news-list Mailing List: FW: Urgent Request - Upholding rights in Uganda

[John Clinton Bradley (johnclint]

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I encourage all clergy in the Diocese of Rochester to "sign" this letter.  As it says below...

 

Please add your signature to the attached letter by sending your title, full name, position, name of the church or ministry, and mailing address to Ms. Cano at Human Rights Watch, canoj [at] hrw.org.

 

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From: Catherine Bordeau [mailto:c.bordeau [at] gmail.com]
Sent: 02 October, 2007 8:06 PM
To: Catherine Bordeau
Subject: Urgent Request - Upholding rights in Uganda

Dear Friends and Friends of Friends....

I am writing to you now with an urgent request. Please read, sign and pass this on. Human Rights Watch is calling for the support of faith based leaders.

Many of you may have heard that some government officials have recently attended rallies against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Uganda and have publicly declared that "homosexuality is totally unhealthy". Such unrestrained and erroneous public discourse instigates harmful harassment by the media and other members of Ugandan society. Uganda already is one of the countries that practice the strongest sanctions against homosexuals worldwide.

Personally, I believe that respecting the dignity of every human being is a core spiritual value. I hope that you will stand with me, as leaders in your faith communities, to uphold this dignity.

The government has not yet taken any action against those who have published websites and newspaper articles singling out and attacking members of the LGBT community. Furthermore, it has censored attempts by LGBT people to speak on their own behalf. These actions have led to an atmosphere of silence and menace that further drives part of the population deeper into invisibility and fear.

I urge you to call for the guarantee of respect for human dignity by asking the government to refrain from such public derogatory statements.

As a person of faith, I am committed to building bridges of understanding across divides of difference. I believe that all people of faith are called to work together for a world of justice, peace and equality. I urge you to stand with me in the call to affirm the fundamental values of freedom reflected in the Ugandan Constitution and resist actions that further put at risk members of the LGBT community.

The gospel of Jesus emphasizes Christian values of justice, solidarity, compassion, equality and human dignity. He preached that "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39), calling Christians to live in dialogue through our differences. The gospel gives Christians an imperative to love, care for and be identified with the suffering and oppressed. We are called to live this gospel, by calling for the protection of the human rights and dignity of all people, including the outcast and oppressed of the LGBT community.

I am asking that you stand up against any and all harassment against LGBT people in Uganda. Your assistance is necessary to overcome the discrimination that takes place in the world today. I urge you to add your name, as a leader in your faith tradition, to the attached letter in order to prevent more people from being threatened and attacked and to uphold and honor the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people.

Although my tradition is Christianity, the letter can and should be signed by faith leaders from different traditions.

Please add your signature to the attached letter by sending your title, full name, position, name of the church or ministry, and mailing address to Ms. Cano at Human Rights Watch, canoj [at] hrw.org.

In Peace and 
Solidarity, 
Catherine

-- 
Shalom ×Ö×××Ö×, Salaam ØÙØÙ , Deep Peace to you

Attachment: TEXT OF CLERGY LETTER.doc
Description: MS-Word document