Note: We changed our name from \u201cFriends New Underground Railroad\u201d to \u201cFriends Ugandan Safe Transport Fund.\u201d<\/p>\n
In February 2014, the Ugandan Parliament approved and President Yoweri Museveni signed a new law criminalizing homosexuality, with sentences up to and including life imprisonment. The law also made \u201caiding and abetting\u201d homosexuality a criminal offense, carrying a sentence of up to seven years in prison.<\/p>\n
When the law was passed, attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people increased, with large numbers of beatings and several murders.<\/p>\n
On August 1, 2014 the Constitutional Court of Uganda ruled the law invalid on a technicality, and at that time the attacks actually increased as people were stirred up and manipulated by hateful leaders.<\/p>\n
Before and after the February 2014 Anti-Homosexuality Law, there were and are laws making homosexuality illegal in Uganda.<\/p>\n
There continue to be many arrests, with few emerging from the jails; lawyers are afraid to take cases as they might be seen as aiding and abetting homosexuality. LGBT people are being evicted summarily from their homes as landlords don\u2019t want to be known as harboring them. University students are being expelled, as are high school students, seminarians dismissed from theological colleges, people fired from their jobs. And families are disowning their children and throwing them out – church leaders are calling on parents to turn their own children in to the police.<\/p>\n
LGBT people are denied treatment in hospitals and clinics, and treatment for those with HIV discontinued.\u00a0 A 24-hour \u2018Christian\u2019 radio station, supported with funds from American evangelicals, reads the names of \u2018known or suspected\u2019 homosexuals, calling for their castration or sterilization in prison.<\/p>\n
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, have gone into hiding as best they can, or are trying to escape the country.<\/p>\n
As soon as the Anti-Homosexuality Law was struck down, politicians announced they would pass another which could happen at any time.<\/p>\n
Friends and co-workers in Uganda \u2013 both gay and straight \u2013 independently connected with members of Olympia Friends Meeting and asked for our assistance to help them aid LGBT people, who are literally running for their lives, to leave Uganda.<\/p>\n
Since then, this social justice work we have undertaken in the manner of Quaker practice in the United States has sprung up in Uganda, with ‘conductors,’ unknown to each other [and we plan to keep it that way], providing avenues by which those at risk can escape to freedom. Several western countries have policies to accept LGBT refugees, provided the necessary paperwork can be completed.<\/p>\n
So, we have set this Friends Ugandan Safe Transport Fund project in motion.<\/strong><\/p>\n May 4, 2015 — We have thus far directly funded 1004 individuals out of Uganda. [For an UPDATED status, see our FAQs page.<\/a>] Once they reach their interim destinations, there are people providing legal and visa support for them to get to third countries, and some very limited housing and medical assistance.<\/p>\n Some of these escapes have been quite harrowing. There are angry mobs in some of the places where they have been in hiding.<\/p>\n The incredibly brave Ugandan leaders are taking on great personal risk, facing not only legal penalties including time in prison, and in many cases mob action should they be found out. They are putting their own lives at risk to save others.<\/p>\n Our costs per individual have ranged between $55-$190 for each individual assisted; there have been some additional, though limited, support costs.<\/p>\n Our Meeting is connecting with African Friends to seek out their assistance.\u00a0 As American Meetings have heard of the work we are being contacted by some of them to ask what they can do to help, and we have also begun to connect with international Friends Meetings. And of course we welcome the aid of those who are not Friends as well.<\/p>\n NOTE: In 2024 we changed this project and its name to Friends Ugandan Skills Training Fund. More Background Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n Text of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014<\/a>\u00a0 (pdf file)<\/span><\/p>\n Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014<\/a> Anti-LGBT laws: Uganda <\/a> I am begging the US Ambassador to Uganda for help for — – and for help from all <\/a> Important – regarding — and — – please help and share: <\/a> Emergency Fund for Ugandan LGBTQ Friends Seeking Escape: Talcott Broadhead, Danger Dot Publishing<\/a> Olympia Monthly Meeting (Quakers) creates a \u201cNew Underground Railroad\u201d project to aid LGTBQ Ugandans<\/a> Uganda Drafts New Anti-Gay Law Targeting NGOs<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n
\nSee: https:\/\/friendsugandanskillstraining.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n
\n
\nfrom Wikipedia<\/p>\n
\nfrom Erasing 76 Crimes<\/p>\n
\nby Gabi Clayton – Inside the Outsider – March 20, 2014<\/p>\n
\nby Gabi Clayton – Inside the Outsider – April 9, 2014<\/p>\n
\nby Gabi Clayton – Inside the Outsider – April 10, 2014<\/p>\n
\nby Gabi Clayton – Inside the Outsider – April 23, 2014<\/p>\n
\nby Reuters – Newsweek – April 28, 2014<\/p>\n