lifeofmshaba
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 19, 2011
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David Cameron has threatened to withhold UK aid from countries that do not reform legislation banning homosexuality.
The UK prime minister said he raised the issue with some of the states involved at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia.
Human rights reform in the Commonwealth was one issue that leaders failed to reach agreement on at the summit.
Mr Cameron says those receiving UK aid should "adhere to proper human rights".
Ending the bans on homosexuality was one of the recommendations of an internal report into the future relevance of the Commonwealth.
British empire
Mr Cameron told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that "British aid should have more strings attached".
But he conceded that countries could not change immediately, and cautioned that it would be a "journey".
"This is an issue where we are pushing for movement, we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe. But I'm afraid that you can't expect countries to change overnight.
"Britain is one of the premier aid givers in the world. We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights.
Appointing a human rights commissioner to address this and other human rights issues was one of the 100-plus recommendations of the internal report, by the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group, which includes former UK foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind."We are saying that is one of the things that determines our aid policy, and there have been particularly bad examples where we have taken action."
Mr Cameron said he had spoken with "a number of African countries" and that more pressure had been applied by Foreign Secretary William Hague, who deputised for him during parts of the summit.
Some 41 nations within the 54-member Commonwealth have laws banning homosexuality. Many of these laws are a legacy of British Empire laws.
The discussion in the Ugandan parliament of an anti-homosexuality bill in 2009 sparked particular controversy, and earlier this year Ugandan gay rights campaigner David Kato was beaten to death in a suspected hate crime.
Nigeria's Senate is currently discussing a bill banning same-sex marriage, that includes penalties for anyone witnessing or aiding a same-sex marriage.
However, objections from a number of countries blocked adoption of the recommendation, according to Australia's prime minister Julia Gillard, speaking at the end of the three-day summit in Western Australia.
Besides the homosexuality rights issue, Sri Lanka's human rights conduct also came under scrutiny at the summit. The country will host the next head of government's meeting in two years' time.
Sri Lanka's army has been accused of war crimes during the civil war with the Tamil Tigers.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said he will boycott the 2013 summit unless there are major reforms in the country.
UPDATE 03/11/11
Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa, Benard Membe alitoa msimamo huo leo Jijini Dar es Salaam akisema huko ni kwenda kinyume na sheria na utamaduni wa nchi yetu inayotambua ndoa ya mme na mke kama kiini cha familia. Alitoa msimamo huo kufuatia kauli ya Waziri Mkuu wa Uingereza, David Cameron kuwa wana mpango wa kusitisha misaada kwa nchi ambazo katiba na sheria zake hazitambui mashoga na ndoa zao. "Nchi yetu inaheshimu sheria na utamaduni wake hivyo hatupo tayari nchi nyingine kutuwekea masharti kama hayo ya kuwa na uhusiano wa jinsi moja, hili ni tamko hatarishi linaloweza kuvunja uhusiano na nje", Waziri Membe aliwaambia waandishi wa habari.