LGBT Underground Railroad

I read an post from the excellent blog LGBT Asylum News, by Joe Mirabella that got me thinking...

When that idiot David Ssempa in Uganda first presented his proposed bill to (amongst other things) make homosexuality punishable by death, my thoughts were immediately about how to reach out to and if possible protect my LGBT brothers and sisters. I sit here in comparative luxury where my sexuality isn't something I need to hide and I have laws that can protect me should (some) things go wrong. I remember when none of that was true, but even then it wasn't as bad as the fear so many in Africa feel from day to day. -I thought about how escaped slaves were smuggled into Europe in the 19th century, how Jews were smuggled out of Germany in the 20th. 

But how could this be done?- Part of the the problem is the UK Border Agency who seem keen to send LGBT people back to places where they are in danger of being murdered by their own states in the name of "protecting" UK's borders!!! From the little I know about previous underground railroads, for them to be effective they needed more resources than I can muster. I wish there was a way to be able to 'sponsor' LGBT Asylum Seekers. I know how naive that will sound, but I'd be prepared to take the risk of giving sanctuary and support to someone I believed was in danger if they were repatriated to a place like Uganda or Jamaica. Of course it could go wrong; people lie, "good Samaritans" sometimes harbour more "base" motivations, but I don''t believe its impossible for something to be made to work. 

I don't deny my guilt at the privalege I experience in comparison with the experiences of so many LGBT people around the world but my frustration at not being able to do anything is more potent than guilt.

Comments

  1. Anne-christine d'Adesky3 June 2014 at 09:23

    Oscar, I found your blog in a search online related ot the work I've been doing with some groups in the US and European countries to assist Ugandan LGBT and individuals impacted by the anti-gay and anti-HIV laws. Last month, a new Safe Passage Fund was set up that has collected funds to help, and we are now working with the Quaker-fun Friends New Underground Railroad to support the most urgent cases of primarily rural Ugandan LGBT who seek transit from immediate danger and risk of arrest/jail.

    You can make tax exempt donations at this website, as the Quaker group is a project of Olympia Friends Ctte, a US 501C3 charity.

    To date, 62 Ugandans have been evacuated from immediate danger to safety in third party countries, and others have found safer shelter in other parts of Uganda. We are working with a number of Ugandan and foreign individuals and associations in a very confidential manner to assure the safety, support, social and legal assistance for these individuals facing dire persecution to arrive at a safer shelter, including safe houses outside Uganda for those who have requested urgent passage out of the country to seek asylum.

    The website and donation information is found at:
    http://friendsnewundergroundrailroad.org/

    - Feel free to inform your audience.

    Anne-christine d'Adesky, rights advocate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ubuntu Omm3 June 2014 at 19:24

      Thanks Anne! I have donated to the underground railway through one of the petition sites. I'm also very familiar with the Quakers after having taught at one of their schools after I left university, I look forward to finding out about what they're up to on these

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bon Voyage, Mon Enfant!

Image
It's hard dealing with the lack of communication let alone discussion of my Godson's immediate future. Its hard not to view my part in his recent past as a failure. The point is that it is over and I need to move on whilst there is still some relationship left between us. I'm getting quite 'Zen' in covering my frustrations with calm.  My Godson has always been unwaveringly CERTAIN of any decision concerning his learning that was opposed to mine. He was SURE that the scant attention he gave to his studies would at least yield passes. He dismissed my protestations that higher grades offered greater prospects as irrelevant. In exasperation I finally  reminded him and his father that he was here to go to school and that when that ended he would leave my home. His school career recently ended when he did not secure the grades to enrol into the final year.  My Godson is and always has been capable of cruising through a standard UK education, but it wasn't impo...
Read more

Waiting!

Image
I love working with other people and I absolutely hate it too! I love it when I get people together who agree to do stuff but I get twitchy when they're late and I remember that everyone's doing everything "at risk" unless I'm fortunate-enough to have cash with which to bribe them! Yesterday I completed my proposal for our new proposed Main Project- I'm really pleased with it and very excited to submit it, but it would be a mistake not to share it with my colleagues- they're a great bunch when I can get their attention! I have always to remember that they're not as committed to the company as I am: they joined as a favour to me initially and though they've all benefited from it at some time in the last five years... except Wayne who we all forgot was on the Board -including him lol I can't expect anything from them really. So, I get into waiting for responses and starting other things and forgetting that I'm waiting (I'd get annoyed...
Read more

Laurieston Arrival

Image
I doubt I'll be able to express my true feelings at actually arriving at Laurieston Hall for an Edward Carpenter Community, Gay Men's Week. I'm one of MANY people who regard Laurieston as my "Spirtual Home"- a palpable feeling hits me when I turn off the road onto the drive to the Hall. I was all the more keen to come this year when I discovered that this MIGHT be the last 'Season' that the Lauriestonians welcome visitors- at least for a while, Edward Carpenter Community have been coming here for 31 years. Despite a 12 year gap that ended last year, this is my 15th ECC event and almost all of them have been at Laurieston. There are over 60 gay men here from all over UK. So, getting here was a doddle from Newcastle- apart from taking a wrong turning off the M6 and refusing to trust the Sat Nav when I got to Laurieston (from a new direction) and going 4 miles AWAY from the house until I realised... Oh, and I spun off the road on a country road approching...
Read more