Cardinal Peter Turkson The Ghanaian head of the Vatican's peace and justice office has panned Uganda’s anti-gay law, saying “homosexuals are not criminals” and should not be jailed. Cardinal Peter Turkson made the comments to reporters at a human rights conference in Slovakia, according to the UK’s Catholic Herald. It follows the February 2013 criticism of Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, head of the Pontifical Council for the Family. He said the church believes that gay people “have the same dignity as all of God’s children.” The Religion News Service says he stated there are "countries where homosexuality is a crime" and said that he "would like the church to fight against all this”. Roman Catholic bishops in Uganda have not taken a side on the new law, which allows authorities to jail people for gay sex – in some cases for life. Sweden halts aid Sweden has decided to halt all development aid to Uganda over the anti-gay law. "Swedish aid is not unconditional. That's why the government has decided to withhold state-to-state payments,” International Aid Minister Hillevi Engström has stated, while again condemning the legislation. “We want to support homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people in Uganda through Swedish aid via other channels.” The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway are also cutting or redirecting their aid packages, while the World Bank is freezing US$90 million in loans, money allocated to support maternal health and to build new hospitals. Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi has said the government will be forced to make reductions and cutbacks as a result, with MPs’ expenses one area which will be slashed. Gay rights activists in Uganda are expressing opposition to cuts in aid, saying they don’t want the people to suffer due to the government’s poor choices. “However, we support strategic aid cuts to specific sectors, such as the Dutch Government’s decision to withdraw funding from the justice sector,” says the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law. “We encourage urgent review of aid to organizations and government institutions that have failed to demonstrate respect for human rights and those that have been actively supporting this bill. We DO NOT support cuts in support to NGOs and other civil society institutions that offer lifesaving health services or other important social services to the people of Uganda.” The group has also outlined 20 ways people can help, which you can read here
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 6th March 2014 - 9:14am