The Ugandan government is backing an anti-homosexuality bill that would introduce some of the world's toughest punishments for gays, with a minimum life sentence for anyone convicted of having gay sex and a mandatory death penalty if the person is HIV-positive.
Human rights activists and HIV/AIDS specialists in Uganda, along with President Yoweri Museveni's foreign allies, have voiced outrage about the bill, now pending in parliament.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called it "a very serious potential violation of human rights." Britain and Canada have expressed strong concerns, and Sweden has threatened to cut off aid to Uganda.
The bill would also introduce a three-year prison sentence for anyone who was aware of homosexual activity and failed to report it to the authorities within 24 hours. Its proponents said the proposed law reflected the will of Uganda's people. In this conservative, predominantly Christian country, many people consider homosexuality an immoral habit that can be "cured."
James Nsaba Buturo, minister of state for ethics and integrity, said: "What we are doing is what the country wants. I see a clash of cultures here and the need for those who are not us to accept our culture."
He added: "It's abhorrent that homosexuality should be recognized as a way of life. We understand that in your country it's normal. But we don't do that. We don't even talk about it."
Terrible a life sentence for being gay sort of like here where you can get a life sentence for selling crack cocaine. Selling crack should get you maybe five years max and being gay should get you nothing. I am not comparing the two but we do the same thing overhere. We are to harsh with some of our sentences.