Radicals protest against “Kill the gays” bill: expelled from ISPI conference on Uganda

THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS UGANDA will not support the proposal.

Press release of Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti and Associazione Enzo Tortora -

Radicali Milano

Milan, December 5, 2012

On Tuesday, December 4, ISPI of Milan organized a conference entitled "Stability and

instability in Africa: the role of Uganda" with the participation of the Prime Minister of

Uganda, Patrick Amama Mbabazi.

In Largo Bortolo Belotti, activists staged a sit-in to protest against a proposed law to

introduce tougher penalties against LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, and

Intersex) persons. The Ugandan Parliament is expected to vote by mid-December on

the bill, which calls for penalties ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty for

those found guilty of “aggravated homosexuality” – defined as when one of the partners

is a minor, HIV-positive, disabled, or a “serial” criminal.

Yuri Guiana, Secretary of Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti, and Claudio Barazzetta,

secretary of Enzo Tortora - Radicali Milano, attended the conference to express their

opposition to the bill. When the Prime Minister of Uganda spoke, the two secretaries

displayed a banner that read "Stop Anti-Gay Bill!" for a few minutes before being

removed from the conference, detained by the police, and then banned from the

remainder of the conference as "unwelcome". After their removal from the conference,

the two secretaries joined the sit-in in Largo Bortolo Belotti.

Two militants from Arcilesbica Zami, Luisa Bordiga e Lucia Giansiracusa, remained in

the front row and were able to follow the conference until its end, when questions were

asked of the speakers. The Ugandan Prime Minister, Patrick Amama Mbabazi, after

some hesitation, announced that the government will not support the bill.

Yuri Guiana, Secretary of Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti, stated: "It is very serious

that at a conference that should be for the purpose of study, it is not possible to express

disagreement about a serious violation of human rights. Apparently, the head of state of

a country that, in addition to seeking to punish its citizens by terms of 14 years in prison

for the sole reason of being homosexual and seeking to increase the penalties up to life

imprisonment or even the death penalty, who wants to ban the ‘promotion’ of the rights

of LGBTI people and punish all those who ‘fund or sponsor’ homosexuality, also has the

power in Milan to prevail on the proper denunciation of a grave violation of fundamental

human rights. In any case, Prime Minister Patrick Amama Mbabazi could clearly see

that even in Italy protest against the bill in question is strong. The commitment not to

support the bill is important, but the government cannot be limited to a power of formal

distance. On the contrary, the government must do everything in its power to prevent

this unfortunate proposal from actually becoming the law of the State of Uganda,

convincing, for example, the President not to sign the measure. "

Claudio Barazzetta, secretary of Enzo Tortora - Radicali Milano, stated: "One wonders

how a country like Uganda, at the conference organized by ISPI where it wants to

present itself as one of the main agents of stability in Africa – not even being a member

of the only effective supranational organization in Southern Africa, SADC Southern

African Development community – can propose laws like the Anti-Homosexuality Bill

No. 18, which goes in the opposite direction to that of the desire to create stability in the

African continent. It is far-fetched and borders on the ridiculous that we are not allowed

to question the highest Ugandan authorities, who serve as so-called advocates of

stability, and therefore of democracy and freedom, about the proposed bill under

discussion. It’s easy to claim to be the proponents of stability, when you deny, even on

neutral ground, the possibility of a serious and normal discussion and comparison,

including the asking of uncomfortable questions. How can a country claim to be

accredited as a serious point of reference when their national government wants to

introduce a law that puts to death its citizens based on their sexual orientation and

denies the fundamental right of freedom of expression? Human rights come before any

other consideration. We are also amazed at the attitude of those who did not allow the

Secretaries of Radicali Milano and Certi Diritti, both duly registered to participate in the

conference, to ask questions. Barazzetta and Guaiana exposed their banner

nonviolently and in total silence, and then asked to be able to ask a simple question of

the Ugandan Prime Minister in the time period devoted to discussion: ‘Why do you

want to sentence human beings, your fellow citizens, to death because of their sexual

orientation?’ Obviously, for Prime Minister Mbabazi, stability does not pass through the

freedom of expression, not only at home, but even when Uganda is a guest of a

prestigious institution such as the ISPI. If Uganda wants to play a decisive role for

stability in Africa, it needs to take a cue from South Africa and above all, as regards the

rights of LGBTI people, it must immediately invalidate Bill No.18! "