On February 4, 2006, almost five years ago, Zoliswa Nkonyana, “a young Khayelitsha lesbian”, was chased by a group of 20 or so young men. When they caught up with her, they clubbed, kicked and beat her to death. They tortured her to death for being lesbian, for being openly lesbian, for being a woman, for being.
It took two weeks for the news of her brutal murder to finally reach the media. The police didn’t make much of the death or its circumstances. The press in Khayelitsha, five years ago as today, is marked largely by its absence. It was `just another murder.’
Five years later, the case is still open, the trial is not yet finalized. Memorials will take place, no doubt, protests and commemorations.
Yesterday, January 26, 2011, gay rights activist David Kisule Kato was brutally murdered in Mukono, Kampala, Uganda. Kato was the advocacy officer for Sexual Minorities Uganda. Along with Julian Pepe Onziema and Kasha Jacqueline, Kato had recently won a case against Rolling Stone, restraining it from publishing photos and names of gay men and lesbian women. The High Court ruled that the tabloid violated the rights to privacy and safety. This time the news of the murder spread quickly. The Kampala police claimed, almost immediately, that they’re on the case.
In both instances, and so many others, the assault is on the right to public being, the right to access as gay men and lesbian women, to public spaces, to common and shared experiences, to mutual recognition.
Brenda Namigadde is a woman from Uganda. She fled Uganda in 2003 after her house was destroyed and her life was threatened … because her life partner was a woman. Namigadde fled to the United Kingdom, where she sought asylum. She was turned down, because of insufficient proof of `being lesbian’. Now Namigadde sits in Yarl’s Wood, and awaits, in terror, to be deported to Uganda.
One way to honor the memory of Zoliswa Nkonyana, of David Kato, of all the other gay men and lesbian women who have been brutalized, tortured, murdered, for the sin of being gay in public, for the sin of sharing their love in the common and shared spaces, is to make sure that Brenda Namigadde and other gay and lesbian asylum seekers are not transported back to the House of Death. If not, then Zoliswa Nkonyana, David Kato, and all the others, they’re just another murder.
(Mosaic of Zoliswa Nkonyana by Ziyanda Majozi. Thanks to inkanyiso.org)
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Sokari and Amphitrite, Dan Moshenberg. Dan Moshenberg said: UK, #Uganda, #South_Africa #prison: Haunts: Not just another murder, Brenda Namigadde http://t.co/qfqIWyY […]
Thank you for this post.
I have some footage of the activists that are trying to ensure that zoliswa’s death is not monimalised. Anyonme who can assist on bringing this footage to the attention of the rest of the world must contact me or triangle in cape town.
Today’s update: Ugandan Lesbian Facing Certain Deportation Death Wins Temporary Reprieve http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/ugandan-lesbian-facing-certain-deportation-death-wins-temporary-reprieve/discrimination/2011/01/28/17079
Today’s update: Ugandan gay rights activist’s funeral marred by conflict http://www.france24.com/en/20110128-ugandan-gay-rights-activist-david-kato-funeral-conflict-africa
Today’s update:
Could You ‘Play Gay’ if Your Life Depended on it? Asylum Seekers Who Don’t ‘Act Gay’ Enough Being Sent Home to Face Death http://tinyurl.com/4zftux8
Today’s update:
Fresh appeal for lesbian asylum seek http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/02/03/fresh-appeal-for-lesbian-asylum-seeker/
Today’s updates:
Fresh appeal for lesbian asylum seeker http://t.co/SBNnG1r
Ugandan lesbian Brenda Namigadde takes deportation battle to appeal court http://t.co/Bd2Xayl
Today’s update: Ugandan asylum seeker Brenda Namigadde wins case review http://t.co/oFR81
Today’s update: Ugandan asylum seeker says publicity will put her life at risk http://t.co/GKdqagn
Dan what do you mean? Its the publicity that helped her to go though this, if she hard just kept quite by now she would be dead. Any way thanks to every one who supported her in that time of difficulties. We need her in Canada if in the Uk u cant get it in your heads that she is truly a lesbian. she is till a young girl to go though this toucher! Any way thanks for the media.
[…] Sheree Wilson, Shellyann Stupart, Aminata Camara, Leila. Bita Ghaedi. Azbaa Dar. Gloria Sestus. Brenda Namigadde. Albertina Ferreira Malungu. Betty Tibikawa. Lemlem Hussein Abdu. Marie Therese Njila Nana. Jackie […]
[…] founder of FAR-Uganda, Freedom and Roam Uganda; Julian Pepe Onziema and Frank Mugisha, leaders of SMUG, Sexual Minorities of Uganda; joined forces with Professor Joe Oloka-Onyango, MP Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, veteran journalist Andrew […]
[…] helped found FAR-Uganda, Freedom and Roam Uganda; while Julian Pepe Onziema and David Kato led SMUG, Sexual Minorities of Uganda. David Kato was brutally murdered in January […]
[…] Brenda Namigadde fled Uganda in 2003 after her house was destroyed and her life was threatened … because her life partner was a woman. Namigadde fled to the United Kingdom, where she sought asylum. In 2011, she was turned down, because of insufficient proof of `being lesbian’. Namigadde was sent to Yarl’s Wood, where she awaited, in terror, to be deported to Uganda. Thanks to an international campaign and the murder of David Kato just days before her scheduled deportation flight, Brenda Namigadde’s case was re-opened. […]