Raül Romeva i Rueda

REFLEXIONS PERISCÒPIQUES

Publicat el 1 de març de 2010

Defensant els drets LGBT a Uganda, Malawi i Kènia / Defending LGBT Rights in Uganda, Malawi and Kenya

Adjunto la carta que hem enviat el Bureau de l’Intergrup pro Drets LGBT del Parlament Europeu a diferents persones amb responsabilitat en Política Exterior de la Comissió i del Consell, en relació a la situació que viuen les persones LGBT a països com Uganda, Malawi i Kènia, i com entenem que cal tractar aquesta qüestió en el marc de les relacions UE-ACP:

To:             Baroness Ashton of Upholland
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

                  Mr Andris Piebalgs
European Commissioner for Development

                  Mr Domenico Rosa
Head of Unit, EU and ACP Institutional Relations

                  Mr Kamalesh Sharma
Commonwealth
Secretary-General

                  Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
UK Minister for Africa

Concerns:  Worrying developments in Uganda, Malawi and Kenya

 

Brussels, 26th February 2010

Dear _____,

We are deeply concerned that the situation of sexual minorities in Uganda, Malawi and Kenya is worsening steadfastly.

The Ugandan parliament is currently debating a bill condemning the ‘crime’ of homosexuality with fines, imprisonment and the death penalty, as well as fining and imprisoning their families and allies of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. A heated public debate has developed unwaveringly since last September, and a sizeable proportion of Ugandan citizens—homosexuals or human rights defenders—are increasingly threatened and attacked. The European Parliament expressed its strong concern about these developments, and called on the Council and the Commission to make their opposition known to Ugandan authorities[1][1].

Malawian authorities have made a series of arrests among human rights defenders who put up posters asserting the rights of LGBT people. Furthermore, the prosecution of two men who performed a traditional marriage ceremony will likely lead to a lengthy prison term. National public figures have repeatedly called for violence against gay and lesbian people.

In neighbouring Kenya, a series of calculated moves led to mob violence against LGBT people in the Mtwapa township. Apart from the Kenyan Human Rights Commission, authorities have remained silent. An implicitly endorsed climate of growing hatred affects LGBT people, an increasing number of whom are going into hiding, according to local human rights defenders.

International solidarity demands that the European Union and its Member States step up and continue their efforts to promote the universality of human rights. We are aware of the fact that the Commission, as well as Member States such as the United Kingdom and Sweden, have expressed their concerns both formally and informally to authorities in Uganda.

Bearing in mind the widespread international condemnations of the above developments as well as your earlier efforts to curb hate violence in the region, we urge you to continue working with workers on the ground and diplomatic representations to ensure these issues remain high on the political agenda. In particular, we are keen to know that your services will bear these situations in mind in their diplomatic dealings with individual countries, as well as in the current renegotiations of the Cotonou Agreement. We firmly believe that the inclusion of non-discrimination on the grounds listed in Article 19 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, including sex and sexual orientation, is a sine qua none condition to renew the Agreement with African Caribbean and Pacific countries.

Looking forward to hearing your views about these pressing matters,

On behalf of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights,

Yours sincerely, (segueix…)

 

Michael Cashman MEP

Ulrike Lunacek MEP     

Sophie In’t Veld MEP

Raül Romeva i Rueda MEP

Sirpa Pietikäinen MEP

Rui Tavares MEP

 

Carbon copy:   Louis Michel MEP
Vice-president, ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

                        Eva Joly MEP
Chairwoman, Committee on Development


[1][1] Resolution P7_TA(2009)0119: Uganda: anti-homosexual draft legislation (17th December 2009)

Font foto: Getty images



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