An open Letter to John Holmes

Dear Sir,

Greetings from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community of Uganda.

We would like to take this opportunity to bring to your attention the fact that soon this minority group is going to need humanitarian assistance given the speed at which the human rights situation specifically for this vulnerable group is deteriorating in Uganda.

In March 2009, supported by a group called the Family Life Network (FLN) a group of American anti-gay activists came to Uganda and started a campaign of hate against the LGBTI community in Uganda.

This led to an increase in violence, arrests, blackmail and even deaths of members of this community. Yet this is within a situation where this group already is not catered for in as far as health programs are concerned.

It is against this background that a bill has now been tabled in Parliament that not only criminalizes same sex relationships with a maximum penalty of death but also criminalizes anyone associating themselves in anyway with homosexuals. This bill infringes on almost all the basic human rights and freedoms and makes the whole ciovil society in Uganda disabled as well as forcing Uganda to withdraw from a number of international treaties to which it may be a signatory.

Sir in your capacity as UN Under secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, we call upon your office to add its voice and weight behind this community and pronounce yourself against this inhumane bill which will lead to many deaths of this vulnerable group.

We also call upon you to take any action as you may deem necessary to help this vulnerable community.

Yours faithfully,

Dennis