Ethiopia Leaders Call for Together Anti-Gay Legislations
Ethiopian government officials, religious leaders and civil representatives have declared their opposition to LGBT rights and condemned homosexuality as a western epidemic during an anti-gay conference
A national conference entitled ‘Homosexuality and its associated social disastrous consequences’ on Saturday (9 June) was held in the newly built African Union headquarters, in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
The conference was organised by Dr Seyoum Antonius, president of United for Life, a non-governmental organization which describes itself as Christian, pro-life and backing the sanctity of marriage.
Over 2,000 participants attended the conference, including the main religious leaders of Ethiopia, government officials, members of the Ethiopian Parliament, leaders of political parties, youth organizations and representatives from other civil societies.
During the conference an Ethiopian government spokesman, who GSN has not been able to identify, stated: ‘Recently, the US President Barak Obama, British Prime Minster David Cameron and other western leaders are trying to establish ties between aid and the rights of homosexuals, but this will never happen in Ethiopia.
‘We don’t want their aid as long as it is related to homosexuality, I assure you that Ethiopia has no room for homosexuality and our country will be the graveyard of homosexuality.’
Abune Paulos, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church said: ‘Ethiopians do not need their identity to be dictated for them from outside no matter how wealthy or powerful the forces applying the pressure were.’
He also read a statement of an interfaith grouping of Ethiopia’s religious leaders condemning homosexuality as an unnatural and calling on international bodies to stop attempting to ‘subvert’ Ethiopian traditions.
The statement called upon the Ethiopian government to punish ‘those who are found infested with sodomite activities’ and called for raising awareness how to protect society from this ‘infestation’.
Dr Seyoum Antonius presented findings of his ‘study’ that ‘proved’ that homosexuality is a result of inappropriate upbringing and leads to STDs, HIV and ‘severe psychological disorders’.
This directly contradicts the view of professional medical and psychological bodies around the world, including the World Health Organization.
The conference also heard a ‘witness’ account of a young Ethiopian man who was forcefully raped at the age of six and consequently ‘infected with the homosexual disease for 20 years’ and is also living with AIDS. The man claimed that he has been ‘cured from homosexuality’ and is now a ‘changed man’.
Activist ‘Selam’ from EthioLGBT.com, a support site for LGBT Ethiopians stated: ‘Tollowing this conference, the atmosphere is becoming more hostile and tough to the LGBT community in Ethiopia.’
Under Ethiopian law, homosexual activity is punishable by up to five years imprisonment.
Author: Dan Littauer, source Pink News
Kenya – VP Silent on MP’s Question over Gays and Lesbians
Mike Sonko, known for his flashy dressing and jewelry angered Parliament this year when he referred to the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga as ‘Waziri Mkuu ni shoga yangu kutoka kitambo’ (the PM is my gay from long ago) leading to supporters of the PM to call for a retraction and an apology from him.
‘Shoga’ is a derogatory term for homosexuals.
Sonko has also dared to undress infront of Parliament and expose his genitals to ‘show the wounds he suffered’ after he claimed police offices roughed him up. He was debating with the then late Minister for Internal Security, Prof George Saitoti.
LGBT critic and Identity Kenya magazine columnist, Queer Watchtower argues that Sonko’s question to the VP cannot be answered.
‘Number of gays, lesbians cannot be estimated or calculated that easily since the community is still silent and in hiding. Kenya, as you may be aware is not as welcoming to gays,’ he said in a telephone interview with Identity Kenya.
He points out that Sonko’s question showed the ‘visibility’ that the community now enjoys. He also chides the MP how he knows who is gay or lesbian.
‘For him to question why there is an increase, we have to question him how he knows who is gay or who is lesbian. Does he know something we do not? Its not like people go around with stickers on their head written gay!’
Watchtower, however, dismissed the legislator as a ‘attentionista’ claiming his recent remarks that ‘Makadara will not accept gays’ as inflammatory.
He points out that Sonko is on record as having opposed the election of Mombasa governor aspirant Suleiman Shahbal saying ‘that Shahbal should not be voted in as governor since he supports behaviour (homosexuality) that is contrary to societal ethics.’
For the full article of Denis Nzioka please refer to:
High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay talking about LGBT equal rights.
After some fearing statements of some “leaders” in Africa requiring changes in the constitution and removing antidiscrimination rights for LGBT people, here is the encouraging 2 minutes video of High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who in contrary requires more equal rights for LGBT community wordwide.
High Comissioner for Human Rights on equal rights for LGBT community
FEW Media release
Our partner organization FEW released following media statement :
LGBTI community standing up against oppressive patriarchal leaders!
As the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex ( LGBTI) community we are enraged that traditional leaders are making such careless statements. It is such a betrayal when a body that is supposed to protect the rights of people turns around and proposes an amendment of those very rights to exclude people from the constitution. We have a constitution to protect the rights of everyone, not just those of the majority.
Nkosi Patekile Holomisa claims that “the majority of South Africa is against the promotion and protection of these things” we have a constitution precisely to do that, even though the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex community (LGBTI) is the minority, but they are human first and foremost and by virtue of being human they are entitled to human rights and equal protection of the law, there are no exceptions.
What the National House of Traditional Leaders is doing is very dangerous, as Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW) we do not know if they realise that this constitutes a hate speech. They are inciting violence towards the LGBTI community. They are leaders, what they say no matter how irrational, will be taken as an order to take action by some people.
Hate crimes against the LGBTI community are on the rise in South Africa, and we have leaders who claim that homosexuality is a condition, an ailment that has to be remedied. We seem to be regressing rather than progressing, if we have leaders who think they way that the National House of Traditional Leaders thinks. To remove a certain group of people from the constitution would be a dangerous slippery slope, whose rights are going to be taken next? Taking away sexual orientation would affirm that it is alright to kill, rape, torture others based on sexual orientation. What would follow next would be criminalization of it.
We demand that the National House of Traditional Leaders apologises to the LGBTI community and take back what they said, because it is an infringement of people’s rights. Our bill of rights in section 16(2) says even though we have the freedom of expression, but “ freedom of expression does not extend to (b) incitement of imminent violence, (c) Advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm.
The language that Kgosi Thobejane used (on radio 702 at 10: am on May 7th 2012 with Redi Tlhabi that can be found on podcast,) was carefully selected to incite action, words such as “unnatural, condition, not normal, we cannot allow it, who will account for this to the next generation”? What we would like to know is if they are going to account to this generation for all the homophobic attacks that will result from his speech? They clearly incite people to want to act and fix whatever condition he is talking about.
As for Nkosi Patekile Holomisa to claim that “people are homosexuals because they skipped a ritual, when the right rituals are conducted they are cured”, shows how clueless he is. We fail to see how same sex marriages infringe on anyone’s rights whereas what they are proposing is a clear infringement on people’s rights. This clearly undermines people’s dignity.
I guess marrying a hundred straight wives gets old after a while, so they have to tap into the homosexual community as well. What is the National House of Traditional Leaders doing to fix the alarmingly high divorce rates, now they want to pick on people who love each other enough to want to stay together and be a family, Thobejane is worried about homosexuals adopting children, what have they done to fix these high rates of orphaned children? As traditional leaders they need to stick to things they know a thing or two about, and leave the homosexual community alone, because obviously they know nothing about homosexuality.
For more information please contact the following:
Director /Programmes Coordinator
Zoleka Luswazi /Phindi Malaza
T: 011 403 1906/7
F: 011 403 1035
EMAIL: director@few.org.za; phindim@few.org.za ,
www.few.org.za
Traductor – new corporate sponsor of CALBiA
CALBiA welcomes Traductor – the professional translation services company from Switzerland. Traductor is known for its great engagements for equal rights and especially LGBT diversity. www.traductor.ch
So that Italian and French aren’t all Greek to you
If you remember your Latin, you’ll know what Traductor does. The name says it all: Traductor translates. But only into the languages we’ve grown up with: Italian and French. We’ve a particular flair for them. Which means we don’t just translate your texts, we adapt them to the culture of the language region you’re targeting. Because slogans or headlines that play with words can’t be translated literally. If you even try to do so, you’re already on the wrong tack (which is definitely not “le faux clou” in French). Rigid one-to-one translation deprives a text of its wit.
CALBiA Workshops in Townships
CALBiA Marketing Leader, Nosi Morumo is driving introductory workshops in townships. The workshops are good frequented and provide an insight in CALBiA’s steps to be followed in order to get the support. Future entrepreneurs learn there what are the objectives, how to build the professional business plan and what are other criteria to become a CALBiA applicant.
For next workshops dates please refer to facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/CALBiA
Workshop in Kagiso
Workshop in Bekkerdal
Workshop in Mohlakeng
REPLIKA – a new partner of CALBiA
We are happy to introduce REPLIKA LGBT Magazin – a new corporate partner of CALBiA.
‘Replika’ is a free bi-monthly magazine available in the approx. 60 LGBT-friendly clubs in 16 greatest Polish cities. Our mission is to raise awareness on human rights – particularly, equality and non-discrimination of LGBT community.
1.We monitor the progress on the LGBT rights in Poland.
2.We publish articles on LGBT rights in various countries.
3.We re-discover the LGBT history.
4.We publish interviews with public personalities who are not afraid of speaking openly about their own sexuality or supporting the LGBT rights.
5.In every issue we devote at least one article to the transgender issues
6.We support the development of LGBT-friendly businesses and the development of LGBT-friendly policies.
7.We publish reviews of books, films and theatre plays with LGBT motives
8.We support the development of the Polish LGBT community by covering all the main LGBT-related events (Gay Prides etc.)
9.We raise HIV awareness.
CALBiA Foundation in 2012
The beginning of the new year is a good time to think about past achievements and look forward how to improve activities further.
In June 2011 we registered CALBiA Foundation as a charity organization and thanks to our partner FEW received first applications for support. The following 6 months were very busy as we have to establish working structure, define processes, to find sponsors while at the same time we were working on 10 projects helping young entrepreneurs to become financially independent.
In September 2011 CALBiA participated in the 1st African LGBT Business & Human Rights Forum. An event which was initiated by the Founder of CALBiA and organized with our support. Junie and Seja, the owners of Green Tart Designs company established with help of CALBiA, presented their story in context of foundation. We have received an amazing feedback from NGO activists and differenet businesses. CALBiA approach was much discussed and concluded as the right way to integrate LGBT within society. It gave us much motivation to continue our work according to the CALBiA’s innovative concept of ‘’help for help’’.
During the first 6 months we signed partnership agreements with a number of NGO’s which support our efforts for advancement of LGBT rights in Africa. The Joburg pride, which took place on the next day after the Forum, was a perfect occasion to present CALBiA foundation to the broad LGBT community. While in 2011 our focus was on South Africa and majority of application received were from this country, in 2012 we are planning to expand our activities across African continent. We received many requests and suggestions that CALBiA should develop business ideas and help the whole LGBT community. After discussions we decided that the main focus of our support will be still on black lesbian women and transgender people while we will be open to accept the applications from all other members of the community who will address the need for help to us.
I thank all CALBiA members, activists, partners, supporters and donors who contributed to our success in 2011. We look forward to work with all of you for even more successful year 2012 !
Andreas Citak
Founder & Executive Director
CALBiA Foundation
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2012
CALBiA Foundation wishes a wonderful Christmas time and a very
successful and happy New Year all our members, partners,
donors and applicants !
‘Historic’ UN Report on LGBT Human Rights
AllOut.Org Applauds OHCHR and South African Government for Leadership on Historic UN Report Documenting LGBT Human Rights Violations Worldwide
AllOut.org and African Human Rights Activists Declare: ‘Equality Under the Law is a Universal Human Right’
New York, NY — The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today released the first-ever U.N. report documenting discriminatory laws, practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. The report gives a sweeping panorama of the status of LGBT rights around the world, and includes an ambitious set of recommendations for U.N. member states to implement.
Download the full report
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/19session/A.HRC.19.41_English.pdf
UNHRC Contact: Charles Radcliffe, Chief, Global Issues Section
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
radcliffe@un.org Tel: +1 212 963 4953
“Today the United Nations has sent a powerful message to member states around the world, echoing what Hillary Clinton said last week: Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights,” said AllOut.org co-founder Andre Banks. “This groundbreaking report adds major momentum to the work that LGBT equality advocates are doing worldwide. We applaud the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the South African government in particular, for their courage and commitment to this historic civil and human rights struggle.”
African human rights and LGBT rights advocates who work closely with AllOut.org responded to the historic report:
Alice N’Kom, Attorney and founder of the Association for the Defense of LGBT Rights in Cameroon (ADEFHO), said: “I am so proud that this breakthrough was initiated by an African country, and that South Africa is standing up for human rights. Not only were they leaders at the United Nations in pushing for the passage of this historic resolution on LGBT rights, they are also setting an example for all African countries and sending a simple message : homophobia is not an African value.”
Ifeanyi Orazulike, public health advocate and director of the International Center for Advocacy on Right to Health (ICARH) in Abuja, Nigeria, said: “This report highlights how the majority of our countries still cling to penal codes written under colonial rule – laws that make the lives and loving relationship of LGBT people illegal. And these laws and the prejudicial attitudes that keep them in place don’t just punish LGBT Africans – they make our societies sicker – by undercutting our urgent work to battle the HIV / AIDS pandemic on the continent.”
The report, titled Discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, affirms in unambiguous language that across the world:
“People experience violence and discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In many cases, even the perception of homosexuality or transgender identity puts people at risk. Violations include – but are not limited to – killings, rape and physical attacks, torture, arbitrary detention, the denial of rights to assembly, expression and information, and discrimination in employment, health and education. United Nations mechanisms, including human rights treaty bodies and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, have documented such violations for close to two decades.”
The report makes a number of recommendations, among them that UN member States:
- Investigate promptly all reported killings and other serious incidents of violence perpetrated against individuals because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Ensure that no one fleeing persecution on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity is returned to a territory where his or her life or freedom would be threatened
- Repeal laws used to criminalize individuals on grounds of homosexuality for engaging in consensual same-sex sexual conduct, and harmonize the age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual conduct
The United Nations commitment to spurring a robust global dialogue on this critical issue is yet one more sign that the movement for LGBT equality is global, and that it’s time has come.
AllOut.org is a global campaign organization of over 800,000 people from 190 countries around the world dedicated to LGBT equality. A movement working online and on the ground to build a world in which everyone can live freely and be embraced for who they are, All Out is adding global people power to the historic fight for LGBT equality. Find out more at: www.allout.org/about
Joseph Huff-Hannon | www.allout.org
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