Following the enactment of recent anti homosexual
legislation in Uganda and Nigeria, the response of the European Parliament to
isolate them from the Cotonou Partnership Agreement and the response of Member
States of the European Union, the United States of America and Norway in
deciding to either withhold aid directed to the Ugandan Government or redirect
aid away from the government to civil society organizations, the Parliamentary
Assembly of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States has issued
a strongly worded declaration condemning the actions of the countries involved
and expressing support for both Uganda and Nigeria.
The Parliamentary Assembly during its 35th Session in
Strasbourg on 14 and 19 March 2014 point out in their declaration that 76
countries consider homosexuality a crime, and it continues by pointing out that
one of the universally held cardinal principles of democracy is acceptance of
differing opinions on matters of principle and that democracy and human rights
do not allow forceful imposition of unilateral points of view by one country
over another sovereign country.
The declaration states that the new laws in Uganda and Nigeria
were enacted by democratically elected Parliaments following widespread
consultation in each case, and reiterates the right of sovereign governments
and their democratic institutions to reflect and respect the will of their
people. Interestingly the declaration points out that the former British
colonial governments in Uganda and Nigeria had enacted legislation to punish homosexuality
with a 14-year prison sentence under section 145 of the Uganda Penal Code Act
and with a 7-year sentence under section 214 of the Nigerian Criminal Code
respectively.
The declaration asserts the right of a society to determine
its own moral values and norms and accuses the European Parliament of double
standards in addressing democracy and human rights issues as manifested in the
reaction to the issue of sexual orientation and homosexuality in ACP Countries.
The declaration continues by calling on the EU to respect
the democratic processes of sovereign States and to refrain from taking action
which could undermine partnership with the ACP Group, and to desist from tying
sexual orientation and homosexuality to development aid and cooperation. It
also reaffirms its rejection of any attempt to pressure the ACP countries into
accepting values contrary to the wishes and aspirations of their peoples.
The declaration also expresses regret that some ACP countries are
being punished for observing and upholding the generally acceptable norms in
their societies and urges the EU to accept that there is no common ground
between it and Uganda and Nigeria on the question of sexual orientation and
homosexuality.
