By Kikonyogo Kivumbi
African human rights defenders are seeking to move the preeminent African anti-AIDS conference out of Uganda because of human rights abuses by Uganda’s police and security agencies. Forty-nine people were reported dead as of Monday evening during two days of violent riots in Ugandan cities and towns.
Two African human rights defenders have issued a petition to the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA) to withdraw plans to hold its 21st International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) in Uganda in December 2021.
ICASA is a major biennial international AIDS conference that alternates between Anglophone and Francophone African countries.
Activists Denis Nzioka from Kenya and Phillipa Tucker from South Africa want SAA to condemn the human rights violations in Uganda.
They criticized the administration of President Yoweri Museveni for “crushing opposition voices and presence while trampling human rights” during political protests during the run-up to Uganda’s upcoming national election in January.
Museveni has blamed the protests on “homosexuals who do not want a stable Uganda.”
Among the requirements for potential ICASA host countries, SAA demands:
Political stability.
No discriminatory government policies based on gender, HIV status and religion
Founded in 1989, SAA is an African-led and owned organization that collaborates with other national, sub-regional, regional, continental and international organizations and partners, to promote and institute policies and promote research to support governments’ national responses and approaches to fight HIV and HIV co-morbidities as well as emerging viral infections across the continent.
Petition Letter to the Society of AIDS in Africa (SAA) to withdraw the hosting of the 21st ICASA in Uganda
The ongoing political situation and campaigning in Uganda have been greatly covered and point to a serious disrespect and abuse of human rights by using state agencies and local authorities by the current government of President Museveni.
It is against this background, that we, HIV, civil society organisations, women, human rights, feminist and LGBTQ organisations, are petitioning the SAA to reconsider the selection of Uganda as the host of the next ICASA conference.