Stop Uganda's Anti-Gay Legislation: Further calls for answers from Anti-Gay Paul Shinners

In December 2013, the Ugandan Parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Ugandan President Museveni has around 20 days to assent or return the Bill to Parliament. He does not have the right of veto.

The following is a message sent to Paul Shinners (pictured above) of Cornerstone Cafe, St Neots from Human Rights Campaigner Melanie Nathan, giving him a 72 hour deadline to act, before taking matters further:-

In Dec 2013, the Ugandan Parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Over a year ago, you stood on a Ugandan stage at a Christmas Rally and together with a group of anti-gay Ugandan Pastors, called for the passing of the AHB. You stood on that stage with them and heard their rhetoric and then you stood up and endorsed the Bill publicly, providing it with your blessing, knowing that the Bill had the death penalty for homosexuals attached at that time.

Over a year ago, you were taken to task by both Mr. Daniel Law and me. At that time you did not deny what you had said and done on that stage and you said you would provide a statement to clarify your views on homosexuality, which you have, to date, not provided. Now a year has gone by and the BILL passed Uganda's Parliament. You could have established a driving Christian force to prevent its passage, but you failed.

Now President Museveni has just received the Bill. He has 20 some days left to assent to it if he chooses to do so. There is still time, albeit minimal, for you to exert your influence in Uganda, toward thwarting this Bill, but you continue to remain silent.

While prior to its passage, it may not have been as easy to attach your words and actions, directly to the persecution of gays in Uganda, - however now that it has passed, we can. You join Scott Lively, Lou Engle, Ssempa and others, in being one of the Christian pastors who have called for its passage. And so you have officially joined the ranks of those who persecute LGBT people in Uganda, with a stemming tide to the rest of Africa. Your support for the Anti-Homosexuality Bill is clearly on the record and it has now passed. I do not think you realize just how important this is and how profound your voice for change can be. But then you probably want the Bill to continue to its final enactment, as that is what you suggested on that stage.

Unless you speak up during the course of this week, your opportunity to impact the Bill's demise will be completely over and you will continue to be holding hands with Lively, Engle and Ssempa on this.

Unless I hear from you and unless you provide a formal retraction of your support for the BILL, together with an apology to the Ugandan Gay community for what you did on that stage, within 72 hours of this e-mail, I will presume you stand by what you said and the impact of your actions moving forward.

After 72 hours, I plan to evaluate the following:-

1. Pursue the investigation of crimes against humanity under International, UK, USA, EU laws in similar fashion to what we did here in the USA with Scott Lively, in SMUG vs. Lively, as undertaken by the Center for Constitutional Rights (http://ccrjustice.org/LGBTUganda/);

2. Pursue including you on the developing Magnitsky-type list of LGBT persecutors denied entry into the USA;

3. Pursue civil lawsuits as are available to the people directly impacted by your persecutory actions.

Now we all know you are entitled to your belief and your interpretations of scripture. However surely that should be kept for Churches and not used to create civil laws that jail people. What you cannot do is directly involve yourself in legislation or other actions that serves to persecute people through jail and death, a complete violation of their basic human rights, even if in the name of your interpretation of scripture. What happened to respecting freedom of religion? That means those who do not adhere to your belief should not be imposed upon through civil laws that turn them into criminals because you say your "Bible says so?".

It is my opinion that you have directed your attacks against gays in uganda, while hiding behind your interpretation of scripture and persecuted by actions to impact civil law, disguised as preaching. That rally was nothing more than an effective call to lynch gays and you were there.

Now is your chance to make amends.

I trust you will respond accordingly,

Melanie,

MELANIE NATHAN

www.oblogdeeoblogda.me

www.pcijustice.com

PRIVATE COURTS, INC.

Conflict Resolution & Human Rights Advocacy