"I am personally disappointed in your support for the Church of Uganda’s crusade against homosexuality. That is because I am a homosexual myself. A gay Ugandan… It hurts us, a lot, to find that you, our leader, rejects us so soundly. Saying that we are foreign puzzles us. We are Ugandans. Through and through. Why do you call us foreigners, just because we are homosexual?" - An anonymous Ugandan national to anti-gay President Yoweri Museveni, who this week warned that gays will destroy the African continent. [UK Gay News]

"[Usaam Auf Mukwaya], one of Uganda's key gay rights activists who had led demonstration at an AIDS international conference in the country, was arrested, tortured and dumped with bruises on his body in the capital Kampala on Saturday." [Afrol]

Ugandan Ethics Minister James Buturo must be great chums with president Yoweri Museveni. On the same day that Buturo called for an anti-gay witch hunt, Museveni also took some time to figuratively bash the gays: "…Museveni has lauded his country-men and women for rejecting homosexuality. Museveni was speaking at a betrothal ceremony in Kyakabunga, where he said that the purpose of life is to propagate the human race, reports Uganda's New Vision website. The website quotes a government press statement about the event in which the president says that Ugandans are right to reject homosexuality, something which he claims emanates from 'negative foreign cultures.'"

Ugandan gay activist Frank Mugisha sent us an email to inform us that police arrested two trans women at a bar back in May. The ladies, cops said, were causing a "public nuisance," which sounds like fancy code for being queer. Considering the lack of evidence - and despite the nation's overarching anti-gay and trans attitudes - a judge did the right thing and dismissed the case late last month, citing lack of evidence. While that's good news, Uganda's laws still skew against the so-called "sexual deviants."

Following a well-trod argument, Ugandan Bishop Eria Paul Luzinda last week insisted that African nation must not legalize homosexuality, for it's of evil foreign decent: I have been hearing that gays are demanding that the government should legalize their activities. This is absurd because God created a man and woman so that they can produce and fill this world. The government should not be tempted to legalise this backward culture which is bound to destroy this country. Not all that comes from Europe is superior and must be taken up by us." Well, you kids have certainly taken a liking to homophobia, another Western creation. [AllAfrica]

Ugandan gay activist and friend of Queerty Frank Mugisha sent us this update on the three AIDS activists arrested last week for protesting the government's unhealthy anti-gay policies: "The 3 Ugandan LGBT activists that were arrested at the HIV Implementers' Meeting in Kampala on the 4th of June 2008, have been released on bail this morning. The charges against them HAVE NOT BEEN DROPPED. They have been charged with Criminal Tresspass, under Section 302 of the Uganda Penal Code. All have pleaded "not guilty" and were released on a bail of 500,000 UGX ($310 USD)…The case was adjourned to the 20th of June 2008." Mugisha also encourages you to send protest emails to Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni [museveni@starcom.co.ug] and Minister of Justice Dr. Edward Kiddu Makubuya [mojca@africaonline.co.ug].

Amnesty International has released a statement condemning the Ugandan government for arresting three gay activists yesterday. Said one Amnesty member, "We consider these three to be prisoners of conscience, detained for their peaceful activism." The activists were protesting the government's refusal to help treat gay HIV patients, a far more egregious offense, we think. [BBC]

On yesterday's episode of The View, Joy Behar asked Republican presidential hopeful John McCain if he would reinstate the draft to keep the Iraq War going. McCain claimed that we don't need a draft, because voluntary enrollment works. Apparently not, because our armed services are now actively recruiting from Uganda. Yes, Uganda. [SH]

While Chris Crocker and his army decry the homophobosphere, gay Africans and Arabs are finding the world wide web to be their only window into the world: There are blogs bridging the Arabic-speaking world from Morocco in the west to the United Arab Emirates in the east. There is a self-sustaining circle of gay bloggers in Kenya and Uganda together with a handful of sites put up by gay Nigerians… Beyond the blogging scene, the Internet's chat rooms and community sites have also become one of the safest ways for gay Africans and Arabs to meet, away from the gaze of a hostile society." [Reuters]

The Anglican drama continues! As many of you know, the Anglican Communion has been at civil war since the American branch electede openly gay Gene Robinson as Bishop in 2003, a move that irritated the church's more conservative set, who have been snatching congregations and boycotting events in an effort to win power. Uganda's Anglican Church announced today that it will boycott this summer's Lambeth Conference, during which Anglican leaders will attempt to iron out their kinks - and their odds aren't looking good. [BBC]