In UK, gay and lesbian Ugandan refugees tell their story

John Bosco

Source: The Observer

By Elizabeth Day

As a child in Uganda, John Bosco remembers hearing an old wives' tale that if a man fell asleep in the sun and it crossed over him, he would wake up as a woman. "I used to try that as a kid," says John now, some 30 years later. He sits at a table in a busy cafe across the road from the railway station in Southampton, his fingers playing with the handle of a glass of hot chocolate. "I'd spend all day lying under the sun. From childhood, I wanted to be a girl. I wanted dolls. At school, I played netball. I wanted to dress up like a girl … I rubbed herbs into my chest that were meant to make your breasts grow. I tried everything but it didn't work."

He tells me that there was not one single moment when he realised he was gay; that the knowledge of it had always been there, unexpressed until he found the right words. As he grew older, John started being attracted to men. On the radio, he heard stories of gay couples being beaten and killed by police. He says that if he could have changed himself, he would because he so desperately wanted to be considered "normal", to fit in, to make his family proud.

When he went to university to study for a business administration degree, his relatives and neighbours in Kampala would ask why he never had a girlfriend. "I used lots of excuses – I'm not yet ready, or I have a girlfriend who doesn't live in the same area," he says. "It was difficult because you cannot be open [about your sexuality]. You can't socialise like any other person. A lot of the time, you have to keep your distance. You feel you're not yourself. It makes things really hard."

This is the reality of being gay in modern Uganda, a place where homosexuality is criminalised under the penal code, punishable by life imprisonment. According to human rights organisations, about 500,000 homosexuals live in the country, unable to admit their sexuality for fear of violent retribution either from the police or their own communities. Anti-gay legislation is a relic of British colonialism, designed to punish what the imperial authorities thought of as "unnatural sex" – thinking that was subsequently reinforced by wave upon wave of Catholic missionaries.

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Answers demanded about death of detainee at Oakington

Image via Wikipedia

Source: Cambridge Migrant Solidarity (CMS)

Deep concerns have been raised by the death of a man in Oakington last week as detainees talk of mistreatment and medical neglect. This is contrary to official reports which are not treating the death as suspicious. Detainees inside the centre have been in contact with Cambridge Migrant Solidarity (CMS) following a solidarity demo by Cambridge residents on Sunday 18th April.

Reports from inside the centre suggest that the Kenyan man who died on Thursday the 15th April was denied medical attention and that he died after an ambulance called by fellow detainees had been turned away from the centre by detention centre staff.

CMS has been told by detainees that disruption inside the centre took place as shocked friends of the man who died tried to prevent his body being removed from the detention centre, fearing a cover-up and demanding that the circumstances surrounding his death, particularly the denial of medical treatment, required independent public investigation. The extent of the protest is unclear, however reports from inside suggest that detainees did not attempt to escape and that guards were not hurt during this incident (this is contrary to Home Office statements). It is said that riot police were called into the centre and that 60 detainees were, in many cases arbitrarily, arrested and/or removed; many were not involved in the protest. Those closest to the dead man were all removed from the centre and cannot now be contacted. CMS have been told that some of those arrested have been taken to prison in Birmingham.

The sister of one of the men reportedly transferred to prison in Birmingham has told CMS that she has not been able to speak with her brother for several days, but has today been told by her brother’s lawyer (who has been in touch with Immigration officials) that her brother is in prison because ‘there is nowhere else for them to go’ and that this is ‘just to calm the situation’ and that ‘they shouldn’t really be there’, the lawyer is demanding the immediate release of this man.

There are reports that during these arrests, some detainees may have been injured by the police, and that some of those arrested and removed had clearly not been involved in the disruption, at least one of those arrested is also known to be extremely vulnerable.

Since then many of those left inside the centre are saying that they have been issued with removal directions (that is they have been told that tickets have been bought for their deportation, and they have been given removal dates, but not told airlines or flight times) despite on-going legal cases. All the guards have been changed and replaced with larger male guards. One of the blocks (Block 20 - arrivals block) has been shut down and is now empty (contradicting claims that ‘there is nowhere else’ for detainees to go).

Detainees have expressed fears in speaking out on this as they risk punishment or jeopardising their cases.

CMS are following on from this by making serious complaints into:

1. The man’s death on Thursday 15th April.
2. The wrongful arrests and injuries to those involved in protest and those not involved in protest.
3. Men issued tickets to leave without time to complete full legal representation and concern for deportation without adequate legal representation of those now detained in prison.

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• Inquiry into death at asylum centre (guardian.co.uk)
• Immigration centre officers hurt (news.bbc.co.uk)

Oakington Immigration Reception Centre: 'It's a living hell'

A HARROWING account of life inside Oakington Immigration Reception Centre has been told to the News by an asylum seeker.

The detainee, who declined to be named, said the people inside it are treated "as animals" and told how staff "use force" on them.

The immigrant said there was limited health care, "very poor food" and security problems at the centre, where immigration cases can take anything from "six months to two years" to tackle.

"Oakington is unsafe," warned the detainee.

"Something needs to be done."

The asylum seeker said there was another escape attempt on Saturday and a fight among 8-10 detainees in the TV room, when no staff were present.

"This happens generally 2-3 times a week," revealed the insider. "There are no staff sometimes to control or monitor detainees, leaving detainees alone to self-harm, commit or attempt to commit suicide.

"I have witnessed one in my block where a detainee tried to kill himself in the toilet before another detainee had to shout for help before he was later revived by medical staff."

The asylum seeker's comments follow a Parliamentary debate introduced by Labour MP Diane Abbott on Monday.

She reminded the Commons how an inquiry into conditions at the centre, conducted after a BBC Panora m a programme in 2005, found a "subculture of racism, casual violence and abuse".

She added: "Visiting the centre recently, I was shocked to find the very same G4 security manager who was in charge of Oakington at the time of the BBC documentary is still in place."

The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington went on: "I am also concerned about the increasing use of force at Oakington. The prisons inspector found 53 uses of force since 2007, 34 of which had taken place in the first six months of 2008."

She warned that as it is unsafe to deport some of the individuals from Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, they are detained indefinitely. She said they are not "detained humanely" and the officers there were working in "stressful conditions".

Independent monitors of Oakington recently condemned the living conditions for the asylum seekers, illegal immigrants and ex-foreign national prisoners at the site, which is close to its 408 capacity.

The insider told the News it was as if they were "animals".

"The block room where detainees are housed is always filthy. The toilets are the worst place you want to visit because one is used by 11 people while the bath is used between 22. It is regularly out of action, leaving detainees sometimes fighting over toilet spaces. It's really appalling, nauseating and really unclean.

"There are no activities for detainees to participate in. The general atmosphere is always moody."

Dr Louise Pirouet, from the campaign group Cambridge Oakington Concern, said: "There has been a decline in respect for detainees. The prison inspectorate found people were being called by their numbers, rather than their names.

"There used to be quite friendly relations between staff and detainees, but that has disappeared with some, although not all, staff.

"They cannot close down this place down soon enough."

Phil Woolas, minister for Borders and Immigration, announced on Monday that the centre would close within the next two years. However, he said he was "satisfied that it provides a satisfactory level of service to detainees".

A UK Border Agency spokesman told the News: "We take any concerns about the welfare of our detainees extremely seriously. Our removal centres play a vital role in enforcing immigration rules and we are determined to make sure they are well run, safe and secure.

"We have been praised for the progress we have made. A recent report by the Independent Monitoring Board noted an improvement in the health care and facilities we provide for detainees."

Source

Nigerian asylum seeker and activist freed

The gay Nigerian Christian lay preacher Davis Mac-Iyalla has been freed by the UK Home Office, Peter Tatchell reports.

Earlier this afternoon, London-based gay human rights group Outrage! reported that Mr. Mac-Iyalla, who is seeking refuge in UK had been arrested and incarcerated at the Oakington asylum detention centre in Cambridgeshire.

“The Home Office has just announced that [Mr.] Mac-Iyalla has been freed,W Mr. Tatchell said.

“After an intensive lobbying campaign for his release, the Home Office has relented and set free Mr Mac-Iyalla.

“I am delighted that the Home Office has finally seen sense and released him.

“But he was only freed because he has lots of supporters and a first-class solicitor, Abigale Evans of Wilson and Co.

“Many gay asylum seekers are not so lucky,” Mr. Tatchell pointed out.

“They end up in detention for months.

“Davis should never have been detained in the first place.

“Treating a victim of homophobic persecution like a common criminal is outrageous, said Mr Tatchell insisted.

~~~~~

Davis Mac-Iyalla (b. 1974 in or near Otukpo) is a Nigerian LGBT rights activist. He established the Nigerian wing of the British Changing Attitude organization, which presses for internal reform of the Anglican Communion for further inclusion of Anglican sexual minorities.

He came out to himself at the age of 14, but his disinterest in dating females was not made apparent to others around him until after two events: the ordination of Gene Robinson as the bishop of New Hampshire in the Episcopalian branch, and the death of his mentor, the Bishop Iyobee Ugede of Otukpo. He was, in July of 2003, fired from his job as the principal of a local Anglican children's school; after this incident, which he believed was due to his being gay, he became an activist and started work with Changing Attitude.

He has faced stiff opposition from both the religious elite and their lay constituents in Nigeria, which is a heavily-conservative nation in terms of politics. The church of Nigeria has issued a disclaimer against Mac-Iyalla on their website. However, Mac-Iyalla has met with the primate of the Nigerian Church, Peter Akinola, who is most well known for leading an internal faction of the worldwide communion against welcoming actions towards LGBT Anglicans by the British Anglican and U.S. Episcopalian churches.
Mac-Iyalla has ventured to other countries with Anglican communities on speaking tours.

He has been accused by Nigerian Anglicans as a charlatan who made up his life story, most notably by Canon Akintunde Popoola, but Mac-Iyalla posted photos of his time as a knight of the church during his younger years on the Web.

Source: Wikipedia

Iranian President mocked at London Pride

Gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell marched in the London’s Gay Pride Parade on Saturday 5 July carrying a poster placard ridiculing the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It featured a doctored photo of Amhadinejad wearing blue eye shadow, red lipstick, a gold earring and pink nail varnish.

See photos of the placard. These photos are free to use, without charge.

The placard was emblazoned with the words: “President of Iran. Murderer. Homophobe.” Next to the President’s tiny wagging finger was a mocking speech bubble with the words: “My penis is this big.”

“Sometimes the best way to deflate tyrants is by mocking them,” said Mr Tatchell.

“Ahmadinejad leads a regime that arrests, jails, flogs, tortures and sometimes executes gay people. It also terrorises trade unionists, students, women activists, journalists, bloggers, sunni Muslims and ethnic minorities like the Ahwazi Arabs, Baluchs and Kurds.

“I don’t support a military attack on Iran, but I do urge greater international solidarity with democratic, liberal and progressive Iranians who are struggling to overthrow the clerical dictatorship from within,” he said.

Mr Tatchell marched in the parade with actor Sir Ian McKellen and Davis Mac-Iyalla, a leader of the Nigerian gay rights movement.

“Mr Mac-Iyalla was recently forced to flee Nigeria after threats and attempts to kill him, following homophobic denunciations by the Anglican Archbishop of Nigeria, Rev Peter Akinola. Akinola is a leading figure in the conservative splinter group, Gafcon, which opposes women bishops and gay priests, and which supports punitive legal discrimination against lesbian and gay people,” said Mr Tatchell.

“Davis arrived in Britain seeking sanctuary but was incarcerated in an asylum detention centre. The government treated him like a common criminal. It took a frantic lobbying campaign to pressure the Home Office to release Davis. He was only set free from Oakington detention centre at 5pm on Friday, the eve of the Pride London parade. Although it is good that he was released, the Home Office should have never incarcerated him in the first place,” added Mr Tatchell.

Speaking from the Gay Pride main stage in Trafalgar Square, Mr Tatchell condemned “President Amadinejad’s violent homophobia” and “the Labour government’s policy of deporting lesbian and gay asylum claimants back to Iran.”

He condemned the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith MP, who last month refused requests for a moratorium on the return of gay asylum seekers to Iran. She claimed “the evidence does not show a real risk of discovery of, or adverse action against, gay and lesbian people who are discreet about their sexual orientation.”

“This is complete nonsense and deeply insulting,” said Mr Tatchell.

“It is like saying that Jews in Nazi Germany were safe if they hid their Jewishness.”

In his address from the main stage Mr Tatchell had urged the crowd to boo Deputy Prime Minister Harriet Harman.

"
Harriet Harman

At several points during her speech a bewildered Ms Harman appeared to waiver and had to struggle to be heard," said Mr Tatchell.

"It got so bad that the gay Pride organisers came on stage and appealed to the crowd to stop jeering and listen to what she had to say. Their appeal had limited effect.

"Hundreds of people in the crowd expressed their anger at the way the Labour government is locking up gay asylum seekers, refusing them refugee status and ordering them to be sent back to violently homophobic countries like Algeria, Uganda, Iran, Nigeria, Iraq and Belarus.

"Those who are returned are at risk of arrest, imprisonment torture, rape and even murder.

"I tried to explain the crowd's anger to Ms Harman as she left the stage. But several gay Pride stewards violently shoved me out of the way and threatened to have me arrested. It was needless and unjustified aggression."

"As I was being dragged away by the stewards, Ms Harman shouted for me to contact her. She said: ‘Peter, give me a call and we can discuss your concerns.’ I will take up her offer. I plan to present the government with a six-point plan to end the homophobic bias of the asylum system,” said Mr Tatchell."

~~~~

gayasylumuk comment: we are dismayed to read that Pride London reacted, in Peter's words' 'aggressively' to Peter's attempts to speak to Harriet Harman, particularly as she wanted to speak to him (and as a lifelong campaigner for human rights, she should damn well want to). This accusation demands an explanation from the event organisers.