Sat 29 Jan 2011 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
A murdered Ugandan gay rights activist has been insulted at his own funeral, with the presiding pastor calling on gay men and women to repent or "be punished by God". David Kato was beaten to death with a hammer on Wednesday, just three weeks after he won a court victory against a newspaper that had called for him to be hanged. The emotional ceremony to mourn Kato included tributes and statements of condolence from international leaders, including US President Barack Obama. It was marred when Anglican Pastor Thomas Musoke took to the pulpit to say that "homosexuality is evil and will be punished by God....Even the animals know the difference between a male and a female." Witnesses have told The Guardian that Kato's former colleagues at Sexual Minorities Uganda, where he worked as an advocacy officer, quickly shouted Musoke down. "We have not come to fight," one woman screamed. "You are not the judge of us. As long as he's gone to God his creator, who are we to judge Kato?" The microphone was away grabbed from Musoke, and a scuffle ensued. Police were forced to intervene, escorting the pastor away from the funeral. Following the pastor's departure, Kato's friends completed the burial, before quickly returning to Kampala due to threats from local villagers. The Government continues to claim the murder was not related to Kato's work or sexuality, saying "investigations point to aggravated robbery as the reason for murder". It says the main suspect, a man who allegedly lived with and worked for Kato, was still at large. His colleagues doubt the Government's assertions and believe he was murdered due to his sexuality and activism, while Amnesty International says it's "appalled by the shocking murder of David Kato," and is calling for a "credible and impartial investigation into his murder." Along with Human Rights Watch, it's asking the Ugandan government to protect other gay rights activists. Efforts are continuing in the UK to prevent the deportation of lesbian woman Brenda Namigadde to Uganda, where she fears she will be persecuted. She has been granted a temporary injunction against the deportation order following Kato's death. A judge earlier ruled she was "not homosexual" and did not have a genuine claim.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 29th January 2011 - 5:38pm