David Kato should be honoured

By now I am sure you are all familiar with David Kato, a man who worked hard campaigning for and defending the human rights of GLBT citizens in Uganda.

Mr. Kato was an advocacy officer for Uganda’s Organization of Human Minorities, (SMUG), who was brutally murdered on his way home yesterday.

Mr. Kato’s death has prompted international interest and outcry after many believe that his death was partly linked to his sexuality. Last year Kato sued the Ugandan Rolling Stone newspaper after it labelled him as a homosexual and featured a picture of him with the words “Hang Them” as the headline.

Whilst police in Uganda aren’t calling this a hate crime and deny that the attack was based on sexual orientation, Uganda’s official government policy toward homosexuals must be examined and condemned.

Gay men and women still face routine persecution and harassment as homosexuality is illegal and in 2009 the government introduced a controversial bill which would allow death sentences for certain homosexual acts.

This bill is still being debated in Parliament, and that is why BBW condemns this senseless attack on a man, who dedicated a majority of his life advocating the civil rights and liberties of others. BBW believes in the civil rights and liberties of all people in society.

Mr. Kato’s death was a senseless tragedy and it must be denounced, whilst I recognize that Uganda is a sovereign nation which passes its own laws, the West must rebuke their draconian and appalling discrimination toward homosexuals. It is very disheartening to think that any civilised and democratic nation like Uganda would allow people to be murdered based on their sexuality is a travesty and truly malevolent. In a democracy the rights of all are represented regardless of their sexuality.

I stand with solidarity with President Obama on this issue who has labelled Uganda’s proposed legislation as “odious”.

I would like to further concur with US Secretary Clinton who has called for the matter to be fully investigated and to bring the killers to justice.

Hopefully David Kato’s legacy will live on and be remembered as man who championed the rights of all.

Guest post by Josh Mead.