Image via WikipediaUPDATE: A report says that the party goers were in fact charged with disorderly conduct and the charges was later dropped.
LGBT activists in Sierra Leone report that a gay, bisexual and transgender party in the capital, Freetown, was attacked by homophobes 9 July - and the party-goers arrested.
George Reginald Freeman, West Africa Regional Coordinator, WhyCantWeGetMarried.Com said:
"The party was interactive, full of fun and laughter. We were on the transgender fashion parade when we heard noise outside. So we went outside to find out what went wrong. When we went out we were told that two gay men were caught having sex in an unfinished house in the bush. The two gay men who left the party to have sex outside ran back into the party which led to homophobic and trans-phobic attack."Freeman and Hudson Tucker of Dignity Association, another LGBTI organizations in Sierra Leone, went to the Kissy Police station the next day to bail and release the men. They were told that the men were detained on charges of immorality, fornication, adultery, public nuisance and 'indecent act against the order of nature'.
"The community people started pelting stones and bottles at the party house. We all ran into the party house and closed the gate and administered first aid treatment to the injured victims. The situation became worst that we called the police for protection who later on came. When the police came to the scene the community people told them that we were having a gay initiation party and they started using homophobic and trans-phobic statements such as “gay people should be killed as they do not deserve the right to live as they are evil and demonic people”."
"The police ordered us to open the gate, hoping that they will protect us; when we opened the gate the police men started assaulting and aggressively arresting and throw us gay, bisexual and trans young people into the police truck. During the process some gay, bisexual and transgender people escaped."
"The community people harassed and beat us and took all our personal belongings such as (phones, clothes, money, cameras, chains, necklaces and other jewelries). The police men arrested and detained eight young gay men at the Kissy Police station, Eastern Part of Freetown until the next day for them to give statements."
Freeman condemned the "discrimination and hate crimes against LGBTI people".
"We cannot stop being LGBTQ people to please other people. The way we choose to express our sexual orientation, gender identity and expression; the way we choose to look and conduct ourselves; the people we choose to love and be with, these are our rights. Self expression, freedom of association, dignity and safety, peaceful gathering and demonstration these are our rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Yogyarkarta Principles and the Constitution of Sierra Leone. We claim these rights as citizens of Sierra Leone. We demand that our rights should be respected and recognized in the society."Male same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Sierra Leone with punishment including the possibility of life imprisonment
According to the US State Department 2010 Human Rights Report, the law is not enforced "due to the secrecy surrounding homosexual conduct and the tendency for communities to discriminate against individuals rather than to enforce legal codes."
LGBT groups "had to remain underground and hidden for fear of discrimination or violence against their members."
"There were unofficial reports of beatings by police and others, particularly targeting men dressed as women, but formal complaints were not filed due to fear of reprisal. Lesbian girls and women were also victims of 'planned rapes' that were initiated by family members in an effort to change their sexual orientation."
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Gay and Lesbians have the rights also. The rise in homosexuality, Lesbianism and bisexualism may seem to many a new way to express erotic Love. These sexual practices are not new. People who practice such sexual acts are now coming out because of the erosion of societal taboos, globalization and the freedom to do what one`s likes as long as it does not affect others. Because of medical improvements, transgender practices are now more frequent.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble about these forms of sexual practices is that it is frowned upon by most members of society on the grounds that it is unnatural, kinky on an outrageous way to express sexual acts. The reaction of people o these who carry out such sexual acts is sometimes disastrous.
We all have our likes and dislikes. Going to great lengths in expressing our individual likes and dislikes in uncalled forgone should not forget that it takes all sorts to make the world, a reason why all should not be expected to behave or do things the same way.
The discrimination, stigma, harassment and attacks of gays, lesbians and bisexual are sometimes unbearable. What two or more consenting adults decide to do in private should not be the business of anybody. The freedom we want for ourselves should be the freedom that we should want for others, homosexuals and lesbians not excepted. The media, religious bodies some civil socitie, associations and organizations sometimes condemn same sex relationship and marriages. News of killing and molesting of Gays and lesbians is rampants.The head of the Gays organizations Pride Equality a friend me In Sierra Leone Mr. George Reginald Freeman a Sierra Leone activist escapes broken glass murder attempt.
When will people wake up to the call of gay and lesbians rights to activist? As long as what gays, Lesbians and bisexuals practice do not affects us, we should let the be.