The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Ugandan ambassador to express concern about the Ugandan anti-gay bill, Dutch media reported Wednesday.
On Monday, the adoption of a bill signed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni that toughens penalties for gay people in the central African country, sparked international controversy.
As a reaction to the bill, the Dutch government will suspend all assistance to the Ugandan government. Programs without involvement of the Ugandan government will continue, such as food aid and support for human rights organizations.
Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Frans Timmermans and Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Lilianne Ploumen informed the parliament on Tuesday that the money that is donated each year to the Ugandan government for use in improving its judicial system will be stopped.
In addition, Dutch State Secretary of Justice Fred Teeven on Tuesday wrote a letter to the Dutch parliament stating that the Netherlands should be more flexible in its policy on granting asylum to homosexuals from Uganda.
