Former UN Official criticizes leaders criminalizing same sex activity
Tuesday 25th November, 2009

Persons who engage in same sex relationships in Uganda face life imprisonment under a proposed anti-homosexuality bill.

Introduced last month, the bill also proposes the death penalty for men who are HIV positive and are convicted of engaging in sex with men. The same punishment will apply to women who have sex with women.

Former UN official Dr Stephen Lewis, says the credibility of the Commonwealth would be tarnished if leaders do not condemn the Ugandan President for the gross violation of human rights.

Dr Lewis says criminalising same sex activity would make persons reluctant to get tested or treated for HIV.

He says that could exacerbate the spread of HIV on a continent where 22 million people already have the disease.

Dr Lewis says president Museveni may find support for the measure amongst Commonwealth Heads of Government. He identified one such a person as Jamaican Prime Minister, Bruce Golding.

Dr Lewis criticises Mr Golding for failing to stem violence against men who have sex with men in Jamaica.

Mr Museveni is also under fire from human rights groups for the civil war that has claimed the lives of 20 million Ugandans, according to the World Bank.