Hon. Secretary of State John Kerry:
Uganda’s foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa could become President of the United Nations General Assembly in June unless the world comes to its senses.
As President, Mr. Kutesa would preside over important meetings including the General Assembly, when you and President Obama attend in the Fall.
As you are aware his boss and partner Gen. Yoweri Museveni has now presided over a repressive and brutal dictatorship in Uganda for 28 years.
Gen. Museveni’s domestic repression in Uganda and multiple invasions of neighboring countries such as Rwanda, DR Congo, and South Sudan have caused the deaths of millions of innocent African civilians.
Congo has been turned into the “rape” capital of the world by the marauding militias he’s trained and financed including M23.
Most recently Gen. Museveni on Feb. 24, 2014 defied the international community by signing a law that incites violence against Uganda’s sexual minorities, the LGBT community, purely for political purposes as he’s desperate to retain power in the 2016 elections.
Gen. Museveni knows rural voters who form the majority are conservative and not educated on issues of LGBT people — by demonizing them Gen. Museveni hopes to translate fears into votes. In the process he does not care about the consequences on the safety and lives of LGBT community and referred to them as “disgusting” in a CNN interview.
What’s more Gen. Museveni’s family and his ministers have embezzled so much public funds including monies designated for development assistance through the years that in 2012 the U.K. cut off all foreign aid.
Mr. Sam Kutesa, as foreign affairs minister, has been Gen. Museveni’s top advisor and spokesperson. He is part and parcel of all these transgressions including the invasion of neighboring countries which is a violation of the United Nation’s cardinal rule — the respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. In 2005 the International Court of Justice found Uganda liable for what amounts to war crimes in Congo (massacres and plunder) as a result of the invasions and occupation of Congo. Uganda was ordered to pay $10 billion in reparations.
The Court found that “Uganda violated the principles of non-use of force in international relations and of non-intervention; that it violated its obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law; and that it violated other obligations owed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
Mr. Kutesa is also reputed to be one of Uganda’s most corrupt officials. His name was mentioned in a cable to the U.S. Department of State by former U.S. ambassador to Uganda Jerry Lanier in which he discussed officials who were alleged to have received millions of dollars in bribes from foreign oil companies. The cables were published on Wikileaks.
Mr. Secretary, Mr. Kutesa could become the President of the UN General Assembly in a few weeks unless the international community stops this travesty. This would be a mockery of all the ideals that the UN is supposed to stand for.
Mr. Secretary the U.S. recently denied a visa to Hamid Aboutalebi, Iran’s designated Permanent Representative to the U.N., when it was discovered that he was one of the students who seized hostages at the American embassy in 1979.
Mr. Secretary, as Global citizens who still cherish and believe in the ideals of the United Nations, we urge you to do the right thing and revoke Mr. Kutesa’s visa.
Please help protect the reputation of this important body — the United Nations Organization.
Editor’s Note: Petition opposing Kutesa becoming next UN General Assembly President
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