Category Archives: Appeal

A lot has happened in Uganda in the days since we last posted.

On August 1st a Ugandan court overturned the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act on procedural grounds because there may not have been a quorum present when it was passed by parliament. That would be good news (even though it was on a technicality) but immediately some things happened in reaction that made things even worse than before.

The haters in Uganda immediately started plans to appeal the ruling. See: The Uganda Ruling is Good For Everyone But Gays – 08.01.14 – by Jay Michaelson

A court overturned Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill, giving a convenient out to the African and American leaders. But it could make the backlash against LGBT Ugandans even worse.

On that same day, 8/1/14, we heard from a Ugandan:

“There was a massive protest in Iganga township today, it lasted from 9:30am to 6pm, it was well attended by the muslims, catholics, haters, homophobic and haters. It all demanded that President Museveni makes an executive order to make homosexuality (lgbtq and all the related illegal) this has sent a message of hate, they called on the west to leave Uganda alone.”

 So actually, things got much worse after the law was overturned. Angry mobs were stirred and went looking  for LGBTQ people to attack.

Some of the Ugandan ‘leadership’ also made things worse. For example, Pastor David Livingstone Kiganda said:

“If gays win the court case tomorrow, trust me we are going to slaughter them.”

See: UGANDAN PASTORS HAVE LAUNCHED A WAR AGAINST LGBTI PERSONS

One of our supporters heard about David Livingstone Kiganda’s call and wrote:

“Do you have any reports from your people in Uganda about what is happening? The things in these reports wouldn’t surprise me but I don’t want to spread rumors without some type of verification. It sounds even worse than it was before the Act was stopped.”

We asked a conductor and he replied:

“Yes this Pastor has been calling for genocide for the whole week. He wants his followers to attack and kill any suspected gay people. He has a big following, he has churches in every town in Uganda, so he is a potential danger.

We are very aware of this and we have increased the security level in our circles.”

Since the court decision, LGBTQ Ugandans have had to deal with brutal bloody beatings, homes burned down, and desperate flights to find safe shelter.

A conductor had 73 LGBTQ people who were in extreme danger if they remained in hiding. We had no funds for this, but a transporter agreed to move them out of Uganda on short-term credit. This is not a wealthy patron donating services, but a small businessman. He paid his drivers and paid for fuel for the trips out of his own money which he cannot afford to carry.

The railroad moved the people and later the conductor wrote:

I had a crazy busy night but am happy to confirm that all the passengers crossed safely despite the heavy rain and scaring thunderstorms and lightening, we also suffered a snake bite, — was beaten by a snake but am always prepared for such, good enough it wasn’t a poisonous snake but — was abit traumatized.

Donations to the Railroad are coming in more slowly right now as some people are confused by the Ugandan court announcement.

Right now we must raise $2,236.00 to pay this debt. The transporter needs the money to continue to offer his services — and if our conductor does not pay him as soon as possible then he may not trust him again.

Please help with a donation! Click this button to donate through PayPal:

Or go to this page on our website for information on how to donate with a check: http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/

Donations are tax deductible through Olympia Friends Meeting.

Please share this post so others will know.

Thank you!

Hello everyone, I want to share this update from one of the Railroad’s “conductors” in the field:

Hello friends,  I am just setting off from —. What I have seen makes me cry, the situation is extremely very dangerous. I wonder where are all those organizations which are well founded. Couldn’t they know that humans have been reduced to less than animals? This is so bad. I want to openly say that — is a very courageous man, when nobody stood up, he has stood with these queers for almost — months. He has kept them within —, fooling the others that these are not queers but rather —, his luck went out days ago when a visitor identified one, it took a strong man like — to take the situation under control. He sealed off 30 of them in a small room fit for about 8 people. [He] gave me full access to these queers, I interviewed all the 30, each sharing their personal stories. Way forward, it has been agreed that we move all of them.

Am sorry, Gabi, for being in this mood, it was just too horrible for me, this is an eye opener for me, though we are all in the rural villagers but queers in the deep remote cut off rural villages again, go through so much. Queers shared with me all sorts of stories, including one of collective rape to heal lesbianism and then forced into marriage.

Am sorry for not explaining in details at once, I was so confused and stressed by their situation, while I was interviewing one by one I broke down and started crying, I couldn’t stop my self from crying! I have seen queers being burnt but this was too much for me.

Please help with a donation! We have these 30 LGBT persons waiting for support to cross out of Uganda. We need to raise $64.00 each including transport, food and lodging one night before crossing, so $1920.00 for all.

In addition, 14 of these LGBTQ Ugandans in hiding with the Railroad in are in need of urgent health care support. 8 have malaria and 5 have typhoid fever. 1 has bowel issues. They cannot receive health care from providers without being turned over to law enforcement – after first being rejected care. A conductor has found a doc who is willing to consult on their care.

To support them while in hiding please also consider donating towards the cost of their medicine:

$14 each for malarial treatment for 8 people = $112.00.
$16 each for typhoid fever treatment for 5 people = $80.00, and
$23 for individual who needs adult diapers and bowel control medicine. For a total of an extra $215.00 for these medical needs.

Please help with a donation! Click this button to donate through PayPal:

Or go to this page on our website for information on how to donate with a check: http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/

Donations are tax deductible through Olympia Friends Meeting.

Thank you!
Gabi Clayton
, co-manager, Friends New Underground Railroad

After some interesting twists and turns, we are pleased to report that 111 more LGBT passengers successfully rode the Railroad this week, and are now resting at their interim destinations. It was our biggest week, and brings the total up to 270.

We can confirm 70 folks in countries of final destination (there are more, but these we can confirm), and a whole bunch likely to depart for their destinations next week. And, for the first time, we might have some coming to the U.S. soon. (in process)

But we have a new group waiting, 21 nursing students (16 of whom are transgender) were expelled from a university late last week, and their names were read out over the radio and published in a special bulletin. Mobs are looking for them. One of our conductors managed to ferry them to a “safer” location out of immediate harm’s way.

An additional $1,155 (21 x $55) plus transfer fees will be needed to move them along.
Please donate! http://friendsugandansafetransport.org/donate/

As of today we have supported the Ugandan citizen conductors to help 231 LGBTQ individuals escape from Uganda.

That is the good news.

The bad news is that in addition to the ongoing crisis we have an urgent medical situation we are asking for your help with.

One of the Ugandan ‘conductors’ was caught, held hostage, assaulted and was assisted by another conductor to escape. This is the second person we have been working with who has been bashed by haters while doing this critical work. When we say these people are putting their lives on the line to save others we are not exaggerating.

This is the report from the assisting conductor – redacted to protect identities and other sensitive information that would put them and those they are assisting out of the country at risk:

“… while trying to help [the passengers to] escape. The driver made several mistakes and they were kidnapped … some money was paid as a ransom, we try to manage the situation to avoid exposure and attention as, if the routes … get attention and exposure it makes crossing for future passengers totally impossible. [conductor’s name] was mis treated so that we pay some money, a stick pushed in his eye, which he has now lost, his side ear cut, somehow we got him out, following a game plan I played with the police … [conductor’s name] finally got to Kenya, first admitted a hospital but was expensive so he was moved to — by our sponsor and team in —, he has so far received so treatment including a surgery on his eye. We need some support towards his 2 operations.

“… we have to get [conductor’s name] operated on the spinal cord as there is also a clot, there is a quote of $1.407 and another of $523 So any contribution will be much appreciated.”

So we are putting out this appeal – a call for donations to raise $1,930.00 to pay for medical care for this conductor who was assaulted while doing the work to save fellow Ugandan people who happen to be LGBTQ. 

This is in addition to the ongoing call for donations to pay for the cost of getting more Ugandan passengers out.

Please make a donation!

To make a donation with PayPal, click here:

Or send a check – see our donation page for how to do that.

Note:  Contributions to Friends New Underground Railroad/Safe Passage Fund through Olympia Friends Meeting are tax-deductible.

Please share this appeal with others to help us reach as many people, organizations, etc. as possible.

Thank you,
Gabi Clayton
Olympia, Washington

Co-Clerk, Peace and Social Justice Committee
Olympia Monthly Meeting
http://olympiafriends.org/
Friends New Underground Railroad (FNUR): http://friendsnewundergroundrailroad.org/
FNUR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FriendsNewUndergroundRailroad
FNUR on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FrNewUndergrRR