HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH AMERICAN GLASSES

by Simeon Nkola Matamba ( Follow on Twitter )


In response to the anti-gay bill signed by the ugandan president Yoweri Museveni in February, the Obama administration has announced retaliatory measures by cutting financial aid, imposing visa restrictions on ugandan citizens if proven to have contributed to human rights violations(gay rights), and canceling a scheduled military exercise with the ugandan army. Uganda's tough sanctions against homosexuality go as far as to life imprisonment. Following the White House decision, the Ugandan government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said:"Uganda is a sovereign country and can never bow to anybody or be blackmailed by anybody".

Gay rights evangelism has clearly become one of the hallmarks of Obama's foreign policy and his top priority, when the world would have wished to see him more comitted in addressing issues that can change the prevailing wrong image millions worldwide have about america and dispel the growing anti-US feeling.

"Human rights" for Obama means "gay rights" as he willingly ignores all human rights violations that he can stop. During the 2008 campaign for the presidency of the United States, in his rousing speeches accompanied by the famous "Yes We Can", he promised to close Guantanamo. Not only he hasn't kept his word, but he will probably never do as the end of his second term is looming. Guantanamo is a stain on the american flag because of brutal interrogative methods and torture reminiscent of Middle Ages' savagery.

Fighting against terrorism, president Obama sends drones that end up killing innocent civilians. Additionally, stunning revelations by Edward Snowden gave a glimpse of America's spying techniques utterly violating people’s privacy, going as far as to spy on leaders of other countries like Angela Merkel of Germany, or Dilma Roussef of Brazil.

The country that violates human rights on a daily basis, that established, funded and supported African dictators for decades, that created Al Qaeda, that perpetrates coups and  arms heartless fighters in Syria; wants to dupe the world with the gay rights campaign.

Uganda is one of many african countries ruled by a dictator. Human rights violations and nonsensical brutal policies are very common to the extent that a TV channel was recently banned for showing Museveni slumbering in the parliament. Museveni who has been in power for decades never suffers enmity with Washington when political opponents are brutalized or when ugandans are victims of poverty caused by the country's resources mismanagement. The US shamelessly backed Museveni's dictatorship for years and his human rights violations.

To show that the USA is being hypocrite as always, Saudi Arabia, one of the US strongest allies has more laws and policies in place not only against homosexuality but even more concerning women as they cannot drive cars. Qatar as well is one of those countries sticking to principles of islam and banning everything contrary to its teachings.

Due to the importance of their strategic alliances, Obama casts a blind eye because there is more to lose than to win by threatining to stop relationships and cooperation with those two countries, unlike Uganda that lacks leverages in relations with the US to be taken seriously.

Nevertheless, either financial aid or not, ugandans are not fazed. Only officials that had an interest in aid flows have lost one of their sources of revenue. Repression against opponents and poverty will continue as the american top human rights chief will be playing golf.

But this issue is a good occasion to remember that african countries can survive without assistance. There is a good opportunity for africans to focus on their own potentials because Washington and European Union's aids are insignificant compared to what we can achieve ourselves. Africa as a whole can be a partner that will have a say in the world and more leverages than Saudi Arabia or Qatar if we work to position ourselves in the universe of nations. Then there will be no room for blackmail when we vote laws on par with our values and beliefs.