Thu 12 Apr 2012 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Jan Logie and Louisa Wall The hard work two New Zealand lesbian MPs put in to take a stand against a Draconian anti-gay bill in Uganda has been revealed. Jan Logie from the Green Party and Louisa Wall from the Labour Party, recently returned from the 126th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Kampala, Uganda. While there the two MPs urged other parliamentarians to make a commitment to the safeguarding of human rights for all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. “Our immediate concern was to organise an effective response against Uganda’s proposed Private Member’s Anti Homosexuality Bill,” Logie says. “If this draconian Bill passes, it will institute the death penalty for some 'acts of homosexuality' and will require other people to dob in gays to the police within 24 hours of realising their sexuality. Failure to do so will result in them becoming liable to prosecution themselves,” Wall adds. The two MPs drafted letters to the leaders of all the Ugandan political parties including one to President Museveni of the ruling party. The President had previously stated it would be unconstitutional for him to withdraw the Bill from Parliament, so Logie and Wall asked him to use his authority as leader of his party, to influence his backbencher David Bahati to withdraw his Private Members Bill. The letters were signed by President del Picchia of France of the 12+ Geo-political group which comprises 46 counties affiliated to the IPU including outspoken supporters of this course of action UK, Finland, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Iceland and Canada “We want to stand shoulder to shoulder with our fellow parliamentarians in fighting inequality, poverty and discrimination on any grounds, and we respectfully implore parliamentarians to extend human rights protections to all citizens”, Logie says. The two MPs met with Ugandan gay and lesbian activists before and after the meeting and gave them copies of the letters. The activists applauded the MPs actions and indicated that if the Bill is not stopped, they may release the letters publically. Wall also proposed an agenda item for future Assemblies, to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity rights, and the role of parliamentarians in affirming these rights in legislation. “Unfortunately, these important human rights topics did not gain the support of the majority for inclusion at the next Assembly, but we have plans to ensure they make it onto future agendas,” Wall says. The pair’s actions were backed by delegation leader, National MP Tau Henare. "We want to stand shoulder to shoulder with our fellow parliamentarians in fighting inequality, poverty and discrimination on any grounds, and we respectfully implore parliamentarians to extend human rights protections to all citizens,” Henare has said, according to a released statement. You can discuss this gay New Zealand community news story in the GayNZ.com Forum here
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 12th April 2012 - 9:52am