Christians blamed for anti-gay hatred in Uganda
Andrew Aylward, Chronicle Washington Bureau
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
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(06-09) 04:00 PDT Washington- -- A leading Anglican bishop who fled Uganda after receiving death threats blamed U.S. Christian evangelical groups Tuesday for fomenting anti-gay hatred in his native country.
"Often these visitors do more harm than good," Christopher Senyonjo told a conference on gay rights in Uganda sponsored by the liberal Center for American Progress.
The Ugandan government is considering legislation that would impose a life sentence in prison or the death penalty on gays and lesbians convicted of having sex and on those diagnosed with HIV.
After signs last year that the government was backing away from the bill amid threats by Western countries to withdraw aid, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni last week told the New Vision, Uganda's leading pro-government newspaper, that he was asking the clergy and African leaders "to guard against Western culture, warning that the continent will end up eaten by homosexuality if they relax."
Senyonjo left Uganda because of his alleged sympathies with gays. He discussed the pending bill with Bishop Gene Robinson, an openly gay Episcopal bishop in the New Hampshire diocese.
One of the most publicized examples of anti-gay missionaries was Californian Scott Lively, a Citrus Heights evangelical Christian and head of Abiding Truth Ministries. In March 2009, Lively traveled to Kampala, Uganda's capitol, to give a series of talks in which he claimed homosexuality is evil and undermines marriage and family.
Shortly after Lively's trip, Ugandan legislator David Bahati introduced his "Anti-Homosexuality Bill," which in addition to punishing gays and HIV victims would also target groups "promoting homosexuality," effectively banning HIV/AIDS prevention groups.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has condemned the legislation, but made no express threats to withdraw aid. Several members of Congress have considered doing so. Sweden promised to withdraw its $50 million in annual aid, and similar threats by the European Parliament and other international donors, who contribute about a third of Uganda's budget, have sparked a heated debate about the legislation in Uganda.
Ugandan government officials have complained about foreign interference in Uganda's affairs. Museveni last week told the New vision newspaper, "The African Church is the only one that is still standing against homosexuality. The Europeans are finished. If we follow them, we shall end up in Sodom and Gomorrah."
Museveni made the remarks while addressing thousands of pilgrims visiting the Church of Uganda shrine where in 1886, 90 Christians were assassinated on the order of former Uganda King Mwanga II, for refusing to denounce their faith. Museveni said the martyrs were fighting "immorality in Mwanga's palace."
"I hear there was homosexuality in Mwanga's palace," Museveni told the pilgrims. "This was not part of our culture."
Human rights organizations estimate that Uganda is home to about half a million gays and lesbians out of a total population of 31 million.
Senyonjo urged more education about human sexuality in Uganda to deter anti-gay discrimination.
Robinson compared the activities of U.S. evangelical groups to people who accidentally start forest fires. "Just because you didn't intend to burn down trees and homes doesn't mean you are not responsible for it happening," Robinson said.
E-mail Andrew Aylward at andrew@hearstdc.com.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/09/MNQP1DRT3V.DTL#ixzz0qWaA1k8K
