Nigeria could turn to genocide, says gay group GAY.COM/PlanetOut.com Network Friday 16 March, 2007 12:28 | More from this date | Today's headlines
Nigeria’s new anti-gay laws, currently pending in the country’s legislature, could lead to gay genocide, according to the Gay Homeland Foundation (GHF).
The GHF also said that in passing the laws, Nigeria would be breaking a number of UN agreements.
In January Peter Tatchell spoke out about the Nigerian bill, urging international pressure against what he described as the most “comprehensively homophobic legislation ever proposed in any country in the world.”
The GHF cites the the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide characterises genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such:
(a)Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s physical destruction, in whole or in part; (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; and/or, (e) Forcible transfer of children of the group to another group.”
“The proposed legislation, if implemented, will undoubtedly have catastrophic effects on gay people in Nigeria,” the Foundation’s statement says.
“Gay people would be denied counselling, appropriate education on AIDS prevention, legal assistance and the right to associate with other gay people. All these measures will unavoidably lead to increased HIV infection, isolation, depression and suicide, as well as widespread attacks on Gay people."
“As such, the Bill clearly violate the provisions outlined in Article II, sections (b) and (c) of the Convention."
“Boosters of the Nigerian anti-gay Bill (such as Anglican Bishop Peter Akinola and Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo) therefore risk international prosecution.”
“We expect that United States, along with member states of the European Union and other signatories to the Convention, to take their obligations seriously and undertake efforts to effectively prevent genocide on our people in Nigeria,” continued the GHF statement.
“Should the pending Nigerian bill pass, we expect that those who conspire to commit genocide on gay people will be captured, arrested and put on trial.”
The bill, which may become law before April's elections, suggests a five-year sentence for anyone ‘found guilty’ of being openly gay or engaging in gay sex.
The new measures will also outlaw membership of a gay group, attending a gay meeting or protest, advocating gay equality, donating money to a gay organisation, hosting or visiting a gay website, the publication or possession of gay safer sex advice, renting or selling a property to a gay couple, expressions of same-sex love in letters or emails, attending a same-sex marriage or blessing ceremony, screening or watching a gay movie, taking or possessing photos of a gay couple, and publishing, selling or loaning a gay book or video.
Related link: African LGBT coalition slams Peter Tatchell
this is an utter disgrace if laws like this were introduced about any ethnic group living in england there would be mass riots in the streets this behaviour from the anglican religion is unacceptable so i say we write letters asking for the anglican minsisters supporting this bill be struck from the clergy
Thats absolutely disgusting. Can't the address be found on google? if that doesnt work try dogpile.com
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Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
good news and a big thanks to desmond tutu a true christian 19th January 2007 17:12 Tony Grew
Legendary anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu has urged his fellow Anglicans to focus on the problems facing Africa and stop obsessing over gay issues.
Dr Tutu told a conference in Nairobi that the God he worships does not consider the position of homosexual clergy to be more important that AIDS.
The former Archbishop of Cape Town is attending the World Social Forum in Kenya.
After decades of eloquent resistance to the apartheid system in South Africa, Tutu led the newly democratic nation's Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
"I am deeply disturbed that in the face of some of the most horrendous problems facing Africa, we concentrate on 'what do I do in bed with whom,'" he told a news conference in Nairobi.
The Anglican church in South Africa is the only one on the continent that has a liberal attitude towards women priests.
Most African churches are implacably opposed to gay or lesbian clergy and regard homosexuality as biblically forbidden.
Dr Tutu, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, told journalists that gay hate was the same as racism.
"For one to penalise someone for their sexual orientation is the same as penalising someone for something they can do nothing about, like ethnicity or race.
"I cannot imagine persecuting a minority group which is already being persecuted."
His comments come in the week that is has been reported that Nigeria, the continents most populous state, is set to pass new laws prohibiting almost any public demonstration of
Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
