A Wake up call to funders and others such as The Catholic Church which supports this organization through memberships, grants or donations.
By Melanie Nathan, July 31, 2014.
The Christian group, Inter-Religious Council of Uganda has admitted on the record to its direct participation in the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) of Uganda, by asking to be joined in a legal action to protect the AHA from a ruling of unconstitutionality. Below is a copy of the application. The Christian groups are trying a last ditch effort to thwart a possible court ruling that the Anti-gay Bill is unconstitutional, which may be made as early as tomorrow. This could delay the ruling.
The group together with other anti-gay groups of Uganda have asked to be joined as Respondents to defend the action that is seeking to rule the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act as unconstitutional.
The Constitutional Court is tomorrow (Friday) expected to deliver its ruling on whether the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga was correct to pass the Anti-homosexuality Bill without the proper Parliamentary quorum. The ruling could technically dispose of the 5-months court case, that is if the court agrees with the arguments of the lawyers representing human rights defender Plaintiffs, that indeed there was no quorum when the Speaker of Parliament passed the Bill on December 20 last year. However, should court rule that there was no evidence presented by Plaintiffs to prove that there was no quorum, then the court will have to rule on the other arguments involved in the case to determine whether or not the Act is constitutional.
The 10 petitioners — including two Ugandan rights organizations — also claim that the law violates the constitutional right to privacy and dignity, as well as the right to be free from discrimination, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The latter issues will be decided if the ACt survives this first issue of a quorum.
Inter-Religious Council of Uganda has now made the critical admission about its involvement in the anti-gay legislation, which could have far reaching implication for all involved in the IRC – both in Uganda and abroad.The organization noted in the Application to be joined: “The Applicants efforts were key to the passing of the legislation…”
All affiliated international churches and funders must now wake up to the fact that they have in effect been sponsoring the organization’s war against Uganda’s gays, and in hence the world’s gays. This is now clearly admitted on the record. The nature of the anti-gay rhetoric and direct involvement, as now admitted, serves as a wake up call to all Churches that support IRC from abroad. These churches must all now take responsibility that they in effect have supported legislation that called for the death penalty for gays. (Even though the death penalty has now been removed from the Bill.) These Churches must now take responsibility – that unless they pull their support from IRC, they are on the record currently supporting life in prison for gays.
It is now time for us to take a hard look at who has in the past funded and supported IRC of Uganda and who continues to do so and to remind them that they are supporting an organization now admitting its participation in a law that is not only designed to persecute but that has in fact served to prosecute a minority portion of Uganda’s population.
IRCU MEMBERSHIP IS COMPRISED OF:
- Catholic Church in Uganda
- Uganda Muslim Supreme Council
- Church of Uganda
- Uganda Orthodox Church
- Seventh Day Adventist Church Uganda Union
HERE ARE THEIR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES as displayed on their website – and it is clear that anyone supporting their mission may well now assert that they have been deceived into thinking that their stance on human rights includes ALL God’s children. It is a great shame because it seems that the IRC may well do some excellent work. However ythey have revealed their hand to include hate against LGBT community, by supporting a law criminalizing good people, with life in prison:
“IRCU PHILOSOPHY
Inspired and motivated by love and faith, IRCU strives to serve God through service to humanity, especially the poor and vulnerable of society. ( Surat Al-Insaan 76:7-9, Mathew 25:34-40, 1 john 4:20)
OUR MISSION
- To promote peace, reconciliation, good governance, and holistic human development through interfaith action and collaboration, advocating for the empowerment of member bodies for common good.
OUR VISION:
- A divinely peaceful, united, prosperous Uganda where all people enjoy full health and freedoms for the common good.
STRATEGIC GOALS:
- Advocate for appropriate health policies and support holistic interventions
- Promote health
- Promote non-violence, peaceful coexistence and respect for human rights.
- Promote holistic education based on moral and spiritual Values.
- Promote peaceful coexistence, moral and spiritual integrity, social-economic welfare and collaborative action through sharing knowledge and resources for the common good.
OBJECTIVES
- To promote the sharing of knowledge among religious communities of their respective principles and values, which can be related to building a peaceful and just society in Uganda and the world at large.
- To create a forum for deliberating and articulating on areas of common interest and concern.
- To plan and implement collaborative action programs based on shared moral commitments in Uganda in relation to other parts of the world.
- To promote tolerance for. unique traditions and differences in belief and action.
- To advocate for the promotion of Human Rights.
- To discourage and fight exploitation, segregation and beliefs and affiliation.
- To promote and defend efforts and programs aimed at alleviation of ignorance and poverty in society with the aim of promoting social- economic welfare, health and general good.
- To support and defend efforts and programs aimed at promoting peace and tranquility in society and peaceful co-existence between members of society.
- To promote moral and spiritual integrity and values in society.
- To support and defend Women and Children’s genuine welfare.
- To promote and protect the environment. read more http://www.ircu.or.ug/about-us/who-we-are “
ULTIMATE UPDATE: http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2014/08/01/ugandan-court-rules-anti-homosexuality-act-unconstitutional/
Ugandan Catholic Easter Message Calls for Genocide of Gays
CATHOLIC CHURCH MESSAGE IN UGANDA – blessings to all Christians who have been working so hard to make Jinja a land free of gay persons by Melanie Nathan, April 20, 2014. The Bishop of the Jinja Diocese of the Catholic Church, Bishop Rt. Rev. Fr. Charles Wamika, in today’s Easter Message delivered at St. Chalres […]
Reblogged this on We are 1 Voice and commented:
My Lord. What a mess. So much for “Love Thy Neighbor” and all that crap,
This article is far streached from the truth in Uganda. No gay person is under attack in Uganda, no genrocide as this author seems to say. If you people continue to make people believe that all that you are writing is true may be the cause of the generocide. Dont look for something where there is nothing. I have many issues with the way America and many other countries run there life but I never run bulbering trying to make the country seem you know…
I have read articles like this one writing baseless far fetched so called news like this.
But people who have visited Uganda know that we are a loving people. Doesnt mean we should not stand for what we and mark my words WE believe in.
Hope you I mean the author have are not promoting morden Colonialism. Remember colonialism can be defined as pushing western thinking as the best for Africa.
Please do your homework Damon.
No persecution? Tune in right now to FM Radio Uganda – 1 hour ago – Kingdom FM for pastor kiganda A person called Aperson called to give the view on talk show and he said that if the gays win the case in Court tomorrow quote: “” if they win in the court we will slaughter them they are few”
There is nothing baseless about this article. It speaks for itself and it is now a matter of court record. You cannot deny that the CHURCH group has just said they had a key influence on the Anti-Homosexuality Act. They just submitted the document into Court themselves. No on else. They wrote it and signed the affidavits themselves. So what are you disputing – the only opinion part which you are welcome to dispute is my belief that the Church’s abroad should stop thinking that the IRC cares about human rights for all. They do not care about the human rights of gay people because if they did they would not adocate for their death or life in prison. It is clear on the record. RALLY after Rally that they supported the death penalty in the Bill/ . And then now they admit they are key players in the BILL that is why they want to be joined into the action where advocates are trying to get rid of the bill based on it being against the Ugandan Constitution.
Wise up buddy!
This has zero to do with Colonialism and everything to do with human rights of a minority that is being oppressed. Modern Colonialism? Colonialism is long dead unless you the person who invokes it causes it to rear its ugly head. And the sooner you stop using it as a tool for excuses and manipulation the better. If you want to refer to Modern Colonialism then lets talk about the white man bringing Christianity to Uganda and the American Christian right wing radical hater Scott Lively who introduced you to killing gays long before you ever thought of it your good selves. Is that modern Colonialism? The export of American hate and Christianity to Uganda? or those of us who fight its result?
Have you heard Ssempa and Bahati in their speeches on gays – and you call that loving? The only thing you may be right about is that Indeed Ugandan people are wonderful and loving and they have been misled by handful of self serving people who want to use gays to self serve their political agendas and scapegoat the real problems of Uganda. And unfortunately so many people fell for it.
And tune in right now to FM Radio Uganda – 1 hour ago – Kingdom FM for pastor kiganda A person called Aperson called to give the view on talk show and he said that if the gays win the case in Court tomorrow quote: “” if they win in the court we will slaughter them they are few”
Where did I say Genocide by the IRC in THIS article – those are your words…..
Thanks For Goodwork. Please, Send Me A Copy Of IRCU constitution,and Other Updates. God Bless You All. Stephen Ageru