Nigeria: Anti-Gay Bill Threatens Democratic Reforms

publicpolitics — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 02:51:22 +0000

Nigeria’s recent history is one of bitter sectarian violence, and
the whole concept of civil order is in peril. This country badly needs
a scapegoat, and from the looks of a new law now on the fast track in
the Nigerian legislature, Nigeria is about to make itself one:

The bill is entitled the “Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act.”
In its last published version, it would impose a five-year prison
sentence on anyone who “goes through the ceremony of marriage with a
person of the same sex.” Anyone, including a priest or cleric, who
“performs, witnesses, aids or abets the ceremony of same sex marriage,”
would face the same sentence. It goes beyond that, however, to punish
any positive representation of or advocacy for the rights of lesbian
and gay people. Anyone “involved in the registration of gay clubs,
societies and organizations, sustenance, procession or meetings,
publicity and public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or
indirectly in public and in private,” would be subject to the same
sentence.

Source: hrw.org

Human Rights Watch is one among many groups concerned not only about
the draconian content of the law. but about the way the Nigerian
legislature handled it. First, a broad coalition was told that they
could not address the legislature. The advocates did speak in the end,
but to no avail. The bill moved through the legislature without further
public debate.

This pogram against sexual variation and its advocates will no doubt
focus on gay Nigerians as vectors of AIDS/HIV.The representative of the
Anglican church in Nigeria, Archbishop Peter Akinola, firmly supports
the president’s belief that “such a tendency is un-Biblical, unnatural, and definitely un- African.”

When the government rolled out the initiative in early 2006,
Information Minister Frank Nweke cryptically said that the legislation
was a necessary “pre-emptive step” because of “developments elsewhere
in the world.”

Relevant Link:Letter to Nigerian Senators Regarding Bill to Criminalize Gay Rights”. Feb 28th,2007

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Nigeria: Anti-Gay Bill Threatens Democratic Reforms

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