Probe into disputed report of 7 slain LGBT Ugandans
In response to a request from the leadership of several LGBT organizations in Kampala, Uganda, the article “Report: 7 LGBT Ugandans slain; 65 flee abroad” has been removed from the blog — either temporarily or permanently.
The leaders of the Friends New Underground Railroad in the United States and in East Africa stand by their account of the murders.
The Friends Railroad and the affiliated Safe Passage Fund provided some additional information about the reported incidents to the gay-friendly Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) and to Human Rights Watch in order to allow them to conduct independent investigations. To the extent possible, this blog will also investigate and seek first-hand witnesses.
Any findings will be reported on the blog.
This article was revised on Aug. 21 to clarify the source of information provided to Human Rights Watch. It was provided by the Safe Passage Fund rather than directly by the Friends Railroad.
Related articles
- Questions asked about Uganda gay stoning report (Mamba Online)
- FNUR Responds To Uganda LGBTs Murder False Allegations Claims (TheGayUK.com)
- Uganda mob seeks to oust gays; police arrest trans woman (May 2014, 76crimes.com)
That is a total lie and never believe the so called Friends of the Uganda , Underground – everyone is just making it to get money that is all. Let them bring evidence.
Do not send your money to anyone in Uganda claiming of anything.
BEWARE OF GAY HELPERS (let us not forget) THE Anti-LGBT ANGLICAN KITEMU COMMUNITY CENTER CAPER! RECONFIRM THE HELPERS (perhaps by using excommunicated, Anglican Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo as a person to help review/validate the help is real).
Do you remember Archbishop Henry Orombi´s trusted servants Rev. Erich Kasirye and his wife Patricia (aka known as Colonel Josephine Luboyera)? Eric and Patricia/Josephine serve/served as Anglican Church of Uganda fundraisers for ¨Ecclesiastical Protection from Poisoness Americans¨ as well as being ¨LGBTI Scammers¨ and watchdogs for other potentially profitable evil and assigned to, you guessed it, BISHOP SAMUEL BALAGADDE SEKADDLE!
http://leonardoricardosanto.blogspot.com/2010/05/bishop-orombi-you-need-ecclesiastical.html
So, is this story true or not?
Pepe Onziema tells me this is false, Colin.
Dear Terry,
The Kampala-based organizations that have worked so well and hard, and made some progress, against Uganda’s official and religious-based homophobia, are thoroughly dubious about these accounts.
For what it’s worth, the people running Friends New Underground Railroad in rural Uganda respond with scorn to the Kampala organizations and their response to a series of reports about anti-gay violence in rural areas.
I hope, perhaps naively, that HRAPF and HRW will be able to investigate and clarify the reports and, in the process, provide clarity about the work of the Friends Railroad operation.
Colin Stewart, editor of this blog
Colin, how can you verify information from “people running Friends New Underground Railroad in rural Uganda”? Someone like Pepe Onziema has a name and an e-mail address, but the Friend only have a website that says LGBTI people are not allowed to contact them because their work is too sensitive and their conductors’ lives are in danger.
I think you understand that there are many activists in Uganda working hard to make things better, but false reports of stoning and burning discredit the entire LGBTI community. It is therefore the responsibility of bloggers and journalists to verify information before posting sensational stories–especially when you’re also posting a link for fundraising. If you have credible evidence of people being killed, please contact the U.S. State Department, Refugee Law Project, Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum, or any other organization on the ground.
You are right to be skeptical of these organizations, as they are based in Kampala, but do you really think there are 65 openly gay people living in a small village in Buyende? Have you visited Uganda or Buyende before? I would be suspicious of a report that there are three openly gay people in Buyende–let alone 65. So perhaps you should do more investigations on the veracity of these claims before asking people for money. Otherwise you are detracting funds from legitimate organizations and discouraging people from donating in the future because they are afraid of false reports.
Although the original article has been removed, it is still available on the internet, having been reblogged on various gay websites.
On sensitive issues such as this, people should be certain of their facts before posting them on the internet. There are a lots of other LGBT sites whose owners have no integrity at all, and will publish stuff just to get others excited.
Of course, Colin, you have actual photos of the stoning of the 7th. You published one of them As did ALL of he Kampala organizations. Not a single Kampala organization – not one – went out to “investigate.” Not one. I think they expected the dead body to be shipped to their offices. Should we dig up the body and send it to them?
Hi, Levy —
I did have access to those four photos (though the links to three of them have since gone dead) and I did publish one of them.
But I disagree with your statement that “Not a single Kampala organization — not one — went out to ‘investigate.’ ” In fact, HRAPF sent a five-member team to Buyende, provided with very little specific information, and were unable to corroborate FNUR’s account of the incidents. Perhaps investigators provided with more information and more access to eye witnesses (those who are no longer in danger) would reach a different outcome. But that hasn’t happened.
You don’t need to dig up the body, but you could tell where the bodies are buried.
Best,
Colin Stewart, editor of this blog
I do not know which picture was published on this website, but one which I saw elsewhere, on the reblogged 76-Crimes original article, looked a bit fake to me. That photo shows the victim on the ground, half surrounded by bystanders; there is a lady behind him wearing a green dress. I have to wonder about its authenticity because parts of the victim and bystanders are pixillated for no good reason. Further, the proportions of the victim seem (to me) too small in relation to those of the bystanders.