Rights defenders to expose Catholic priests who rape women and those who have wives

By Godfrey Olukya 29-3-2013

Some human rights groups in Uganda have threatened to expose all
Catholic priests and Bishops and other religious leaders who illegally
have wives and children in protest of the Catholic church leadership’s
suspension of Father Anthony Musala accusing him of saying that some
catholic priests fathered children.

The Archbishop of Catholic church in Uganda,Cyprian Kizito Lwanga
recently indefinitely suspended Father Anthony Musala for posting on
Facebook a letter in which he was suggesting that since many Catholic
priests and some bishops in the country had wives with whom they
fathered children, it would be wise if they are officially allowed to
get married.

Father Musala said that the letter was intended for the Archbishop but
one of his colleagues whom he had given it to read through is the one
who posted it on Facebook.

The executive director of human rights defenders association in
Uganda, Gideon Tugume has condemned the continued harassment,
physical, psychological torture of human rights defenders in the
country, saying that Father Musala was defending the rights of
defenseless girls and women whose rights were abused by the priests
who rape them, impregnate some of them and later abandon them.

While addressing a press conference today in Kampala, Tugume said that
torture is being done at all levels naming, the church, work places,
politics, government among others .

He emphasized the recent violation of Fr. Musala who was suspended by
the Catholic church after he spoke about the clerics that have given
birth to children something that is illegal and it’s upon that matter
that the rights defenders demand for the forgiveness of Musala adding
that if nothing is done within a week they are to name and shame those
clergy that have children and those who have ever raped and defiled
girls..

Tugume said,’ We have a record we shall publicize next week the names
of Reverend Fathers in different Dioceses who have been raping women
and defiling underage girls under their care and impregnated some of
them..’

He wondered why the Church does nothing about such errant priests. He
said, ‘Such thimngs are not spoken out. They just hide them. When shall
we hear the voices of the voiceless.’

He said the habit of covering up religious leaders who misbehave in
society should come to an end. He said, ‘Because he is a Reverend, a
Bishop, a Sheikh, so nobody can speak about their bad behavior?’

END