Uganda, Ghana, Malawi Push Back at UK Threat to Cut Aid Over Laws Which Criminalize Homosexuality
Several African nations are responding with anger after UK Prime Minister David Cameron threatened to slash one type of bilateral aid known as general budget support to countries that refuse to reform laws which criminalize homosexuality.
Mr Cameron said he had spoken with "a number of African countries" and that more pressure had been applied by Foreign Secretary William Hague, who deputised for him during parts of the summit. Some 41 nations within the 54-member Commonwealth have laws banning homosexuality. Many of these laws are a legacy of British Empire laws.
From the Nyasa Times:
Malawi government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati said it was “unfortunate” for Britain to have “pro-gay strings” to aid. She said homosexual acts are illegal in Malawi and noted that these laws are a legacy of British rule...MCC chairperson Bishop Dr. Joseph Bvumbwe, Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) chairperson the Reverend Dr Lazarus Chakwera and Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) secretary Father George Buleya told reporters in Lilongwe that they were not happy with UK position on gay rights. Bvumbwe said British Prime Minister’s statements were 'unfortunate' and they they regard them as 'unacceptable and provocative.'"
Ghana responds
(Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister, Ms Hannah) Tetteh insists same sex relationships are unacceptable in African cultural set-ups and no amount of threats would make Ghana kowtow to UK’s threat. Interacting with a section of the media in Accra on Tuesday, Ms Tetteh stated that the western world has no right to force its cultural and moral orientations on Ghana and that the government will make its stance clear at the appropriate time. 'Every society has its norms and what it considers to be acceptable,' she said. 'In the Western world it is acceptable to have gay relationships and even move on to the next level to gay marriages, in our society it is unacceptable.'"
Uganda responds:
(Ugandan presidential adviser John) Nagenda accused Mr Cameron of showing an "ex-colonial mentality" and of treating Ugandans "like children". "Uganda is, if you remember, a sovereign state and we are tired of being given these lectures by people," he told the BBC's Newshour programme. "If they must take their money, so be it."...Mr Nagenda said he doubted that the Ugandan parliament would ever approve a bill which proposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts. "I believe it will die a natural death. But this kind of ex-colonial mentality of saying: 'You do this or I withdraw my aid' will definitely make people extremely uncomfortable with being treated like children," Mr Nagenda said.
Said Cameron: "This is an issue where we are pushing for movement, we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe. But I'm afraid that you can't expect countries to change overnight. Britain is one of the premier aid givers in the world. We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights. We are saying that is one of the things that determines our aid policy, and there have been particularly bad examples where we have taken action."
As a Ugandan, i think our President would deserve to be impeached if he listened to Mr. Cameron!! We are tired of the rot being preached & exported by the west. We are a sovereign nation. PLEASE TAKE AWAY YOUR AID. WE DO NOT NEED YOU...Ughhhh
Posted by: Alexander Kiberu | Nov 2, 2011 10:03:53 AM
THIS ARROGANCE MUST STOP. OUR LEADERS SHOULD TREAT this foreign homosexuality disease as "crime against humanity". Go to hell alone!!! These so called gays are critically sick people (both physically & psychologically) who want to "pretend" that they are "normal" and that everyone else is sick. Please (evil) SODOMITES, STOP SENDING US YOUR EVIL MONEY!!!! Our countries are rich. We have Gold, Timber, Oil, Copper, Tin , Good climate, Water, Etc.....we do not need you. You need us. This Common wealth thing should collapse!!!! It represents a new type of Colonialism. Idd Amin Dada was the best person to deal with this nonsense. That is why the west always brands every patriot as a terrorist, dictator, tyrant, etc....AMIN NEVER KILLED MANY PEOPLE AS IT IS ALLEGED, MUGABE IS NOT AS BAD AS IS BEING PREACHED, GADDAFI WAS NOT BAD AFTERALL, HUGO...CASTRO...ETC ARE THE BEST TO DEAL WITH THIS ARROGANCE...Please give us a break......Ughhh
Posted by: Alexander Kiberu | Nov 2, 2011 10:43:00 AM
THIS ARROGANCE MUST STOP. OUR LEADERS SHOULD TREAT this foreign homosexuality disease as "crime against humanity". Go to hell alone!!! These so called gays are critically sick people (both physically & psychologically) who want to "pretend" that they are "normal" and that everyone else is sick. Please (evil) SODOMITES, STOP SENDING US YOUR EVIL MONEY!!!! Our countries are rich. We have Gold, Timber, Oil, Copper, Tin , Good climate, Water, Etc.....we do not need you. You need us. This Common wealth thing should collapse!!!! It represents a new type of Colonialism. Idd Amin Dada was the best person to deal with this nonsense. That is why the west always brands every patriot as a terrorist, dictator, tyrant, etc....AMIN NEVER KILLED MANY PEOPLE AS IT IS ALLEGED, MUGABE IS NOT AS BAD AS IS BEING PREACHED, GADDAFI WAS NOT BAD AFTERALL, HUGO...CASTRO...ETC ARE THE BEST TO DEAL WITH THIS ARROGANCE...Please give us a break......Ughhh
Posted by: Alexander Kiberu | Nov 2, 2011 10:44:08 AM
Two points.
Yes, "Alexander Kiberu", Africa is rich in resources--and has been throughout history. But it remains the most backwards, impoverished, filthy region on the planet despite all those resources. Why? Because its people have demonstrated time and again that they are incapable, apparently, of overcoming their own dysfunction, stupidity, ignorance, and lack of initiative to take advantage of that natural wealth to develop in any way.
To this day, what little infrastructure exists in most of Africa was put there by Europeans; what new infrastructure is being developed is being put there by Asians--and as Paul R correctly pointed out, the goal of those Asians is to haul out all the wealth, rape Africa of its resources, and leave it in its eternally backwards state when they are done.
The African intransigence on homosexuality is just one expression of the overall bacwardsness of the region--it reflects a lack of intellectual understanding that is eradicating homophobia everywhere else on the planet, including Asia and even the Middle East.
SO basically Africa has reached the point where it can no longer make excuses for its status as the sick child of the world. The rest of humanity has no respect for it in part because of situations just like this one--and that disrespect will only deepen if Africans try to dig in their heels and ensure that they become the pariahs of the world.
Your choice, but the little "white guilt" game is up and will no longer get you anywhere.
My second point is that, having spent a great deal of time in both the Middle East and Africa, comparing the two when it comes to attitudes towards homosexuality is not valid. Yes, at the OFFICIAL level, homosexuality is frowned upon in much of the Middle East, but, at the street level, sex between men is rampant--in fact, far more widespread than it is in the West; I would even go so far as to say that bisexuality is the norm.
Not so in Africa, at least as far as I was able to tell during my time there and I was NEVER approached by another guy for sex in my several years spent on the continent, whereas I have never been in Middle Eastern country for more than a few days without being hit on by a guy.
I just don't see the parallel.
Posted by: Rick | Nov 2, 2011 11:36:46 AM
Well it's too late for this comment, but I'm amazed that I agree with Rick on many points.
As for Goooo, think before you write. "Southwest Asia" is not a term used by any reputable organization. But when pressed the UN once defined "Western Asia" (a term that it doesn't use) as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen---which shows how smart the UN is. No one with an ounce of sense would define most of those countries/locations as being anything but Middle Eastern, North African, or Central Asian (save Turkey, which straddles Asia and Europe), and those countries certainly wouldn't (Yemen is in Asia?). South Asia is an entirely different group (India, Sri Lanka, etc.)
As for Alexander Kiberu, if your country is so rich, why do you need aid? And if you don't want it, why do you seek it? Clearly your leaders want it, usually to line their own pockets and ignore the needs of your country's population. Oh, and using several of the most rapacious, greedy leaders the world has seen in the past 50 years as examples is not helping your argument. Ask the people of Zimbabwe how they feel about Mugabe, or the people of Cuba about Castro. And saying that Amin didn't kill people is just sad. Wanting to believe something doesn't make it true. Why don't you ask Cambodians how they feel about Pol Pot? Based on your assessment, he was a savior for killing millions of people.
And if you hate "evil sodomites" so much, what led you to this site? I can't imagine it just popped up on its own.
Posted by: Paul R | Nov 3, 2011 12:04:25 AM
And let me guess, Alexander, you're not living in a village with no electricity, power and sanitation, basic health care, decent education, and ways of lifting yourself out of it? Let me just make a crazy guess that you were born into a wealthy family, were educated in a developed country, and really don't give a damn about your fellow Ugandans because their plights have never affected you?
So you can ignore or look down on them, but heaven forbid that anyone insult your native land. Not that you spend much time there...or if you do, are among the very few with good English skills, an Internet connection, and a strong sense of martyrdom. So it's probably richly satisfying to look down on gay people, not that you're on this site because, you know, you have any interest in gay content. The name Alexander is enough to give away your hypocrisy.
Posted by: Paul R | Nov 3, 2011 12:15:14 AM
Homosexuality was never popular in Africa maybe you are thinking of greece!. In fact the traditional African religion largely opposes it. Go to these countries and ask people who practice a traditional rieligion how they feel and the answer would be much the same...
Posted by: GOOOOO | Nov 3, 2011 3:18:21 AM
Brain, the middle East is split between Asia and Africa. It is a political area. You can use both term concurrently... Relax.
Posted by: GOOOOO | Nov 3, 2011 3:20:25 AM
Gooooo, you started it with "to the person who insulted me, have you never heard of southwest asia?????" so if anyone needs to relax, it's you. And of course you can use both terms concurrently, but when you do, Asia must exclude the Middle East, or you wouldn't include both terms in your sentence. So when you say Middle East and Asia are much more anti-gay than Africa, you're really including China and the rest of East Asia in your sentence, and my original post was made solely to explain that you're wrong on that count. Telling me that the Middle East is split between Asia and Africa is a non-sequitir.
Posted by: Brian | Nov 3, 2011 11:33:33 AM
i do not see why we africans should continue taking these nonsense from these arrogant europeans. African leaders should wake up and send multinational companies away from their land. Then we see who will beg for aid... rubbish
Posted by: mike | Nov 4, 2011 5:34:38 PM
I used the term middle east and Asia to acknowledge that the middle East is considered unique but, nevertheless the countries I was mainly referring to are the ones in Asia. For example Morrocco is considered part of the Middle East by some but, geographically that does not make sense... Middle east of where???
Aid does NOT always = economic status, there are some countries in the Gulf with per capita incomes greater than the USA and UK who get some form of aid. In fact if you look at the aid level you will see that there are many rich coutries getting aid and, aid is not proportional to wealth...
As I said, what this policy will come to be is the poorest of the poor countries like Ethiopia will may have to accept laws they don't want... Many of the countries being threatened can live without the UK aid because in the end it does not amount to much.
Posted by: GOOOOO | Nov 5, 2011 8:22:05 AM