UN Security Council and UN General Assembly Now Led by Two Countries Condemned Strongly by UN for Passing Strict Anti-Gay Laws, Threatening Human Rights, With Elections of Kutesa and Churkin

The Speaker — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 06:35:22 +0000

Russia took over the chairmanship of the UN Security Council (UNSC) June 1, and Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa took over the Presidency of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) June 11. One of these nations is currently at the top of world headlines for aggression in Ukraine, and both have recently made headlines for passing strict anti-gay legislation–in contravention of and threatening the guarantees of the UN Charter of Rights and Freedoms, according to top UN representatives. When Russia passed anti-gay laws before the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, the UN took several measures to condemn the laws. “The United Nations stands strongly behind our own ‘free and equal’ campaign,” said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in condemning Russia’s legislation. “Hatred of any kind must have no place in the 21st century.” “As I have been repeatedly and consistently stating in the spirit and framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” Ki-Moon continued, “that everybody is born free and equal and everybody has a right to be equal, regardless of age, and sex, and sexual orientation, and gender identity. This is a fundamental principle of human rights.” When Uganda signed into law its strict Anti-Homosexuality Act in February–for which some Ugandan legislators were proposing the death penalty, although the proposal was dropped in favor of life in prison–the UN spoke out against the legislation, saying it violates basic human rights and endangers homosexuals and others. “This law will institutionalize discrimination and is likely to encourage harassment and violence against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation,” stated UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. “It is formulated so broadly that it may lead to abuse of power and accusations against anyone, not just LGBT people.” Pillay and Ki-Moon voiced deep human rights concerns. “This law violates a host of fundamental human rights,” continued Pillay, “including the right to freedom from discrimination, to privacy, freedom of association, peaceful assembly, opinion and expression and equality before the law – all of which are enshrined in Uganda’s own Constitution and in the international treaties it has ratified.” The June agenda for the UNSC will include a meeting in Afghanistan and meetings on African issues–particularly on Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, the Sahara-Sahel, Sudan and South Sudan. The Middle East is also on the agenda for the UNSC, particularly Yemen, Libya and Syria. Other matters upcoming include armed drones and new peacekeeping missions where force may be mandated. No talks on Ukraine have been scheduled. Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said, however, that Russia was “ready for any surprises here,” noting that every UNSC member can call a meeting on any situation which poses an internatioal threat to peace and security. Russia is one of the five permanent members of the UNSC, along with the US, China, Great Britain and France. There are 10 non-permanent members. The UNSC makes decisions for the UN regarding peace and international security, and all UN members are supposed to heed UNSC decisions, in accordance with the UN Charter. Russia will hand over the chairmanship of the UNSC to Rwanda on July 1. Uganda to Lead United Nations General Assembly The UNGA is composed of 193 member nations. The UNGA is the organ of the UN wherein all members have equal representation. The UNGA oversees the UN budget, receives UN reports and makes recommendations, and appoints non-permanent members to the UNSC. The Presidency of the UNGA is a rotating one-year position, and is a largely ceremonial post. The election of Ugandan Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa to the Presidency has drawn some criticism. Kutesa has a history of corruption and has been censured for corruption by the Ugandan Parliament. The government to which Kutesa belongs is also a cause for the criticism. The Ugandan government, headed for 28 years by Yoweri Museveni, has been accused and found guilty of international war crimes by international courts. UNGA UN

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Uganda to Lead United Nations General Assembly

The Speaker — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:35:37 +0000

Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa is set to become President of the UN’s General Assembly on June 11. The election of Kutesa has caused some criticism because the Ugandan government–for which Kutesa forms foreign policy–has been under the 28-year rule of President Yoweri Museveni, and has been accused and found guilty by international courts of international and humanitarian crimes. Kutesa himself has been accused by the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International of crimes. Kutesa was indicted for corruption several times, and was censured by the Ugandan Parliament in 1999 for corruption–in the form of diverting millions of dollars away from Ugandan Airlines into a private company. The government for which Kutesa serves has been accused and found guilty of war crimes. The Ugandan government has been accused of wars of aggression against neighbor countries, ethnic cleansing and plunder of resources. These international and humanitarian crimes were committed by the Ugandan government against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for example, accoding to a ruling by the International Court of Justice. The World Court ruling, which was handed down in 2005. In 2006, the International Criminal Court also also launched a criminal investigation of the Ugandan government’s actions in the DRC. Uganda has been accused of similar crimes in Rwanda and South Sudan. The leadership of the government–and the man Kutesa answers to– is President Yoweri Museveni. Museveni took office in 1986, when he restricted the activities of other political parties. Political parties were allowed by Museveni to exist, but were not allowed to campaign in elections or field candidates directly. The ban on political pluralism was ended by a constitutional referendum in 2005. Museveni won the vote in 2006, but the Ugandan Supreme Court ruled that the election was marred by intimidation, voter disenfranchisement, violence and other irregularities, but voted 4-3 in favor of upholding the results of the election. Museveni was again elected in 2011 with 68 percent of a 59 percent turnout. The 2011 election was called “illegitimate” by the opposition parties and the EU election observer team said the vote was “marred by avoidable and logistical failures, which led to an unacceptable number of Ugandan citizens being disenfranchised.” After the 2011 election, opposition leader Kizza Besigye was arrested on charges of attacking authorities, although the event was reported as Besigy’s car being attacked during “Walk to Work” protests, in which several people died and hundreds were wounded, prompting the UN to urge the Ugandan authorities to sop using “excessive force” against peaceful protesters. The next election is set for 2016. Recently–in 2013–Human Rights Watch accused the Ugandan government of oppressing press freedom, saying, “Between January and June, a media watchdog organization registered 50 attacks on journalists, despite multiple pledges to respect media freedom.” During this time, two large publications were shut down and seized by the government in response to a leaked letter that mentioned a plot to assassinate opposition leaders of Museveni, as well as Museveni’s plans to hand over power to his son upon retirement. The anti-homosexuality law was signed by Museveni earlier this year, claiming homosexuality was “disgusting” and was a learned trait. Attacks against LGBT have increased 10 times since the law was signed, as reported by the Guardian. The punishments for homosexuality in Uganda include maximum sentences of life imprisonment for homosexuals and seven years for assisting homosexuals remain undetected. The election of Kutesa has been objected to by at least two US Senators–Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand– who cited Uganda’s homosexuality laws, and Ugandan newspaper publisher Milton Allimadi–who lives in New York City–filed a petition to US Secretary of State John Kerry, who weeks ago publicly denounced Uganda’a Anti-Homosexuality Act, and UN members, saying that “Mr. Kutesa could become the President of the UN General Assembly in a few weeks unless the international community stops this travesty. This would be a mockery of all the ideals that the UN is supposed to stand for.” Allimadi called on Kerry to deny a visa to Kutesa, citing similar actions taken against Iran’s UN representative designate Hamid Aboutalebi. Allimadi also said that the election “would seriously undermine the United Nations and expose it to more ridicule and humiliation.” The post of UNGA President is a rotating one-year position, and this year Africa is to provide the official. The UNGA President presides over the General Assembly and other meetings. Change.org

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UN Security Council and UN General Assembly Now Led by Two Countries Condemned Strongly by UN for Passing Strict Anti-Gay Laws, Threatening Human Rights, With Elections of Kutesa and Churkin

Uganda to Lead United Nations General Assembly