KAMPALA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Uganda will maintain its stance against homosexuality despite increased calls by foreign governments to legalize it, an official said here on Friday.

    Nsaba Buturo, minister of state for ethics and integrity, said some nations at the United Nations are advocating "sexual rights" which Uganda believes will be used to promote homosexuality.

    "Uganda will not be forced to legalize practices that are illegal, unnatural and abnormal," he told a press briefing.

    He said he had communicated the position to Uganda's representative to the UN.

    "They have no right to call us names, to call us extremists, we shall talk to countries that we share the same belief on not legalizing homosexuality," he stated.

    Buturo said the government has also started a crackdown on certain humanitarian relief organizations that recruit youths into the vice under the guise of giving them education.

    The government is making preparations to enact a comprehensive law that will make it a criminal offense to promote homosexuality, said the official.

    Buturo appealed to parents to remain vigilant because a number of schools in the country have been penetrated by the vice.

    Gay and anti-gay activists have hit headlines in local media this week with each calling for their rights.

    Uganda has been condemned by international human rights activists for criminalizing homosexuality.