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Uganda's president,
Yoweri Museveni, signs into law a bill
toughening penalties
for gay people.
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Once
regarded as an example of enlightened African leadership, Uganda's president, Yoweri
Museveni, is currently something of an international pariah. His decision to
sign a bill into law that imposes harsh penalties for homosexuality has
resulted in cuts to the country's generous aid budget.
The
US described the adoption of the law as a tragic day for Uganda, and the
secretary of state, John Kerry, announced that "all dimensions" of US
engagement with the country would be reviewed, including the aid
budget.
Britain
is not following suit. The Department for International Development said all
direct support to the Ugandan government had been cut in November after a
corruption scandal, but a spokesman said the £97.9m in this year's budget would
not be withheld. "The UK remains committed to supporting the people of
Uganda," he said. The money will now be channelled through alternative
routes, including international aid agencies that met the UK's human rights
principles.
Other
European donors have taken a tougher line. Norway said it would be withholding
$8m in development aid, and Denmark will divert $9m away from the government.
"We cannot distance ourselves too strongly from the law and the signal
that the Ugandan government now sends to not only persecuted minority groups,
but to the whole world," the Danish trade and development minister, Mogens
Jensen, said. Austria said it was reviewing its assistance.
Uganda
has traditionally been one of the largest recipients of international aid.
According to the Overseas Development Institute, the country received $1.6bn
(£960m) in 2011, making it the world's 20th largest aid recipient. Between 2006
and 2010 the US was the biggest donor, providing $1.7bn, followed by Britain
with $694m.
Uganda's
recent growth has reduced its aid dependence and the country hopes its newly
found oil reserves will bear fruit in 2016. With aid a decreasing share of
government revenues, the hold donor countries have over Museveni has weakened.
Uganda is also an important strategic ally, providing troops to Somalia in
their fight against al-Shabaab.
While
Western donors have been scrambling to react to the passing of the bill there
has been almost no response from other African leaders, many of whom have
similar legislation. South Africa, one of the few
African countries to protect the rights of gay men and women and allow gay
marriage, has issued a
statement calling for clarification from various countries about
their laws on sexual orientation, a government official said on Tuesday.
International
relations department spokesperson Clayson Monyela said in a statement:
"South Africa believes that no persons should be subjected to
discrimination or violence on any ground, including on the basis of sexual
orientation."
The
African Union offices in Addis Ababa have been similarly silent. The UN
secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, called on African leaders to respect gay rights when he
addressed their summit in January 2012, but they have been reluctant to tackle
the issue.
"Let
me mention one form of discrimination that has been ignored, or even
sanctioned, by many states for far too long … discrimination based on sexual
orientation or gender identity," Ban said. "This has prompted some
governments to treat people as second-class citizens, or even criminals."
Ban's
call for action was met with silence. Activists have attempted to raise the
issue with the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, but this, too,
has met with little success.
Homophobia
is entrenched in Africa. The Uganda daily Red Pepper plastered its front page with a single headline:
Exposed! Uganda's Top Homos Named. Photographs of some allegedly gay men ran
alongside the text.
There
has, however, been one small ray of hope. A Zambian court has cleared a prominent rights activist, Paul
Kasonkomona, of encouraging homosexuality after he called for gay rights to be
recognised. He was arrested in April 2013 and charged with soliciting.
"This
is a great victory for freedom of expression," his lawyer, Anneke
Meerkotter, said. "The mood in the court was one of great relief."
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