It is indeed a dark day in East Africa today. Our Ugandan family have been thrown into a firing squad with the signing of the anti-gay bill by Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni.
Some such as Ugandan Parliamentary Speaker Anita Among are rejoicing and claiming the president has “answered the cries of our people” in signing the bill. We cry for our fellow queer Africans whose country has failed them by victimizing them instead of protecting their fundamental human rights. They have been robbed of their basic human right to be who they are.
As a queer organization operating in Ethiopia, we stand in solidarity with our fellow queer people in Uganda who are facing discrimination and oppression. The recent passage of the anti-LGBTQIA+ bill by Uganda’s parliament is an assault on the fundamental human rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals, and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms.
The law criminalizes same-sex relations and imposes harsh penalties, including life imprisonment, for those found guilty. This is a clear violation of the right to privacy, equality, and non-discrimination, which are enshrined in international human rights law and should be respected by all governments.
We understand the fear and anxiety that our fellow LGBTQ community in Uganda are experiencing right now. The passage of this law is not just an attack on their individual freedoms, but also an attack on their dignity and humanity. We want to assure our fellow LGBTQIA+ community in Uganda that they are not alone. We stand with them in their fight for justice and equality, and we will continue to advocate for their rights and amplify their voices.
We call on the Ugandan government to repeal this discriminatory law and to respect the human rights of all its citizens, including LGBTQIA+ individuals. We also urge the international community to speak out against this law and to pressure the Ugandan government to uphold its obligations under international human rights law.
The fight for LGBTQIA+ equality is a fundamental struggle for justice, dignity, and respect. We must continue to stand in solidarity with our fellow LGBTQIA+community in Uganda and around the world, and work together towards a future where all individuals are free to love who they choose and to live without fear of discrimination or persecution.
We also want to remind our LGBTQIA+ community in Ethiopia that we are here for them, and that they too deserve to live with dignity, respect, and equality. While the situation in Uganda is deeply concerning, we must also remain vigilant and continue to advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights in our own country.
We want to once again express our solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community in Uganda and our support for their ongoing struggle for justice and equality. We call on the Ugandan government to repeal this discriminatory law and to respect the human rights of all its citizens, including LGBTQIA+ individuals. Together, we can create a future where all individuals are free to be who they are, to love whom they choose, and to live without fear of discrimination or persecution.
