And 40 Years Later, What's Their Excuse?

Uganda -- best known for 1970s dictator nutjob "His Excellency President for Life Field Marshal Al Hadji Dr. Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, King of Scotland Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular" -- is back in the human rights spotlight for publishing the names of gay men in a country where sodomy can result in life in prison ... if you're lucky.

"For years, President Yoweri Museveni's government routinely threatens and vilifies lesbians and gays and subjects sexual rights activists to harassment," Human Rights Watch researcher Jessica Stern said in a written statement.

"At a moment when sensational publicity has spread fear among a whole community, the authorities must exercise their responsibility to protect, not persecute."

The list was published Aug. 8 in the tabloid newspaper Red Pepper, and the paper has since told activists that it plans to publish a similar list of alleged lesbians, Reuters reported.

Similar allegations by the newspaper have led to arrests and detentions, Human Rights Watch said.

Gay rights groups are protesting the action with the dreaded sternly written letter. But not without first making sure we all know that the West is actually to blame.

Recently, a Ugandan paper with ties to the government publicly outed 58 alleged lesbians and gay men, sparking an outcry of criticism from gay groups. A letter was presented to the Ugandan high commissioner urging respect for the human rights of LGBT Ugandans.

"Uganda is the new Zimbabwe," said Peter Tatchell of OutRage! "President Yoweri Museveni is the Robert Mugabe of Uganda, a homophobic tyrant who tramples on democracy and human rights. Uganda's anti-gay laws were imposed by the British colonialists who occupied the country, stole its wealth, and abused its people."

The central African country outlaws male homosexuality under laws originally imposed by the British colonizers in the 19th century. Offenders face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Ah, yes, it's the Brits' fault. Never mind that Uganda has been independent from the Crown for more than 40 years. Three cheers that gay rights groups are taking notice of Uganda's oppression, but let's call a duck a duck here. The treatment of Ugandan gays -- and before them the Indians, the Christians, the Jews and the political opposition -- lays at the feet of the corrupt government strongmen who continue to keep the whole continent in ruins.