PROTEST AT THE UGANDA DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN YOUR COUNTRY

ACTION UGANDA--A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH


**A CALL TO ACTION**

DENOUNCE THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY BILL IN THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA.

PROTEST AT THE UGANDA DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN YOUR COUNTRY

Dear Partners, Allies and Friends,

As you already know, the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009." was recently
tabled before the Parliament of Uganda. The Bill's provisions are
draconian and among them are;

• Any person alleged to be homosexual would be at risk of life
imprisonment or in some circumstances the death penalty;

• Any parent who does not denounce their lesbian daughter or gay son to
the authorities would face fines of $ 2,650.00 or three years in prison;

• Any teacher who does not report a lesbian or gay pupil to the
authorities within 24 hours would face the same penalties;

• And any landlord or landlady who happens to give housing to a suspected
homosexual would risk 7 years of imprisonment.

• Similarly, the Bill threatens to punish or ruin the reputation of anyone
who works with the gay or lesbian population, such as medical doctors
working on HIV/AIDS, civil society leaders active in the fields of sexual
and reproductive health, hence further undermining public health efforts
to combat the spread of HIV;

• All of the offences covered by the Bill as drafted can be applied to a
Ugandan citizen who allegedly commits them - even outside Uganda!

The existing law has already been employed in an arbitrary way, and the
Bill will just exacerbate that effect. There is a continued increase in
campaigns of violence and unwarranted arrests of homosexuals. There are
eight ongoing cases in various courts. Four accused persons are unable to
meet the harsh bail conditions set against them. As a result, Brian Pande
died in Mbale Hospital on 13th September, 2009 as he awaited trial.

Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) calls upon you our partner, ally and/or
friend to action. Denounce this bill through a protest at a Ugandan
Diplomatic Mission in your country on November 9th 2009, where applicable.

Urge the Government of Uganda to reject this Bill in its entirety.

For your reference, please find attached two press statements released by
SMUG and Ugandan Civil Society as well as a copy of the bill that was
tabled in parliament.

Thank you for standing in solidarity with the Uganda LGBTI community.
Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG)
Icebreakers Uganda

25 other NGOs have united against the bill in Uganda:-

Member organisations of the coalition are the following, African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), Advocates for Public International Law in Uganda (APILU), Center for Land Economy and Rights of Women (CLEAR-Uganda), Centre for Women in Governance (CEWIGO), Development Network of Indigenous Voluntary Associations (DENIVA),East & Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA-U), Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), Human Rights Awareness & Promotion Forum, Human Rights & Peace Centre (HURIPEC), Faculty of Law, Makerere University, Integrity Uganda, International Refugee Rights Initiative, Mentoring and Empowerment Programme for Young Women (MEMPROW), MIFUMI Project, National Association of Women’s Organisations in Uganda (NAWOU), National Coalition of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (NACWOLA), Refugee Law Project (RLP), Faculty of Law, Makerere University, National Guidance & Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NGEN+), Spectrum Uganda, Uganda Feminist Forum, Women’s Organisation & Network for Human Rights Advocacy (WONETHA)