Condemning the Ugandan President Yoweri Musevani's move of signing the anti-gay bill, the United States urged him to revoke the law criminalizing homosexuality, Monday.
The anti-gay bill in Uganda punishes anyone found guilty of homosexuality or same-sex intercourse with 14 years to life in jail. "Instead of standing on the side of freedom, justice and equal rights for its people, today, regrettably, Ugandan President Museveni took Uganda a step backward," White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement, reports The Washington Post.
Following the signing of the anti-gay bill , State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the United States is reviewing its relationship with Uganda as a consequence of the new law. "Now that the law has been enacted, we are beginning an internal review of our relationship with the government of Uganda to ensure that all dimensions of our engagement, including assistance programs, uphold our anti-discrimination policies and principles and reflect our values," said Psaki, reports All Africa.
Museveni said that the groups advocating homosexuality were pushing Ugandans toward a gay lifestyle. "No study has shown that you can be homosexual purely by nature. Since nurture is the main cause of homosexuality, then society can do something about it to discourage the trends. That is why I have agreed to sign the bill," he said.
United Nations spokesman Martin Nesirky said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "seriously concerned" about the drawbacks of the law. "He shares the view of the high commissioner for human rights that this new law violates human rights. It will institutionalize discrimination, restrict the vital work of human rights activists, and could trigger violence. It will also hamper potentially life-saving efforts to stop the spread of HIV," said Nesirky.
However, people in Uganda welcomed Museveni's decision of criminalizing homosexuality. The Associated Press reported that schoolchildren celebrated after the singing of the anti-gay bill. "Obama leave us alone: Homosexuals have no room in Uganda," one student wrote on a placard.
Initially, the government decided to give death sentence to those convicted of homosexuality. However, the idea was dropped after Western countries and rights groups denounced the bill.
In Africa, 37 countries ban homosexuality.
