Ugandans actively working to persecute fellow Ugandans – yes here we OUT the criminals current Red Pepper crew
By Melanie Nathan, February 25, 2013.
For many years, the Ugandan tabloid, Red Pepper has purposely targeted alleged gay, lesbian and transgender people, outing them in the print magazine, often using pictures accompanied by pervasive rhetoric. The most recent publication with photos and names, outed alleged gays and lesbians in a print publication dated Sunday February 24, 2013, accusing them, falsely, of the myth of so called “recruitment into the lifestyle of homosexuality.”
Ten years ago, the tabloid started off as the venture of a group of entrepreneurs who set out to rock Uganda with gossip and morphed into a power force from its first print of 1000 copies copies on a weekly basis to a circulation of over 10,000 copies daily, including Sundays. It is now the third highest circulation for daily newspapers after the market leaders The New Vision and Daily Monitor, in Uganda, making the outings of gays especially onerous.
The Tabloid, fearless in its expose, has gone a little too far in outing Uganda’s gays, given the context of Uganda’s hate of homosexuality and the known consequences of such outings for gay people, which includes persecution, eviction, firings, assaults, arrests, expulsion from villages and in some cases torture.
Imagine waking up in gay-hating Uganda, a country frothing at the bit to pass the Kill the Gays Bill, labeled the worst place to be gay, to find yourself outed on its pages. This has happened over the years to numerous LGBTI Ugandans and some who were not even gay.
The consequences of such an outing in Uganda are well known and can be attested to by the many gay Ugandans who have had to flee and others now in safe houses. Some of these people have sought asylum in foreign countries. I have personally interviewed people who are either still in Uganda or have fled to Sweden, France, the United kingdom, and the U.S.A and they have related similar personal experiences, all noting the resulting persecution, including physical assault and mental torture.
Now that we have years of proof of the persecution of these LGBTI Ugandans, recounting how they were first outed by Red Pepper and then suffered directly after the exposure, we are able to point the finger directly back at the odious publishers and call them persecutors.
The owners, management and staff of Red Pepper have now earned a designation far worse than mere gossip-mongers, they have joined the ranks of human rights abusers and persecutors, knowing the harm that these outings will cause. This goes way further than mere gossip and they all know it.
Each time they print a picture and the name of a person who they determine to be gay, they know exactly what is in store for that person. By participating in this publication they may as well directly call for the firing, the expulsion from villages, eviction from homes, burning of houses. the beatings, the torture and even the deaths of their fellow Ugandans. No matter how much they may abhor homosexuality, their behavior in doing these outings, often risking false accusations too, is simply reprehensible.
RED PEPPER YOU ARE FAIR GAME:-
We hereby put on notice and OUT the following Ugandan Persecutors:
Richard Tusiime, Managing Director and Executive Chairman,
Arinaitwe Rugyendo, Director in charge of marketing,
James Mujuni, business development
Patrick Mugumya, the Operations Director.
Gazzaman Kodil – Deputy News Editor (Gazzaman Gaza Kodili @Ggazzaman fen 7, 2013 Recently tweeted @Gilespies The law hanging suspected homosexuals should pass quickly. If not we will handle them with a Citizens Anti Homo Militia)
Medard Aryatuha, from the entertainment desk and has been trasfered to the news section as a sub-editor.
Bob Tumwesigye, Entertainment
Stanley Ndawula , Crime and Investigations desk.
Claude Muhigirwa, from Wtf, also a celebrity gossip section, to the Sports wing as the editor
Dalton Kaweesa, one of the newspaper’s best political and security news reporters.
Edrinnah Mbote, Business Editor, now promoted to “Regional News Editor.”
Johnson Musinguzi
MUGSHOTS
Dalton Kaweesa
Medard Aryatuha
Claude Muhigirwa
Edrinnah Mbote
We in the international community must OUT these persecutors, and in so doing keep track of the direct harm they have caused to LGBTI Ugandans. We will maintain evidence to use for any future retribution against Red Pepper’s staff and ownership and so we are recording the actual evidence which we can attribute to the persecution that was a direct result of these outings.
We will also ensure that anyone who has participated in these despicable outings are not welcome anywhere else in the world; and that if they do travel to international countries, that they are detained for their crimes against humanity. These names will be provided to the U.S. State department and the U.K. Foreign office following publication of this article.
The tabloid was started by seven partners, two of whom have since left the venture. The remaining five include Richard Tusiime, Managing Director and Executive Chairman, Arinaitwe Rugyendo, Director in charge of marketing, James Mujuni business development and Patrick Mugumya, the Operations Director.
CEO MAGAZINE PUBLISHED THIS PICTURE 2/25/2013.
Now it is our turn to take action:
I believe that what they have done must be adjudicated in the international community. Those associated with Red Pepper have knowingly committed crimes against humanity and while they may be protected within Uganda, they should not receive that protection when traveling into international territory.
Knowing the anti-gay fervor, and the current call by 90% of Ugandans to kill gays through the passage of the horrific Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB), outing in Red Pepper is tantamount to a call for their lynching, a call for the persecution of those they specifically out.
Once the Anti-Homosexuality Bill passes, it will, according to Ugandan law place a duty on a person to report a known homosexual. That law may well be valid in Uganda when it passes, though subject to tests of constitutionality, by Uganda’s independent courts. However the great unknown will be how the international community will address the law in the international forum and any Government sanctioned deaths that result from it as well as the resulting persecution. The world will probably seek retribution, even against those who comply with those laws. A great comparison will be the Nuremburg Trials after the Second World War.
In this case, the Kill the Gays Bill has yet to pass and the editors at Red Pepper may well be underestimating the harm they have already caused. I was contacted this past week by one of the people outed in a Red Pepper issue. This person had never appeared in the media as openly gay previously and that person has now left home, is without work, and is seeking safety. That person’s entire life is ruined, not to mention the terror at being seen by anyone in the country who has seen the photograph.
I believe that this “outing” of gays by Red Pepper is questionable and subject even in Uganda to fines and interdict (restraining order) at this time. But I am not Ugandan and who am I to suggest that they be sued, even though there is precedent for the success of such lawsuit, as we saw when (now murdered) David Kato and other Ugandan LGBTI activists successfully sued the Ugandan Tabloid in 2010, Rolling Stone. Ugandans may be reluctant to sue also for fear of reprisal by the very powerful media conglomerate. Some still suspect that the lawsuit brought against Rolling Stone by David Kato, may have been linked to the renowned activists murder, a couple of months later.
However when it comes to the international community’s responsibility, noting Uganda is a signatory to International Human Rights treaties too, we are obligated to hold those who have persecuted others accountable, according to international standards. We as Americans have a duty to call for justice in international tribunals and to ask the U.S. State department to ensure that these international criminals be prevented from entering our country.
We in the international community must OUT these persecutors, and in so doing keep track of the direct harm they have caused to LGBTI Ugandans. We will maintain evidence to use for any future retribution against Red Pepper’s staff and ownership and so we are recording the actual evidence which we can attribute to the persecution that was a direct result of these outings.
We will also ensure that anyone who has participated in these despicable outings are not welcome anywhere else in the world; and that if they do travel to international countries, they are detained for their crimes against humanity. These names will be provided to the U.S. State Department and the U.K. Foreign office following publication of this article.
CAVEAT/DISCLAIMER: NO ONE in Uganda nor any Ugandan contributed in any way to this article and so NO ONE should be further persecuted by misguided retribution.
By MELANIE NATHAN, [email protected]
Cathy Kristofferson contributed to this article.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Ugandan Red Pepper journalist threatens life of U.S. Lesbian Blogger | O-blog-dee-o-blog-da – March 2, 2013[…] After I published an article at http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/02/26/outing-red-pepper-owners-and-staff-for-persecution-of-gays-in-uganda/ outing the journalists, owners, management, and editors from the Ugandan Tabloid RED PEPPER, for their persecution of LGBTI Ugandans, through outing gays in their Tabloid print magazine, members of the group, numbered 1 through 12, below, launched into the obvious and expected attack on me. […]
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I hope you be detained and hanged too for pushing gays to violate Uganda’s Constitution.
Well well I rest my case. When I moderated I decided to allow this comment, regardless of offensive, because it shows my readers what kind of people want to kill gays! I trust you are a good Christian too, noting that you are a coward for not leaving your real name.
Mellaine why are u interested in recruiting people into homosexuality? But if u are recruiting ugandan teenagers into homosexuality u deserve to die, if u are sodomisising our teen u deserve to die, if u are promoting homosexuality grave is ur destiny. go hang this bill will pass at all odds.
WE DO NOT recruit children into homosexuality : I do not and Lesbians do not and gay men do not. Its a lie.
There is no evidence to support these claims of recruitment in the USA or Uagndan or anywhere in the world.
It doe snot exist because its not possible on a psychological or physical level.
Most of the thinking behind these accusations come from the fact that most people relate same sex relations directly to pedophilia. But the truth is that most pedophiles are straight men. Who defile young children ar straight men and the law is there to stop that already. Nothing to do with gay people. Gay people are only interested in loving relationships with someone who is equally attracted . TNot someone who has to be recruited which is impossible to do scientifically proven!
The issue of ‘Mass’ recruitment by homosexuals in Uganda has been unjustifiably and maliciously used by the proponents of the anti-homosexuality bill to popularize the bill and get support from the public. Such as David Bahati who has sold you this story for his own political purposes and you have been hoodwinked into believing it.
Researcher by professionals in Uganda show findings that there is no recruitment is schools in ALL regions of Uganda. It simply does not exist.
I am a lesbian and I have never sodomized anyone in my life. Most lesbians have not. As for Gay men what they do in their private bedrooms is probably the same as what many straight men are capable of doing in the privacy of their bedrooms. Why do you think that EVERY homosexual is a rapist who hurts children. That is a lie. Of course rapists must be punished . But do I say all straight men are rapists of children because they like to sleep with females? NO. So why say all gay men are rapists because they like to sleep with men? That is pure ignorance and hate and quite frankly a crazy way to think. It is simply not true.
All Rapists must be punished, whether gay or straight. The law should take care of that in a case that can be proved. However to arrest every single gay person saying that “maybe” they WILL commit rape because they are gay is insanity and that is what the Anti-Homosexuality Bill seeks to do.
Ugandans come across as crazy for having this thinking. Next time you visit the site I would be grateful for an intelligent and hate free discussion. I am usually reluctant to put threats and hate on my site. But people need to understand that the anti-homosexuality Bill has been politically motivated and the Red pepper people who have come on this site and fed me their emails must see how people like you think. Your post proves my point that Ugandans really do think that Gays should be killed just for being gay and so this proves the climate of ignorance and hate of homosexuals that Red Pepper is feeding their article into, hence the harm that Red Pepper is causing. So in that way I thank you for helping me to prove my point.
I am usually reluctant to put threats and hate on my site. But people need to understand that the anti-homosexuality Bill has been politically motivated and the Red pepper people who have come on this site and fed me their emails must see how people like you think. Your post proves my point that Ugandans really do think that Gays should be killed just for being gay and so this proves the climate of ignorance and hate of homosexuals that Red Pepper is feeding their article into, hence the harm that Red Pepper is causing. So in that way I thank you for helping me to prove my point.
Uganda’s Constitution protects gays. read the equality clause. Uganda’s court protected David Kato from Giles Muhame and Rolling Stone – that is why KAto won the case.
Uganda’s constitution protects all Ugandans alike, and crimes against gays are like crimes against others. What i don’t like is the media’s glorification of gays as any special people deserving preferential treatment. If they chose to live like that, its okay, everyone has a choice. Plus, the Ugandan society doesn’t have to look like the American or UK society for it to be deserving of dignity of sovereignty based on who treats gays better.
Our history and traditions have predisposed the dominant public opinion to haunt homosexual behavior and it will take gays time to get acceptance big enough to weigh down the stigma that they say they suffer in Uganda. Universal brotherhood demands that we don’t have to look, believe or act the same for us to live together; wisdom however demands that when you live in a society where your values make you appear an insignificant minority by comparison, you walk sensitively. Its not about who is right or wrong, lawful or not, its just relational wisdom.
If I find being gay unnatural in my family, no one should insult my preferences in the name of ‘the law protects gays’ because the law protects people be they gay, be they not. If however my neighbor is gay, I don’t need to insult his preference as if I were more human than him because am not gay.
In the same way, if a person, nation or institution is investing money, airtime and other resources to propagate or uphold the message of being gay and in a way increase their number, why should they be offended if someone whose beliefs differ from his/her/theirs is equally using resources and power in their hold to convert many from being gay? The rules that apply here are those that govern any marketplace of ideas. Whoever can capture the majority will take the day. The law should with regard to this protect both my right to live the life I choose and my wish to non-violently propagate the message that I live and believe as worthy.
Abraham
Although I disagree with a lot of what you say, FINALLY someone from Uganda with a sensible response.
Homosexuality has been proven scientifically to NOT be a choice.
Gays do not want special rights – generally they want equal rights and they want protection from prejudice, discrimination and persecution.
They do not want to be criminalized just for having same-sex attractions.
Do you think you can win this battle? Dont you think God will fight for them?
what exactly don’t you agree with what he say? Do need to spend all that money spreading the goodness of homosexuality? If it is natual and good, let it pave its way why do you use all this energy to push for it?
Kato was a thug, a thief, we all know it. If you dont know stay out of it. Kato is like many lousy dimwit africans who deceive you and pass as gays with their criminal records. Because you you are so desperate to spread your unethical, immoral and unhealthy act of sodomy to our country you are never bothered to vet these people. Because you are to naive to recruit to get numbers you take all the noises.
If your act is so good why be desperate, good deeds find their way society automatically why drag you anus shaterring vice down our throat, you guys piss me off.
Ok keep your homosexualty to yourself and entire western world, you can come for these wasted souls and we get rid of them.
Shame on you I am sure Jesus loves haters too.
Melanie, have you heard of, or seen pictures of gay parades in Uganda? Have you heard of one of the hottest TV debates recently which features one ‘Pepe Anzo’ on NBS in Kampala? How come all these people leave in Uganda and operate on Kampala streets without being ‘beaten’ or thrown into ‘safe houses’? Have you heard of Bishop Dr Christopher Senyonjo? Apart from being defrocked by his church, who has attacked him? Up to now he continues to live in Uganda freely. He is invited to attend LGBT events allover the world, the state renews his passport whenever necessary, Why? Yes Chris Mubiru is wanted by police for allegedly ‘sodomising’ children. If you do not want our children protected from annal defilement, then you have no business talking about human rights for Ugandans.
The Gay people who are safe in the streets are already out human rights defenders who are already out and who have traveled abroad and received awards. They always watch their backs. They are a brave few who spear head the LGBT defenders in Uganda. However I can show you so many emails of Ugandans who are have been kicked out of villages, family homes, one person I interviewed has had his hut burtn. Many are in safe houses.Many have left Uganda. Nowehere though did I suggest its unsafe to be gay and walk down the streets in every instance. However that does not derogate from the actual current cases of persecution and there are many. I have the proof.
Bishop Christopher I consider a friend.He does not have it easy in Uganda. If the new Bill is passed it will hurt him very badly. I marched with him – next to him in the San Francisco Pride parade last year. He has had many death threats and other problems because he has helped gays. I will not mention more here, I have a video interview with him when he was here in the Bay Area, California. He will agreee with me that OUTING in Uganda is tantamount to persecution.
I wrote three stories about the Pride Parade for Ugandans. All the efforts had to be done in secrecy and the pride was held secretly, until someone told the police and then Simon Lokodo ordered them to be arrested. So YES I heard of the Parade and I heard of the arrests that followed it., And now the pictures taken are being used against some of those people.
I have no sympathy for anyone who rapes any child or any person, gay or straight, Homosexuality is not about rape and nor about child defilement. Its about loving relationships between two consenting adults in the privacy of their home and equal rights for all.
Chris Mubiru may have been having sex with men, women or children. If Children or if rape then it is wrong. And must be punished. However if those pictures were of consenting adults then so what?
However from the statistics I have seen straight men are raping children and putting women who cant afford to feed kids into prostitution in Uganda. Why are you not making such a big deal of ALL RAPISTS and CHILD Defilement? Whether gay or straigt it is NOT OK to hurt children. YET most gays do not hurt children and you want to classify all gays as criminals. That is crazy!
So that all said Neb, what may I ask is the point you are trying to make?
What I meant is that the issue is blown out of proportion. You get stories from economic refugees, and other running away from their problems at home. The easiest way for them to be welcomes in USA and Europe is claim they are gay and are being persecuted. I know of many who are not even gay, but have presented themselves as such so as to get favours from the host countries. I have two gay friends; a man in the US and a woman in Kampala, but I love them, though I hate that they are gay. The Bill has been amended several times and you also know that the death penalty for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ was dropped but you still prefer calling it ‘Kill the Gays’ Bill. And even then, the death penalty had been proposed for ‘Aggravated offenses’ which are rape and defilement. And I’m sure you know that. So I don’t know why you say rape is wrong and you continue to oppose those who condemn it. The death penalty was dropped because their is a movement to abolish ‘Death’ as a punishment in Uganda. So it could not be included in new legislation. Even other criminals on death row, are gradually having their sentences commuted to life and many have been finally released.
1. I do not defend anyone who rapes I abhor rape and condemn it and you agree that you understand I have said that. However you seem to equate homosexuality with rape. Loving relationships are not rape! HOMOSEXUALITY is NOT rape! You seem to confuse the two Neb. I dont oppose anyone who condemns rape- where do you come up with that? I oppose persecution of Gay people. I oppose persecution of any one and any minority! Sexuality is a natural born oreintation – whether gay or straight. You should not persecute gay people. Just because there are rapists out there does not give yu the right to persecute ALL gay people. Same way as we dont jail all straight people –
2. The Legal Affairs Committee, it has been reported, recommended the removal of the death sentence. However that report remains sealed and ineffective until the Bill is debated a second time in parliament and only then if there is a new draft wothout the death sentence can you say the death sentence has been removed. Yes there has been talk of it, but it is still officially in the Bill. even the BBC reported that incorrectly. David bahatio told me that the death penalty will be taken out. But when he said that before he was proven to be liar because it was not taken out. There is much press to that effect.
3. As long as you place people in prison for a sentence of LIFE IN PRISON – which will remain in the bill if the death penalty is taken out, you are robbing innocent gays of their lives and so for as long as that is still in there I and many other activists will continue to call it the death penalty.
I have a question for you NEB. Do you hate homosexuality enough to turn your gay friend (who you say you love) in to the police? Because when the new BILL passes if you do not turn them in to the police within 24 hours you can go to Jail for 3 years. Didi you know that? Have you read the Bill? And if you are planning on turning your friends in so you do not risk jail, perhaps you will be loving enough to tell them to go into hiding NOW. Because the Bill is No 3. on the Parliament’s agenda and could pass very soon. Meaning you too will be a criminal if you do not report them to the police.
In Uganda the maximum penalty for rape and defilement by ‘straight men’ is death by hanging, followed by life and then shorter jail sentences. But homosexual rape in not provided for under Uganda’s current laws.
NOT TRUE. All rape is covered by the same rape law.
Also the AHB goes much further – it will put friends, mothers, sisters, doctors, employers, siblings, landlords, children in jail just for knowing a gay person.
Then you do not know what you are talking about. In Uganda’s laws Rape is defined as forced penetration of the woman by a man. That is why homosexual rape and defilement is charged as either sexual assault or indecent assault, which are light offenses.
What about Defilement under penal code “vs order of nature”?
You are wrong on this ….”The Gay people who are safe in the streets are already out human rights defenders who are already out and who have traveled abroad and received awards. They always watch their backs.”… This shows how unresearched your thought are… All the Gay ‘Idiots’ live, party hang around the clubs and fashion shows…they have never come out…dont make me give u even over 30 names here(of just my facebook friends)…whose parents even dont know they are gay…But because they are promised God know what…..to be gay(most of thiz chaps are from poor families and want a good so find no option than give in to the ‘CHris Mubirus’ who promise them a better life and sodomise them…PLEASE note, most of these kids are minors and are forced in to sex…tell me why EXPOSING thie evil is bad and why they dont deserve to be inprison even more
You contradict yourself – Gay people should feel safe to come out and they dont in Uganda. Why should they remain in the closet. BECAUSE – They are criminalized in Uganda and other African countries. You presume all gay people want to hurt minors. What a load of nonsense! That is simply not true. The human rights defenders in uganda are ONLY fighting for the freedom to be open about who they are – to live in peace- without being called criminals. They want to love the person who they are attracted to .Why dont you leave them alone instead of OUTING them in the RP and making laws to hurt ALL gays – MOST (99%) of whom have never harmed anyone. Where you are so wrong is that this is all about love – about safety to love – and has NOTHING at all to do with rape or hurting anyone.There are plenty laws already covering the real criminals and gays would be included in those existing laws. You are expressing your ignorance about homosexuality and what it truly means. How would an innocent straight man like it if I put up their faces on a magazine and said “POTENTIAL RAPIST OF CHILD” – all people are potential crim=minals – whether straight or gay. That does not mean I am going to make a criminal out of them before they commit the crime. That is what you are suggesting!!!!
TO add to my comment. I was absolutely disgusted with how Marin Ssempa attacked Pepe. How dare you even think that that interview on TV was okay. He was a disgusting pig and pepe was completely bombarded by his presence. He was uninvited and stormed into Pepe’s interview and the Host could not control him. Then he starts to demonstrate sex with vegetables that I would have had to turn the TV off from the filth of Ssempa. See my article about it. Ssempa made Pepe feel veryn threatened and Pepe told me he got out of there as quickly as he could, not feeling at all safe. Seems I know more than you think Neb! http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2012/12/18/heroic-ugandan-activist-makes-pastor-martin-ssempa-look-like-the-devil-in-tv-debate/
No. Martin Ssempa was disgusting, but was not a pig. But of course Pepe had to tell you that she felt unsafe. She will never say that Oh! I feel very safe in Uganda! Otherwise, that will be the end of the lies about hostility to gays in Uganda.
Pepe is “he” not “she” . He is transgender person./ Please show respect. Pepe has never told me he feels unsafe in Uganda. You made that up. Pepe felt very nsafe in Martin Ssempa’s presence on that TV studio. I saw that vile man Ssempa’s body language and any one would have felt unsafe in that moment.
Tell me one story where a Gay has been killed or persecuted in Uganda. Gays are more free than in other countries. Stop using the media for activism and promoting this taboo act.
There are many many cases. Do a google search or search on my site or on SDGLN, LGBTQ NAtion, The Advocate, The Uk Guardian, etc and you can read all those asylum cases. Very few are reported to protect families back in Uganda. Then as a writer who has been writing about this since 2009, I have hundreds of letters of persecuted gays in Uganda. I am sorry you find this hard to believe, but please do your own homework if you are interested in refuting me. David Kato is one who was killed. I am not promoting any taboo. I am OUTING people who persecute other people. Did you see the Red Pepper article calling out GAYS? Are you denying the article?
Am sure the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda will beg to differ with you, in the Penal Code Act 1950!
Not so smart are you! The penal code is NOT The Constitution! Its the penal code. The penal code refers to “Acts vs order of nature” – Its does not provide permission to persecute!
David Mutebi
Dear Melanie,
I am not gay and I do not want to be one.
I however think you are very attractive; I am mad about your pretty face.
Assuming you are not gay, may I make a manifesto for a serious relationship?
It is hard to imagine your beauty is wasted on a gay business; ok defending their
rights is noble but please do not be one.
I am a lesbian. I have no interest in men. Than you for the proposal though! I have had many and just like you do I prefer women! I would probably stand up for gays even if I was straight. Just the same way as I stood up for my fellow black South Africans during apartheid even though I am white.
i personally have no problem with the gay but if u say they are being persecuted thats absolutely not true. ugandans myt be having hard time adjusting to the fact that the gays are actually ok but the problem is gay guys in Uganda go recruiting young kids and telling them they are gay, others gp ahead and rape or mishandle these innocent children. lets face it, if u are gay u know, u donot need some one to tell u. they should cool down, besides no one can tell anyone apart, if u are gay or not we dont kill any apart from that gay guy who was killed but his murderer was punished and put in jail. its what uganda as a nation wants and we dont care how many pipo will be also persecuted for saying they dont want gays but am sure as hell belive uganda will pass that bill and we shall have the gays out. better yet , they should address the public well and explain what they are instead of claiming things that are not true.
Sadly Samantha you have fallen for the lies and myths fed by people who are insecure and who have their hateful agenda. Sadly much of it has been done in the name of Christianity and for money and corruption. People have received American Evengelical Christian money to find an foe to blame for the ills of Uganda. The corruption, the poverty and the Gay Bill has been hyped to be used in parliament as a tool of disytraction. If the gays had not been painted as recruiters and bad people then there would be no hype around the Bill and the distraction tool would be gone. They want that Bill bouncing around there like a little ball to use whenever they need to distract from something more important. So now the Ugandans believe this nonsense abut recruiting.
If you think about it. How can you recruit anyone into a sexual attraction. It is physically not possible. Can yu change from being straight to gay because someone recruits you? No you will always be straight. If someone forces someone else to have sex that is rape – NOT recruitment and that must be punished under tha laws that already exists to punish people for rape. You do not need the AHB.
Again I repeat you cannot tell someone they are GAY – that is nonsense. I have met many gay Ugandans and not one of them is remotely interested in recruiting anyone. All they want to do is live in peace and quiet in Uganda, their home that the love, with the person whom is a consulting adult who they love. I hope you can see your way to a better education on this issue.
Dear Mr. Arinaitwe Rugyendo,
Seeing as your blog post will not take comments here is my response:-
Homosexuality became a thorny issue with this as evidenced by this video and a few others before it. See Video at http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/02/23/hateful-anti-gay-video-features-ugandan-host-of-u-k-preacher-paul-shinners/
The Anti-Homosexuality Bill, officially calls for the death of gays as does David Bahati, its author, in the Video (min 2:28-2:55) . You will see they are calling for death and life in prison to homosexuals, in the name of Christianity, a Western Colonial import.
What we international gay activists are advocating for is the right for all people, around the entire world, to their natural born sexuality, whether homosexual or heterosexual.
What we are calling for is the right for people who are NOT rapists, NOT criminals and who do NOT hurt anyone to be left in peace to love the person, no matter what gender, to whom they feel naturally attracted.
I am a lesbian and if I cam to your country, sadly I would be considered a crimonal. Mr. Bahati told me that himself. Unless I was able to repent. Sadly I cannot repent because I am not a Christian and when i tried marriage to a man, it did not help me with my attraction to women. Quite the contrary – it made me more attracted to women. I guess you can say the straights recruited me to be gay (HA!).
With Uganda, the problem is that Americans Scott Lively, Lou Engle, and Ugandan Martin Ssempa started to bring in the hate against homosexuals through myth and lies, that have been perpetuated by your own people. That is when Bahati came with his Bill. and around that time the author of this piece, Arinaitwe Rugyendo, to which I respond, and the others at Red Pepper, and Giled Muhame at Rollin Stone started to OUT Ugandan gays.
The author is absolutely correct. The Colonialists are entirely to blame for this sudden interest in homosexuality. But its from the hater side and not the activist side, who are only now wanting to help protect those who suffer persecution. What Arinaitwe Rugyendot fails to state is how he and his associates at Red Pepper have fed into the lies about homosexuality, which lies were indeed perpetuated by Evangelical Christians from the West..
I quote from Red Pepper magazine last week which outed the gays again and in respect of which Arinaitwe Rugyendo, is Director in charge of marketing, They note: “The gay and lesbian and homosexual community has infiltrated Uganda’s social economic political and religious aspects of life. …They have a sophisticated way of operating, recruiting boys and girls, camouflaging AND MINGLING AMONGST HETEROSEXUALS MEMBERS OF SOCIETY TO CO-EXIST.” (It gets worse…..)
It would seem, Sir, that you too have fallen prey to great distraction provided you on a platter by Colonialists.
So my question is – if Ugandans are not interested in homosexuality why does the magazine from which you derive great financial profit seek to OUT them in this fashion?
My second question is why do you want to put Ugandans to death or give them life in prison if they have not hurt anyone and if homosexuality is not such a big deal as you suggest – as recruitment is nonsense and a fabrication- impossible to procure in reality?
What you have not addressed Sir, is your own involvement in making money out of this issue.
What I suggest Arinaitwe Rugyendo is that the only storm in a tea cup is a BILL that is against basic human rights and against the treatise that Uganda has already signed with the International community. AND the storm in the other tea cup is your Tabloid that keeps OUTING gay people only to cause great upset to them and harm to your fellow Ugandans..
But why is it ok 2 persecute heterosexuals and wrong to persecute homosexuals?
You are very funny. Who is persecuting heterosexuals based on their sexuality?
For all those who keep replying and tweeting and blogging and exclaiming that persecution against gays in Uganda is a made up Western fantasy. Are you calling Kasha of Freedom and Roam Uganda a liar? She just tweeted (Thursday Feb 28 11:13amET):
kasha jacqueline @KashaJacqueline
a colleague who was exposed in Saturday redpepper has just been hit in town this afternoon.shame shame shame.mstwww
Yes I have received reports that there has been a ssault directly attributed to this OUTING in Red Pepper. The Ugandans are in denial. I ahve also received private emails thanking me for this article by many Ugandans who are scared and further express having been persecuted themselves, witnessed beatings, etc. One person wrote from a remote village explaining how he had been forced to expel two girls from school because they were caught together and now they were denied their education. Then they ended up having to leave their village. So many are in denial about what is really going on. They seem to think homosexuality is a western import, when gay sex was there long before the colonialists came along. What IS a colonial import is the Christianity that has fueled the hate vs homosexuality.
I find the rhetorhic and hate oddly familiar. I see the religious extremists that attempted to pollute our country with their factless, baseless, self loathing hate disguised as religion have infultrated yours. I feel very bad foer those who blindly follow a doctorine that is so counter to any “true religious” doctorine because they themselves fear persecution. This is cult mentality and in the same way it’s hurt our country it has the potential to destroy yours. Ask yourselves this “When did the american christians come? and when did this anti-gay hate start? Also ask yourselves, have our children been safe since?? If you are being honest and you dare to tell the truth the answers will become abundantly clear. The trouble in Uganda, like in America is NOT gay people, it’s those wolves in sheeps clothing who use faith as a weapon for their own deviance. It is the perversion of faith, the destruction of truth. They are like locusts, they swoop in, devour what they can and move to the next place. We’ve been watching their power wane here in America, and meanwhile it’s like watching a rerun on television when we hear about Uganda….same script, different studio. I pray the people of Uganda will wake up, stand up and if Christian,follow the true way of Christ and not allow hate and blasphemy to destroy your people. You are being lied to, brainwashed by liars and false prophets who want nothing more than to control and capitialize off you.
Hi Melanie,
what do you have to say about this?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2266059/Russia-anti-gay-law-outlaw-homosexual-propaganda-ban-public-events-promote-gay-rights.html#ixzz2Izom5JuO
Judging by that article I guess Uganda can’t be given the title of worst country to be gay.
I just hate it when you label Ugandans as haters because you have read Red Pepper for the past decade and listened to Sempa.
Really the persecutions are highly exaggerated – of course some people will punish the gays the way they punish a girl who has gotten pregnant before her time, she gets thrown out of school, parents kick her out etc. Guess it’s looked at as deserving of punishment.
I want to get clarification from you on Kato (I had gotten an explanation from friends of friends to Kato that his lover caused his demise). But ‘Ugandans’ (hate the collective term) murdering people for sins? Could be some individuals, same as those who defile and murder their victims.
And it’s true about recruitment (I know!) as true as it is about some gays getting punished for being who they are. By the way it’s money driven for some as well, I know!
The same goes for those – some who cry, “I’m gay, I need to flee the country”, trust me the grass is greenest away from Uganda, I know of friends who have wanted that option – I will not say if I’m one of them.
And, of course you have evidence!! Someone can just write up something and tell you of how badly they get mistreated and you would file it in your ‘evidence folder’ and share it with those other international media houses which love anything juicy on gay hating Uganda.
The sad fact is that the ‘White men’ brought to Uganda and to Africa as well as elsewhere – The Bible which is clear on homosexuality. How do you tell a christian to believe otherwise? Should the Bible be revised? I keep asking myself even in regard to some other sins! We have to believe the Holy Book where all sins are equal – I have sinned on many occasions going by the Rules in The Bible and also according to society, (which draws some rules from The Great Book), in the same way a gay person has also sinned. We are sinners, too bad people get to choose which sin is worst – over the rest.
NB: Florence is my real name – (you will get the second name via my email) and that’s my view!.
Thanks Florence.
1. You are welcome to read my earlier articles about Kato. I believe it was a set up as do many others. The accused was a patsy for authorities. He was not Kato’s lover according to my sources and my information
2. When a person is given asylum ina foreign country and there are very many not just a few who are Ugandans – they have to provide a dossier with evidence that can be verified. Getting asylum is very very difficult. Many fail to prove their cases and are sent back to their countries. The standard of proof is high. Western countries are not easily fooled. The ones who have succeeded have intense evidence to prove their cases.
You endorse the critical point I make – when you use being kicked out of home of the gal who is being punished. If you know something is going to hurt someone – why expose them>? That is the point of my article – even if it is just one you are hurting what does it matter? You are causing the persecution through the outing. So e.g. If Red pepper outed that girl you refer to by publicly shaming her – is that okay? Its worse for GAYS because of the very well documented anti-gay climate in Uganda right now.
One person OUTED ion the latest edition was assaulted on the street in Kampala last week. So you see – direct harm caused by the outing. Do you think that person would have been attacked if the RP had not published the picture- it was a stranger who recognized them and mentioned the RP during the attack. FACT it happened AFTER I wrote this article – on that I rest my case!!!!
I have not seen any proof of recruitment. Tell me how is recruitment possible? If you say you can believe it is possible then you yourself are saying you believe yourself to be capable of being GAY if you are straight? Florence are you straight? If so imagine someone recruiting you to suddenly change who you are sexually attracted to?? Not POssible…. SHow me proof!
The Bible preaches LOVE not hate. The Bible is not clear on loving relationships between 2 consenting adults – it is taken completely out of context. Do you have a BILL in Parliament to hang people who eat PORK?
Florence just say you dont even know whats going on in Uganda like when you talked of the Bible being revised! do you thinki all people have to belive in The Bible, thats an old teaching you guyz alwayz come up with, mbu the Bible , ate mbu the grands whatever case it may be somebody has to choose a desitiney.have you ever been take to a school to learn how to love?it comes unknowingly,no one wakesup and say i have to fall in love today, any place, any time you can find love.why do you say that we recruit young ones??being a GAY is a sprit i myself call it HOLLY.if you are really paid to be a Gay then you are not but i know its in my genes and no one has to decide for me.why do you have to take your minds in my BED its my life i want it that way dont try it if you dont want it.it makes me sad when i hear you say Uganda is green for Gay people.we have heard alot of policemen acused of sexual assults moreover to people they have arrested of being GAY if they dont want gay people then why assult them,rape them and so on.dont put your eyes on THE public figures like the late kato etc go dig down on grass roots people are sufering families are displaced,lives lost what are you talking about??
I didn’t know that Arinaitwe Rugyendo can be this extream. Why do you have to feel proud when someone is hit and dies on street because of your paper. Do you gain anything? Hate is driving you to write that homosexuals are recruiting people in schools but when they ask you to produce proof for that, you have nothing to show. You should not wish for someone to be killed because he/she is not like you. Everyone is unique in his/her way. Arinaitwe Rugyendo you should promote love not hate.
Arinaitwe does not believe that anyone is harmed by his paper and he writes that reports of persecution are not true. He is wrong – we have so much evidence to the contrary – especially from those who had to run from Uganda and can document their experiences 0- some a direct result of his OUTING.Everyone at Red Pepper are equally to blame. Thanks for the comment.
READ MORE
E at http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/03/02/ugandan-red-pepper-journalist-threatens-life-of-u-s-lesbian-blogger/
melanie , i am also gay and African here in East Africa Uganda Kenya Tanzania .Thanks for speaking for us and do not stop despite the attacks.We Gays in Africa are hurting just becoz of love …gays do not recruit anyone
gays are born …keep it up melanie…sorry i had to use another identity just to protect myself.
I understand Lyon. I get very many private e-mails from people who are afraid to comment. Its no wonder. The hate expressed is not very comforting – especially to such loving people who wish no one any harm. I really appreciate your comment.
Melanie we are with you at heart we stand with you in all and we shall not just keep quite when all our rights are beeing taken form us thanks for all you do
@RED PAPPER thats how Rolling stones did to DAVID KATO it was back in days of ingnorance but now THE WORLD IS GLOBAL its a village all people are putting their eyes on you and one day it will be yourselves to be judged by the GLOBAL LAW your theats are just like a rat enticing a lion you have to know that its not you to bring LGBT people in the eyes of the PUBLIC we can do that ourselves we dont need you in this keep out before you are kept out.ITS A BIG NATION dont force it.many LGBT members have been killed,injured sexually assulted by those people claiming to be ANT activits but doing the same thing to them have you come out to write about what happens during that couse?then why you reveal them LIVE US AT PEACE.
I do not leave a response, however I read a ton of responses on this page OUTING Red Pepper owners and staff for
persecution of Gays in Uganda | O-blog-dee-o-blog-da.
I do have some questions for you if it’s okay.
Is it only me or does it seem like a few of these comments look
like they are left by brain dead folks? :-P And, if you
are writing on other social sites, I would like to keep up
with you. Would you make a list of all of your public sites like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?
Twitter account @melanienathan1 ill lead to Facebook account.
Also Melanie Nathan Advocacy on facebook
I am a Ugandan. Its true Uganda is the worst country to be gay only when your outed. and people live in fear and other gay people have even left the country and I blame all this on these crazy an professional tabloid s that out people without clear facts. (removed unknown link)