Ugandan Gay Rights Activist Murdered

david kato, a progressive ugandan gay rights activist, was beaten to death & found in his home wednesday. police have confirmed his murder & one suspect has been arrested. kato courageously sued rolling stone, a local tabloid newspaper which outed him as a homosexual & published the photographs of several people they said were gay, including mr. kato, with the headline, 'hang them'.

u.s. president barack obama was "deeply saddened" to learn of kato's death. obama said, "in uganda, david showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate...he was a powerful advocate for fairness & freedom...the united states mourns his murder & we recommit ourselves to david's work." obama continued, "at home & around the world, lgbt persons continue to be subject to unconscionable bullying, discrimination & hate...lgbt rights are not special rights they are human rights."

u.s. secretary of state hilary clinton has urged authorities to investigate & prosecute the killers. the bbc's joshua mmali, in kampala, says its unclear whether the death is linked to the rolling stone campaign but police have said there is no connection between kato's activism & his death. the police say the main suspect - who lived with kato - remains on the run.

homosexual acts are illegal in uganda, with punishments of 14 years in prison. an mp recently tried to increase the penalties to include the death sentence in some cases. there has been a recent spate of "iron-bar killings" in mukono, where kato lived, in which people have been assaulted with metal. witnesses told the bbc a man entered kato's home near kampala & bludgeoned him to death before leaving.

his sexual minorities uganda (smug) group said kato had been receiving death threats since his name, photographs & address were published by rolling stone last year. frank mugisha, the group's executive director, told the bbc's network africa programme he was "devastated" on hearing the tragic news from new york. mugisha said, "he was killed by someone who came in his house with a hammer, meaning anyone else could be the next target." he said kato was concerned about recent death threats.

human rights watch (hrw) has called for a swift investigation into kato's death. hrw's maria burnett said, "david kato's death is a tragic loss to the human right community...he was a fearless voice for the protection of the lgbt community." kato diligently campaigned against the anti-homosexuality bill, which appears to have been quietly dropped after provoking a storm of international criticism when it was mooted in 2009.

clinton said she was "profoundly saddened" by kato's death, stating, "this crime is a reminder of the heroic generosity of the people who advocate for & defend human rights on behalf of the rest of us & the sacrifices they make...as we reflect on his life, it is also an occasion to reaffirm that human rights apply to everyone, no exceptions, & that the human rights of lgbt individuals cannot be separated from the human rights of all persons."

following a complaint by kato & three others, a judge last november ordered rolling stone to stop publishing the photographs it said were homosexual, saying it contravened their right to privacy. several activists said they had been attacked after their photographs were published. mugisha called on the ugandan government to step up security for gay people, stating, "we're strongly asking every gay & lesbian & bisexual & transgender person in uganda to watch our for their security...they should take extra caution."

rolling stone editor giles muhame told reuters news agency he condemned the murder & that the paper had not wanted gays to be attacked. muhame said, "there has been a lot of crime, it may not be because he is gay...we want the government to hang people who promote homosexuality, not for the public to attack them." in the 1970's when former leader idi amin was in power, "iron-bar killings" were fairly common in uganda.

Scott Sisters Released From Miss. Prison

jamie & gladys scott were released from a mississippi prison friday, after serving 16 years for an armed robbery which netted $11. during an emotional news conference attended by activists, family members, friends & supporters, the sisters thanked everybody who helped secure their release, including mississippi governor haley barbour, who suspended their life sentences last month.

38 year-old jamie said tearfully, "we're so grateful...i never thought this day would come...but i kept the faith & i do know god will show up." her 36 year-old sister, gladys simply said, "praise god." the sisters' life sentences were suspended with the unprecedented condition of one sister donating a kidney to the other, who is sick & needs a transplant.

their attorney, chokwe lumumba, said the sisters were exuberant as they were reunited with their mother & children at 8:00 am from a prison in pearl, mississippi. said lumumba, "they're feeling great. this is beautiful. i feel like a young fella myself."

in 1994 the women were convicted of armed robbery for hitting two men on the head with the butt of a shotgun in forest, mississippi, as well as stealing $11. activists have contended their harsh sentences were racially biased. jamie said she'd continue to speak out on behalf of other women in the prison, stating, "i won't leave them behind. i will be their voice."

jamie is currently on dialysis & hopes to receive better medical treatment now. gladys agreed to donate one of her kidneys when barbour included the stipulation as part of their release, which some feel is politically motivated - barbour is touted as a republican presidential candidate for 2012 (against obama) & this decision could influence black voters.

last december lumumba admitted the arrangement "does sound a little barbaric," but noted gladys would have donated the kidney anyway. he said the sisters must undergo more medical tests before the transplant can take place. lumumba said it's not clear how the operation will be paid for. said the attorney, "we still need medicaid to handle the bill, or we'll be looking for donors to help us."