UGANDA: "Kill Gays" Bill Shelved

Today Uganda's parliament adjourned its legislative season without considering the horrific bill legalizing the death penalty for people accused of homosexuality.

Lawmakers had been due to debate the legislation calling for capital punishment notably for consensual gay sex where one partner has the HIV virus. The United States, a major aid donor to Uganda, said Thursday that nothing could justify passing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Parliament speaker Edward Ssekandi said he was "adjourning this house," effectively killing off the debate over the controversial legislation for this parliament. David Bahati, the lawmaker behind the anti-gay bill, said that no bills could be passed as the cabinet was dissolved following the inauguration of President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday following a landslide election victory in February. But he said that even if the bill was not passed this session it had achieved the goal of sparking a debate that would continue when the new parliament convenes. "We have made important steps in raising the issue and that will continue," he said.

Activists warn that the bill could return in the next parliament. Earlier this week Rep. Barney Frank and the U.S. State Department denounced the bill with warnings to cut off financial aid to Uganda should it pass.

Maddow On Uganda's "Kill Gays" Bill

After a postponement yesterday, it appears the bill may be voted on by Uganda's parliament tomorrow.

Barney Frank: America Will Oppose Future Aid To Uganda If "Kill Gays" Bill Passes

"I was pleased when the Financial Services Committee overwhelmingly, in a bipartisan way, voted in favor of my amendment urging the Secretary of the Treasury to oppose any financial assistance from multilateral development institutions to countries that persecute people on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or religious beliefs. In the discussion of the amendment I offered, I specifically mentioned the deeply troubling case of Uganda, which is now considering legislation to legally deprive people of these basic human rights. If the bill before the Ugandan parliament becomes law, it must be the policy of the United States government to oppose any aid to Uganda from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, or any other international financial institution of which we are a member." - Rep. Barney Frank, via press release.

Uganda's "Kill Gays" Bill Back On Table

Uganda's "kill the gays" bill is apparently being fast-tracked for a parliamentary vote within the next few days.

If enacted, the Bill would greatly broaden the criminalisation of homosexuality by introducing the death penalty for people who have previous convictions, are HIV-positive, or engage in same sex acts with people under 18 years of age. The bill also includes provisions for Ugandans who engage in same-sex sexual relations outside of Uganda, asserting that they may be extradited for punishment back to Uganda, and includes penalties for individuals, companies, media organisations, or non-governmental organisations that support LGBT rights.

There is hope that international pressure, particularly from the United States, may derail the bill yet again.

The US government has moved increasingly to tie aid to human rights, including LGBT human rights. The US Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geitner, last month indicated that the US will use its influence in world bodies which provide Uganda with a big chunk of its budget. Already Germany has stopped aid to Malawi following anti-gay moves, including criminalising lesbians, in that country and funding for a huge infrastructure project only went ahead after reassurances on human rights from Malawi's government.

All Out has launched a petition campaign to Uganda's president. Sign it here.

UGANDA: Kill Gays Bill Back On Table

Box Turtle Bulletin alerts us that despite recent media reports that Uganda's "kill gays" bill had been shelved, in fact it will be debated in the national parliament next week. The bill came into being after American evangelicals visited Uganda with claims that foreign homosexuals wanted to pay Uganda's children to become gay.

The controversial Anti Homosexuality bill is one of several bills that Members of Parliament on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee are set to debate when the House resumes business next week. Speaking to the media at Parliament today, the committee chairman, Stephen Tashobya said though the bill has created both local and international concern, it is up to Parliament to pass the bill. Tashobya says the committee will hold public hearings where stakeholders’ views will be heard and a report made to the House for debate and possible passing before Parliament closes the 8th Parliament.

RELATED: Earlier this week the U.S. House Financial Services Committee approved a bill that would discourage the granting of American foreign aid to nations that "physically persecute" their LGBT citizens. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank, faces an uncertain future with the full House.

House Committee Passes Bill Discouraging Financial Aid To Anti-Gay Nations

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee today approved Rep. Barney Frank's budget amendment that would discourage the granting of foreign aid to nations that engage in the "physical persecution" of their citizens on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identify. Michelle Garcia reports at the Advocate:

The text of the amendment reads: "The Committee urges Treasury to advocate that governments receiving assistance from the multilateral development institutions do not engage in gross violations of human rights, for example, the denial of freedom of religion, including the right to choose one’s own religion, and physical persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity." Frank cited Uganda, a beneficiary of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries program, as an example of a country that openly abuses its LGBT citizens. “The United States has a fairly influential voice in the development area," Frank said Tuesday. "And we should not be supportive of providing multilateral bank development funds going to the governments of countries which engage in the physical persecution of people because of their religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”

Frank's amendment will be added to the bill that describes the budgetary priorities of the Financial Services Committee. While it was passed out of committee with "nearly unanimous" support, it's unclear how the amendment will fare with the GOP House majority, many of whom already oppose foreign aid to some countries for differing reasons.

Thursday In Manhattan: Memorial Vigil For Slain Ugandan LGBT Activist David Kato

The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission is organizing a memorial vigil for murdered Ugandan activist David Kato. The starting point of the procession is not yet determined, but attendees will finish at the Ugandan embassy. I'll post more details as they are known.

Maddow Alert

Word is that tonight Rachel Maddow will have a big exclusive story on slain Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato. I'll post clips here immediately afterward.

UPDATE: The Uganda story teased earlier today was obviously bumped for breaking developments in Egypt.

BRITAIN: Deportation Reprieve For Uganda's Brenda Namiggade

Ugandan citizen Brenda Namiggade was already being escorted to London's Heathrow airport tonight when word came that Britain's Home Office had granted a temporary reprieve to her deportation. This comes after gay activists earlier today served UK Home Secretary Theresa May with a petition bearing over 40,000 names.

According to the BBC, some in the British government doubt that Namiggade is actually a lesbian and suspect she is using the claim to stay in the country. Namiggade has repeatedly stated that she is gay and that she fears for her life should she be returned to Uganda.

Her lawyer, Abdulrahman Jafar, said he would argue that Ms Namiggade should be allowed to remain in the UK regardless of her sexuality. "The press coverage about her activities certainly expose her to a real risk if she is to be returned to Uganda," he said. Ms Namigadde, who was held at a detention centre just outside London, has told the BBC's Network Africa programme she was "shaking" with fear at the prospect of returning to Uganda. She said she fled to the UK in 2002 after being beaten and victimised because of her sexuality. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, has said people facing persecution for their sexual orientation in Uganda should be given refugee status in other countries.

According to the head of the UK's Border Agency, an immigration judge had previously ruled Namigadde as "not homosexual."

Scott Lively: How Do We Know David Kato Wasn't Killed By His Gay Lover?

Keeping with his theme of the inherent murderous violence of gay men, today repulsive anti-gay activist Scott Lively issued a statement raising the possibility that Uganda LGBT activist David Kato was killed by another gay man.

Ugandan homosexual activist David Cato was murdered yesterday in his home. To my knowledge, no one has been arrested for the crime so the motive at this time is purely a matter of conjecture. CNN is reporting that money and clothing had been stolen from his house, which would suggest a run-of-the-mill criminal intent. There is also the possibility that he was killed by a “gay” lover, as was the case with another homosexual activist two weeks ago in New York. Carlos Castro was castrated with a corkscrew by his boyfriend and bled to death in his hotel room.

The Boston Globe calls Lively's statement "feeble and callous." And note that not only does Lively (probably intentionally) misspell Kato's name, he fails to express any regret over the murder. As for police claims that the crime was motivated by robbery, here's what Box Turtle Bulletin's Jim Burroway thinks:

Police are attributing David Kato’s murder to robbery. We’ve seen it often enough elsewhere in Europe and America where local authorities are loathe to investigate hate crimes. The mere fact that items are missing doesn’t mean that a hate crime did not occur. If a homophobe is burning a gay man to death, for example, why not take a watch as a trophy and money to party with later? Yet that’s often enough for police to quickly try to eliminate the stigma of a hate crime in the local community. If police in this country are very resistant to investigate crimes as hate crime even when the evidence for those charges are overwhelming, how can we expect anything different in Uganda?

BRITAIN: Activists Hold Kato Vigil Outside London's Uganda High Commission

LGBT activists staged a vigil for David Kato outside of London's Uganda High Commission today, after which they delivered a 40,000-name petition to UK Home Secretary Theresa May, demanding that Britain not send lesbian asylum-seeker Brenda Namigadde back to Uganda. Namigadde says she fears that she too will be murdered if forced to return. Add your name to the petition here.

UGANDA: Pastor Shouts Against Gays At Kato Funeral, Fights Break Out

Hundreds gathered at the funeral for slain Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato today, where fights broke out after the pastor conducting the ceremony raged against homosexuals.

"The world has gone crazy," the pastor told the congregation through a microphone. "People are turning away from the scriptures. They should turn back, they should abandon what they are doing. You cannot start admiring a fellow man." Gay activists, wearing T-shirts featuring Kato's face with sleeves coloured with the gay pride flag, then stormed the pulpit and grabbed the microphone. "It is ungodly," the pastor shouted, before being blocked from sight. An unidentified female activist then began to shout from the pulpit. "Who are you to judge others?" she shouted. "We have not come to fight. You are not the judge of us. As long as he's gone to God his creator, who are we to judge Kato?" Locals intervened on the side of the pastor and scuffles broke out before he was taken away to Kato's father's house to calm the situation.

Villagers then refused to bury Kato's coffin, forcing his gay friends to carry it to the gravesite where they buried it themselves. One activist lamented: "After we had read statements from everybody, including Obama, after all the nice things friends said about David, that this man could stand up and throw dirt at someone who should be resting in peace. It's just disgusting."

HomoQuotable - Alan Chambers

"The leadership of Exodus international and its member ministries are grieved over the tragic murder of Ugandan gay activist David Kato and we send our sincerest condolences to his family & friends. [snip] Exodus International calls on President & Mrs. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to lead their government into an era of treating all of their neighbors as they would like to be treated. It is abominable that a nation with Christian leadership would endorse or allow anyone to be brutally murdered. In the words of Jesus Himself, those who are without sin cast the first stone. Exodus International condemns the murder of David Kato and calls for justice to be fairly applied, not covered up, when the murderers are caught." - Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, whose board of directors member Don Schmierer is one of the three American evangelicals blamed for the explosion in anti-gay violence and legislation in Uganda.

(Via - Box Turtle Bulletin)

Obama Condemns Uganda Murder

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the murder of David Kato. In Uganda, David showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate. He was a powerful advocate for fairness and freedom. The United States mourns his murder, and we recommit ourselves to David's work. At home and around the world, LGBT persons continue to be subjected to unconscionable bullying, discrimination, and hate. [snip]

"LGBT rights are not special rights; they are human rights. My Administration will continue to strongly support human rights and assistance work on behalf of LGBT persons abroad. We do this because we recognize the threat faced by leaders like David Kato, and we share their commitment to advancing freedom, fairness, and equality for all." - President Barack Obama, via White House press release.

Clinton Condemns Uganda Murder

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has issued a lengthy condemnation of the murder of Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato.

We are profoundly saddened by the loss of Ugandan human rights defender David Kato, who was brutally murdered in his home near Kampala yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues. We urge Ugandan authorities to quickly and thoroughly investigate and prosecute those responsible for this heinous act. [snip] This crime is a reminder of the heroic generosity of the people who advocate for and defend human rights on behalf of the rest of us -- and the sacrifices they make. And as we reflect on his life, it is also an occasion to reaffirm that human rights apply to everyone, no exceptions, and that the human rights of LGBT individuals cannot be separated from the human rights of all persons. Our ambassadors and diplomats around the world will continue to advance a comprehensive human rights policy, and to stand with those who, with their courage, make the world a more just place where every person can live up to his or her God-given potential. We honor David’s legacy by continuing the important work to which he devoted his life.

The Advocate has the complete statement.

Anti-Gay Activist Denies Hand In Murder: I'm The One Being Bludgeoned

As I noted here, Exodus International board of directors member Don Schmierer was part of Scott Lively's three-day conference in Uganda, where Schmierer advised Ugandans on how to turn their gays kids straight. But don't go blaming David Kato's murder on HIM, he was only trying to help. In fact, HE is the victim here.

On Thursday, Don Schmierer, one of the American evangelicals who visited in Uganda in 2009, said Mr. Kato’s death was “horrible.” “Naturally, I don’t want anyone killed but I don’t feel I had anything to do with that,” said Mr. Schmierer, who added that in Uganda he had focused on parenting skills. He also said that he had been a target of threats himself, recently receiving more than 600 hate mails related to his visit. “I spoke to help people,” he said, “and I’m getting bludgeoned from one end to the other.”

BACKGROUND: Evidence Of Scott Lively's Complicity In The Murder Of David Kato

Yesterday Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato was bludgeoned to death in his home just weeks after his photo was emblazoned on the cover of a local newspaper with the accompanying headline "HANG THEM!" The newspaper articles and Kato's murder came after months of international outrage over Uganda's proposed and still-pending "kill gays" bill, legislation that orders the death penalty for homosexuals in some cases and life imprisonment in others.

The inspiration for Uganda's gay death penalty bill, and surely, Kato's murder, arises from the work of American evangelists, chief among them the repulsive anti-gay activist Scott Lively, whose infamous book The Pink Swastika blames the rise of the Nazi Party and the Holocaust on gay men. One year ago, the New York Times profiled Lively's hand in Uganda's burgeoning pogrom against homosexuals, which began after Lively hosted a three-day meeting attended by thousands of Ugandan police, teachers, and politicians.

The three Americans who spoke at the conference — Scott Lively, a missionary who has written several books against homosexuality, including “7 Steps to Recruit-Proof Your Child”; Caleb Lee Brundidge, a self-described former gay man who leads “healing seminars”; and Don Schmierer, a board member of Exodus International, whose mission is “mobilizing the body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality” — are now trying to distance themselves from the bill.

“I feel duped,” Mr. Schmierer said, arguing that he had been invited to speak on “parenting skills” for families with gay children. He acknowledged telling audiences how homosexuals could be converted into heterosexuals, but he said he had no idea some Ugandans were contemplating the death penalty for homosexuality. “That’s horrible, absolutely horrible,” he said. “Some of the nicest people I have ever met are gay people.”

Mr. Lively and Mr. Brundidge have made similar remarks in interviews or statements issued by their organizations. But the Ugandan organizers of the conference admit helping draft the bill, and Mr. Lively has acknowledged meeting with Ugandan lawmakers to discuss it. He even wrote on his blog in March that someone had likened their campaign to “a nuclear bomb against the gay agenda in Uganda.” Later, when confronted with criticism, Mr. Lively said he was very disappointed that the legislation was so harsh. Human rights advocates in Uganda say the visit by the three Americans helped set in motion what could be a very dangerous cycle. Gay Ugandans already describe a world of beatings, blackmail, death threats like “Die Sodomite!” scrawled on their homes, constant harassment and even so-called correctional rape.

Yesterday Scott Lively's "nuclear bomb" against Ugandan gays went off in the form of the iron bar which crushed the skull of David Kato. In some countries, it's possible that Lively would be under arrest today. Also complicit in this murder is Peter LaBarbera, who for years has worked to publicize and praise Scott Lively's evil agenda. Then there's Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council, who last year paid lobbyists $25,000 to convince members of Congress to block a planned resolution denouncing Uganda's gay death penalty bill. And let's not forget Pastor Rick Warren, who supported, funded, appeared with, and publicized the work of Uganda's leading anti-gay activist, Pastor Martin Ssempa.

Today we mourn David Kato, a brave LGBT activist who paid the ultimate price in defense of his brothers and sisters. But we've also got start looking at some serious legal remedies to the actions of American anti-gay activists in other countries. Outside of the United States, many legals systems are not so constrained by the American concept of freedom of speech. What can we do to leverage that difference to end this madness? Lawsuits? The Hague?

Quote Of The Day - Jerzy Buzek

"David Kato was a man that fought for the rights of people to live freely regardless of their sexual orientation in Uganda. David Kato suffered a violent death and I send my condolences to his family. I call for the perpetrators of this crime to be brought to justice. He was a remarkable human rights defender. I regret that Uganda is a country where homosexuality is still considered a criminal act. David Kato's battle was to improve tolerance and encourage tolerance of divergent views of sexuality and defend the rights for lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transgender persons and protect vulnerable minorities." - European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, responding to yesterday's murder with a renewed call for Uganda to decriminalize homosexuality.

UGANDA: Gay Activist David Kato Murdered After Outing By Local Paper

Weeks after his face was outed on the cover of a Uganda newspaper, LGBT activist David Kato has been found beaten to death in his home.

"David Kato's death is a tragic loss to the human rights community," said Maria Burnett, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "David had faced the increased threats to Ugandan LGBT people bravely and will be sorely missed." Witnesses told police that a man entered Kato's home in Mukono at around 1 p.m. on January 26, 2011, hit him twice in the head and departed in a vehicle. Kato died on his way to Kawolo hospital. Police told Kato's lawyer that they had the registration number of the vehicle and were looking for it. Kato was the advocacy officer for the organization Sexual Minorities Uganda. He had been a leading voice in the fight against the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which has been before Uganda's parliament since October 15, 2009.

Uganda's "kill gays" bill and the subsequent newspaper articles, where headlines screamed "HANG THEM!" next to photos of Kato and others, followed visits by American evangelicals such as Scott Lively, who encouraged locals to take a "strictly biblical" attitude towards homosexuals. Lively and his American evangelical co-conspirators have the blood of David Kato on their hands. There's no other way to see it. They enabled this murder.

MASSACHUSETTS: Convicted Sex Offender Arrested At Scott Lively's Coffee House

Police have arrested a convicted child molester working at the Springfield, Massachusetts coffeehouse of infamous anti-gay activist Scott Lively, who runs the business as a Christian outreach to local teenagers.

A local man who served as manager of the Holy Grounds Coffee Shop on State Street -- a cafe operated by anti-gay pastor Scott Lively that serves free coffee and offers conversation to teenage visitors -- is a sex offender from New York who was imprisoned for the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl in 1995, according to police. Police detectives on Thursday arrested Michael Frediani, 38, of 453 State St., for failing to register as a Level 2 sex offender in Springfield. He was living in an apartment above the coffee house. He was being held at the Springfield police lock-up, said Sgt. John M. Delaney, a spokesman to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet. In New York, Frediani is listed as a Level 3 sex offender, defined as most likely to repeat an offense.

Frediani was convicted in New York in 1995 for "deviate sexual intercourse" with the ten year-old child. Upon his arrest in Springfield, he described himself as a "minister of Jesus." Last week Lively's coffeehouse was raided by public school truant officers, who accused Lively of allowing students to ditch school there. According to my tipster, students were offered free coffee and hot chocolate in return for wearing one of Lively's Jesus pins.

RELATED: Lively is considered largely responsible for Uganda's still-pending "Kill Gays" bill, legislation that was introduced after his visit with local evangelicals and politicians. Lively's book, The Pink Swastika, contends that the Nazi Party was conceived by and largely run by gay men. Lively is a dear, dear friend of Peter LaBarbera.