current President Yoweri Museveni is expected to win. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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