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In March, as Family Life Network (FNL), the ministry I'm spearheading, we held our first public seminar on THE THREAT OF PORNOGRAPHY & OBSCENITY IN UGANDA . We had just over 400 participants from all walks of life in attendance. This included Parliamentarians, Churches, the police, the judiciary, the Muslims, the media, Head Teachers, parents etc. The Minister of Ethics & Integrity was the guest of honor.
The seminar provided information on the dangers of porn to the public for the first time. Those present, including the Hon. Minister were shocked to learn of devastating effects of porn to individuals & the society. At the end of the seminar, the minister said that she was happy that finally the civil society has come up to fight this evil in our society, and agreed to cooperate with us in this noble task.
Three two days later, the Minister of Information visited media houses and movie theatres and observed that there was a lot of porn there and decided to start the process to strengthen the censorship of what is put for public consumption.
Two weeks later, we learnt from reliable sources that the policy makers of one of the publications, which published a lot of porn, had decided to suspend porn for six months!
Last week we held a public demonstration against Red Pepper (RP) a pornographic tabloid which has continued publishing porn despite public anger and disgust against it. The demonstration coincided with the day of the trial of the editors of the tabloid. The matter was in the news throughout the day and it was given much publicity. We released a press release warning all those involved in porn that we would appeal to the public to stop buying their publication, and that we would persuade their advertisers not to advertise in their publications etc. One media interviewed us after another, and even after the demonstration, calls from media houses kept coming.
The criminal charges against the RP are taking long to be finalized by the courts of law. So we are gathering witnesses so that we can file a civil suit instead, where we can apply for an injunction, which will bar them from publishing their porn tabloid while their case is still in court.
I have discovered that there are many people who are against porn, but have not found a platform to air their views etc. PTL that we have now provided that forum. All kinds of individuals and groups are now coming up to join us in the fight for the morals of our land.
Yesterday the Chairman of UNEPA Uganda Newspaper Editors and Publishers Association called me and proposed that I should meet with them every 3 months so that we keep a check on the moral standards the print media adopts. It looks like we have made so much noise that our opinion is beginning to be taken seriously and cannot be ignored anymore.
Our relations with the Police and the Intelligence service is very good, and they are happy that people from that civil society are rising up and cooperating with them in fighting porn, which is prohibited by the Ugandan law.
We have a strategy for discipling the nation in this area. Part of it is to sensitize the entire population using all avenues at our disposal. This includes sensitizing political leaders. We will soon be seeking an opportunity to address the parliament or avail relevant literature to them.
Our motivation in all this is Matt. 28:18-20. All we want is to disciple our nation in the areas of family and morality by taking the principles of our Master to the world. |
