La Luta Continua

  

     The struggle for equality is one that all humans face; whether it be trying to break the double standard between men and women, struggling to attain equal wages for all workers, alleviating prejudices towards different races, or fighting for equal rights for gays and lesbians, among others. In some countries this struggle is less apparent, more subtle in skimming the surface of our social awareness. In Africa, it hits you over the head with a hammer (literally). On January 26th 2011, David Kato, a prominent LGBT activist was brutally killed inside his home. This marks a very sad day for a community that spends their lives fighting for equal rights, against a nation that remains deaf to their pleas.
    This is not a story about a person that simply wants to be called nicer names, it is a story of a homosexual man against an entire nation that refuses to budge in their strong, prejudicial beliefs. In North America we see how hard the LGBT community fights to have the opportunity to get married and have families, or to simply live their lives without the stigma of the evil eye against them. However, Africa faces a whole new set of issues, escaladed to the extreme. People like Kato must fight to stay out of prison for being who they are, fight against a population who wishes the death penalty against them, and fight against a system that continues to oppress and berate them day-after-day. It is not enough to be looked down upon, one must be ‘hung’ also.
    The Globe and Mail reports on the death astound me. How can the prominent Ugandan newspaper, The Rolling Stone, publish an article exposing 100 gay persons to a clearly hateful public, with a headline streaming “hang them”. I doubt something like this would ever be publishable in a North American newspaper, with its various human rights guidelines. What baffles me more is how the editor, Giles Muhame’s, could deny his part in the murder, claiming it was not what he intended. Then go further to say, “There has been a lot of crime, it may not be because he is gay. We want the government to hang people who promote homosexuality, not for the public to attack them. We said they should be hanged, not stoned or attacked.” It is funny how the government slaying people is alright, but civilians doing the same goes beyond some higher moral code.
    BBC News illustrates an even more shocking view, one that spits on the grave of an already dehumanized being. Priest, Thomas Musoke, preached to the gay community at Kato‘s funeral saying, "you must repent. Even the animals know the difference between a male and a female”. Although the scorn of homosexuality is not isolated to this faith, it takes on new meaning in this context. I beg to ask the question, what ever happened to all human life being sacred in the eyes of God? Apparently equality was not what Jesus preached at all.
    What about the police’s role? The investigation into his murder is clearly one that is swept under the rug, as Uganda’s police spokeswoman, Judith Nabakooba, claims, “At the moment, we think theft is the most likely motive” (BBC News). That motive somehow seems fishy to me, considering all the death threats Kato received after his homosexuality was publicized. This makes me wonder, are the police fighting for justice? Or are they shrouding a issue that they simply do not want fixed? Considering the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that the African parliament is questioning whether to enforce, and the illegality of homosexuality in 37 African countries as it is, it is difficult not to assume the latter.
    It is sad to hear that a person who devoted his life to changing the face of a very prejudicial world, lost his life fighting for the same cause. Was it a lifetime wasted? Or did humanity learn something from his tragic death? Can equality ever be attained in Africa? Or is this too much to hope for? These questions, I wish I could answer with a positive air.

To read more about these heated articles, follow the links: 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/ugandan-gay-activist-beaten-to-death-after-threats/article1884393/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12306077

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/01/27/uganda-promptly-investigate-killing-prominent-lgbt-activist

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/10/15/uganda-anti-homosexuality-bill-threatens-liberties-and-human-rights-defenders