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| Hon. Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation during his radio interview |
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has urged the world not to victimize Uganda over the new Anti-Homosexuality Act.
Addressing a press conference in London on Friday, CMAG chair Bernard K Membe, who is Tanzania’s minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the West should to go slow on issues that affect Africa’s cultural norms and values. Membe was responding to questions from journalists on the Commonwealth position on Uganda after passing the anti-gay law.
He said: “It [gay rights issue] is a matter that touches more on cultural values and the Commonwealth needs to go very slowly and very carefully when it deals with the cultural norms and ideologies in the continent.”
He said any imposed Western cultural norm on the African continent or elsewhere was more likely to lack legitimacy and acceptance: “Unless this matter is taken carefully and people become so sensitive when imposing such cultural differences and norms, we may not end up well in the continent when it comes to the debate on LGBTI.”
After President Museveni recently assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, Western countries have up in arms, warning of serious consequences, and some withholding aid from the government.
But the secretary general of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, said although there is no agreed Commonwealth position on gay rights, the organisation was uncomfortable with developments in Uganda.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that the Commonwealth opposes discrimination on any grounds and stands up for the principles of equality, non-discrimination, non-victimization and non-criminalization” he said.
He added, however, that on gay rights, it was for each member state, to harmonize their own national policies in order to be in consonance with Commonwealth values.
(H/T: The Observer)
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