About Face

Uganda’s Anti-Gay Ethics Minister Grants Gays Freedom Of Assembly

Even though gays in Uganda could spend life in prison if found guilty of homosexual acts, at least they are now granted the right to assemble. This is a curious about face for the Ugandan government, considering last Monday’s raid on a meeting of gay activists, along with an announcement that the government planned to disband 38 non-governmental organizations suspected of engendering homosexuality.

According to Pink News:

The Ugandan government has issued a statement following reports of gay rights workshops being broken up and NGOs being dissolved saying gay people have the right to freely assemble in the African state.

The Ethics Minister Simon Lokodo signed the statement following international reports on the situation for gay Ugandans.

The statement says: “No government official is (supposed) to harass any section of the community and everybody in Uganda enjoys the freedom to lawfully assemble and associate freely with others.”

This is the same Simon Lokodo who, in February, walked in and personally shut down a gay right conference, and believes gays and lesbians are “recruiting” children.

Mr. Lokodo was reported to have been told to tone down his anti-gay rhetoric by the government. While any step of progress is welcome, does anyone else consider such a sudden sea change as a bit unusual?

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