Uganda Kill The Gays Bill Exposé: Scott Lively, David Bahati, David Kato

by David Badash

In this exposé, Current TV’s Mariana van Zeller went to Uganda and filmed the video below, “Missionaries of Hate,” “that examines whether the growing influence of American religious groups led to a movement that would make homosexuality a crime punishable by death in the African country.”

She asks, “Must we wait for Kato’s murder to be solved before we can safely say that “men of God” and leaders of state are inciting hatred?”

It’s a frightening exposé on Uganda’s “Kill The Gays” bill, Scott Lively, David Bahati, David Kato, and the evils of American Evangelical Christians.

If this is the kind of work Current TV’s new boss, Keith Olbermann will support, we’re all for it!

Read: “David Kato’s Death Result Of Hatred Planted By U.S. Evangelicals”



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Rachel Maddow Knows Who Killed David Kato

Just like that Sarah Palin lady and the Safeway shootings, Scott Lively and Richard Cohen are totally responsible for the death of David Kato. Didn't you hear? Because they created the environment where this type of anti-gay violence is encouraged. Are these men absolutely horrible, horrible people? Yes. Did these men put a hammer to Kato's head? No. Are the creating a climate of hatred? Yes. Did they call for Kato's head? Not that I know of (though I'm sure they were pleased with the Rolling Stone cover). So while I'm all for us holding men like Lively and Cohen responsible for their hate speech, and their involvement in a bill that calls for gays to be imprisoned and sometimes executed, I caution immediately linking the words of one party with the actions of another.

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Suspect Arrested in Kato Murder

By Advocate.com Editors

Ugandan police officials say a man has confessed to murdering David Kato last week after an unspecified "personal disagreement" with the prominent gay rights activist.

Reuters reports that the suspect, Nsubuga Enock, was arrested Wednesday and confessed to the crime. A police spokesman said the motive wasn't robbery, nor, he claimed, was it the result of Kato's LGBT activism work that resulted in a Ugandan tabloid newspaper publishing his photo in October below the words "Hang Them."

"He has confessed to the murder, police spokesman Vincent Ssetake told Reuters regarding Enock. "It wasn't a robbery and it wasn't because Kato was an activist. It was a personal disagreement but I can't say more than that."

Kato's driver has also been arrested in connection with the murder, Reuters reports. Enock is scheduled to appear in court Wendesday evening.

Kato was found beaten to death with a hammer in his home last week. Violence erupted during his funeral in the village of Mukono, Uganda, when a pastor grabbed the mike and began screaming, provoking strong reaction from Kato’s friends.

"The world has gone crazy," the pastor said. "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."

Read the full story here.

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"A Prayer for David Kato"

By Andrew Harmon

A group of religious leaders including the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, are calling on organizers of Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. to honor Uganda gay rights activist David Kato, who was murdered last week.

"We're asking that prayers be said for David Kato and his family and friends in Uganda, who continue to face this hostile climate," Robinson told The Advocate.

That the Fellowship (also known as The Family), the influential conservative group that has hosted the annual breakfast since 1953, has extensive ties to African leaders like Anti-Homosexuality Bill sponsor David Bahati in Uganda, continues to be of great concern to Robinson, the Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop.

"They need to know that we are watching this very closely," said Robinson, who will not be attending the event.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with people getting together to pray," he continued. "As you know when I said a prayer at the opening inaugural event [for President Obama], I was careful not to make it a Christian prayer or one associated with any particular belief. It's walking a thin line. I think what's of greater concern to me is Obama's attendance at an event sponsored by a group like The Family."

Last year Robinson was among several religious leaders who, along with advocacy groups like Truth Wins Out, helped to organize the American Prayer Hour as an alternative to the National Prayer Breakfast. The coalition also urged President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who attended the prayer breakfast, to speak out against draconian legislation in Uganda commonly referred to as the "kill the gays bill” (both did so in their remarks).

"We may disagree about gay marriage," Obama said at the 2010 prayer breakfast, "but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are, whether it is here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda."

Robinson called for a prayer in commemoration of Kato along with Auburn Theological Seminary in New York. "We're here to urge powerful, influential spiritual leaders to underscore that prejudice and violence against any group goes against our faith traditions," said Auburn executive vice president Rev. John Vaughn.

GetEqual, the direct action group launched last year, plans to protest the National Prayer Breakfast (details can be found here).

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Cops: Kato's Death Not Homophobia-Related

By Advocate.com Editors

Police in Kampala, Uganda, are saying that the murder of LGBT activist David Kato was not due to homophobia, but that he was killed during a robbery.

Suspect Arnold Senoga has been arrested in relation to Kato's death, Reuters reports. They are also looking for Nsubuga Enock, who was living with Kato since the activist bailed him out of prison Monday. Enock's criminal record shows he has been involved in multiple robberies.

Neighbors said they had seen Enock walking out of the house wearing Kato's clothing, and carrying his briefcase, which is one of the items missing from Kato's home.

"We are now trying to establish what relationship Kato had with Enock, whether or not they were relatives and why Kato posted his bail," Kampala police spokeswoman Nabakooba said in the report.

Despite police reports, Kato was on record as saying that he feared his life was in danger because he was a gay activist, especially after local newspaper Rolling Stone (no relation to the U.S. publication) printed the names and faces of prominent gay people, including Kato, on a cover last year. A previous edition of the newspaper published 29 photos of gay people as well as their names and some of their addresses.

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Violence Erupts at Kato Funeral

By Advocate.com Editors

A local pastor attending Friday’s funeral for murdered Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato grabbed the microphone in the middle of the ceremony and decried homosexuality, causing a fight to break out and leading villagers to refuse to bury the body.

During the funeral in Mukono, Uganda, which was attended by about 300 people, according to Reuters, the pastor grabbed the mike and began screaming, provoking strong reaction from Kato’s friends.

"The world has gone crazy," the pastor said. "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."

As he screamed, “It is ungodly,” gay activists stormed the pulpit and grabbed the mike. They were wearing T-shirts featuring Kato's face with sleeves with gay pride colors.

"Who are you to judge others?" a female activist yelled. "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?"

Villagers then refused to bury Kato’s body, leading his friends to carry the body to his grave and bury it themselves.

Kato was the advocacy officer for Sexual Minorities Uganda. He was found brutally beaten to death Wednesday at his home.

He was one of many gay Ugandans threatened with death on the cover of Rolling Stone newspaper in October.

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A Ugandan Woman's Desperate Plea

By Julie Bolcer and Andrew Harmon

The shocking murder of Uganda gay rights activist David Kato has heightened the urgency surrounding the case of Brenda Namigadde, a lesbian facing deportation from the United Kingdom to the virulently homophobic African country on Friday.

Namigadde spoke with The Advocate Thursday afternoon from the Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire, where she has been held for two months. In a soft voice, she repeatedly expressed fears that she would be killed if she is forced to return to her native Uganda.

“I’m not feeling well at all, just worried,” Namigadde said, noting that anxiety had prevented her from eating for the past two days. “There is no hope. I am so broken.”

The 29-year-old is scheduled to board a Friday evening flight from Heathrow Airport to Uganda, where her safety is anything but certain. On Wednesday, Kato, one of many LGBT people who had been outed and threatened with hanging in the country's Rolling Stone newspaper, was beaten to death with a hammer in the village of Mukono, east of the capital city of Kampala.

Namigadde worried she could suffer the same fate.

“It makes me feel very bad,” she said. “It’s really very scary to go back to Uganda. My life is gone as well. I am in danger. [Kato] is the one who was trying to stand for people.”

British officials have thus far refused to grant asylum to Namigadde, saying there is insufficient evidence that she is a lesbian. Her attorney submitted another claim with new evidence this week.

It’s unclear whether the frightening implications of Kato’s murder will sway British Home Secretary Theresa May to reconsider Namigadde’s deportation, though Mark Bromley, chair of the Council for Global Equality, said, “It seems like the changed circumstances [regarding Kato’s murder] would provide at least a temporary reprieve from deportation.”

“In the past, public scrutiny and public outcry in the U.K. have been somewhat effective and have resulted in temporary reprieves,” Bromley said.

All Out, a New York–based organization launched this month and focused on the global movement for LGBT rights, initiated a letter-writing campaign after hearing about Namigadde’s situation last week. According to All Out cofounder Andre Banks, the group has sent about 8,300 letters to May’s office via its website as of Thursday afternoon.

“We’ve been talking with both Brenda and her attorney. She’s very upset, very concerned to hear about David Kato’s murder as well as her fear of imminent deportation,” Banks said. He added that representatives with the home secretary’s office told him they had received a deluge of mail in support of Namigadde over the past 24 hours. But Banks has not heard whether Namigadde’s deportation is being reconsidered.

Speaking from the detention center, Namigadde dismissed recent reports that David Bahati, the Ugandan parliament member sponsoring a bill to make homosexuality punishable by death in certain instances, had offered to remove the capital punishment language from his legislation. Bahati told the U.K. newspaper The Guardian that Namigadde would be welcome in Uganda if she would “abandon or repent her behavior” and cease bringing international scrutiny on the country. Otherwise, he suggested that she would be punished with arrest or worse.

“I’m not going to repent, because that’s who I am,” Namigadde said. “David Bahati is going to put a death penalty on me.”

Namigadde said that she has no family members or friends in Uganda, where some lesbians she once knew have disappeared or, she surmises, have been killed. She has not spoken to her Canadian partner, Janet, since about 2004, one year after they fled Uganda, where homosexuality is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

“Nowhere to live, nowhere to stay, nowhere to be safe,” Namigadde said. “I can’t move out from the country. My life is in danger. I’m going to be killed. I can’t be going back to Uganda.”

If and when the moment of deportation arrives Friday, Namigadde said she would refuse to comply, even if that means she is forcibly removed. It would constitute one last plea to British officials.

“I gave them all the evidence. I provided everything,” she said. “They don’t believe me.”

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Clinton, Obama Condemn Uganda Murder

By Andrew Harmon

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday condemned the murder of Ugandan LGBT rights activist David Kato and called for a swift and thorough investigation of his death by local authorities.

In a statement, Clinton said Kato's death "underscores how critical it is that both the government and the people of Uganda, along with the international community, speak out against the discrimination, harassment, and intimidation of Uganda's LGBT community."

Kato was beaten to death with a hammer on Wednesday. The New York Timesreports that while law enforcement officials have just begun to investigate the crime, a spokesman did not link the death to Kato's prominence as a gay rights activist in the virulently antigay country. "It looks like theft, as some things were stolen,” police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba said.

Clinton's statement in full:

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.

David Kato tirelessly devoted himself to improving the lives of others. As an advocate for the group Sexual Minorities Uganda, he worked to defend the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. His efforts resulted in groundbreaking recognition for Uganda's LGBT community, including the Uganda Human Rights Commission's October 2010 statement on the unconstitutionality of Uganda's draft "anti-homosexuality bill" and the Ugandan High Court's January 3 ruling safeguarding all Ugandans' right to privacy and the preservation of human dignity. His tragic death underscores how critical it is that both the government and the people of Uganda, along with the international community, speak out against the discrimination, harassment, and intimidation of Uganda's LGBT community, and work together to ensure that all individuals are accorded the same rights and dignity to which each and every person is entitled.

Everywhere I travel on behalf of our country, I make it a point to meet with young people and activists -- people like David -- who are trying to build a better, stronger future for their societies. I let them know that America stands with them, and that their ideas and commitment are indispensable to achieving the progress we all seek.

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.

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A statement from President Barack Obama was released Thursday evening. The full statement:

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.  In the weeks preceding David Kato’s murder in Uganda, five members of the LGBT community in Honduras were also murdered.  It is essential that the Governments of Uganda and Honduras investigate these killings and hold the perpetrators accountable.

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. 

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Ugandan Gay Activist Murdered

By Julie Bolcer and Andrew Harmon

David Kato, a prominent Ugandan gay rights activist in threatened in October with hanging on the front page of a Kampala newspaper, was found brutally beaten to death Wednesday at his home.

Kato was the advocacy officer for Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), which confirmed his murder in a news release. He was one of the plaintiffs who won a case against the Rolling Stone newspaper earlier this month (despite a shared title, the Uganda publication has no affiliation with the American magazine).

“David has been receiving death threats since his face was put on the front page of Rolling Stone Magazine, which called for his death and the death of all homosexuals,” said SMUG. “David’s death comes directly after the Supreme Court of Uganda ruled that people must stop inciting violence against homosexuals and must respect the right to privacy and human dignity.”

Mark Bromley of the Council for Global Equality said concerns remain for the safety of the other litigants in the case, who sued the newspaper after it posted "100 Pictures of Uganda's Top Homos," accompanied by the words "Hang Them."

"Our mandate and focus is to make sure that the U.S. government, our State Department, our embassy, and our leaders in Congress to understand and respond to this human rights tragedy," Bromley said.

According to Bromley, State Department officials have been watching the case closely. "Clearly it's a high priority for them," Bromley said. 

The Guardian reports that Kato was bludgeoned to death at his home in the town of Mukono in the afternoon. Witnesses saw a man fleeing the scene in a car.

SMUG called for the police and government to investigate the murder seriously and for religious leaders, politicians, and media to stop demonizing LGBT people. David Bahati, a member of parliament with close connections to American evangelicals, continues to push for a bill that would impose the death penalty on gay people in some circumstances.

Val Kalende, the board chair at Freedom and Roam Uganda, said in the news release,“David’s death is a result of the hatred planted in Uganda by U.S Evangelicals in 2009. The Ugandan Government and the so-called U.S Evangelicals must take responsibility for David’s blood!”

SMUG executive director Frank Mugisha said, “No form of intimidation will stop our cause. The death of David will only be honored when the struggle for justice and equality is won. David is gone and many of us will follow, but the struggle will be won. David wanted to see a Uganda where all people will be treated equally despite their sexual orientation.”

Burial arrangements for Kato are under way for Friday afternoon at his ancestral home in Namataba, Mukono District.

The BBC offers an obituary. Kato was a primary school teacher turned activist who proudly claimed the label of the first out gay Ugandan.

Read Jeff Sharlet's October cover story for The Advocate on the deadly consequences of antigay rhetoric in Uganda.

Update:

U.K. human rights activist Peter Tatchell released the following statement on Kato's murder:

"David will live on in our memories. He will also live on through the rights and equalities that LGBTI Ugandans will win eventually thanks to his many years of tireless groundwork and campaigning. I express my admiration and appreciation to all the members of SMUG who are battling for LGBTI freedom in conditions of great adversity and danger. Their courage and tenacity is awesome.

"This savage killing will, I hope, finally prompt Uganda's political, religious and media leaders to cease their homophobic witch-hunts. Their hatred helps create the bigoted atmosphere that leads to queer-bashing violence."

The U.S. embassy in Kampala has also issued a statement on Kato's death:

"The U.S. extends its sympathies to David's family, friends and human rights colleagues. David's courageous devotion to promoting the universal human rights of members of Uganda's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community improved the lives of minority populations in Uganda and throughout Africa, and his selfless dedication to defending human rights and speaking out against injustice served as inspiration to human rights defenders around the world."

The White House issued this statement from President Obama:

"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. In the weeks preceding David Kato’s murder in Uganda, five members of the LGBT community in Honduras were also murdered. It is essential that the Governments of Uganda and Honduras investigate these killings and hold the perpetrators accountable.

"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."

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Ugandan gay activist murdered, another’s life hangs in the balance

David Kato Kisulle

By Jamie McGonnigal

Ugandan activist David Kato Kisulle has been murdered in his home in Kampala, according to the Box Turtle Bulletin and the BBC.

He was found having been beaten in the skull with a hammer a his home and there is little more information than that at this time. What we do know is that Kato was featured in the Ugandan tabloid Rolling Stone, which featured names and photos of gay men under the headline “HANG THEM!”

Kato was one of three plaintiffs seeking a permanent injunction against the tabloid, which was successful. And in recent days, he had told friends of several death threats he’d received and was in fear for his life.

Since the introduction last year of the “Anti-Homosexual Bill” which has come to be known as the “Kill the Gays Bill” has been the topic of outrage from LGBT organizations around the country. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow has brought this bill to light in the US and featured the author of the bill, David Bahati in a two-part interview last month.

Today’s murder also highlights an important case regarding Ugandan Brenda Namigadde living in the UK and facing deportation back to Uganda after failed please for asylum. All Out has launched a campaign to keep Brenda in the UK, which may quite literally save her life.

“Kill the Gays Bill” Author Bahati said of Namigadde:

“Brenda is welcome in Uganda if she will abandon or repent her behaviour. Here in Uganda, homosexuality is not a human right. It is behaviour that is learned and it can be unlearned. We wouldn’t want Brenda to be painting a wrong picture of Uganda, that we are harassing homosexuals.”

It would seem Bahati may be correct, Uganda is doing far worse than harassing homosexuals.

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