I was reading the newspaper this morning and came upon a shocking story. It turns out that members of the International Criminal Court gathered in Kampala, Uganda, to consider whether to amend the Court’ statute to allow it to exercise jurisdiction over the crime of “aggression.”
Huh???????
What the hell are human rights advocates doing meeting in Uganda while the nation is still considering its deplorable, violent Anti-Homosexuality Bill? To discuss human rights in such a barbaric setting is nothing short of a sick, twisted joke. We are talking about a nation that is seriously contemplating genocide against LGBT people. How can human rights be legitimately discussed in a nation that boasts of how it physically and psychologically abuses a good portion of its own citizens?
Since they are already in Kampala, The International Criminal Court can make good use of its time by immediately arresting David Bahati and Martin Ssempa for “aggression” against LGBT people. Both men should face trial and jailed once convicted.
Let’s be honest. To hold a conference in such a brutal and backward nation is a slap in the face and undermines the basic concept of human rights for all people.
…on the other hand… maybe that’s EXACTLY the kind of place where human rights need to be discussed in a high-profile manner. Among other things, it might create an opportunity to raise the standard…
@Warwick Poulsen: More or less what I was thinking. I’m concerned that a type of boycott against this sort of conference would just leave a vacuum which could be filled with an anti-gay conference instead.
I can see the point that this may be an undeserved boost for Uganda’s human rights reputation. Hopefully some discussion of the situation in that country will take place, in public or in private.
I don’t know…can you even have a complete discussion on human rights in a country that stands so adamantly against them? I don’t think so.