During members’ statements before question period, gay Liberal MP Mario Silva gave the following statement about the murder of gay activist David Kato in Uganda:
Mr Speaker, on Jan 26, David Kato, a gay human rights activist, was brutally murdered in Uganda.
At his funeral, a statement from US President Barack Obama was read in which he described Mr Kato as “a powerful advocate for fairness and freedom.”
The police in Uganda have tried to say that Mr Kato’s murder was a botched robbery, even before an investigation has been completed. It is a final insult to the memory of David Kato and thousands like him.
From newspapers publishing the names of gay Ugandans on their front pages to institutionalized discrimination by the Ugandan government, the lives of gays and lesbians in that country are at risk every day. It is inconceivable that in this day and age gays and lesbians must endure daily threats of violence, discrimination and suffer the loss of their lives simply because of who they are.
AdvertisementAll of us must stand up and ensure that our voices are heard as we demand that the government of Uganda and institutions within that country cease their vicious and intolerable assaults upon gay and lesbian citizens, who deserve to live their lives in freedom and safety.
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