Three causes to support at Xmas

Image via Wikipedia

The Tanzanian group WEZESHA is raising money to support LGBT people who face violence and rejection in Tanzania. The group say that they currently have 25 gay people in Dar es Salaam who were rejected by their families and lost their permanent homes.

They need help in supporting them with accommodation, health services and food.

You can contribute online to help the group here.

WEZESHA is a volunteer-powered organization founded two years ago and run and managed by LGBT.

In the UK. Freedom from Torture is a human rights organisation that exists to enable survivors of torture and organised violence to engage in a healing process to assert their own human dignity and worth. It has had many LGBT clients and joined with the Lesbian Immigration Support Group earlier this year to march in Manchester Pride.

They're holding a couple of fundraising events in the next fortnight. One is a great night of live music at Band on the Wall in Manchester (this includes £5 student tickets on the door). And they have organised a Christmas Concert in Chorlton.

UPDATE: Joseph has been freed!

Joseph Bokombe

Joseph Bukombe, a San Diegan man has been in detention for two years because his attorney was unable to prove to the court that Joseph was a gay man and by returning to his native Uganda, it would endanger his life. Even though Joseph’s story attracted publicity and a petition organized by his friend Hector Martinez and some other legal advisors, Joseph is a tragic local reminder of how broken the American asylum system really is. The good news is that Joseph can be released from detention if $10,000 can be raised for his bail and allow him a fair trial that will incur additional legal costs.

The St. Paul's Foundation for International Reconciliation is a San Diegan based non profit agency concerned with LGBT globally equality and has been supporting the work of Ugandan Bishop Christopher Senyonjo this past year. They are also sponsoring a young transgender Ugandan who was abducted and tortured before being granted asylum.

Any funds raised that are returned or left over from Joseph's bail and legal fees will be used to support this second victim of Uganda's horrific anti-gay laws. You can read more about this at: blog.stpaulsfoundation.com

We are looking for 400 people to each donate at least $25 to free Joseph for Christmas. He has been promised his old job and friends will accommodate him until he can get back on his feet.

“We can give one gay man, a fellow San Diegan, the gift of freedom,” said Canon Albert Ogle who is co chairing a holiday party event at LifeHOUSE on Thursday 15th December from 5-7.30 p.m. to pay for Joseph’s bail.

Tax deductible tickets or donations (if you cannot attend) can be purchased through the St. Paul’s Foundation for International Reconciliation.

“This money will really help both Ugandans to find a place where they no longer live in constant fear and stress”, said Canon Ogle.

“I can think of no greater gift that we could give to anyone this season than to give someone the gift of freedom. Joseph’s haunting story makes that biblical passage from Isaiah, also used by Jesus in his first public sermon so relevant to this season of Advent: that we are to “ bring good news to the poor.. to proclaim release to captives and to let the oppressed go free”, reflected Ogle.

Related articles

• Voice of LGBT asylum seekers raised at Manchester Pride (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

Rwanda: A leading African light on LGBT human rights?

Image via Wikipedia

Source: The East African

The perception of homosexuality as a “problem” has, for many years, been accepted as the status quo within much of East Africa. But even in this region of the world, where discussing sexuality of any description remains largely taboo, things are slowly starting to change — and the vanguard of that change is occurring in Rwanda.

Dr Aflodis Kagaba is the executive director of Health Development Initiative Rwanda, a health-focused non-governmental organisation located in Kigali that spearheads a coalition of over 40 groups conducting campaign and advocacy work for sexual minorities within the country.

He told The EastAfrican the campaign began a couple of years ago in 2009, when Rwanda started to talk about criminalising same-sex relationships as part of revisions to its Penal Code.

“Around that time in the region, there was a drive to criminalise homosexuality — not only in Rwanda, but also in Uganda and Burundi,” he said. “All the parliaments in the region took up the cause to create articles to criminalise [it], and so when the article was introduced, there was a lot of pressure.

“In the beginning, of course, it was very challenging. We were experiencing hate speech, people phoning in to radio programmes saying ‘Kill them, take them back to the West — they’re not part of us.’ But the media themselves were fanatical at that time — so it required more of an individual engagement, talking to them and discussing the issues involved. It was also important to educate them on some of the documents (in the Constitution) showing that people have rights. So for me, there’s an issue of lack of awareness, and of ignorance of human rights, that needs to continue to be addressed.”

At least in Rwanda, the coalition’s efforts have paid off. After much debate, Rwanda moved to eliminate the criminalisation provision from its draft code last year, and sign the UN Statement on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity — one of only six African countries to do so. (The others are the Central African Republic, São Tomé and Príncipe, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, and South Africa.)

Criminalised

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Stockholm Pride 2011 hosts African activists

Miles Tanhira

Source: Svenska Dagbladet

By Tobias Brandel

[Via Google Translate]

With the achievement of LGBT rights in Sweden, Stockholm Pride has turned its gaze abroad - this year it is holding an international solidarity, event and has invited a dozen African activists to come here - at the risk of their own lives.

In Mugabe's Zimbabwe homosexuality is regarded as a Western disease. And the regime hates the Western world. State Homophobia gives carte blanche to those who want to harass homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people, says Miles Tanhira of the Zimbabwean LGBT organization GALCK.

"It's hard enough to live under a dictatorship, but to be a LGBT person makes it worse. Apartheid Opponent Steve Biko said that the oppressed seek to become the oppressor. People under a harsh government always finds a weaker person to subdue, in our case, vulnerable minorities such as LGBT people."

Miles Tanhira says that he risks becoming a target by doing this interview, conducted via the Internet. Last year, police stormed GALZ premises and arrested several people.

"Right now Zimbabwe is on the development of a new constitution and a stream of politicians use the gay issue in order to dupe people and take attention from the real issues. The media makes fun of LGBT people, and some artists have been squawking. As if that were not enough, there is the influence of American conservative churches on homophobia."

Stockholm Pride, together with RFSL and a number of Swedish embassies invited a dozen activists from countries where homosexuality is criminalised. Here they will meet with politicians and participating in panel discussions and networking.

Chan Mubanga, trans-rights activist from Zambia, is another of those who come here.

"There is a window to see what's out there, with decriminalization, gay marriage and cultural tolerance. I also hope to learn from other activists about how they challenged their governments, and I will lobby the international community to put pressure on African leaders to protect sexual minorities," he says in a chat when SvD get in touch with him on Facebook.

This year there is a presidential election in Zambia, and Chan Mubanga notes that both the ruling party and opposition uses the hatred against LGBT people in their campaigns. State-controlled media and charismatic church leaders constantly demonize homosexuality.

"The hatred is fueled by the draconian laws that the British left behind. Homosexuality was a crime only when the Christian missionaries came - and a false idea that homosexuality is 'un-African'," he says.

Read more »

Eddy Cosmas freed from detention after one last (?) humiliation

Eddy on his release from Harmondsworth

By Paul Canning

Following a hearing today before an British immigration judge, Tanzanian gay asylum seeker Edson 'Eddy' Cosmas was released from Harmondsworth Removal Centre at 5pm and was also removed from the 'detained fast track' process.

Eddy has won a new hearing for his case after 5 September.

The judge's decision has not been written but a witness at the court hearing said that it was on the basis that previous immigration judiciary decisions could be regarded as possibly 'unsafe' and that more time was needed for both a psychiatrist's report as well as for an expert witness of the situation of LGBT in Tanzania to be found.

The witness said that a Home Office lawyer had immediately agreed that there could be 'an error in law' in how Eddy's case had been handled. In removing Eddy from 'detained fast track', the judge said that it would not be "fair" for him to remain in it.

The witness, a long term supporter of Eddy, said that without the support of herself and others "Eddy would have given up". She also noted that Eddy remained intensely concerned for other gay asylum seekers whom he had met in the detention centre.

In a statement released tonight, Donna Stern, BAMN [By Any Means Necessary, aka the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary] National Coordinator, claimed that:

"In part Eddy won this because he was organizing so much inside the detention facility that the authorities wanted him out of there!"

He has been the subject of a major campaign, initially by the group Movement for Justice, part of BAMN, of which he is a member, and later joined by the international LGBT campaigning group allout.org who secured over 7000 petitions to the British Home Secretary Theresa May.

We have followed the case closely and analysed the UK Border Agency's decisions as well as those of immigration judges in a series of posts, see:

• How one gay Tanzanian's asylum rejection shows the UK system's unfairness 
• Gay Tanzanian activist meets British asylum system: Is losing 
• No problems for LGBT in Tanzania according to UK immigration judge

Eddy reports that before today's hearing he was put through a (hopefully) final humiliation in detention

On Saturday (2 July) morning a guard came to his room and told him he was going to be transferred, but he wasn't told where to.

Last night guards came and told Eddy he had a legal meeting. This was not true, but not knowing Eddy went with them. Then in a corridor he was told he had to be transferred. He protested that he had a hearing the next day. They brought in about 10 guards (Eddy says managers were there too), to force him into a van which drove over to Colnbrook removal centre, which is literally next door, both being adjacent to Heathrow Airport. There he was kept without access to a phone, in a waiting area which had no bed, until 5am this morning.

He says he got no sleep, had no access to call anyone, nor to any of his papers or possessions. At 5am he was taken back over to Harmondsworth and then to today's hearing before a judge, who was informed of what had happened and that this would effect Eddy's ability to testify on his own behalf.

Major campaign launched for LGBT asylum seekers in UK, call for their removal from 'fast track' to removal

Eddy Cosmas (centre) at NUS LGBT conference

By Paul Canning

Two major progressive campaigning groups have jointly launched a campaign on the treatment of LGBT asylum seekers by the UK.

The campaign by the US-based international group allout.org and the British group 38 Degrees calls for the release of Tanzanian gay asylum seeker Edson 'Eddy' Cosmas and the removal of all sexuality based asylum claims from the 'fast track' system.

• allout.org campaign
• 38 Degrees campaign

The group Movement for Justice, of which Eddy is a member, have been campaigning for him for several weeks.

As we have been documenting, Eddy has been told by an immigration judge that there is no risk for gay men in Tanzania.

Eddy told allout.org by phone from the Harmondsworth detention centre:

"Of course I’m in danger there in my country, They know who I am. They’ll arrest me when I get back there."

'Detained fast track' was introduced over a decade ago to deal with rocketing asylum claims and a large backlog of cases. It is all about removing people as quickly as possible because they're supposed to have no real claim - but we already know that the vast majority of sexuality-based claims are being rejected when first examined, meaning that probably most of them end up in 'fast track'.

In their May report 'Fast track to despair', reproduced below, Detention Action said:

"Our research suggests that the Detained Fast Track system is structured to the maximum disadvantage of asylum-seekers at every stage. Conditions and timescales operate to make it impossible for many asylum-seekers to understand or actively engage with the asylum process. Yet this system is entirely unnecessary, as the circumstances it was designed to address no longer exist."'

Fast track' leads to LGBT who may have been tortured and abused being automatically detained, often with fellow countrymen or women who continue that abuse. Yet earlier this year the government rejected a request that because their claims are always complex they, as a group, should be excluded from 'fast track'.

Because of a shortage of lawyers experienced with LGBT cases, charities like UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG) who are stretched and because of the pressure of time in 'fast tracked’ cases, the sort of complex work which needs to be done to present - and win - a case very often simply does not happen.

Eddy Cosmas is 'lucky' because his case has drawn attention. There are many other LGBT asylum seekers whose cases are not known and face being removed - breaking the government's promise - to danger. This has already happened with those from dangerous countries like Uganda, Nigeria and Jamaica.

UKLGIG in their landmark report last year described the Home Office as "cruel and discriminatory." Stonewall's report last year had 21 recommendations for changes to make the system fair for LGBT - only three have been addressed.

Removing LGBT asylum cases from ‘fast track’ would be a real step towards meeting that government promise.

Fast Track to Despair

Related articles

• How one gay Tanzanian's asylum rejection shows the UK system's unfairness (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
• Has the UK government met its promise on LGBT asylum? We don't know (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
• In Scotland, major new LGBT asylum report (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

No problems for LGBT in Tanzania according to UK immigration judge

Update: 13 July: Eddy has permission to appeal. Judge Gill says it is "arguable" that prior judge had failed to properly consider evidence that (quote) "he is a gay".

The case of Edson 'Eddy' Cosmas, a gay Tanzanian asylum seeker has now gone from a UKBA decision:

'Stamp. Not gay. Fast track.' 

To an immigration judge decision:

'Call yourself a gay activist? You're rubbish at it. Stamp. Reject.'

To the latest rejection by another judge:

'Even if you are a ho-mo-sex-ual, Tanzania is perfectly safe. Stamp. Reject.'

Anyone might be led to thinking that the UK asylum system is all about finding a way to reject and remove a gay asylum seeker ... by any means necessary ...

This latest rejection of an appeal is based on the UK Border Agency (UKBA)'s initial trawl across the interwebs to find anything - anything - which could paint Tanzania as safe for the gays.

S/he Border Agent discovered a Tanzanian Bishop, Godfrey Mhogolo, who doesn't want gays burned at the stake and makes note that there are two LGBT organisations in Tanzania, and then there's an article which says, s/he writes:

"Most revealingly that there is a "quiet but vivid LGBT community in Darussalem"."

I say discover because the agent writes that they have trawled and found stuff, sorry, "objective evidence", which they say proves safety for the gays in Tanzania:

"The objective evidence produced above is totally inconsistent with your claim that the society at large in Tanzania is homophobic and you will be persecuted there for being a gay man," the agent writes.

What s/he obviously does not do is include anything s/he might find which contradicts this task of suggesting inconsistency and therefore no 'credibility' to the asylum claim.

Last year the website Gay Middle East was amazed to discover an article of theirs on Syria being quoted out of context in an gay asylum case.

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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.

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How one gay Tanzanian's asylum rejection shows the UK system's unfairness

Eddy Cosmas (centre) at NUS LGBT conference

By Paul Canning

A gay Tanzanian activist has had his asylum case rejected at the first hurdle because he's not been accepted as gay. His case has been determined as one which can be quickly decided and he's therefore been placed in the 'fast track' process and immediately detained.

His treatment sets up an unnecessary battle with the Home Office, is a textbook example of how not to judge a gay asylum claim and undermines the promises of change made by the British government.

Edson “Eddy” Cosmas is a young black openly gay man originally from Tanzania. He was attacked at a club in Zanzibar and then by police. His father threatened to kill him when he was discovered to be gay. He sent him for counselling and eventually sent him away, to the UK. After being here for a few years and after overstaying his visa he took the advice of others and applied for asylum.

Homosexuality carries up to life imprisonment in Tanzania and, although there is not much coverage in human rights reports of the situation for gay people what exists is similar to that elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa showing the risk of discrimination, blackmail, violence from the community and the state. The experience Eddy relates isn't uncommon and it is near impossible in Tanzania as elsewhere for a gay man to live openly.

Following last July's Supreme Court decision, which ended the 'go home and be discrete' approach to gay asylum claims, UK Border Agency (UKBA) developed guidance for decision makers which highlights that they must apply the test which the justices laid down:

a)  Is the applicant gay or someone who would be treated as gay by potential persecutors in the country of origin?

b)  If yes, would gay people who live openly be liable to persecution in that country of origin?

c)  How would the applicant behave on return?  If the applicant would live openly and be exposed to a real risk of persecution, he has a well-founded fear of persecution even if he could avoid the risk by living discreetly.

d)  If the applicant would live discreetly, why would he live discreetly?  If the applicant would live discreetly because he wanted to do so, or because of social pressures (e.g. not wanting to distress his parents or embarrass his friends) then he is not a refugee.  But if a material reason for living discreetly would be the fear of persecution that would follow if he lived openly, then he is a refugee.

They are also told:

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In Tanzania, films banned for 'gay themes' and 'indecent dresses'

Image by docman via Flickr

Source: Tanzania Daily News

The Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports has barred public show of five local films, because they contravene with Tanzania's cultural norms of human decency.

A statement issued on Thursday by the Ministry said the Tanzania Film Censorship Board inspected 45 films last month and decided to expel public show of five films namely 'Mtoto wa Mama,' 'Inye', 'Inye Plus,' 'Inye Ndembendembe' and 'Inye Gwedegwede,' that are blamed for plunging the country into cultural and moral decay.

The statement further said that the board barred the films because they are against the values and insults women especially those with big figures, while others are being blamed for promoting homosexuality, which in a criminal offence in Tanzania.

"The ministry through the film board has decided to ban films that focus on explicit sex, obscenity and pornography which government consider immoral and a bad influence especially on the youth," reads part of the statement.

According to the ministry's statement 'Mtoto wa Mama' [Baby's Mama'] film encourages the youth to be gays.

"The 'Mtoto wa Mama' film is in grade 'R' which means that it is not supposed to be shown anywhere at any time in the country because the movie is gay themed and features the young boys actors in indecent dresses."

Moreover, the statement said, Inye, Inye Plus, Inye Ndembendembe and Inye Gwedegwede are in the same grade as they are comedy like movies, which insults women with huge figures, suggesting that their movements arouse sexual temptations.

The National Film Board has reminded every film producer to submit a written letter with the attachment of a film script to the ministry to be reviewed, so as to establish whether a film meets the requirement set before it is allowed to hit the market.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has approved changes made on suspended 'Shoga' film which will now be known as 'Shoga Yangu.' The film can now be watched by people above 18 years; however, the board has ordered the producer to ensure that the film cover match with the revised content. 

In Tanzania, a 'gay movie' premiers

Source: rants and raves of a kenyan gay man

Last week, I came across this link announcing that a gay movie produced and shot in Tanzania will premier on 4 February 2011.

The said movie starring Tino [Hissan Muya] a popular Tanzanian actor is aptly titled ‘Shoga’.  In Kenyan Swahili, 'shoga' is a derogatory word for homosexual but in pure swahili spoken in Tanzania, the word ‘shoga’ is used to denote a very close friend.  This movie however is gay themed and features the actor in drag.

'Tino'

If you understand Kiswahili, you will note that the comments from Tanzanians are as you would expect from Kenya. One person says that this film will encourage the youth to adopt western lifestyles. Another person asks the government to step in and stop the screening of the movie whilst insults towards Tino appear with even others saying they will never buy his movies.

This is a bold step from the movie makers as Tanzania is much more conservative than its neighbors and I would have expected this from a Kenyan film maker.

LGBT life and death: Africa's silent slaughter

Raila Odinga Image via Wikipedia   

Source: Behind the Mask

By Gilbert Ongachi

Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga has done it again. Like many African leaders, he’s gone out of his way to endanger the gay and lesbian citizens of his country, thus increasing the likelihood of violence in a region already wracked with myriad problems.

Last week at a Nairobi rally, as the annual 16 Days of Activism to end gender-based violence campaign was kicking off throughout Africa, Odinga called on police to arrest gays and lesbians if they were caught having sex, noting homosexual activity is illegal in the country’s constitution.

Homosexual acts are illegal in many African countries, including Uganda, whose parliament has spent the better part of this year debating an Anti-Homosexual bill which could see gays and lesbians executed.

It is Africa’s silent slaughter. Hundreds of gays and lesbians are raped, abused and murdered every year, simply because of who they choose to love. Meanwhile Africa’s politicians and leaders continue to attack the gay community while paying lip service to the African public, who are calling on them to end gender-based violence.

It is easy to understand why Africa’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community live in constant fear of homophobia, harsh state laws and violence.

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In one Tanzanian tribe, women marrying women is tradition

Image by angela7dreams via Flickr

Source: Tanzania Daily News

Dar es Salaam — Fifteen years after her husband died, Ana Mwita, greying and wrinkled, ventured once more into matrimony, this time with a young woman as per an old tradition among Tanzania's Kurya people.

Living in northern Tanzania, the Kurya allow elderly women to "marry" young women to bear them children with a male relative so as to carry on the family name and also ensure they and their livestock are taken care of.

The older women are either widowed, childless or bore only daughters who married and moved away with their husbands, leaving them alone. "I married her in 2005," said Mwita, referring to Johari, her 23- year-old "wife" who has since had two children.

"My husband died more than 15 years ago, leaving me all alone without children while we had huge tracts of land and cattle. "After 10 years of being a widow, I decided, in line with the tradition here, to remarry," said 65-year-old Mwita, holding a baby boy whose three-year-old sister ambled about the homestead of three mud-walled huts.

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Activists petition UN over violation of gays' rights in Tanzania

Image via Wikipedia

By Edward Qorro

Human rights campaigners have filed a report with the United Nations, complaining against Tanzania's violation of the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) persons .

The report submitted this month to the Human Rights Committee of the UN, seeks to highlight the social and legal obstacles that hinder the freedom of the groups with this type of social relations.

The report was filed by three non-governmental organisations: the Centre for Human Rights Promotion in East Africa, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and the Global Rights.

Mr Julius Kyaruzi, coordinator of LGBTI support unit in Tanzania; Ms Monica Mbaru, Africa Programme coordinator for IGLHRC; and Mr Stefano Fabeni, director for LGBTI Initiative for Global Rights, were behind the effort.

They hoped the release of the report would raise their plight and inspire Government attention.

The three NGOs argue that Tanzania still maintained laws that invade their privacy and create inequality.

"They relegate people to inferior status because of how they look or who they love. They degrade people's dignity by declaring their most intimate feelings unnatural or illegal," read part of the report.

Because of the criminalisation and stigmatisation, they said careers and lives had been destroyed, while promotion of violence and impunity was the daily suffering by the LGBT that drive them underground to live in invisibility and fear.

Among many petitions, the three bodies are pushing for amendment of the Penal Code decriminalising private, consensual, adult same-sex sexual activity as well as reviewing the HIV and Aids (Prevention and Control) Act, 2008, to provide "access to HIV preventive information and services"to LGBT.

However reached for comment, a spokesperson in the office of the Attorney General, Mr Omega Ngole, who admitted seeing the report, said the country's laws were meant to protect the right of all and safeguard their integrity.

And a section of religious leaders and the Centre for Human Rights, expressed mixed reactions on the report.

Auxiliary Bishop Method Kilaini of the Dar es Salaam Roman Catholic Archdiocese said lesbians and gays habits were unlawful and harmful to the society and that the practices should not be tolerated.

"A man should marry a woman and the two shall form a family, so says the Bible," stressed Bishop Kilaini. However, he said gays and lesbians were part of the community, and should be treated like any other people.

Mr Muhidin Hassan, head of Pilgrimage Department at the National Muslim Council of Tanzania (Bakwata), strongly opposed the presence of such groups of people in society.

But favoured the idea of extending HIV preventive information and services to such groups. Mr Francis Kiwanga of the Legal and Human Rights Centre, stressed that every person had the right to privacy as stipulated in the country's Constitution.

He said such people should be allowed to enjoy their freedom and the right of association.