By Geresom Musamali and Moses Mulondo

The Commonwealth People’s Forum has proposed that the rights of minorities, including gays and lesbians, be recognised.
In the memorandum issued yesterday at the end of the five-day event held at Hotel Africana in Kampala, the members also advocated for the recognition of rights of persons with disabilities and refugees.

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and many African countries.
The chairman of the Peoples’ Forum, Warren Nyamugasira, handed the memorandum to Glenda Morean, the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago to the UK, for submission to the Commonwealth summit (CHOGM).

Queen Elizabeth II will open the meeting at the Serena Hotel today.
The next CHOGM will take place at the Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

On the LRA war, the forum asked the CHOGM to support the implementation of the ceasefire and peace agreement between the Government and the rebels. They urged the Commonwealth to suspend Pakistan for violating democratic principles enshrined in the Harare Declaration.

The 53-nation body recently threatened to suspend Pakistan if President Pervez Musharraf does not restore the country’s constitution and lift other emergency measures by November 22.

But Musharaf’s government rejected the demands.

“Pakistan firmly rejects the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group announcement and demands that are based on lack of realism and absence of understanding,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement last week.

The People’s Forum delegates said: “Noting the violations of the Harare principles in Pakistan, we call on the Commonwealth to act quickly to restore the constitution, separate the two offices held by the president and restore an independent judiciary.”

On Zimbabwe, the forum asked the Commonwealth to commit resources to planning and developing the country, protecting and promoting the political values of the Commonwealth.

The delegates also urged the Commonwealth to mount pressure on the ruling military regime in Fiji to end human rights abuses and return to democratic governance by 2009.

Fiji was recently suspended from the Commonwealth over violations of democratic values.

The memorandum urged the Commonwealth to create an environment that fosters unity, ensures dialogue between different people and addresses conflict, social exclusion and marginalisation.

The delegates advised the summit to ensure transparency and participation of all stakeholders in trade and investment at multilateral, regional and bilateral levels.