Press Statement                                                                                                                  

24th May 2010

Police officer assaults, threatens sex worker with firearm

UHRA is a sex worker-targeting alliance that was formed during the two days’
(27th −28th April 2010) workshop organized and hosted by WONETHA. The
workshop was attended by Public Health and Human Rights Organizations that work with sex workers. It also attracted 55 sex workers organisations that included (female and male sex-workers from Migyeera, Katosi, Kisenyi I, II & III, Gulu, Kabalagala,
Makindye, Kibuye, Kasenyi,  Namungoona, Kibuli, Bwaise, Mbiko, Jinja, Mukono and Mbale
The main objectives of a workshop that gave birth to UHRA were:

• To mobilize sex-workers to access TB and HIV Information thereby
  improve on awareness and practices that reduce TB/HIV.
• To equip sex workers with peer education knowledge and skills in TB
  and HIV literacy.
• To conduct a rapid appraisal of sex workers` needs and design corresponding relevant interventions.
• To set precedent for ground breaking sex workers` rights advocacy alliance as well as identifying potential stakeholders.
  
  
  

UHRA STRONGLY DENOUNCES POLICE BRUTALITY:
Daisy, the outreach coordinator of the Women’s Organization Network for Human Rights Advocacy (WONETHA), is recovering from injuries to her shoulder, after she was assaulted by a policeman from Kabalagala Police Station. This is but the latest outrage in ongoing attacks and persecution of sex workers, by police officers in Kataba/Kabalagala a suburb of Kampala. UHRA strongly condemns the use of
violence against unarmed citizens, and calls for an end to police harassment of sex workers in Uganda.

The attack on Daisy happened on the 18th of May at 10am at Kataba in
Kabalagala. Daisy was in one of our outreach centres in one of the busiest night spots in Kampala city. As she was talking to four colleagues, two policemen approached. “They barked at us, ‘Malaya mmwe muve mukubo’ (you prostitutes get out of our way)….. Yet there was enough space for them to pass but they wanted to pass exactly where we were standing,” says Daisy. “We pleaded with them for forgiveness and
as we stepped aside they kept on insisting we should leave the way,” Continued Daisy. One of the bystanders warned them to get out of the way of the armed
police officers. I replied that “we need not be afraid of armed policemen, because they were given those guns to protect us civilians.” “This is when the one of the police officers turned to me and hit my back twice with the butt of the gun, and he
then turned the gun and pointed it at my head.”

Daisy is traumatized and in intense physical pain as a result of this attack. She is also afraid of being targeted again by the same policeman.
.
Sex workers in Uganda continue to be persecuted and are regularly battered with impunity. Unfortunately, in outlawing sex work, our Constitution and penal code fuel an environment where this kind of abuse continues to occur. Sex workers are particularly vulnerable, because once they report crimes to police or any authority they are ridiculed and often made to pay bribes.

For the police to turn on an un-armed woman to point a cocked gun, use uncalled-for physical force to hit her and then threaten to follow her up at any time should leave all citizens wondering who to entrust with their safety and security.

UHRA joins all those who condemn any form of violence, especially the use of guns in apprehending un-armed civilians. UHRA would like to educate the Uganda Police, and calls on all concerned to treat sex-workers with dignity. UHRA calls for due diligence in following the case opened against the Uganda Police officers involved.

UHRA is praying for Daisy's quick recovery.

Please contact UHRA on +256 414 664 730 /773077129 for more information.

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