There must be a silver lining

By Lucy Stackpool-Moore

Any day is a sad day for the world when senseless violence takes the life of a kind, compassionate human being. Yesterday was no exception, when David Kato, the litigation and advocacy officer for SMUG (Sexual Minorities Uganda) was killed in his home in Kampala.

David was a friend, and worked closely with IPPF on a number of occasions over the last two years. He spoke about the law and human rights at the Vienna International AIDS Conference.  Just a few months ago, David, representing Africa, provided an important perspective at a meeting of the UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development about barriers to universal access of HIV care & support. He made sure that due attention was given to this issue for all people, including those from sexual minority groups.



David Kato speaking at IPPF satelitte session in Vienna. Placard he created read "AIDS 2010 demands withdraw of the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill in its entirety now!"



At times like this we must look for inspiration and compassion and hope, and we must find the silver lining hiding in even the darkest of thunderclouds. I was reminded of the great Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s humane and wise comment about homophobia in March 2010—which he called ‘a step backward on human rights’ in Africa:

“Hate has no place in the house of God. No one should be excluded from our love, our compassion or our concern because of race or gender, faith or ethnicity -- or because of their sexual orientation… It is time to stand up against another wrong.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people are part of so many families. They are part of the human family. They are part of God's family. And of course they are part of the African family. But a wave of hate is spreading across my beloved continent. People are again being denied their fundamental rights and freedoms…

These are terrible backward steps for human rights in Africa. Our lesbian and gay brothers and sisters across Africa are living in fear…The wave of hate must stop… Exclusion is never the way forward on our shared paths to freedom and justice.”

IPPF is deeply shocked and saddened by the news of David Kato’s murder. Our thoughts are with David’s family and friends and colleagues at SMUG (Sexual Minorities Uganda). We have lost a friend, a colleague, a committed human rights activist and a generous and compassionate human being.