C/o Refugee Law Project
Plot 5, Perryman’s Gardens
Po Box 33903, Kampala-Uganda
Tel; + +256 (0)414 343 556
Fax; +256-414-346491
Email; info@ugandans4rights.org
Website; www.ugandans4rights.org
08/02/12
Dear Partners and Members,
RE: COALITION STRATEGY FOLLOWING THE RETABLING OF THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY BILL IN THE 9TH PARLIAMENT.
Following the retabling of the AHB in the 9th Paliament of the Republic of Uganda at its first reading, a small representative number of the coalition membership plus its legal committee met today at Amnesty International Kampala to chart a fresh way forward in light of the new developments. The following were agreed upon:
(a) External / Foreign Strategy:
- Since the president is likely to address the parliament on the oil question on Friday 10th January 2011, we should try to get him to say something to the MPS on the decision of the house to retable the AHB – something to the effect that it was not a wise decision. The diplomatic community is requested to bear upon their capitals to put pressure on His Excellency the president to do this as part of his speech then.
- That the diplomatic community try and help local LGBTI activists arrange to meet the president in person.
- That the international community can go “all out all stops” but as long as they do not do it in the mainstream media (local or international) to raise the sentiment that it is an externally influenced agenda being persued. Methods used here can include for example AVAAZ’s and Amnesty International’s “sign a petition” system. Basically this is to raise a critical mass without arousing negative sentiments.
- That international governments should assert pressure on the Ugandan government albeit quietly and behind the scenes.
- Get non traditional international entities like the Vatican and the Anglican Communion to critic aspects of the bill publically in a way that identifies with followers of those religions in Uganda.
- Finally Uganda is hosting the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in March. This is a forum that could be used to influence Ugandan parliamentarians too.
(b) Local / Domestic Strategy:
- Audience will be sought with the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of parliamen as soon as possible to make fresh submissions ( one coalition submission and one lawyer taking the committee through the bill to explain to them the implications). The composition of the submitting team should be strategic.
- Commiserant with the above, the legal committee of the coalition will also draft a position on the bill for general circulation.
- The Coalition will come up with a press statement that clearly spells out the major implications of the bill on the general population.
- All member organizations of the coalition are called upon to make press statements on the bill to show loca civil society concerns about the bill.
- Public statements should also be sought from important offices such as the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC)
- A media strategy is to be drawn to kick off an earnest media campaign especially radio and TV talk shows as well as public dialogues (especially in public universities). The key message should be on expalining how the bill will affect the general Ugandan public as opposed to human rights of LGBTI Ugandans alone.
- The legal committee of the coalition is to agree on the options of seeking a constitutional court injunction before the bill is passed or seek legal redress after the bill is passed into law in the constitutional court. One set of actions is to be taken there after.
- More information will also be sought on the composition of the legal and parliamentary affairs committee of parliament (who are the members) and individual meetings will be set up with the members as part of the lobby effort.
- The local LGBTI community country wide should be mobilised and informed about what is going on with the bill.
- We should try to get MPs to redirect the debate on the real issues affecting Ugandans.
- We should also contact media allies (Andrew Mwenda, the Observor, Monitor for example) to do pieces criticising the bill.
- We should rally the support of neighbouring countries such as Rwanda.
Thank you ladies and gentlemen and others.
The struggle continues.
Geoffrey Ogwaro
Co-coordinator.
