By Melanie Nathan, November 28, 2014.
A Ugandan human rights defender and activist known in the LGBT community has been brutally attacked today by a mob and rushed to a Kampala emergency hospital.
After a loss of blood, from what seems like multiple injuries, including a badly injured eye, Kelly Mukwano, was administered first aid, collapsed and was sent to intensive care, where he is currently stabilized and undergoing treatment.
Kelly has been subject to persecution by police with several arrests. After an October arrest, he described his ordeal with police as “the most trying moment of my life.” He managed to get what he termed “Police Bond,” with the help of a friend in Norway, and also the return of a confiscated laptop. However I am informed he has undergone constant harassment since the last arrest. The arrests and persecution have been linked to blackmail against Kelly as he is perceived to be gay and a so called “promoter” of homosexuality. As far as we know there are no actual charges against Kelly. This is typical of what LGBTI people face in Uganda due to the extreme and harsh anti-gay climate.
Activists in Uganda are shocked and heartbroken by the attack, noting that anti-gay persecution through evictions, firings, police harassment, arrests and assaults, is again on the rise.
He recently attended the ILGA Conference in Mexico. He is heading up the “Hate No More” campaign and founded a small group in Uganda.
It is apparent that Kelly tried to obtain a visa to the United Sates but was denied.
This comes at a time when activists are certain that the new recently drafted and worsening Anti-Homosexuality legislation, The Prohibition of the Promotion of Unnatural Sexual Practices Bill of 2014, will pass Parliament, as pushed by MPs and President Museveni , who is fighting to ensure support for his re election. According to an activist on the ground in Uganda, Museveni is more concerned about this critical election than he is about international sanctions. After the Bill is passed, it is certain that Museveni will again “play” President Obama and the International community as he has done in the past.
This is the time of crime that is state sanctioned through police and public persecution alike, only exacerbated by the push for more anti-gay legislation.
Shaken friends and fellow LGBTI activists are thanking people in advance, asking for prayers for Kelly.
UPDATED Nov 29, 2014. 10.54 AM PST:
Kelly is resting and is going to be alright. He has been released from the hospital. Is in a lot of pain and is resting at this time. He is being looked after by friends.
A police report will be opened.
I received a comment from a local Ugandan journalist, Andrew Bagala, saying that this attack is conjured up. (See screenshot below and the comment on this post). Nothing could be further from the truth, unless there are excellent make-up artists on 24 hour standby in Uganda and people worthy of an Oscar:
I wrote back to the Ugandan journalist, Bagala, as can be seen below. Why does the Ugandan press and why do professional journalists try to deny these attacks? Are they being paid off or are they suppressed? I suggest people like Bagala do their homework and start to report the atrocities being committed against LGBTI and human rights defenders perceived as such, instead of pretending that the anti-gay climate is not hurting anyone. I suggested that the Press is complicit in these attacks by not exposing how the anti-gay climate is impacting the Ugandan citizens who have done nothing wrong:
Proof positive that the Ugandan Press seems intent on trying to suppress the harm and persecution against gay people. Undoubtedly the anti-gay climate and push for new legislation will endorse state approved homophobia and direct mob attacks like this. No good comes of Andrew Bagala, a seasoned journalist denying the attack, instead of reporting the facts.
Uganda Proposes a Worse Anti-Gay Bill
By Melanie Nathan, November 07, 2014.
The Prohibition of the Promotion of Unnatural Sexual Practices Bill of 2014 is apparently the possible new replacement for the now invalid Anti-Homosexuality Act: READ MORE
Reblogged this on JerBear's Queer World News, Views & More From The City Different – Santa Fe, NM and commented:
Cruel and outrageous attack…
What happened to our brother was too bad homophobia is getting too high on uganda
As we wait on the USA & UN to act on “OBVIOUS” human-rights, people are tortured, beaten & die. For being honest?
The issue? Sexual insecurity. Why can’t we, as human beings paying taxes, decide our own freaking sexuality? Without idiotic gov’t offices deciding?
Okay- let the gov’t decide…the gov’t which holds prob 10% GAY employees which it denies? Gov’t forcing people to deny who they are? Why?
If you want things to run right, acknowledge that same-sex attraction is as natural as left-handedness. It’s always been there- nothing new. “It-has-always-been”. It has, I assure you.
1st- assure straight people that they won’t suddenly “turn gay”.
Then, force non-complying nations to accept that all law-abiding humans are equal. Stop supporting countries which “hate”. Hit their wallet.
I wish I had more money. I read every story here & want so much to send money that I don’t have!
This story is cooked up and false.
Why does the Ugandan Press and professional journalists try to deny these attacks? Are they being paid off or are they suppressed? I suggest people like Bagala do their homework and start start to report the atrocities being committed against LGBTI and human rights defenders perceived as such, instead of pretending that the anti-gay climate is not hurting anyone. I suggested that the Press is complicit in these attacks by not exposing how the anti-gay climate is impacting Ugandan citizens who have done no wrong:
Proof positive that the Ugandan Press seems intent on trying to suppress the harm and persecution against gay people. Undoubtedly the anti-gay climate and push for new legislation will endorse state approved homophobia and direct mob attacks like this. No good comes of Andrew Bagala, a seasoned journalist denying the attack, instead of reporting the facts.
Nathan, if you want facts, you will get them. It is a fact that this story is cooked up. I have reported about gay issues in Uganda for quite along time. It is true that there are gay activists who are harassed but I don’t want us to mix falsehood with facts. If you don’t know, the media house I work for fights for sex minorities and it is part of its editorial policy.
This is not cooked up. Answer my question. Did you check the hospital where he was taken to? Have yo visited him personally? On what basis do you say its cooked up? I had the report up within hours of the attack – I spoke to 3 witnesses. There is a police report being made. But you Andrew Bagala said this had been “cooked up” without even meeting the victim of the attack. Now that is a good way to attack the work of someone who is exposing the attack? Kindly provide me with an example of where your media house “fought for sexual minorities” – I would be glad to put it up.
In fact I find articles like this http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Sodomy-victims-found-HIV-positive/-/688334/2171888/-/a55e73/-/index.html of yours quite harmful to gays where you take the case of pedophiles – straight men sodomizing children and make the association with homosexuality by bringing in the issue in an ill informed way: You said “The incidents come at the time when religious leaders are pressing President Museveni to assent to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which was passed by the Parliament last year. The Bill has sections that directly punish the offenders, who are HIV positive, with life imprisonment on conviction. ” You are associating homosexuality with pedophilia when in this story there should be zero association at all – this was a plain case of straight men defiling children- – Your article serves in helping to further incite against gays.
Reblogged this on holymolybatgirl and commented:
Horrendous attack. Hoping for justice & that Kelly has a swift recovery. Being a LGBT activist in many parts of the world is highly dangerous & I am in awe of the people who continue this fight in the face of physical danger & even death.
Thanks, Melanie, for writing this and sharing it. I will share and put a link to the story you wrote on our blog.