The African AIDS Vaccine Programme, a giant United Nations and World Health Organisation-run institution pushing vaccination research efforts across the continent, is being moved from Geneva to a more geographically sensible location: Uganda’s Entebbe. Except that might all change if Uganda approves the Kill The Gays bill.
It’s impossible to tell whether thinly veiled threats to yank AAVP from Uganda are real or just empty threats. But at least the United Nations is publicly taunting Uganda with tangibles. The United States, of course, has just 24 words — and zero threats of action — devoted to the subject.
“Criminalising adult consensual sex is not only a human rights issue, it goes against a good HIV strategy,” said Catherine Hankins, the chief scientific advisor for UNAIDS, which alongside the World Health Organisation backs the AAVP.
“If the bill passes, UNAIDS and WHO would have to decide what happens and to see whether this is an appropriate place,” she told AFP.
Uganda’s AIDS Commission director Kihumuro Apuuli welcomed UN’s selection of Entebbe as the AAVP headquarters, but has been silent about the bill, which has been widely condemned by human rights and public health officials.
But recently Apuuli said men who have sex with men were not a priority group in Uganda’s fight against HIV.
(Pictured: Peter Tatchell and other gay activists at a rally outside Uganda House in London last week; via Reuters)
Cam
The U.N. will do nothing, then they will act shocked when several of their employees are arrested and excuted for being gay in Uganda. THEN they will start holding meetings and 3 years later come up with a resolution, that says they are expressing their dissagreement with Uganda’s treatment of their employees. Then to make up for their statment they will give Uganda an extra 10 million dollars for hurting it’s feelings.
romeo
@ Cam: so true.
Keith Kimmel
Sounds about right. The UN is the ultimate and in worthless, do nothing organizations.
Storm Christopher
BOYCOTT UGANDAN COFFEE!
See recent blog posts at http://www.JointheImpact.com and http://www.conversiontherapy.blogspot.com for details regarding this boycott of Ugandan Coffee. The boycott is just one response to Uganda’s draconian “Kill the Gays” law, which is expected to pass Uganda’s parliament in the next few weeks.
To the list of coffees included in the first post, please at UGANDAN DELICIOUS PEACE COFFEE. This coffee is currently distributed in the United States by the Thanksgiving Coffee Company, located in Fort Bragg, California. The motto for this coffee is “Not just a cup – but a JUST cup.” However, there is no justice at all in Uganda for gays and lesbians.
Drop this business a note or call them to tell them you why you will not buy their product and that they’re supporting a homophobic and oppressive government.
Thanksgiving Coffee Company •
Mail Order (800) 648-6491 • Wholesale (800) 462-1999
19100 South Harbor Drive, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
BOYCOTT UGANDAN COFFEE!
Uganda is on the verge of passing a horrific new law that would sentence gays and lesbians in that country to death or life inmprisonment. It would sentence people who know homosexuals and do not report them to three years in prison. Rachel Maddow has covered this proposed “Kill the Gays” law extensively on her program, and news stories about this massive human rights violation are all over the internet. This law has not yet passed the Ugandan parliament, but no one doubts that it will.
What can we here in America do? Uganda’s national budget is extremely dependent upon foreign aid, and the United States provides a large portion of that aid. Contact your legislators and senators. Insist that they take notice of what’s happening in Uganda and urge that, if this law passes, all American foreign aid immediately be discontinued.
But we can do more. We can boycott Uganda’s largest export product, and that’s coffee. Particularly, it’s coffee made from Robusta and Arabica coffee beans.
Do not buy coffee labeled Robusta or Arabica without consulting the label. These are the two primary types of coffee grown in Uganda. If the label says Uganda, put it back on the shelf and inform the store owner why you will not buy it.
Starbucks is a huge purchaser of Ugandan coffee. Let your local coffee shop know about this law. Inform them that you won’t be buying any coffee product from Uganda. Ask them to discontinue that coffee.
Dean & Deluca, an upscale specialty store with locations in many major cities, carries a variety of Ugandan coffees.
Millstone Coffees also distributes brands made with Ugandan beans.
Boycott any coffee labeled “Ugandan Gold,” which is produced and distributed by an Evanglical Anglican group in Uganda and distributed by Old Time Coffee Co out of Middlesex, PA.
Boycott any product called “Ugandan Mountain Coffee,” which is distributed by Coffee Legends, Inc.
Act now. Don’t wait. Enlist your friends and spread the word. Boycott Ugandan Coffee.