Post by Travis Ferland
Malawi’s new president, Joyce Banda, has said that she will push for the repeal of her country’s anti-homosexuality laws. Of course this depends on her ability to secure popular support in parliament. Even if these laws are repealed, will public animosity towards gays and lesbians change? Will protective laws be created in their place? Will life be any different for Malawi’s sexual minorities?
Last month the writer Chinua Achebe declined the Nigerian government’s attempt to name him a Commander of the Federal Republic. He had rejected the same award in 2004. Achebe’s main objection then was widespread state corruption. He noted that “the reasons for rejecting the offer [of the award] when it was first made [in 2004] have not been addressed let alone solved. It is inappropriate to offer it again to me.” Achebe could not have planned the next move of some key members of Nigeria’s political class. Fresh from that rejection, the members of Nigeria’s Senate decided to pass a new Prohibition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill which advocates jail time–up to 14 years–for same-sex couples who decide to marry or live together. The BBC reports that “…those ‘witnessing’ or ‘abetting’ such relationships would also face custodial sentences, and groups that advocate for gay and lesbian rights could also be penalized … Before it becomes law, the bill must be passed by the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, and then signed by the president.”
The bill could not come at a worse time for gays in Nigeria, already subjected to harassment, hate crimes and death. (See also this video we posted earlier.) Activists point out that they have never agitated for gay marriage on Nigeria’s law books.
Though Western media used to be egregious with their gay stereotypes, they’ve gotten better over time. Though there are slippages. Here‘s an example. Anyway, gross stereotypes about gay people are generally not acceptable on the airwaves, on TV or in print anymore over here. So what about African media? Let’s take Nigeria. One of my students, Travis Ferland (he’s contributed to AIAC before), interviewed the Nigerian activist Ifeanyi Orazulike earlier this week in New York City about this subject. Video above.
This weekend the BBC World Service (on satellite TV and its radio service) will broadcast an edited version of a debate on gay rights in Africa. The debate was taped in Johannesburg, South Africa.” The key focus of the debate was: ” Is Homosexuality Un-African?” We know the answer to that question: No it is not.
The pre-publicity for the debate suggests the host and panelists would tackle more useful questions:
Before we close out the year we have to give a nod to the Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) in Malawi, has won the 2010 AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) HIV, TB and Human Rights Award. ARASA is a partnership of over 50 civil society organisations working together to promote a human rights based response to HIV and TB in the SADC region. In 2010, CEDEP was instrumental in successfully mobilising international and regional support for the release of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, arrested in Malawi on December 28 2009, on charges of “gross indecency and unnatural acts” after they engaged in a same-sex civil union. They were sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour, but received a Presidential pardon following pressure from regional and international bodies. CEDEP winning this award is also especially relevant in the current climate of increasing anti homosexuality in the region. Just in the last few weeks news of a wave of anti homosexuality has once again hit the region with countries moving with co-ordinated purpose to eliminate the rights of sexual minority groups. At the United Nations, African and Arab nations succeeded in deleting three words from a resolution that would have included gays in a denunciation of arbitrary killings. Surprisingly, South Africa also supported the removal of these words from the draft resolution – given that South Africa’s Constitution–as an exception in Southern Africa–protects the rights of sexual minorities.–Brett Davidson.
