"Sanctioned abuses toward 'homosexuals' a link to evictions, displacements, forced migration, torture and death." Tom Mukasa a Ugandan Human Rights Activist Tells Rt. Hon Kadaga

- March 30, 2018

Dear Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga respectfully,

My name is Tom Mukasa, I am a Ugandan-American Human Rights Activist, a global Health specialist and Political Scientist.

I followed you during the recent 138th IPU Assembly in Switzerland. I want to add my voice on why homosexuality should be on any agenda looking for solutions to address forced migration and displacement of peoples.

Also, there are 5 issues I agree and 5 on which I disagree with you. I want this to go on record, there is no bad blood between you and I.

We are subjects of a 21st Century democratic dispensation and it allows many of us to participate in aspects of self determination that perhaps other eons did not allow some sections of populations. That African sovereigns which were not so long ago carved out as kitchen gardens by colonialist capitalists can send delegates to say, the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly is just one of the examples.

That, our leaders should provide opportunities for rule of law to prevail. This context allows for the fair distribution of the material conditions allowing for gender to expand. Otherwise, Uganda, would not have had the first female graduate Medical Doctor in Sub Saharan Africa.

That our leaders should themselves be enablers of the principles behind due diligence and rule of law to prevail, otherwise there will be a default tendency to be dismissive of issues and it may become the norm at levels such as houses of parliament, courts, police stations and domicile communities. We can stretch our arms further to reach beyond low hanging fruits.

That rule of law should be the default in our societies. It is this kind of thinking that will help for instance those bringing forward the issue of homosexuality on order papers not only to follow right processes but to ensure it is deliberated upon.

That dignity and privacy can be a litmus test to rule of law and therefore rule of law deters communities from resorting to lynching people alleged of same sex love. Nothing wrong with developing institutions through which we can have conversations about our differences and diversities.

Where I disagree with you Rt. Honourable:

In avoiding the issues of sexuality, orientation, gender and identity at parliament floors, we are actually not only playing by the book of legitimate domination but we are denying hearing what compliance can do in a very diversified world. Let us open the Babushka dolls and find out what they contain.

Rt. Hon. I disagree with the treatment of issues to do with a non-heterosexual normativity as being looked at as criminal.

I also disagree that they are schismatic. Methodology, doctrine and dignity of humans are some of the issues still causing schisms in Christianity with gender and race not far below the surface.

Setting the stage with antecedental words like "smuggling" when it comes to homosexuality issues on a Parliamentary order paper, paints a picture of blackmarket machinations.

The argument on procedure showed how sticking to protocol is a gold standard in parliamentary democracy. Thank you for pointing that out. But, linking homosexuality to some of the causes of displacements or migrations by people was appropriate. As I write this Rt. Hon., I have provided counselling to 178 persons who contemplated suicide because they did not understand why they were different (sexual orientation dysphoria). I have helped 234 persons living with HIV some of whom are now refugees seek, Medical care some in countries where they fled to. Allowing homosexuality to be discussed side by side migration should have been allowed. Please let it not cause sovereigns to walk out of sessions.

Lastly, Rt. Hon. the issue is not whether we need to talk about homosexuality but rather that we link homosexuality to democracy or dignity of persons or development in our very intersectionalized global world.

Respectfully, thank you.