CAL Condemns Ugandan government closure of LGBT workshop

The Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL), a coalition of lesbians, bisexual women and trans-gender organisations and individuals, condemns the orders of the State Minister of Ethics and Integrity, Hon. Simon Lukodo, to close an LGBT Leadership Training workshop on the morning of Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

Furthermore, the coalition condemns the outright intimidation by government officials of the organisers of this workshop, in particular, human rights defender Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera. The week-long workshop was due to end February 15, 2012.

Such actions are in direct contravention of the Constitution of Uganda, The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, amongst other international human rights instruments, all of which strongly promote and protect the rights to freedom of association, assembly, speech, expression and the right to information of all citizens and human beings, without discrimination.

In the middle of the parliamentary review of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, The Coalition of African Lesbians strongly demands that the Government of Uganda protects all LGBT people in Uganda, particularly known and targeted LGBT human rights defenders. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure safety for all who live within its borders.

BACKGROUND

Activists report that in the morning of February 14, 2012, a government official claiming to belong to the President’s Office walked into the workshop room and sat down. With concern, one of the organisers, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, asked him to move out as he was uninvited to the workshop. The official asked Kasha to follow him to a spot in the hotel.

Upon entering that room with him, Kasha met with the minister and his aides. The minister demanded to know the purpose of the workshop and Kasha responded that it was about leadership. He further demanded to know what kind of leadership the workshop was addressing and again Kasha responded to his inquiry.

The minister then asked Kasha to go with him to the workshop room where he began to speak to the participants directly. At that point, the minister announced that the workshop was illegal and unethical and ordered its closure. There was resistance from the workshop organisers and participants and as a result, the minister ordered for the arrest of Kasha. Fortunately, Kasha was able to sneak out and run. On reaching her room, the hotel staff called Kasha to inform her that the minister and police were waiting for her at the hotel lobby. Kasha managed to sneak out of her room and escaped by jumping over the hotel fence.

The hotel manager is reported to have been ordered at gunpoint to produce Kasha and the minister left an order for both Kasha and another defender to leave the country as they are not needed in Uganda. According to further reports from activists, Kasha was summoned by the office of the minister yesterday afternoon to explain more about the purpose of the workshop, which she declined to do for safety reasons. The rest of the participants checked out of their rooms, amidst officials searching for Kasha on every floor of the hotel, and returned safely to their homes.

Eight days after the Anti-Homosexuality Bill has been re-tabled, the general sense among LGBT people is that of fear and hopelessness.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera
Executive Director
Freedom and Roam Uganda
Tel: +256 772 463161
Email: [email protected]

Moses Kimbugwe
Programs Coordinator
Spectrum Uganda Initiatives
Tel: +256 782 854 391
Email: [email protected]

Victor Mukasa
Advocacy Adviser for East Africa
Coalition of African Lesbians
Tel: +27 11 918 2182
Mobile: +27 78 436 3635
Email: [email protected]

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