Ugandan Award Winning Activist Frank Mugisha Joins U.S. Protests

SMUG’s Mugisha protests at the place where Scott Lively Case will be heard.

By Melanie Nathan, December 08, 2012.

Until recently the Ugandan activists, who could face death or life imprisonment in Uganda, were asking international activists to tread cautiously when protesting the impending passage of the Anti-Homsexuality Bill (AHB).  Protests have now started ramping up with the Bill now literally a day or two away from possible passage.  Even though the parliamentary process  may result in the Bill’s implementation down a longer road, the Ugandan LGBT community finds itself on the terrifying side of likely escalated persecution, as the country heads toward its pre-genocidal legislation.

Amongst the brave is renowned award winning activist Frank Mugisha, who arrived this week in North Eastern United States to attend the United Nations International Human Rights Day celebrations, scheduled for next week.

On Friday Mugisha accompanied Kathy Kristofferson, a GetEQUAL MA volunteer,  and others from various groups outside of the Federal Building in Springfield MA to protest Scott Lively who contributed to the climate of vicious and deadly hatred in Uganda that has resulted in the persecution, assault murder of LGBTQ people.

Mugisha is a member of SMUG, an LGBT organization from Uganda and a party to the Alien Tort lawsuit brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights in the U.S.A. against Scott Lively for his participation in  inciting persecution og LGBT Ugandans while in their country.

On March 14, 2012, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Sexual Minorities Uganda, a non-profit umbrella organization for LGBT advocacy groups in Uganda, against Abiding Truth Ministries President Scott Lively. Filed in the United States District Court in Springfield, Massachusetts, the suit alleges that Lively’s involvement in anti-gay efforts in Uganda, including his active participation in the conspiracy to strip away fundamental rights from LGBT persons, constitutes persecution. This is the first known Alien Tort Statute (ATS) case seeking accountability for persecution on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. (http://ccrjustice.org/ourcases/current-cases/sexual-minorities-uganda-v.-lively).

Lively himself believes he is being held responsible for “masterminding” the legislation otherwise known as The Kill the Gays Bill.

The day included a discussion about the Kill The Gays Bill with Mugisha, organized  by The Stop The Hate And Homophobia Coalition.”