John McGuirk

Canuckjacq over on LezGetReal highlights the decision by Irish company Tullow Oil to invest over a billion Euro in Ugandan oil interests. The company has made the decision at a time when Uganda is considering a bill which, at worst, could see gay people executed by the State.

I’ve never been anything other than an advocate of free trade. And I recognise that businesses have responsibilities of their own, to their shareholders, their employees, and their customers. I’ve never held much regard for the idea that businesses are there to fight for social change, and those that do tend to do so because they’ve found a way to make it profitable.

But companies, like nations and individuals, should also be held accountable for their decisions. It’s disappointing that an Irish business would choose to put so much money into a country that is going down this path. On the other hand, though, the lack of any serious engagement with the Ugandans on this one from the Obama administration, the European Union, and other international bodies is unforgivable. I’m not Gay, and advancing gay rights has not been the cause of my life, but I wonder if this was a white supremacist Government imposing apartheid in Uganda whether the degree of international action would be the same.

This is a serious and terrible issue. The lack of leadership on it, outside of the Gay rights community, has been shocking. The silence of church leaders is shameful, as is the passivity of politicians.

This is a story that deserves more coverage. And for Tullow Oil, this is not a day that will be well remembered.