Gay Tanzanian activist meets British asylum system: Is losing

Eddy Cosmas (centre) at NUS LGBT conference

By Paul Canning

An African gay activist, Edson 'Eddy' Cosmas, has had his first appeal for UK asylum turned down by a judge in a hearing 26 May at Harmondsworth detention centre, where he is being held.

Judge S. Chana accepted the UK Border Agency (UKBA)'s argument that Eddy's story was not 'credible' and that he has no reason to fear persecution in Tanzania even if he was gay, which he isn't.

A lawyer for Eddy, who had only been instructed for the case the previous night, asked for the case to be removed from the 'fast track process' so a psychological and physical assessment (to establish whether he had been tortured) could take place. This was refused, in part because the judge accepted UKBA's evidence on the absence of persecution of homosexuality in Tanzania and "I took the view that I would not be assisted by the additional reports." A reason that Eddy was not credible and she rejected the appeal was because the judge thought a Tanzanian homosexual should know more about developments on homosexuality in Tanzania.

In other words, her argument was: 'if you are a gay activist, as you say you are, you are not a very good one.'

Last week, we examined the problems with the initial decision on Eddy's case which has led UKBA to place him in 'fast-track' (which leaves him with vastly reduced time to make his case). In particular we pointed to how evidence on Tanzania had been found by UKBA to back their argument that gays are not persecuted there, contrary to guidance, and how various aspects taken to undermine Eddy's credibility were in fact based on, at best, cultural misreadings or misunderstandings or, at worst, willful ignorance.

Most pointedly, the UKBA initial decision maker, found the evidence Eddy gave about how gay men meet each other in Tanzania 'not credible'. So did the judge, saying: "I found these answers to be vague and unimpressive in demonstrating a knowledge and experience of how gay men in Tanzania find gay partners for one night stands [sic]. I would have expected a person with genuine experience to have given more detailed and coherent answers." Like UKBA, the judge believe they could not be persecution in Tanzania if two LGBT organisations and an underground gay scene on the island of Zanzibar exists. The judge said that Eddy "would be expected to know more" about Zanzibar, or more than that the Tanzanian government is 'against homosexuality', because Eddy has had 'one night stands' (the judge's pejorative phrase, and my emphasis).

The judge then makes much of a lack of prosecutions for homosexual offences reported in human rights reports (such as that of the State Dept.). She said that the Nigerian gay activist Rev. Jide Macauley, who was giving evidence, said that the "only risk for homosexuals is from Tanzanian society and not from the government." This is contrasted by her with Eddy saying that he had read of people being convicted and sentenced in Tanzanian newspapers.

Read more »

The tortured Ugandan lesbian the UK wants to send back

Image by practicalowl via Flickr

Source: The Guardian

By Diane Taylor

A Ugandan woman who was branded with a hot iron in her home country as a punishment for her sexuality, is facing forced removal from the UK.

Last week, the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, said that the coalition had ended the practice of deporting people to countries where they face persecution because of their sexual orientation.

But Betty Tibikawa, 22, who is detained in Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre in Bedford, is awaiting removal directions after her asylum claim was refused.

Human rights organisations have consistently documented abuses against gay men and lesbians in Uganda and say that it's one of the most dangerous countries in the world for gay people.

Tibikawa had just finished high school and was due to go to university in Kampala when she was attacked by three men who taunted her about her sexuality. They pinned her down in a disused building and branded her on her inner thighs with a hot iron. They left her unconscious and when she finally managed to get home she was confined to bed for two months. An independent medical report has confirmed that her scars are consistent with being branded with a hot iron.

"I can't sleep and I'm having terrible nightmares about what will happen to me if I'm sent back to Uganda. My family have disowned me because I'm a lesbian and I'm convinced I'd be killed if I'm sent home. 

"I was 'outed' in a Ugandan magazine called Red Pepper in February of this year saying that I'm wanted for being a lesbian," she said. "This has put my life at increased risk."

Another Ugandan lesbian, BN, was due to be removed from the UK in January but her removal was halted following intervention by her lawyers. Her case is due to be heard in the court of appeal in July.

David Kato, a gay Ugandan activist, was murdered earlier this year. Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda. An anti-homosexuality bill calling for more punitive measures against gay people was due to be voted on by the Ugandan parliament last week but was not discussed. It could be brought before parliament again later in the year.

Emma Ginn, co-ordinator of Medical Justice, said:

"Despite compelling medical evidence, the UK Border Agency disbelieves Ms Tibikawa's story. UKBA do not dispute that Ms Tibikawa has scars caused by a hot flat iron, but conclude that she did not suffer any ill-treatment in Uganda. We condemn the fact that they intend to deport Ms Tibakawa to a country where being gay is illegal and puts your life at risk."

Human Rights Watch spokeswoman Gauri van Gulik said:

"Our research has shown that many cases of women like Betty are not taken seriously by the UK Border Agency. Unfortunately women who suffer this kind of violence have serious difficulty claiming asylum."

A UK Border Agency spokesperson said:

"The government has made it clear that it is committed to stopping the removal of asylum seekers who have genuinely had to leave particular countries because of their sexual orientation or gender identification.
"However, when someone is found not to have a genuine claim we expect them to leave voluntarily."

A 34-year-old gay man from Uganda was due to be removed from the UK on 17 May. UKBA did not confirm whether or not the removal went ahead.

Related articles

• In UK, gay and lesbian Ugandan refugees tell their story (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
• How one gay Tanzanian's asylum rejection shows the UK system's unfairness (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
• In UK, torture survivors "left to rot" in detention (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
• Gay asylum claims not being counted despite pledge, admit ministers (guardian.co.uk)
• Has the UK government met its promise on LGBT asylum? We don't know (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

In Africa, will massive US HIV/Aids funding start trickling to gay/MSM groups?

By Paul Canning

Revised guidance on HIV/Aids prevention from the US government have been welcomed by agencies - but changes will face strong anti-gay resistance.

The Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) has released new guidance for the massive US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a US$48 billion dollar programme started by George Bush.

The programme has come in for criticism for providing millions to church-run organisations promoting the  unscientific prevention strategy of abstinence alongside providing no funding for programmes which address the needs of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM). In Uganda alone US$285 million was spent in 2009 on abstinence. PEPFAR has also had to operate under a Congressionally mandated pledge which prevents funding from going to organizations that assist sex workers.

The new guidance document shows strong leadership, said The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF), in recognizing that human rights, legal barriers and homophobia must be addressed as part of an effective HIV response.

MSM in the global south are, on average, 19 times more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population, with infection rates among MSM now surpassing 30% in countries like Jamaica and Thailand. More than half of MSM around the world are without access to life-saving services like HIV education, testing and treatment. MSM programmes, such as those who are members of African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR) are generally funded by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria or other countries. However USAid is a funder for a new mobile phone service for MSM which has just been launched in South Africa.

Although MSM are considered by the National AIDS Control Councils or Commissions of such countries as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe to be a "most at-risk population", because homosexual acts are illegal, there are no policies or services targeting HIV interventions towards them. In some countries, provision of services have been specifically ruled out by governments, whereas in others they are quietly supported as part of national HIV/Aids programmes.

MSMGF say that while the OGAC document is quite clear on its recommendations for essential interventions, the guidance leaves vague a number of elements that are crucial to the document’s success and is lacking in clear recommendations.

“If PEPFAR is serious about addressing barriers like stigma and criminalization, a clear set of steps must be offered for Country Missions to tackle these difficult challenges,” said Dr. George Ayala, MSMGF Executive Officer. “Any such strategy must include a plan to train front-line service providers and implementers about these issues.”

The document also focuses on “building the capacity” of local MSM organizations rather than explicitly recommending the use of PEPFAR funds to support them, it seems to give, say MSMGF, Country Missions the option to choose whether or not to initiate them and there is no way to hold them accountable and no plan to track MSM funding or program effectiveness.

"The United States government must make clear how it will ensure that MSM in PEPFAR countries get the services they need," say MSMGF.

"Many advocates around the world are concerned that a “quiet” release of the technical guidance sends the wrong message to country missions and implementers. With so much at stake, we cannot afford to leave implementation to chance. OGAC must issue a formal announcement to all PEPFAR stakeholders that this guidance has been released, and it must take clear and immediate steps to ensure that the guidance is implemented and resourced appropriately."

According to David Kuria, the spokesperson of the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), over 33% of all new infections in Kenya are attributable to under-served sub-populations including MSM and sex workers.

In recent times, he adds, further evidence has emerged that corroborates what the GALCK had been insisting for a long time - that effective HIV programming for these populations has additional positive impact on the general population.

MSM who seek ARVs (anti-retroviral drugs which keep people living with HIV/Aids alive), says Kuria, are constantly arrested, detained and as a consequence have their treatment interrupted. As well religious leaders have threatened what HIV/Aids services are provided to gay men.

Not only does this interruption effect the efficacy of their treatment but it also raises HIV drug resistant strains in the Kenyan society, says Kuria.

"Ignoring effective programming for these populations is an exercise in futility if the desired goal is a HIV free society. Moreover effective programming for these sub-populations increases the efficiency in the use of resources, because, a dollar spent on these population has flow-over effect to the general population," he said.

This point has begun to be made by respected African elders, such as former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda and former Botswana President Festus Mugae.

• MSMGF has released a Toolkit for MSM-Led HIV and AIDS Advocacy

Related articles

• Kenyan Government Responds to Condom Shortage (mask.org.za)
• Homophobia Drives Malian Msm Underground (mask.org.za)

Report: In Kenya, police abuse LGBT, church, politicians incite violence

Image via Wikipedia

Source: Daily Nation

By Lilian Onyango

A human rights report has accused the police of sexually assaulting homosexuals while in their custody.

The report has also pointed the finger at religious leaders and politicians for instigating violence against them by fuelling homophobia.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission launched the report dubbed “The Outlawed amongst Us — a study of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Community in Kenya”.

Mr Tom Kagwe, the commission’s senior programme officer said most state officials, especially the police, harass gay persons in remand by keeping them beyond the constitutional time limits.

The report indicated that the police, especially in Coast Province, “plant offences” such as being drunk and disorderly or prostitution on the group.

“Some police officers even demand sexual favours in exchange for release from custody,” Mr Kagwe said.

However, deputy police spokesman Charles Owino has challenged those whose rights were violated by the police to come forward so that culprits in the force are brought to book.

Mr Owino dismissed allegations that suspects are held for longer than 24 hours “without a good cause”.

“We have been known to take suspects to court and would like a particular case to come forward. We do not deal with rumours,” he said.

More than 400 respondents from all provinces were interviewed for the study, which ran from May to October last year and found that six out of 10 cases of sexual violence on gays were perpetrated by police in Nairobi and Coast provinces.

The report has excerpts from respondents who claimed attempts to report harassment by police were in vain “due to the reluctance of the police to investigate and prosecute their own”.

More than 300 respondents said they felt “unwanted and threatened” by religious groups. The report calls for the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

The document was launched to commemorate the International Day against Homophobia, marked every May 17.

The Outlawed Amongst Us

Related articles

• Audio: LGBTI rights and religion, a series from Indonesia, Uganda + Kenya (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

New memorial to gay holocaust victims in city that gave us the Nazis

Remnant of pink triangle on concentration camp uniform

Via: Süddeutsche Zeitung

By 2012, Munich should have a new memorial to homosexual victims of Nazism. It is a highly symbolic move as Munich was the site of the beginning of the Nazis terrible persecutions against homosexuals in 1934.

The memorial will form part of a new pedestrian development in the center of Munich and will be placed at the corner of Oberanger and Dultstrasse, outside what was the Scwharzfischer (The black fisherman), a famous gay bar in the 30s. On 20 October 1934, the Nazis conducted a major raid in the gay scene of Munich, including the Schwarzfischer. This was the beginning of Nazi persecution against homosexuals: it is estimated that more than fifty thousand people were eventually arrested and most were interned in concentration camps. Most of those who survived the war were kept in jails as homosexuality remained criminalised.

The project has broad political support: from both parties currently in power (red and green) and the opposition Christian Democrats. Richard Quaas, spokesman for the Christian Democrats said: "Until now, there was a consensus not to establish differentiation of victims on monuments or monuments. Other groups of victims of Nazism have no specific memorial in the public arena in Munich."

It is the brainchild of Thomas Niederbühl, a Councillor for the Rosa List Party, who is gay. He has been working on the idea since 2008. Niederbühl recalls how long was the struggle of gays and lesbians for recognition of the persecution they were subjected to under Nazism. The sinister paragraph 175 which criminalized homosexuality was in effect until 1969. In 1985, gays and lesbians had wanted to place a plaque in the camp at Dachau, but it was not until 10 years later, in 1995, that gays and lesbians have been recognized as a group of victims.

Related articles

• Holocaust Exhibit Details Nazi Persecution of Gays (bilerico.com)
• Last gay Holocaust survivor celebrated in book, documentary (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

The lives of LGBT Iraqis in Jordan

Source: An epilogue to a black orchid

The lives of many Arab LGBT individual symbolize human fragility, trapped in the hushed pleas for acceptance of diversity.  Admittedly, the Arab street is not homogeneous in its stance against sexual minorities; while Lebanon criminalizes homosexuality, Jordanian law leaves the issue mostly untouched -perhaps in denial, but hopefully, in protection of our community. Those who are unprotected by anti-discrimination laws do suffer; Queer individuals continue to be denied employment, housing, and education based on their sexual orientation and unorthodox gender-identity expressions.

In the lack of institutional protection, LGBT individuals in the Middle East do not only find themselves enfeebled by legal systems, but also stigmatized by their own societies. We have come across countless cases of queer individuals who are prosecuted -not by the government- but by the own local communities. Those who are LGBT and live in their home-countries fight their own battles, however, those who are queer and live as refugees suffer from what the American legal system refers to as “double jeopardy”; facing prosecution twice, once due to their refugee status, and once due to their LGBT identities.

Iraqi LGBT refugees, in particular, lead shattered lives in Jordan. I have visited many of them in prison cells that closely resemble dreary living rooms and one bedroom apartments. The agoraphobic lifestyles LGBT Iraqi refugees have been coerced into are a sign of an ingrained fear of the excessive homophobia we witness in Middle Eastern countries today. I have come to know one male-to-female transgender Iraqi refugee, who gathers the will every morning to live within her skin for one more day, swallowing the self-hate and fear of facing young homophobia lined on either side of the streets branching from her door step, armed with slurs, pebbles and whatever happens to be in their grasp; be it hot coffee, tomatoes or sandwiches. It takes unimaginable strength to endure the hit daily, and remind yourself that loving who you are is still worth it

The fear dominating the lives of LGBT Iraqis was not instilled here, Jordan merely maintained the fear. In fact, most LGBT Iraqis I have come in contact with seem to be suffering from post-traumatic stress caused by their experiences in post-war Iraq. Prior the US army invasion of Iraq, the Iraqi queer community enjoyed its LGBT-friendly bars, discos and chat rooms. There was a queer scene; in fact, a relatively open one. One LGBT Iraqi describes the clothing gay men used to wear as to “tight pants and colorful deep v-necks”, picked out with intention of labeling the owner’s sexuality. There were threats, however, posed by the tribal familial structure, which is committed to traditional Arab values and customs. Nonetheless, as long as LGBT individuals respected the dimensions of their closets, they seemed to keep safe.

Read more »

Video: trans woman murdered in Dominican Republic

Source: TRANSSA (Trans Siempre Amigas) (Via Google translate)

10 May a 27 year old trans woman, Leonel Carmona Adames (Naomi), was found battered to death in her house in Villa Altagracia, a town north of the capital of the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo.

The cause of death is unknown but the body was found in a pool of blood with a 5 gallon gas tank beside her head. Because of the state of the room it is presumed that a fight took place. A used condom was also found and a pornographic film was playing on the TV.

Hundreds of fellow sex workers showed up in tears and anger and demanded to see her body, which the authorities agreed to.

Related articles

• New map of murders of transgender people around the world (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

Report: ILGA: progress seen in LGBT rights in 2010

Source: ILGA

From the adoption of marriage laws in Argentina and Iceland, and the decision of the Brazilian Supreme Court recognizing rights of same-sex civil unions, to the issuing of a Statement signed by 85 countries at the UN Human Rights Council condemning persecution on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, a lot of progress has been made the last year on recognition of LGBTI rights in the world. Though the number of countries criminalizing same-sex sexual activities between consenting adults is still the same of last year, namely 76 (including the five which have the death penalty), it is becoming more and more difficult for homophobic states to defend their laws on the international stage.

This was one of the conclusions of ILGA’s (The International Lesbian, Gay, trans, Bisexual and Intersex Association) co-secretary generals Gloria Careaga and Renato Sabbadini in their foreword to the State Sponsored Homophobia report 2011, a tool for all activists, scholars and journalists to see and show others (together with its related map (PDF)) where the world stands on laws related to sexual orientation and gender identity (a more in depth report on state sponsored transphobia will be launched soon).

The report, edited by Eddie Bruce Jones, Lecturer in Law at Birkbeck College, and Lucas Paoli Itaborahy, MA candidate Human Rights at Roehampton University, with the help of professors Robert Wintemute (King's College, London) and Kees Waaldijk (University of Leiden), was launched 16 May, the eve of the International Day against Homophobia. The event took place at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London with a panel discussion featuring Wintemute, Sabbadini and lesbian activists and refugees Florence Kizza (Uganda) and Brenda Wade (Jamaica).

The panel commented on how the claim of homophobic states of ‘defending native traditions and culture against values imported from the west’ is losing ground, as more and more countries from the Global South (like, Rwanda, the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone and, the overwhelming majority of Latin American countries, and Asian countries like Nepal, Mongolia and Timor Leste) condemn persecution on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Also the knowledge of the colonial origin of most homophobic laws is reaching greater sections of the general public everywhere, they concluded.

According to attending lawyer Matthew Davies, partner of Wilson Solicitors LLP, one of the firms sponsoring the report and event:

“There has been much to concern us in the last 12 months but also much to be hopeful for. LGBT activists in Africa can look to the progress made in South America over recent years, and the potential that flows from the uprisings in the Middle East, to know that human dignity will ultimately triumph over repression". 

Wesley Gryk, senior partner of Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP, whose firm is also a sponsor, commented:

"The role which ILGA plays in monitoring the progress - and the setbacks - with respect to the institutionalized governmental homophobia is key to everyone who supports and works for the development of LGBTI rights. Changing governments and their institutions is often a necessary first step to changing the attitudes of the people these governments represent."

“The day is not far, when homophobia and transphobia will be considered everywhere as they should – with the same abhorrence currently reserved to sexism and racism, and no amount of self-serving rhetoric will prevent the wall of state-sponsored homophobia from crumbling”, add Careaga and Sabbadini in the foreword.

“We cannot but express gratitude and admiration for the courage of all those activists that risk their lives and security to build a better world, where all human rights are truly for all.”

ILGA State Sponsored Homophobia 2011

Video: Uganda 'Kill Gays' bill: Bahati vs Kasha

Voice of America: Straight Talk Africa: Question of the week: Is Uganda's Anti-Gay Bill a violation of human rights for homosexuals?

Uganda's controversial anti-homosexuality bill has been postponed. The speaker of the Parliament adjourned parliament last Friday saying there was not enough time to start debate on the bill. The bill calls for mandatory death sentences for some homosexual acts and has drawn condemnation from the United States and various human rights groups.

Guest host Mwamoyo Hamza and his guests take a closer look at the human rights issues surrounding the Anti-Gay Bill being considered in Uganda.

Guests:

Mwamoyo Hamza, VOA Guest Host
VOA Swahili Service Chief

Scott Edwards, Ph.D
Africa Advocacy Director
Amnesty International USA

David Bahati
Ugandan Member of Parliament - National Resistance Movement (NRM)
Via Phone: Ndorwa County West - Kabale District, Uganda

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera
Founder and Executive Director
Freedom and Roam Uganda
2011 Martin Ennals Human Rights Award Recipient
Via Skype: Kampala, Uganda

Related articles

• "Kill the Gays" Bill Author Vows To Push Bill In New Parliament (boxturtlebulletin.com)
• Will the gay Bill face tougher battles? (monitor.co.ug)
• Human Rights Activist Clinches Martin Ennals Award (mask.org.za)

In UK, do new immigration appeal fees cover asylum?

Image via Wikipedia

Source: Free Movement

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that fees will be charged for lodging appeals in the immigration tribunal from October 2011. There is no summary and the important details are spread out all over the place, meaning the document requires careful and close reading to comprehend. Frankly, it is not well written or set out, and there is at least one odd contradiction.

As ever at your service, I’ve saved you the bother:

• Fees to be set at £80 for paper hearings and £140 for oral hearings to begin with, but with increases likely, starting with the managed migration and settlement appeals
• No fees to be charged in the Upper Tribunal, although this may be revisited in future
• A discretionary power is to be given to Immigration Judges to award the cost of the appeal fee against UKBA:

The policy intention behind this is that costs would only be awarded, up to the level of the appeal fee, where the decision should clearly have been made in favour of the appellant in the first place on the information presented by the applicant at the time of the initial decision. We would not expect a cost award to be made in cases where an individual introduced new evidence at appeal or otherwise contributed to the need for an appeal by his/her actions.

• Costs orders against UKBA cannot be appealed to the UT but the UT will be able to revisit a costs order if an appeal reaches the UT on another basis
• Certain appellants will be exempt from paying the fees, including:

• Those in receipt of s.95 and s.98 1999 Act support
• Those in receipt of s.17 Children Act 1989 support from a local authority (but not unaccompanied children in receipt of s.20 support)
• Those who qualify for legal aid (not just those who receive it, it would seem)
• Decisions with regard to deportation, removal, revoking a person’s leave to remain, or deprivation of citizenship or right to abodE
• Humanitarian protection cases (but not asylum cases, very strangely – see further below)
• Detained Fast Track cases

• No refunds for out of time, invalid or withdrawn appeals

• Although fees will be payable in humanitarian protection and asylum cases unless one of the other exemptions applies, where the person does not do so the appeal will continue anyway. The statement at para 42 that fees will be be payable in HP cases contradicts the statement in para 32 that fees will not be payable in such cases.
• Where an appellant asks for a paper hearing but a judge directs that an oral hearing is necessary, there will be no additional charge for the oral hearing (para 50). Conversely, where an oral hearing has been requested and paid for but a judge decides the case can be disposed of in a paper hearing the appellant can apply for a refund (para 52).
• If legal aid is withdrawn for immigration cases then the exemptions policy will be re-examined

• It will no longer be possible to lodge appeals at entry clearance posts, they will have to be lodged with the tribunal directly (para 111)
• Fees will have to be paid by dependents, including children, even where the appeals are linked
• It will be possible for one person to pay for another person’s appeal fees, the fee will not need to be paid by the appellant personally
• The only means of making the fee payment will be by debit/credit card, bank or wire transfer and by on-line payment

It remains to be seen whether the fee must be paid before the appeal is considered lodged, which could cause appeals to be out of time where there is a problem with payment, or whether an appeal will be struck out at some later stage if it transpires that the fee has not been paid. The courts certainly require fees to be paid up front, so I imagine it will be that way around – but the courts have public facing offices where the payments can be made in person, unlike the tribunal.

This is a major change and will take some digesting. As with UKBA application fees, it would not be surprising if appeals fees increased very substantially once they have been introduced in principle. I would guess that fees awards against UKBA are most likely in entry clearance and some asylum cases, which can be shockingly awful decisions. UKBA will no doubt just increase application fees commensurately, but it does seem likely that certain entry clearance posts will have to start setting aside substantial sums for repayment of appeal fees.

Related articles

• In UK, asylum refusal with no right of appeal revisited (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
• Papers please! Officials roaming British streets in 'illegals' hunt (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

New map of murders of transgender people around the world

Source: TGEU

Trans Murder Monitoring launched an interactive map for IDAHOT 2011

The new interactive map for the first time visualises a great portion of the 604 reported murders of trans people that the TMM has documented since January 2008.

For each case, details regarding name, age, location, cause of death, circumstances of the killing and a follow-up are shown if available.

Please note that where there are multiple cases in one location (e.g. two killings in Rome), only one is shown due to technical restrictions.

In the first four and a half months of 2011, 55 reported murders of trans people have been registered

Sadly, from 1 January to 17 May 2011, the TMM already registered 55 murders in 19 countries, with the majority in Brazil (20); Mexico (5); and Argentina, Colombia, the Philippines and the USA (3). Further murders have been reported in Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Turkey and Venezuela. These are only preliminary results, and the numbers are likely to grow even larger during the course of the year. While often the actual circumstances of the killings remain obscure due to lacking investigation and reports, many of the cases documented involve an extreme extent of aggression, including torture and mutilation. Many cases are not investigated properly by the authorities.

The murder of the 21 year-old Jessica, in the Colombian city of Bogota, is among the most recent shocking cases

On 27 March, 2011, the travesti and sex worker Jessica was stabbed on the street and the perpetrator fled. Colleagues brought Jessica to the hospital, where she was however not provided immediate treatment. Her colleagues say Jessica died in hospital due to this failure.

Apart from Jessica, the ever-growing TMM archive has registered numerous cases in 49 different countries since 2008, most of which hardly received any public attention at all.

In total, the preliminary TMM results show more than 600 reports of murdered trans people in almost 50 countries since January 2008

The new update reveals that since January 2008, 2 homicides of trans people were reported in in Africa (2008: 1, 2009: 1), 50 in Asia (2008: 11, 2009: 14, 2010: 17, Jan.-May 2011: 8), 41 in Europe (2008: 11, 2009: 17, 2010: 9, Jan.-May 2011: 4), 465 Central and South America (2008: 92; 2009: 162; 2010: 171; Jan.-May 2011: 40), 42 in the USA (2008: 17, 2009: 14, 2010: 8, 2011: 3), and 4 in Oceania (2008: 3, 2009: 1).

These figures are composed of the following countries:

• Africa: Algeria (1) and South Africa (1)
• Asia: Azerbaijan (2), China (6), India (7), Indonesia (4), Iran (1), Iraq (3), Malaysia (6), Pakistan (8), Philippines (9), Republic of Korea (1), Singapore (1), and Thailand (2)
• Central and South America: Argentina (11), Bolivia (6) Brazil (247), Chile (2), Colombia (29), Costa Rica (3), Cuba (1), the Dominican Republic (9), Ecuador (9), El Salvador (6), Guatemala (29), Honduras (28), Jamaica (1), Mexico (32), Nicaragua (2), Paraguay (3), Peru (7), Puerto Rico (7), Uruguay (1), and Venezuela (32)
• Europe: Albania (1), Germany (2) Italy (13), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Russia (1), Spain (3), Serbia (1), Turkey (15), and UK (3)
• North America: USA (42)
• Oceania: Australia (1), Fiji (1), New Caledonia (1) and New Zealand (1)

Yet, we know, even these high numbers are only a fraction of the real figures; the truth is much worse. While in several Middle and South American countries forms of reporting and monitoring exist, in most African countries this is not the case, making it extremely difficult to gain knowledge of murdered trans people.

Video: Moscow Pride 2011 shut down, arrests, violence

By Paul Canning

The sixth Moscow gay pride has been closed down by the same methods the others were, by a combination of police, neo-nazis, orthodox religious fanatics and babooshkas - the latter group rumoured to have been bused in by police or Moscow city authorities. There was some violence.

Arrests of foreign activists Dan Choi, Andy Thayer and Louis-Georges Tin (source: loganmucha).



32 people in total were reportedly arrested, 18 were part of the gay march. Peter Tatchell tweeted:

Neo-Nazis identified me for attack. Police gave no protection. I had to escape down alleys to avoid bashing.

Nikolai Alekseev, pride organiser, avoided arrest and was hidden in a safe house. Dan Choi extensively tweted from the police station and he and the other two foreigners were released after a couple of hours, the Russians after them. A journalist for the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, Elena Kostyuchenko, was hospitalised after being attacked by a fascist.

Andy Harley at UKGayNews is liveblogging as well as Gay Belarus, and Queer.de.

Russian blog reaction is being tracked at politonline.ru.

No reports as of a few hours after the event of British or US embassy observers or statements.

Update, May 29: Still no reports of US or UK embassy statements. Peter Tatchell has accused Moscow police of collusion with Nazis. A petition has been started calling for a statement from Hillary Clinton.

Update, May 29: The State Department has issued a statement:

We note with concern that in Moscow on Saturday, May 28, a peaceable demonstration of Russians advocating for the rights of gays and lesbians, joined by international supporters, was forcefully disrupted by counter-protesters, and that Russian security forces then detained people from both groups, including American citizens. Some protestors were seriously injured according to media reports.

Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right all members of the OSCE committed to, including in the Moscow declaration and as recently as the Astana summit. As nationwide legislative elections approach, constraints on the ability of Russian citizens peacefully to gather and express their views will be closely watched in evaluating the integrity of the electoral process. We call on Russian authorities to work with municipal officials to find better ways to safeguard these fundamental freedoms.

An earlier video focused on the opposition, including showing one teenage woman giving a Nazi salute.

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Ugandan Moses Mworenko wins US asylum

Moses Mworenko

Source: Talk About Equality

We are thrilled to report that our friend, Kushaba Moses Mworenko – a gay Ugandan immigrant - has won his asylum to the United States.

We met Moses last summer when he marched with us as part of the Take Back Pride campaign in Washington, D.C.. Moses has had many twists and turns over the past two years in trying to win his right to live in America.

From Alison Gardner at Venus Plus X:

After many twists and turns since early 2010 that included a 6-month stint in San Francisco that resulted in Homeland Security terminating the case and forcing the Arlington, VA, asylum office to reverse its decision in favor of Moses. This was to take only 3 weeks from the judge’s order on January 1, 2011, and took nearly 5 months, but the day finally arrived this week. Moses thanks all of you for your support over the last 18 months that helped make this all possible.

Moses continues to work valiantly on behalf of the LGBT and HIV+ community in Uganda, and surely will be able to accomplish more now that his case has been settled. Moses’ continually updated Global Sexual Freedom Annotated Bibliography remains available to anyone who needs a quick education on the challenges we face to bring about equal rights for all sexual minorities, here and abroad. Moses is also helping Get Equal, VenusPlusX, and other organizations to expose members of congress aligned with groups such as “The Family” (active in 192 countries) who are fomenting hatred and erasure of LGBT and HIV+ plus people everywhere, at American taxpayers expense.

Many thanks to all those who helped expedite Moses’ case. We are very lucky to have someone like him fighting on our behalf – here and in Uganda.

Dan Massey & Allison Gardner are seeking donations of any size for Moses’ certification as a home health aid, something he can start right away so he can work while he seeks employment more appropriate to his education and experience. Please send your contribution, if you can, to Moses c/o Massey and Gardner, 1700 Kalorama Road NW #502, Washington, DC, 20009.

Congrats Moses!

Related articles

• Asylum in America: Kushaba Moses Mworeko's story (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

Paper: Advice for LGBT refugees in Scotland

The Scottish Refugee Council is the largest independent charity dedicated to providing advice and information to people seeking asylum and refugees living in Scotland.

They have published specialist advice to LGBT asylum seekers and refugees.

Advice for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) refugees in Scotland

Related articles

• In Scotland, major new LGBT asylum report (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
• In UK, asylum seekers forced to trek across country to lodge claims (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

Spanish activist says '6000 homosexuals escape from Africa' every year

Alfredo Pazmiño

By Paul Canning

Translation by G H

Alfredo Pazmiño, president of the LGBT group Triangulo Foundation in the Canary Islands, told a conference 23 May that homophobia causes the exodus of around 6000 Africans to Europe every year.

He was speaking  to the Diario de Las Palmas newspaper at the second LGBT Human Rights of the African continent conference at The University of Las Palmas (ULPGC).

Pazmiño, who also organised the conference, explained that:

"This is an unknown situation in which a high number of African students come to Europe, not as asylum seekers, as they would not be able to do the paperwork in their home countries, but applying for scholarships through organisations like Triangulo Foundation or the Human Rights Office once it is palpable that their lives are at risk."

Pazmino highlighted the fact that many of the youngsters make the most out of this opportunity and study degrees such as sciences, Politics, Law or Sociology.

“It is amazing the fact that although they are very scared, they usually end up going back to their home countries” 

He also explained the case of the Ugandan activist Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, recent winner of the prestigious Martin Ennals award and who attended the University's first conference last year, who was a victim of so called 'corrective rape' when she was six years old:

"Although Kasha Nabagesera was raped twelve times by the whole community including family and teachers, she thought that it was essential for her to leave her country and then return to it because otherwise these corrective rapes would never end. She thought that she had to bring change to her community. All the young people who are in this conference are prepared and educated to bring this change. They will talk and fight using the most effective weapon, their face, their smile and good deeds and actions."

The Canary Islands is a destination and home for thousands of African migrants and refugees and the University has hosted a number of conferences on the flow of migrants.

In the conference (inaugurated by the Dean of ULPGC Jose Regidor, the Director of Casa de Africa, Ricardo Martinez and the mayor of Las Palmas Jeronimo Saavedra) renowned activists and experts such as Tunisian activist and researcher Moujib Errahame Khaldi discussing building homophobia in the Maghribian (North African) media.

Activists presented on the experience of LGBT in Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Mozambique and Uganda. In Uganda, the conference heard, more than 20% of hate crimes are related to the sexual orientation of the victims and although we know about a couple like the case of David Kato, the majority of these cases are completely unknown to the media.

Regidor highlighted the fact that one of the main goals of the university is to fight for Human Rights:

"This conference looks for knowledge supporters so these people can start feeling that they are not alone in this fight to end with the jailing and the killing of people because of their sexual orientation."

Video: “Ahmadinejad! We’re right here!” LGBT Iranian asylum seekers march in Ankara

By Paul Canning

Turkish LGBT group Kaos GL reports that a group of Iranian LGBT asylum-seekers took part in the fourth March against Homophobia and Transphobia, held 22 May in Ankara. Amongst their slogans: "Ahmadinejad, we’re here!"; "Iranian queers will not keep silent anymore!"; and "Iranian queers, we’re altogether now!."

They are not allowed to live in Ankara so a shuttle bus was organised from the town of Kayseri to facilitate their participation in the March. It is the first time that LGBT Iranians have participated in a Turkish gay pride march.

The group also carried the old Iranian flag during the March attached to the rainbow flags.

Iranian LGBT on the Ankara march

Kaos GL organised another first 12 May, bringing together LGBT asylum seekers and relevant Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) at a Refugee Workshop jointly with Amnesty International Turkey.

The other participants of the Workshop included representatives of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, Human Rights Joint Platform, Positive Living Association, Multeci-Der (Refugees’ Association, Human Rights Association, Human Resource Development Foundation and Human Rights Agenda Association and Mazlum-Der (Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People) and Human Rights Research Association were also invited, yet did not participate in the workshop.

One asylum seeker told the workshop

"We cannot find a job and even if we do, we cannot get our fees. Access to healthcare is really difficult; we cannot get any medicine but they do give away the drugs once they’ve expired."

"Lack of a command of the language is a rather serious problem. We are alienated not only by the public, but also by other asylum-seekers. Trans-gender asylum-seekers are exposed to severe incidents of physical violence and harassment both at their workplaces and on the street."

"The conditions of the satellite towns we’ve been sent to are really poor. I cannot tell my real reason for asylum; I say it’s on political grounds. UNHCR does not accept bisexuals."

A report by Human Rights Watch published last December detailed the problems which Iranian LGBT asylum seekers face in Turkey.

Because of their resettlement in small, conservative cities like Kayseri, LGBT asylum seekers suffer discrimination and abuse at the hands of local townspeople, difficulties with Turkish government authorities including the Turkish police, and they also have problems with locally recruited and sometimes other UNHCR staff.

As a result of the workshop a report on whether Turkey's 'Draft Law on Foreigners and International Protection' provides sufficient guarantees for the rights of LGBT asylum-seekers - Turkey has removed 'sexual orientation' from the Draft Law.

As well as the workshop, Kaos GL held a pioneering conference last week, the 'Regional Network against Homophobia' initiative, with the participation of people from the Caucasus, the Middle East and the Balkans. Iranian LGBT also attended..

Related articles

• Iranian activists: evidence needed on bad treatment of refugees returned to Tehran (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
• Major new report documents situation of Iranian LGBT, in Iran and in exile (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

In Dubai, fear stalks gay relationships

Image via Wikipedia

Source: Gay Middle East

By Dan Littauer and Sami Al Ali

The UAE newspaper The National reported 25 May that a man was accused today, in Dubai, of tying up his colleague and roommate, then stabbing him in the neck after accusing him of spreading rumours that he’s gay.

The Egyptian AM, 27, denied the charge of attempting to kill his compatriot MA, 37, when he appeared before the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance.

According to records, the two worked at a glass installation company and on the day of the incident, in December 2010, they returned to their apartment in International City for a midday break.

MA told prosecutors that he took a one-hour nap in the bedroom, and when he woke, he saw AM sitting on the bed holding a rope. He said AM convinced him that he wanted to play a game that included tying him up. He testified that AM tied his hands and legs, and wrapped the rope around his body.

"When I told him that my hands hurt, he answered that its better than your heart hurting you," said MA, who then untied himself and followed AM into the living room to ask him what he meant, records show.

AM then told him he heard MA was talking about him behind his back, telling people AM was gay. MA said he denied it, but AM grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him in the neck while he was watching TV.

Records say AM stabbed him four more times, in the abdomen and face, shouting, "Die, die, die – you scandalized me, all of Egypt knows I'm gay."

MA said he got the knife away from AM, who bit him in the arm. Then MA went downstairs and told the security guard to call rescue workers and the police.

MA said AM followed him down and told him, "You shouldn't die – I am the one who should die."

A police officer testified that when he responded to the incident, he found MA lying bleeding at the entrance of the building and AM sitting next to him saying over and over, "I wish I was in your place."

The next hearing is on June 8.

Sami Al Ali, an LGBT activist in the Middle East commented on this incident as follows:

Perhaps it's not the first incident, and for sure will not be the last in the Arab world. The Egyptian guy's case in Dubai reveals the social fear of gay Arabs even while they are away from their countries, the fear of facing society, and even of accepting their sexual identity.

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In Grenada, arrests for homosexuality - and public denials of homosexuality

By Paul Canning

Police on the Caribbean island of Grenada have arrested a man for gay sex in the same week that a group of men are front-page news denying they're gay.

A 41-year-old man was charged with having sex with an unidentified 17-year-old man, Grenada's director of public prosecution, Christopher Nelson, said 25 May.

21 May three men - Kenny Francis, Finbar Peters and Sherwin Cadore - held a press conference to deny rumours originating on the internet that they were recently caught engaged in "homosexuality activity". They blamed a police officer.

“I just want to take myself out because there is nothing like that,” Peters said. He claimed that the policeman stole some parts from his vehicle and was now out to tarnish his character.

When Peters confronted the police officer and threatened to report him to the Commissioner of Police, the police officer begged him to be compassionate since he did not intend to do it again.

“Although I did not go to the Commissioner, I did tell (a) couple people (about the incident),” he said. The rumour on the internet, Peters says, has started to impact his business negatively, and he is seeking legal advice.

Francis who is a barber shop owner and bus operator from St. Paul’s said he learned of the rumour after someone came to him saying a neighbour said she heard a bawling coming from his house. He was told of the story being circulated that police had found the group of men naked. The driver of one of the buses he owns informed him that whenever he passes through the St. George’s Bus Terminus he is also being heckled by the police about the alleged act of homosexuality.

“When they (the bus drivers) ask certain people if they are going up, they say they’re not going up with no buller man bus,” Francis said. He said the rumour is hurting his business since people are refusing to come to the barbershop.

Bar owner Cadore said:

"It (has) affected me a lot because people are saying they’re not going in no batty man bar."

When asked by a journalist if they had previously engaged "in acts of homosexuality", Francis, Peters and Cadore all "scoffed at the suggestions and indicated that they are known to be “star boys” in their own rights".

In 2007 questions were raised over gay cruises docking at the island. An editorial in The Grenada Informer said that the public displays of affection shown by same-sex tourist couples were "immoral and abnormal"

In 2003 ILGA said that the government of Grenada is among those in the Caribbean region that support "repressive and even violent policies against the local communities of gays and lesbians."

Related articles

• In the Caribbean, homophobia varies widely (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

Video: In Haiti, LGBT ignored post-earthquake

Source: The Human Rights Brief

By Mina Trudeau

• Commissioners: Dinah Shelton, Luz Patricia Mejía Guerrero, Rodrigo Escobar Gil.
• Petitioner: International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission
• State: State of Haiti

Update: The January 2010 earthquake in Haiti resulted in the deaths and injuries of 300,000 Haitians, and more than a million Haitians were left without shelter. The quake hit already-vulnerable communities, such as those living in poverty, especially hard. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are amongst the most vulnerable in Haiti, but their situation has been largely unrecognized and unaddressed in the aftermath of the disaster.

During its 141th period of sessions, on March 25, 2011, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) held a thematic hearing on “Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Haiti.” Petitioners in the hearing included the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and SEROvie, a Haitian community organization addressing the concerns of sexual minorities, HIV-positive people, and their families, and the Respondent state of Haiti. IACHR President Dinah Shelton presided over the hearing, with Commissioner Luz Patricia Mejía Guerrero and Commissioner Rodrigo Escobar Gil.

Petitioners raise concerns regarding specific post-earthquake impacts on LGBT Haitians.

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Moscow Gay Pride 2011: How to support them: “We will drive them off!” say Orthodox

By Paul Canning

Moscow Pride is going ahead on Saturday 28 May, despite its non-approval by the City government in defiance of a European Court of Human Rights decision. Far-right and Orthodox Church forces are planning a counter demonstration - approved by authorities - and already held one at the site last Saturday, delayed by rain, which one of the demonstrators blamed on the [Moscow Mayor] “Sobyanin lesbians.”

“We will drive them off!” Yury Ageshchev, coordinator of the Orthodox Brotherhood of the Russian Orthodox Church told Russian newspaper Kommersant.

“True, last year we had some issues with the police and there were arrests, but this time we will not give up. It’s going to get hot,” he threatened.

The office of the police chief has said "everything is ready to prevent [the gays] marching - and arrest them."

International gay activists including Dan Choi, Louis-Georges Tin and Peter Tatchell have arrived to join Moscow Pride.

Last night Moscow Pride organiser Nikolai Alekseev appeared on Russia's #1 talk show Poedinok. He walked off after accusing the moderator, Vladimir Solovyev, of slanting the show towards homophobes.

There are two four live blogs this year:

• Andy Harley of UKGayNews from Gloucester, UK
• Andy Thyler of GayLiberation from Chicago, blogging here 
• Norbert Blech of Queer.de (in German, Google translation)
• Judith Silberfeld of Yagg.com (in French, Google translation)

Moscow Pride organisers have responded to requests on how people internationally can support them, saying "pressure, can make a change, especially if it comes from many."

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In Zambia, Oxford Uni pulled into anti-gay 'political mudslinging' whilst former president backs gay rights

By Paul Canning

Zambian opposition leader Michael Sata has been attacked by government supporters for a speech at Oxford University - supposedly cover for raising money for his party from British LGBT groups.

President Rupiah Banda accused Sata of lying about the 2 May speech.

Henry Mulenga, the Executive Director of The Gallant Youths of Zambia told the Zambian Watchdog:

“We are very disappointed to hear that Mr Sata has travelled to London to seek money from gay activists for his political campaigns. This is very sad news for a Christian nation like Zambia.”

Dr Nic Cheeseman, a fellow at Jesus who acted as one of the event’s organisers, said:

“The controversy surrounding Sata’s visit demonstrates the deep politicisation of the media in many African states. On the one hand, the opposition media sent reporters and cameramen to cover the trip, and gave Sata’s talks prominent coverage, seeking to depict him as a responsible leader respected in the west.”

“Conversely, the rest of the print media, which is broadly aligned with the government, set out to spread rumours about the trip that were deliberately designed to smear Sata’s reputation.”

Zambia's leadership has been accused of using homosexuality as a wedge issue in that country's 2011 general election. And growing anti-gay activity by church leaders is leading to increased attacks on LGBT people, say local gay leaders, risking Zambia becoming "another Uganda or Senegal."

The Danish Ambassador was forced to deny accusations 12 May that Sata was soliciting for funds from that country in return for Zambia’s recognition of gay rights once the opposition forms government.

Sata told Danish journalists in March that:

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In the Caribbean, homophobia varies widely

Mariela Castro at Cuba IDAHO rally

Source: IPS

By Dalia Acosta

Note: Trinidad & Tobago's Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO) comment that this article includes innacuracies:

"the frequency of sentences for buggery in Jamaica; the range of penalties (that extend to life in two territories); the role of CARICOM or its member nations in hosting regional GLBT activity; ILGA's impact in the region. We'd welcome journalism that simply talked to folks in the organizations cited here."

~~~~~

While homosexuality is punishable by law in nine Caribbean island nations, gay activism is increasingly taking root in countries like Cuba.

"The situation in the Caribbean today is one of contrasts," Gloria Careaga, co-secretary general of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), founded in 1978 and with close to 700 member groups in over 110 countries, told IPS.

Differences are greatest between the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking areas of the Caribbean, Careaga, a Mexican psychologist who is also in charge of the Latin American and Caribbean region (ILGA-LAC), said by email on the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, Tuesday May 17.

Careaga said "clear" signs of progress were the work of Cuban institutions in favour of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and of strengthening their groups, the growing presence of studies on sexual diversity in Puerto Rican universities, and the emergence of lesbian organisations in the Dominican Republic.

However, "the English-speaking Caribbean seems to be unable to shake off the influence of Victorian morality, and not only maintains laws that criminalise gays and lesbians, but also argues the case for homophobia, for instance in Jamaica," she said.

A national survey carried out in Jamaica by the University of the West Indies in 2010 found that 89 percent of respondents were homophobic. The study polled 1,007 adults from 231 communities in the island nation.

Jamaican courts often sentence men who have sex with men (MSM) to prison terms with hard labour.

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In Australia, has government moved to protect gay refugees?

Source: City Voice

Members of the LGBTI community have called upon the Australian Government to ensure that refugees who identify as gay or lesbian are having their claims treated fairly and appropriately.

The call follows the release of documents this month by the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT), which shows that in May the tribunal overturned decisions relating to three gay and lesbian asylum seekers who had their original claims wrongfully rejected by the Immigration Department.

The three separate cases involved two males, and one female from the countries of Jordan, India and Uganda.

In each case, it seems one of the initial reasons to not grant a protection visa was because the Immigration Department delegates involved in the interviews did not accept that the applicant was a homosexual or lesbian but merely adopting such a persona.

Senthorun Raj, from the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) believes it is problematic that claims of persecution reported by LGBTI asylum seekers continue to either be ignored or misunderstood.

“Sexual orientation and gender identity is a culturally and historically specific set of practices and identifications.

“To imply that there is a universal 'homosexual persona', and judge all claims against this mythic or stereotypical standard, effectively erases the voices of a disparate range of asylum seekers who face persecution on the basis of being a sexual or gender minority in their particular country of origin,” Raj said.

The documents show that visa claims for the man from Jordan, and the other male from India were partly rejected on the grounds that they did not know enough about gay culture, either in their countries of origin or the local gay scene, and that they had not “explored or embraced” their homosexuality sufficiently enough while in Australia.

Likewise, in the case of a Ugandan woman, who had been beaten and raped in the country’s capital of Kampala because she was a lesbian, an immigration official had accused her of "adopting the persona of a homosexual" to secure a protection visa.

Only a few weeks ago, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd slammed the Ugandan Government over its involvement in trying to push an Anti-Homosexuality Bill through its parliament.

A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Chris Bowen told City Voice that while asylum seekers’ claims are assessed on a case by case basis, moves were being made by the minister to legislate for further protection of people who may be facing serious human rights violations in their country of origin.

“The Government has introduced the Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection) Bill, which is designed to ensure protection is provided to those who fear significant harm for reasons not necessarily covered by the Refugees Convention, such as, in certain circumstances, persecution on the basis of their homosexuality,” the spokeswoman said.

The bill is currently before the House of Representatives however it is likely the Coalition will continue to oppose it, meaning the passage of the bill will be reliant on the support of Greens and Independent MPs.

Related articles

• Stop demonising asylum seekers:UN official (news.theage.com.au)

Malaysian opposition leader's comments on LGBT spark online debate

Anwar Ibrahim image via Wikipedia

Source: Fridae

In a 75-minute live online chat hosted by Yahoo Malaysia on Thursday 19 May, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was asked if he thought lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBTs) can look forward to a non-discriminatory environment should the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance), of which Anwar is the defacto leader, were to take Putrajaya.

Should the coalition capture Putrajaya – the federal administrative centre of Malaysia - the Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS or Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) would be part of the federal government. PAS is currently one of three members of the coalition alongside the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and People's Justice Party (PKR). The coalition  currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level.To which Anwar said (in Malay): "We recognise importance of family and the institution of marriage. But we should not unduly harass or discriminate others. The answer is through education and PAS accepts this view."

Malaysia's Yahoo News followed up with a story reporting that a chat thread posting by Malaysian sexuality rights group Seksualiti Merdeka on its Facebook page had sparked a lively debate with the group's co-founder Pang Khee Teik asking how Anwar would protect the community from discrimination and harassment.

Pang was quoted by Yahoo as saying:

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Video: the City of Sanctuary movement in the UK

Source: Red Pepper

By Tim Hunt

There are three narratives that dominate the discussion of refugees in the UK. On the right there are the self-contradicting narratives of the ‘scrounging layabout’ and the ‘job stealer’, while the left often succumbs to the liberal view of the ‘victim’ in need of charity.

One project helping to challenge these stereotypes is City of Sanctuary. It is facilitating conversations between people who may hold those right-wing views and the migrants themselves while at the same time ensuring that refugees become active participants in creating a better life for themselves and their peers.

The project started in Sheffield six years ago. Since then it has grown into a network of 15 towns and cities, with the core aim of ‘welcoming asylum seekers and refugees’. But it is now also doing much more.

Each city project shares three main characteristics: to highlight the contribution of asylum seekers to host communities; to form relationships with people in the host community; and to develop a culture of hospitality and welcoming. But key to the movement’s success is the fact that each area has its own ‘structure and dynamics’.

As Penny Walker, co-ordinator of Coventry City of Sanctuary, explains:

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