Skip to content or view mobile version

Home | Mobile | Editorial | Mission | Privacy | About | Contact | Help | Security | Support

A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

On the Murder of David Kato, the Ugandan Gay Rights Campaigner

Concerned Artists Writers and Academics Against Homophobia | 07.02.2011 13:24 | Culture | Repression | Social Struggles

African states must protect the rights of their citizens to freedom and dignity. Homosexuals must not be denied these rights.


On the Murder of David Kato, the Ugandan Gay Rights Campaigner

We the undersigned condemn in the strongest possible terms the murder of Mr David Kato the Ugandan gay rights campaigner. We wish to state emphatically that homosexuality is neither a sin nor a social or cultural construct. It is a biological given. Homosexuals are human beings like everybody else. Scientific research has been helpful in clearing the fog of ignorance entrenched by some religious texts in regards to homosexuality. Our opinions of homosexuality must change for the better just as our opinion of slavery has changed even though it was endorsed by those same religious texts. All violence against gays and people deemed to be gay in Africa must cease forthwith.

We call on the government of Uganda to find and prosecute all those involved in the murder of Mr Kato, including the newspaper that called for the hanging of gays. We also call on African governments to learn from the South African example by expunging from their laws all provisions that criminalize homosexuality or treat homosexuals as unworthy of the same rights and entitlements as other citizens. African states must protect the rights of their citizens to freedom and dignity. Homosexuals must not be denied these rights.

Undersigned
1. Wale Adebanwi, PhD, University of California, US
2. Diran Adebayo, Writer, UK
3. Kayode Adeduntan, PhD, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
4. Biola Adegboyega, University of Calgary, Canada
5. Shola Adenekan, Editor, The New Black Magazine, UK
6. Pius Adesanmi, PhD, Carleton University, Canada
7. Akin Adesokan, PhD, Indiana University, US
8. Faith Adiele, Writer, US
9. Joe Agbro, Journalist, Nigeria
10. Anthony Akinola, PhD, Oxford, UK
11. Anengiyefa Alagoa, Writer, UK
12. Ellah Allfrey, Deputy Editor, Granta Magazine, UK
13. Alnoor Amlani, Writer, Kenya
14. Ike Anya, Public health doctor and writer, UK
15. Bode Asiyanbi, Writer, Lancaster University, UK
16. Sefi Atta, Writer, US
17. Lizzy Attree, PhD, University of East London, UK
18. Damola Awoyokun, Writer, UK
19. Doreen Baingana, Writer, Uganda
20. Igoni Barrett, Writer, Nigeria
21. Tom Burke, Bard College, US
22. Jude Dibia, Writer, Nigeria
23. Chris Dunton, PhD, National University of Lesotho, Lesotho
24. Ropo Ewenla, PhD, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
25. Chielozona Eze, PhD, Northeastern Illinois University, US
26. Aminatta Forna, Writer, UK
27. Ivor Hartmann, Writer, South Africa
28. Chris Ihidero, Writer, Lagos State University, Nigeria
29. Ikhide R. Ikheloa, Writer, US
30. Sean Jacobs, PhD, New School, US
31. Biodun Jeyifo, PhD, Harvard University, US
32. Brian Jones, Professor Emeritus, Zimbabwe
33. Martin Kiman, Writer, US
34. Lauri Kubuitsile, Writer, Botswana
35. Zakes Mda, PhD, Ohio University, US
36. Colin Meier, Writer, South Africa
37. Gayatri Menon, PhD, Franklin and Marshall College, US
38. Valentina A. Mmaka, Writer, Italy/South Africa
39. Jane Morris, Publisher, Zimbabwe
40. Mbonisi P. Ncube, Writer, South Africa
41. Iheoma Nwachukwu, Writer, Nigeria
42. Onyeka Nwelue, Writer and filmmaker, India/Nigeria
43. Fred Nwonwu, Writer and Journalist, Nigeria
44. Nnedi Okorafor, PhD, Writer, Chicago State University, US
45. Ebenezer Obadare, PhD, University of Kansas, US
46. Juliane Okot Bitek, Writer, Canada
47. Tejumola Olaniyan, PhD, University of Wisconsin, US
48. Ngozichi Omekara, Trinidad and Tobago
49. Akin Omotosho, Actor and filmmaker, South Africa
50. Kole Omotosho, PhD, Africa Diaspora Research Group, South Africa
51. Samuel Sabo, Writer, UK
52. Ramzi Salti, PhD, Stanford University, US
53. Brett L. Shadle, PhD, Virginia Tech, US
54. Drew Shaw, PhD, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
55. Lola Shoneyin, Writer, Nigeria
56. Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate for Literature
57. Olufemi Taiwo, PhD, Seattle University, US
58. Kola Tubosun, Writer, Fulbright Scholar, United States
59. Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, Writer, Nigeria
60. Abdourahman A.Waberi, Writer, US /Djibouti
61. Binyavanga Wainaina, Writer, Kenya
62. Ronald Elly Wanda, Writer& Lecturer, Marcus Garvey Pan-Afrikan Institute, Uganda
63. Kristy Warren, PhD, University of Warwick, UK

French Version

lettre de pétition: Sur la Assassiner de David Kato, l'ougandaise des droits de Gay de campagne

Nous, soussignés, condamnons dans les termes les plus énergiques l'assassiner de M. David Kato de la campagne ougandaise des droits des homosexuels. Nous tenons à affirmer avec force que l'homosexualité n'est ni un péché, ni une construction sociale ou culturelle. Il est une donnée biologique. Les homosexuels sont des êtres humains comme tout le monde. La recherche scientifique a été utile dans l'élimination du brouillard de l'ignorance entretenue par certains textes religieux en ce qui concerne l'homosexualité. Nos opinions de l'homosexualité doit changer pour le mieux même que notre avis de l'esclavage a changé même s'il a été approuvé par ces mêmes textes religieux. Tous violence contre les gais et les personnes réputées être gay en Afrique doit cesser immédiatement.
Nous appelons le gouvernement de l'Ouganda à trouver et à poursuivre tous ceux qui sont impliqués dans la assassiner de M. Kato, y compris le journal qui a appelé à la pendaison des homosexuels. Nous appelons aussi les gouvernements africains à s'inspirer de l'exemple sud-africain par radiation de leur législation toutes les dispositions qui criminalisent l'homosexualité ou de traiter les homosexuels comme indigne des mêmes droits et avantages que les autres citoyens. Les États africains doivent protéger les droits de leurs citoyens à la liberté et la dignité. Les homosexuels ne doivent pas être privés de ces droits.

Portuguese Version

Carta de Petição: sobre o assassinato de David Kato, o Uganda Gay ativista de direitos

Nós, os abaixo assinados condenam nos termos mais fortes possíveis o assassinato do Sr. David Kato o activista dos direitos gays de Uganda. Queremos declarar enfaticamente que a homossexualidade não é pecado, nem uma construção social ou cultural. É um dado biológico. Os homossexuais são seres humanos como todos os outros. A investigação científica tem sido útil para limpar o nevoeiro da ignorância enraizada por alguns textos religiosos em relação à homossexualidade. Nossas opiniões sobre a homossexualidade deve mudar para melhor assim como a nossa opinião sobre a escravidão mudou mesmo foi aprovado por esses mesmos textos religiosos. Toda a violência contra homossexuais e pessoas consideradas gay na África deve cessar de imediato.
Apelamos ao governo de Uganda para encontrar e processar todos os envolvidos no assassinato do Sr. Kato, incluindo o jornal que pedia a suspensão dos gays. Apelamos também aos governos Africano de aprender com o exemplo Sul Africano por expurgando de suas leis todas as disposições que criminalizam a homossexualidade ou tratar os homossexuais como indignos de os mesmos direitos e os direitos dos outros cidadãos. Africano estados devem proteger os direitos dos seus cidadãos à liberdade e dignidade. Homossexuais não devem ser negados os seus direitos.

Swahili version

Mauaji ya David Kato - Mwanaharakati wa haki za wapenzi wa Jinsia moja nchini
Uganda.

Sisi tuliosaini hapo chini, tunashutumu vikali mauaji ya David Kato,
Mwanaharakati wa haki za wapenzi wa Jinsia moja nchini Uganda.
Tunasisitiza kuwa
mapenzi ya jinsia moja sio uovu wa aina yoyote, katika tamaduni zetu.

Hili ni jambo linalotokea kimaumbile na wapenzi wa jinsia moja ni binadamu tu
sawa na wengine. Utafiti wa sayansi umesaidia kuondoa kasumba hii mbovu
iliyowekwa na baadhi ya vitabu vya dini juu ya wapenzi wa jinsia moja.Lazima
tubadilishe maono yetu na mawazo tuliyonayo juu yao ili tuboreshe uhusiano
uliopo.

Lazima uhasama na chuki iliyopo dhidi ya wapenzi wa jinsia moja iangamizwe
kabisa.
Tunatoa wito kwa serikali ya Uganda kuwafungulia mashtaka wote waliohusika
katika mauaji ya David Kato pamoja na gazeti hilo lililotoa wito wa chuki na
mauaji ya wapenzi wa jinsia moja.

Pia tunatoa wito kwa mataifa mengine ya Afrika yajifunze kutoka kwa serikali ya
Afrika Kusini na kuondoa tamaduni zinazoakandamiza wapenzi wa jinsia moja na
kuwanyima haki zao za kibinadamu sawa na wananchi wengine. Mataifa ya Afrika
yanawajibu wa kulinda haki na uhuru wa raia wao. Na wapenzi wa jinsia moja pia
lazima wapewe haki hizi.

Concerned Artists Writers and Academics Against Homophobia

Upcoming Coverage
View and post events
Upcoming Events UK
24th October, London: 2015 London Anarchist Bookfair
2nd - 8th November: Wrexham, Wales, UK & Everywhere: Week of Action Against the North Wales Prison & the Prison Industrial Complex. Cymraeg: Wythnos o Weithredu yn Erbyn Carchar Gogledd Cymru

Ongoing UK
Every Tuesday 6pm-8pm, Yorkshire: Demo/vigil at NSA/NRO Menwith Hill US Spy Base More info: CAAB.

Every Tuesday, UK & worldwide: Counter Terror Tuesdays. Call the US Embassy nearest to you to protest Obama's Terror Tuesdays. More info here

Every day, London: Vigil for Julian Assange outside Ecuadorian Embassy

Parliament Sq Protest: see topic page
Ongoing Global
Rossport, Ireland: see topic page
Israel-Palestine: Israel Indymedia | Palestine Indymedia
Oaxaca: Chiapas Indymedia
Regions
All Regions
Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World
Other Local IMCs
Bristol/South West
Nottingham
Scotland
Social Media
You can follow @ukindymedia on indy.im and Twitter. We are working on a Twitter policy. We do not use Facebook, and advise you not to either.
Support Us
We need help paying the bills for hosting this site, please consider supporting us financially.
Other Media Projects
Schnews
Dissident Island Radio
Corporate Watch
Media Lens
VisionOnTV
Earth First! Action Update
Earth First! Action Reports
Topics
All Topics
Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista
Major Reports
NATO 2014
G8 2013
Workfare
2011 Census Resistance
Occupy Everywhere
August Riots
Dale Farm
J30 Strike
Flotilla to Gaza
Mayday 2010
Tar Sands
G20 London Summit
University Occupations for Gaza
Guantanamo
Indymedia Server Seizure
COP15 Climate Summit 2009
Carmel Agrexco
G8 Japan 2008
SHAC
Stop Sequani
Stop RWB
Climate Camp 2008
Oaxaca Uprising
Rossport Solidarity
Smash EDO
SOCPA
Past Major Reports
Encrypted Page
You are viewing this page using an encrypted connection. If you bookmark this page or send its address in an email you might want to use the un-encrypted address of this page.
If you recieved a warning about an untrusted root certificate please install the CAcert root certificate, for more information see the security page.

Global IMC Network


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech