Written answers

Tuesday, 16 February 2010

Department of Foreign Affairs

Human Rights Issues

9:00 pm

Photo of Andrew DoyleAndrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on proposed anti-gay legislation by the Ugandan Government; if this will have an impact on the country's status as an Ireland Aid target country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7077/10]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Uganda is one of the nine Programme Countries where Ireland has a commitment to long term strategic assistance. The programme is focused on supporting the poorest and most vulnerable in Uganda while a central component of our work is support for good governance and respect for human rights. I am very concerned about the implications of the Private Members Bill which was tabled in the Ugandan Parliament in October, which is described by its proponents as an 'anti-homosexuality bill'.

I have followed this issue closely and Minister of State Peter Power has discussed it in detail with our Ambassador to Uganda. Through our Embassy in Kampala, the Government has expressed our deep concerns about the Bill to the Government of Uganda. We have also coordinated closely with our EU partners in order to raise our concerns with the Ugandan authorities as a human rights issue. On 3 December, through the Swedish Presidency, the European Union formally raised its concerns about the draft Bill in a meeting with the State Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Our Embassy in Kampala has also been engaging with the Uganda Human Rights Commission on issues relating to discrimination against sexual minorities. It has also sought the views of local human rights and representative groups on how the international community can most effectively support efforts to oppose such discrimination.

In that context, it is a welcome development that President Museveni – in a statement to his party on 12 January - emphasised that the Bill was a private members motion, and was not sponsored by Government or his party, the NRM. He also acknowledged the concerns which have been expressed by the EU and other donors.

I can assure you that, along with our EU partners, Ireland will remain actively engaged with the Government of Uganda, pressing it to ensure that the Bill does not pass into law.

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