LGBTI Refugees in Uganda

Uganda, where an infamously draconian “Kill the Gays” bill was

introduced in the last session of parliament, where last year a local

newspaper published the names and photos of 100 alleged homosexuals

under the headline “Hang Them”, where current law criminalizes same

sex acts, where many police officers were viewed as a source of

persecution against LGBTI persons rather than protection, where

homophobic violence is committed by civilians with perceived impunity,

where LGBTI persons are commonly discriminated against in seeking

housing as well as unemployment. This must force us to wonder why, of

all places, would gay refugees flee to Uganda as they have been as of

late? The fact that they do offers a lot of dismal information about

the fate of the LGBTI community in Eastern Africa and other parts of

the world. Refugees are at a stark lack of options, whether they are

gay or not. All refugees are victims of religious, political, or

racial persecution and have often been forced to flee their homes.

Fortunately, some attention is being paid to this situation on behalf

of the US State Department, as they have spoken out about the

“unaddressed needs” of refugees who face persecution due to their

sexual orientation or gender identity. The State Department has spoken

out on behalf of these needs for refugees, improving their access to

protection and better rights. Having been treated as subhuman for so

long, it has been overdue for the refugees of the Ugandan and Eastern

African LGBTI to be entitled to basic human rights.

www.bbc.co.uk/lgbti_uganda

 September 16, 2011