Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Ugandan gay activist murdered


Box Turtle Bulletin reports on murder of Ugandan gay activist:
We have learned that Ugandan LGBT advocate David Kato Kisulle was murdered today at his home in Kampala. Frank Mugisha of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) has confirmed that the David’s body was identified at a hospital.

Update: I have also confirmed this with SMUG’s Pepe Julien Onziema, who identified David’s body in the hospital morgue. Police are investigating. We really don’t know anything more at this point.

The details surrounding his murder are unknown at this time. He was reportedly beaten in the skull with a hammer at his home. We do not yet know whether it was a single assailant or a group of people, nor do we know any other circumstances surrounding his death.

David Kato was a spokesperson for Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) and one of the plaintiffs (or applicants) in the successful lawsuit seeking a permanent injunction against the Ugandan tabloid Rolling Stone (no relation to the U.S. publication of the same name). Kato was one of three applicants who had been named by the tabloid under a headline tagged “Hang Them!”

Human Rights Watch has called for a prompt investigation.

How soon do you think there will be any outrage from the Primates' meeting in Dublin?

Counterlight comments here.

6 comments:

JCF said...

:-(..

Kyrie eleison!

Holy David, PRAY for us! Liberating QUEER Lord Christ, defend your LGBT children everywhere!

Brother David said...

Tears for Uganda.

Rest in peace, rise i glory my brother.

Evan said...

Kyrie eleison.

And BTW, this is galling: the editor of the paper which "outed" all those people and published their addresses claims he condemns the murder and never called for anyone to be killed.

Really? You publish someone's picture next to the words "Hang Them!" and don't expect any consequences?

That's a level of CYA denial that would make even Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck proud.

Counterlight said...

At the moment, I don't give a flying fig what any primate has to say about anything.

I second the above comments.

Beth said...

What an incredible tragedy. David's death underscores the fact that in spite of progress in North America, there is so much work to be done. It's up to each one of us.

Prior Aelred said...

The ABC has actually condemned the murder -- not enough, but more than I expected -- good for him.