Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms Kasha Nabagesera and her advocates. I know Africa reasonably well, having lived there for four years. My question to Kasha is, why Uganda? Is there something going on in Uganda that has caused the targeting of homosexuals? I agree with Colm O'Gorman and other speakers that our response must take into account the sensitivities of the Prime Minister, the President and the Government of Uganda with regard to western influences on these issues. I am trying to decide whom we should target. Colm O'Gorman referred to evangelical churches. In parts of Africa, homosexuality is deemed to be not the norm. However, who is stirring the flames in Uganda? The reaction seems to be disproportionate to anything else we hear from the rest of Africa. Is it political populism? Have the evangelical churches something to do with it? Is it the Muslim community in the northern region? Capital cities are usually more open-minded than rural areas. I do not know if there is a difference in emphasis among the citizenry of Kampala as the capital city as against a tribal community or the Muslim community.

Historically we have reason to be very scared of people who advocate this type of anti-gay philosophy. It happened in Rwanda when certain priests got hold of the airwaves and there was resultant savagery between Tutsi and Hutu. What is happening in Uganda and who should be regarded as the enemy who is promoting this horrendous legislation? They are parliamentarians but their populism must be a response to other pressures coming up the line. Does this make sense to the witnesses?