Uganda is the latest out of 37 other African Nations to criminalise homosexuality. Uganda's new "Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009" will make it a crime, punishable by death, to "defile homosexuality". Why then? Why now is Africa slipping into pre-1950's Europe? The days when there were death penalties, anti gay laws and Political Extremism . David Bahati, a Ugandan MP, says "The whole intention is to prevent the recruitment of under-age children, which is going on in single-sex schools. We must stop the recruitment and secure the future of our children."Africa, in my view, is not moving forward. Instead it's Leaders are dragging it backwards into a dark totalarian continent which controls the people. In most cases, I wold argue a country has the full right to do whatever the hell they want, without foreign intervention. However Uganda is a different case. Uganda is a member of The Comonwealth, which according to the "Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles", is there to promote democracy, HUMAN RIGHTS, good governance, the rule of law, INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, egalitarianism, free trade, multilateralism and world peace.
Human Rights and Individual Liberty? Punishment for expressing your sexuality?
Surely the two do not go hand in hand. Surely The Commonwealth can intervene and talk to the Ugandan Parliament about this new Bill? Something must be done to stop this huge injustice, in my opinion. My respect for The Commonwealth will lower if they do nothing to help Liberty in Uganda.
In general, I agree. However I don't share your belief that a nation not bound by agreements like this should have the right to do _anything_ it wants. All nations have a duty to their people which includes respect for the right to life, and all citizens of the world have a duty to ensure that they honour that.
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