Der Präsident. − Als nächster Punkt folgt die Aussprache über sechs Entschließungsanträge zu Uganda: Bahati-Gesetz und Diskriminierung von Lesben, Schwulen, Bisexuellen und Transgenderpersonen(1).

  Véronique De Keyser, auteur. − Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire, il y a un an très exactement, nous votions ici, dans cette assemblée, une résolution concernant les gays et les lesbiennes et la loi Bahati en Ouganda.

Pourquoi revenir, un an après, avec une résolution quasi-identique?

Parce que le problème est loin d'être clos. D'abord le mouvement évangéliste The Family, qui était derrière cette loi Bahati, n'a pas baissé les bras et on peut toujours voir resurgir cette loi en Ouganda.

La deuxième raison, c'est que, en octobre et en novembre derniers, le journal ougandais Rolling Stone a fait du name and shame et a publié la liste d'homosexuels ougandais qui ont été immédiatement traqués et violés et se cachent encore aujourd'hui comme des réprouvés. La Cour constitutionnelle ougandaise a fait arrêter la publication de ce journal, mais on voit bien que l'atmosphère est détériorée. C'est la chasse à l'homme.

Troisièment, seulement treize pays africains reconnaissent des droits aux homosexuels. Le reste des pays ont des législations très diverses, mais certains d'entre eux – le Soudan, le nord du Nigéria, la Mauritanie – punissent encore de mort les homosexuels.

Alors, et je finis par cela, il y a eu très récemment une déclaration, je dirais un peu unilatérale, des pays ACP, qui disent "Oui, on vous embête un petit peu sur ce problème des homosexuels, mais ce sont nos aspects culturels". Non, ce sont des droits de l'homme, ce sont des valeurs universelles et nous souhaitons réellement que ces valeurs universelles soient fermement défendues par la Commission et par toute l'Union européenne.

  Charles Tannock, author. − Mr President, societies in Africa are, in general, socially conservative. In many African countries, sadly, homosexuality is indeed outlawed. Many people in Africa feel threatened by efforts to promote homosexuality, particularly when those efforts are led by NGOs and organisations based in the west. There is a widely held perception in some parts of Africa that liberal democracies are trying to push their own, more tolerant, values on societies with very different and ancient traditions.

But, be that as it may, it does not excuse or justify the rampant homophobia that exists widely in some parts of Africa. Sadly this homophobia is often stirred up by governments and their media mouthpieces. Uganda is yet again in the news for the extremism and hysteria of some of its legislators. They are supporting a bill that would impose the death penalty, or life imprisonment, on homosexuals, depending on the nature of their so-called crime. I, like the ECR Group, reject this draconian bill, which would be an atrocious violation of individual rights, and call on President Museveni to veto it. Uganda is a country in which the majority of people survive on a dollar a day: surely the country’s legislators can find better ways to serve the interests of Ugandan society than to make gays subject to criminal prosecution.

  Marietje Schaake, author. − Mr President, the so-called Anti-Homosexuality Bill before the Ugandan Parliament provides for the punishment of homosexual acts by imprisonment for terms ranging from seven years to life, or even the death penalty. The European Parliament strongly condemns this bill and, in so doing, we are not imposing European values on other states, as some have suggested in an attempt to avoid responsibility for human rights violations and responsibility for protecting citizens from being attacked on the basis of their sexual orientation.

The real threat and the climate of fear were underlined in the October and November issues of Rolling Stone, a local newspaper, which listed the names and personal details of people alleged to be homosexual, inciting readers to harm or hang them. Several people were consequently attacked.

In fact, homosexuality is legal in only 13 African countries and it is a criminal offence in 38 others. In Mauritania, Sudan and Northern Nigeria it is punishable by death.

The Ugandan authorities are obliged, in accordance with the Cotonou Agreement, to observe international and human rights, and the Commission, the Council of the European Union and the External Action Service should also make full use of the toolkit for promoting and protecting the enjoyment of human rights by all LGBT people.

  Raül Romeva i Rueda, author. − Mr President, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill by David Bahati in the Ugandan Parliament that provides for the punishment of homosexual acts by imprisonment of between seven years and life, as well as the death penalty, is simply unacceptable.

Let us remember that in Africa legal homosexuality only exists in 13 countries, and is a criminal offence in 38 countries, whilst in Mauritania, Sudan and northern Nigeria homosexuality is punished by death.

This is why we need to reiterate once again the fact that sexual orientation is a matter falling within the remit of the individual’s rights of privacy. It is guaranteed by international human rights law, according to which equality and non-discrimination should be promoted, while freedom of expression should be guaranteed. This is why we need to denounce again any attempt to incite hatred and advocate violence towards any minority group, including on grounds of sex or sexual orientation. We need to remind the Ugandan authorities of their obligations under international law and under the Cotonou Agreement.

This is why I also ask the Commission and the Council, and the European External Action Service as well, to make full use of the toolkit to promote and protect the enjoyment of full human rights by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in their dealings with Uganda.

  Filip Kaczmarek, autor. − Panie Przewodniczący! Próby dyskryminowania obywateli ze względu na orientację seksualną w Ugandzie to poważna sprawa. Uganda ma w tej sprawie wsparcie wielu krajów afrykańskich, które nie chcą, aby wspólnota międzynarodowa i Unia Europejska wywierały nacisk na dekryminalizację homoseksualizmu.

Nieporozumienie polega na tym, że w naszym przekonaniu, o czym mówiła zresztą pani De Keyser, zakaz dyskryminacji w tym zakresie stanowi jedno z powszechnych, uniwersalnych praw człowieka. W większości państw afrykańskich się z tym nie zgadzają, dlatego dialog jest taki trudny. My mówimy, że nie możemy milczeć w takich przypadkach, a oni mówią, że wtrącamy się w nieswoje sprawy.

Projekty zmian przepisów w Ugandzie są naprawdę radykalne. Wprowadzają potencjalną karę śmierci za wielokrotne naruszanie już obowiązujących zakazów czy za szczególnie nasilony homoseksualizm, nie wiadomo zresztą co miałoby to znaczyć. Nie zgadzamy się z tymi propozycjami i mamy nadzieję, że nie zostaną uchwalone.

  Marie-Christine Vergiat, auteur. − Monsieur le Président, l'Ouganda fait effectivement partie de ces États africains où l'homosexualité est encore sévèrement réprimée. C'est même l'un de ceux qui se distinguent le plus et le plus durement en ce domaine, puisque l'Ouganda, sous la houlette des fondamentalistes évangélistes américains, dont le chef de l'État ougandais est un proche, est parti dans une véritable croisade contre les homosexuels. On ne compte plus le nombre de ceux qui sont victimes de persécutions et de tortures pour ce seul motif.

Musulmans et chrétiens se sont unis – une grande première dans ce pays – pour dénoncer cette abomination. Christopher Senyonjo, évêque anglican de 70 ans, s'est vu interdire d'officier par sa hiérarchie pour avoir été un des seuls à avoir pris position en faveur des homosexuels.

Le projet de loi déjà évoqué peut effectivement resurgir à tout moment. Il va jusqu'à punir de la peine de morts les homosexuels soupçonnés d'être séropositifs ou soupçonnés d'avoir des relations avec des mineurs. Il appelle à la délation.

Le tabloïd local Rolling Stone, qui n'a rien à voir avec la revue du même nom, a effectivement publié des listes avec les noms et les adresses des leaders gays sous un titre immonde: "Pendez-les!" La publication de ce torchon a été interdite provisoirement, mais le mal était fait, comme cela a déjà été souligné.

L'homosexualité en Afrique est très souvent vécue comme un mal venu de l'Occident, qui fait perdre à l'Afrique ses valeurs ancestrales. Dans ce pays, les ONG parlent de 500 000 gays sur 32 millions d'habitants. Nombreux sont ceux qui font des demandes d'asile vers les pays européens. Pourrions-nous au moins tout mettre en œuvre pour que ces demandes soient examinées avec une bienveillance toute particulière, comme cela devrait être le cas pour tous ceux et toutes celles qui sont victimes d'oppression et de torture?

  Monica Luisa Macovei, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, I am alarmed by the use of criminal law against consenting same-sex relations taking place in private. This is already part of Ugandan law and the punishment can be life imprisonment. However, the Bahati Bill would make things even worse. The death penalty could be used, while association and expression of LGBT issues would be effectively banned.

The new bill will increase the climate of fear and hostility in a country where persecution of LGBT people is already under way. People would be required to report on each other on privacy matters. The lives of these people will be endangered. Human dignity will have no meaning in Uganda if such a law is adopted. We must not let this happen.

  Michael Cashman, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, of course much has changed in this last year. On 23 November this House itself reiterated the principle of the universality of human rights and non-discrimination as a basis on which to enhance our partnership with the JPA. This House also called for the reinforcement of the principle of non-negotiable human rights clauses and sanctions for failure to respect such clauses, inter alia with regard to discrimination etc. based on sexual orientation.

The fact is that these countries choose to work with us. They choose to have partnerships with us. We have the ACP JPA, we have the Cotonou Agreements. Therefore we are asking them to engage with us on shared, universal principles. These are non-negotiable. If they do not want to operate on that basis, I call on the Commission and the Council to take the necessary sanctions to reinforce the fact that we have principles which we will stand up for. Equally, in the future of the EU-Africa Strategic Partnership, we urge that all actions conducted under the terms of the various partnerships be pursued without discrimination on any grounds including sexual orientation.

It is not colonialism to stand up for the rights of others. Human rights are universal and indivisible, and to stand back and do nothing when somebody else’s basic human rights are attacked is to be complicit in that action. You cannot promote homosexuality in Africa. Anyone in Africa who woke up and said: ‘Today I am going to be homosexual’ would be insane. Their life would be under threat and their family would have to turn them in to the police. Imagine you are that person and take the action necessary to defend those rights.

  Alexandra Thein, im Namen der ALDE-Fraktion. – Herr Präsident! Die UN-Menschenrechtskonvention, die Europäische Konvention zum Schutz der Menschenrechte und Grundfreiheiten wie auch die Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union verbieten Diskriminierung aufgrund sexueller Ausrichtung. Die Europäische Union hat nicht nur innerhalb ihres Gebietes Verpflichtungen im Bereich der Menschenrechte, wir haben auch die internationale Verpflichtung, im Umgang mit Drittstaaten auf der Einhaltung dieser Rechte zu bestehen und Missstände zu kritisieren, umso mehr, als wir Drittstaaten wie Uganda, die mit uns Partnerschaftsabkommen eingegangen sind, durch den Europäischen Entwicklungsfonds auch finanziell unterstützen.

Wir haben deshalb sogar ein Recht, uns zu äußern, wenn diese Drittstaaten sich nicht an die Menschenrechtsklauseln halten, die solche Partnerschaftsabkommen vorgeben. So hat auch Uganda internationale Menschenrechtsstandards zu respektieren, da es mit der Europäischen Union das Abkommen von Cotonou eingegangen ist, das unsere organisierte Entwicklungshilfe mit den AKP-Staaten regelt.

Bereits vor einem Jahr haben wir Uganda in einem Entschließungsantrag aufgefordert, von seinem geplanten Gesetz und der Kriminalisierung Homosexueller abzusehen. Ein Jahr danach ist die Situation schlechter geworden. Nach wie vor drohen lange Haftstrafen bis hin zur Todesstrafe. Ich selbst habe vor der ugandischen Botschaft mit anderen im Mai dieses Jahres demonstriert. Es hat alles nichts gebracht. Wir möchten noch einmal betonen, dass die EU sich allgemein gegen die Todesstrafe ausspricht und gegen homophobe Gesetze dieser Art.

  Ryszard Czarnecki, w imieniu grupy ECR. – Panie Przewodniczący! To ciekawa i ważna dyskusja. Chciałbym zwrócić uwagę na dwa problemy. Po pierwsze, tak naprawdę to Uganda nie jest wyspą dyskryminacji w tym obszarze na oceanie przestrzegania praw człowieka. Trzy czwarte krajów afrykańskich w tej sprawie ma bardzo surowe regulacje prawne idące w kierunku dyskryminacji. Jest to absolutnie nie tyle problem Ugandy, co szerszy problem tego kontynentu i kultury afrykańskiej. Kwestia druga: oczywiście Uganda nie jest prymusem przestrzegania praw człowieka w Afryce. Wiemy wiele, mamy wiele przykładów łamania praw człowieka i ta sprawa jest częścią szerszego problemu i oczywiście trzeba o tym głośno mówić.

  Corina Creţu (S&D). - Rezoluţia noastră vizează cazuri extrem de grave de încălcare a drepturilor omului şi, din păcate, în Africa, pedepsirea homosexualităţii ca infracţiune este o regulă, după cum arată legislaţiile a 38 de state, numai 13 ţări africane considerând-o legală.

În acest context, proiectul de lege prin care se încearcă instituirea, în Uganda, a unor sancţiuni, de la închisoare la pedeapsa capitală, reprezintă un atac grav împotriva drepturilor omului, inclusiv a celui la viaţă privată. Publicarea, într-un ziar local, a unei liste negre cu 100 de personalităţi acuzate de homosexualitate şi incitarea cititorilor să spânzure aceste persoane este un exemplu de ameninţare concretă a unei comunităţi învinovăţite pentru orientarea sa sexuală.

După cum se arată şi în rezoluţie, demersul nostru nu vizează, aşa cum deseori suntem acuzaţi, impunerea unor valori specific europene, ci apărarea drepturilor omului, unul din obiectivele majore ale Uniunii Europene. Cred, în acest sens, că serviciul pentru acţiune externă şi celelalte instituţii europene trebuie să sancţioneze mai ferm, pentru a determina respectarea acordurilor internaţionale la care Uganda este parte.

  Cristian Dan Preda (PPE). - Am discutat în această incintă despre Uganda şi despre homosexualitate şi în urmă cu mai multe luni. De atunci nu s-a întâmplat nimic semnificativ. Sigur că uneori se spune „no news, good news”. În acest caz însă nu este aşa pentru că, dacă proiectul lui David Bahati nu a fost votat, în acelaşi timp, el nici nu a fost retras. El e în continuare blocat în Comisia pentru afaceri legale şi probleme parlamentare şi toate presiunile internaţionale care au fost făcute nu au dus, până la urmă, la acest efect, şi anume la retragerea proiectului.

Ceea ce este într-adevăr grav şi unii dintre colegii mei au subliniat-o deja, este campania anti-gay care este desfăşurată în această ţară. Sigur că noi mizăm în continuare pe raţionalitatea autorităţilor şi pe, până la urmă, victoria unui asemenea principiu care înseamnă „nu discriminării”.

  Joe Higgins (GUE/NGL). - Mr President, the hate campaign in Uganda against gay and lesbian men and women, is truly appalling. The whipping up, by some religious elements and by sections of the media, of a vicious and reactionary homophobic campaign, which includes threats to kill gay people, means that very many lesbians, gays and bisexual and transgender people in Uganda are now living in great insecurity and fear. It is contemptible that some politicians are also using this issue and whipping up hatred, proposing even the execution of people who are gay.

I salute the courage of members of the gay community in Uganda who bravely fight each day against this menacing threat to their identities and their very lives. The homophobic campaign is driven by smears, lies and distortions about gay people and what being gay means. The strongest message must go out to the Ugandan Government – including a review of aid, although of course we do not want to hurt ordinary Ugandans.

We should encourage active solidarity with organisations in Uganda which champion the rights of gay people, to assist them in this crucial fight for justice and human rights and for the basic right to be who you are.

  Andris Piebalgs, Member of the Commission. − Mr President, the draft Anti-Homosexuality Bill which was introduced in the Ugandan Parliament raises serious human rights issues. The protection of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is a priority for the EU. I fully share the European Parliament’s concerns about the situation in Uganda, but also in other countries where punitive and discriminatory legislation against LGBT people has been adopted or is under consideration.

The Commission considers that the criminalisation of homosexuality as foreseen in the draft bill goes against obligations under the United Nations Human Rights Convention, to which Uganda is a party and by which it consequently has to abide.

The draft bill also goes against the United Nations declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity. The EU Presidency and the EU Head of Mission in Uganda raised this issue with the Ugandan Government on several occasions during meetings with the President, Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Justice in formal political dialogue meetings, and also with the Uganda Human Rights Commission.

The publication by the Rolling Stone newspaper on 2 October 2010 of a list with the photographs and names and addresses of people who were identified as gay, together with the headline ‘Hang them’, was an outrageous act that put the lives of these people at risk, and we fully condemn it.

The European Union delegation continues to monitor the situation closely, together with the EU Member States’ missions represented in Uganda, as well as with partner countries like Norway and the United States and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The matter has also been addressed in the technical Human Rights Working Group, which is a forum for developing partners in Uganda to discuss, monitor, coordinate and take concrete action in human rights-related cases. The Commission intends to keep raising its concerns in relation to the draft Anti-Homosexuality Bill and to other actions to persecute LGBT people in Uganda on every occasion.

The Commission will continue to support local human rights organisations in their efforts to change attitudes in the country and to improve the legal situation for LGBT people.

  Der Präsident. − Die Aussprache ist damit geschlossen.

Die Abstimmung findet im Anschluss an die nächste Aussprache statt.