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Some gay Ugandans would rather die than live under new law
By Mick Krever, CNN
Some gay people in Uganda would rather kill themselves than live under that country’s new anti-homosexuality law, signed today by President Yoweri Museveni.
“People are afraid of losing their lives,” Ugandan gay rights activist Pepe Julian Onziema told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on the phone from the capital, Kampala.
“Prior to the bill becoming law today, people attempted suicide because they are like, ‘I’m not going to live to see this country kill me – so I would rather take my life.’”
Homosexual acts had already been illegal in Uganda, but the new law signed by Museveni toughens penalties against gay people and makes some homosexual acts crimes punishable by life in prison.
Many who fear violence have already fled the country for the “nearest border,” Onziema told Amanpour.
Even among those who are staying in the country, many are quitting their activism.
“People are really afraid about losing their lives, losing their families,” he said. Especially those “who are in the closet, who have lost jobs and their livelihoods have basically changed. And those are the same people who are committing suicide.”
For his part, Onziema said that he would continue the struggle for equality.
“I’m not afraid, because I’m not doing something wrong. Speaking out is my right that is guaranteed in the constitution, and this law is not going to take away the person that I am and it’s not going to take away my voice.”
@camanpour on Twitter
good evening,
in Africa we are very religious,( belong to one religious group or another) so all african should know that, is not politics its just who we are. although the penalty was too much but who am I to say,its not even in my country
Well maybe you should go to prison for being who you are, just like gay people have to.
Why we don't have problem with Saudi, Kuwait killing gay? or other Islamic Shariah country?
DO u know?, Obama's BEST FRIENDS also killing gay BY LAW... Saudi, Pakistan, etc
Islam is the ONLY religion until TODAY with ISLAMIC Sharia law LEGALIZING...
1. To kill apostasy.
2. Pedophilia (60 yr old man can marry 9 years old girl).
3. Woman r half value of man in court..
4. Gay should be killed!
Under ISLAMIC Shariah Law, e.g. Saudi, Pakistan, Afghan, Yemen, etc
wwwDOTyoutubeDOTcom/watch?v=0hCewyaok4k
wwwDOTyoutubeDOTcom/watch?v=gk56SiScrBA
Religion is a choice. Being gay isn't.
long live president yoweri museveni for fighting human vice.what you have done has erased all the wrongs you did before and it will remain in ugandan history though it has been a silver bullet in the heads of westerners.FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY.we as ugandans we are tired of west insanity, live uganda for ugandans please back off.
You're right. Uganda knows it all... Ultra developed rich country with instructed people. The folks in Norway, Iceland, Finland, USA, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Germany, France, Spain are all wrong in giving gay people these rights. And it also is so correct to dictate how other people should live by hiding their nature just because the society doesn't want it. Kinda reminds me of a policy that existed in the WWII... C'mon.. I hope you one day you can understand and accept how erroneous your thoughts are.
i sure while we speak of these states, lets not forget tht for decades they ve been having on common interest and thts the NEW WORLD ORDER where we all under one system.... one government.. how about China, Korea, the middle east, Russia coz as far as i know they run the economic strength apparently. correct yourself if your with tht. This freemasonary and illuminati way of life can only save their souls for who cares but matters of Ugandans are best if dealt by us, your opinion could only suffocate you coz its a done deal, so lets face it
Well said Andreas. History would leave to judge us someday if we let our culture sovereign go down the drain for physical pleasures. What shall we tell our our children or their children that our slice of the cake was when we looked on as treasured society morals were washed away Folks, SODOM and GOMORRAH were real...and some day, we'll all be judged .
Its NOT nature. It has already been scientifically proven, that its a CHOICE!. Its against the countries religious belieifs (96% of Ugandas oppose!) Yes, 96%!!! You cant argue with the voice of the poeple, and or the scientific data
We Africans have the fear of God and we also love to obey God, our maker, that is why such things as gay is evil, abomination to us. You may do whatever you like in your country, but please do not force upon us an abomination. It is just not part of our culture.
So how does it concern you Amanpour? Are you gay or a gay activist?
One doesn't have to be gay to support gay people's human rights. Just like supporting Nelson Mandela's struggle against apartheid didn't make me black.
I am sure that the country or the president did the right thing let try and imitate Uganda
Infact if there is any thing more than what was proclaimed should be done to them I will like it. They are Demons and Africa can't harbour Demons.
I am just incredibly happy that my country approved the law for the gay marriage. For that i am proud to say im latin american. Im not gay but totally am in favor of other people's happiness. I just cant understand how the weak minds of these folks work. How can a government take away someone else's happiness using a "moral" excuse by saying that it is how Uganda is. No, a country is made of all the people, black white yellow gay straight poor or rich. A country should never be against them, whoever they are. And just to look forward, take a look at the world map: which countries have best GDP and HDI. They are the same countries who protect gay rights. Coincidence? No, that is called intelligence.
its worse to think tht our governmrnt is against its own which is a minority but how about you speak of your own which bought $6 billion worth of bullets, ready to disarm you, building FEMA camps where you and your family and friends will be pushed as soon as you cant clear up ur bills and home care (obamacare), being spied on by your government, having drones positioned to attack Americans on their own soil and more American drama. i mean isnt tht enough for you to contain already???
krobbie, the message you replied to was posted by someone who said they are Latin American. That means that they do not live in the USA, but in one of the non-English-speaking countries in America, e.g. Argentina. Therefore, all the nonsense you wrote (or tried to, as your English is worse than a first grader's) does not apply. I suggest you educate yourself before you share your ideas. Maybe you should try to finish elementary school (I guess college if you are in Uganda).
What Krobbie said is a FACT! Dont believe him, do your OWN research. I am sure you will then come back and apologize for being DEAD wrong!
Errr...U are welcome to take in all of the "intelligent" gays from Uganda, Nigeria and other areas of the world where this reprehensible lifestyle is discouraged. Imagine what that would do for your GDP and HDI? So what's stopping you?
Wow... your ability to understand texts is overwhealming. No wonder you have that opinion.
Let me try to explain again (in a simpler way). Countries with highter IDH and GDP per capita standards are the ones with higher education statuses ALONG with improved gay rights. WHICH MEANS that if you are a country that understands how gay rights are important and respect each other, you know better how to live in a society and have better living conditions. Take Norway as an example. All this Gay blah blah blah is so in the past for Norway people... It will still take hundred of years for Uganda and some other retrograde countries get even close to these advanced levels. It is simply a matter of choice of its residents and government. Mine, thankfully, has chosen a good side.
Good job on swallowing Western propaganda, Africa! We never taught you to be gay; we taught you to hate gays. Now that we're trying to fix this one out of the many wrongs we have perpetrated against Africa, Uganda steps in to take over the Western job of making Africa a worse and more hateful place to live.
God has brought us this far-we shall not go against his law-we are Christian and muslims not nonbelievers.
and yet christian and mulsims use to kill each other and oppress each other ans still do ..you are willing to tolerate each others life style choices yet both your religions condone each other to hell for worshiping the wrong god and are destined for hell ..both support slavery why dont you read those books.
People are comparing this LGBT nonsense with the fight against racism. Uhm... no. Being black is something you're born with. You can't maltreat a person because of how they are. Being gay however, is a choice. No one is born gay, it's not genetic. It's a sign of poor parenting or an absence of parenting. It's okay to be gay, but it's not okay to assume every nation in the world should legalize this sodomy.
This article says some have fled the country, I say that is excellent. No one says you can't be gay, just go find a place where it's legal and everyone will be happy. It's kinda like smoking only in smoking areas. No one says you can't smoke, just don't smoke in the non smoking areas.
By the way, I'm proudly Nigerian, and I support Uganda on this. We Africans have something that the western world will never understand. Something called TRADITION.
Being gay is not a choice you moron. You belong in Nigeria.
Sooooo True! people need to STOP compaing being black, with being a sodomite! People have NO choice in being black. Sodomites make the choice to be sodomites! This has been proven, time, and time again. Amercia was founded on Christian beliefs, which include Sodomy being a Sin. If your relegion teaches against it, why must you be forced into accepting it? What happened to freedom of religion?
"Freedom of religion" means that you can believe in any religious system you want without being punished by the government for having that religion. It DOES NOT mean that you can do whatever you like in the name of religion.
Much as everyone has rights so do the rest of Ugandans who are not gay, they still have the right to access US aid & the US should not at moment dare cut aid. http://www.afrosocio.com
@Mike: I do hope that the US cuts aid. Why would I give charity to you, when there are so many others who also need help and are not mean to others?
Actually we can do without the aid
May Jesus forgive Ugandan and Nigerian ignorance and hatred. He would be ashamed of you hiding behind the cloak of "tradition" to act like odious fools. Some traditions should rightfully cease to exist.
we have got too much atension from the west,The president sought the scientific prof against the vice! why cant the progy people support their side by scientific backing!
Khasim, are you sure the scientists your president consulted with were free to express their true opinions? Considering the politics around this issue, I seriously doubt it. Also, how is it possible that the conclusions of those "scientists" are the exact opposite to what hundreds of studies have shown? Are the Ugandan people so different than the Western people?
@Pedro, you are a fool and all your responses to other peoples comments are bogus, I wonder what your point of interest would be in such matters.
This lovely bit of legislation is being brought to you by the same soul sisters
who sing the great AfricanTradition of ethnic cleansing which even now is killing millions- now oppressing
and murdering those who are different in their God's chosen- people society.
They will perish on the garbage dump of failed human history purges and pogroms.
it was a blessing when our president signed the bill, in fact it even rained just after the president signed yet we are in a dry season and it had not rained for the past two months. remember in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah it was fire not rain. We are not lazy chaps to go by any practice because of aide we shall not sell our country because of aide just like Esau sold his inheirentence because of food.FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY MOTHER UGANDA.
AMEN!!
why the west joking Africa with values that doesn't serve their interest in africa we cherish polygamy why has not u.n made it mandatory to the rest of the world . we all know that our bodies compliment each other how can one use is rectum meant for food to do other stupid things or leave our girls flat out.
those guys fighting for African gays,please also allow polygamy by repealing the bigamy law and we can talk. polygamy is more natural than gayism
for those WHO want to take thier lives because of the anti gay law,,satan recieve your souls i hope.rubbish.useless fools,or may be they should grant them stay over the western countries,not africa.good president continue your Work.
There is no petrol in Uganda. If there was, the US would have kept quiet. Why is the US not speaking up against Saudi Arabia's tough laws dat violate human rights.
There is a saying that " If you are in Rome behave like a Roman" therefore if the Gay culture was not part of any Uganda's culture then The President is very right to sign that Law. Because we expect every Ugandans according to the Uganda's culture. not any other imported culture.
What or who defines Ugandan culture? Since there exist gay individuals that are born in Uganda with Ugandian parents, they are clearly a part of Uganda, and therefore a part of Ugandian culture.
The point that people are missing is that ,african society or Ugandan in particular , is deeply rooted in tribal culture and religion,if it doesnt pass those two,,then you can trust that its headed no where.That is why polygamy is not really criminalized yet we all know its not so good a social lifestyle. Do not try to understand Africa from the western perspective.
Why is pastor Scott Lively from Springfield Oregon allowed to go to countries like Uganda and Russia and help develop antigay laws? Americans have themselves to blame in these deaths to occur, government approved, the next few days!
Why would anyone who lives in an environment in which they will be harassed at best and killed at worst, choose to be gay? You keep saying it is a choice but if it was truly a choice, why would anyone living under such draconian laws choose this?!? Oh right, because it's not a choice...
America and Europe have no shame , no remorse, and will never stop evil deeds. They are coursed by the devil they serve. They are so blind to see that Africa can never be destroyed .What worse can they bring to African after the atrocity of human slavery. They always trigger trouble in Africa and quick to send their troops to kill our people in pretends that they are saving civilians, they directly and indirectly killing Africans and African Americans and claiming self defence, They are always, always jealous and afraid of Africans why, because we are godly and naturally blessed with every thing. Organic food, mineral recourses , elegant and beautiful human creatures especially our ladies, wonderful skin that stands any kind of weather, what is it that Africa don't have above all we know, respect and fear the God of creation who gave us the strength and the ability to withstand even the power to always forgive America and Europe their evil against us (Africa) though we forgive the story of their evil deeds to Africans will never be forgotten until God judge them to bring justice to Africans. Now let me tell you fools that are falling to their trap of gay nonsense, You think they are supporting you by shouting human rights, No they know quite well that Africa will not allow or tolerate such abomination instead they will kill those that will what to practice such act. so they want all of you African gay people to be killed. So stop being ignorant enough of your foolish imitation of western useless lifestyle it is not our life style period and we will not buy it, it is abomination and against the Law of God almighty.They always triggers something that will course more death in Africa . SO you guys that wants to be like them may want to go to their country and practice that evil or you will die . It is a must that you obey the Law of your country if you want to live there. They will never bring anything good without taking the best you have they are hypocrites. The only thing they have is GUN and immorality, they are developed because they use gun to take and enslave Africans into developing their country they have no man power I bet you they see through African eyes and they want to teach us human right, evil murderers wants to bring human rights to Africa haaaaaaa you see they have no shame god forbid them.