The Cameroons Celebrates Gay Hate Day While the World Watches Silently

Imagine a world where there is such little outcry internationally, …I think it is time for the West to take a stronger stand and in doing so to open its borders to a whole new breed of  refugee. 

By Melanie Nathan, August 21, 2012.

Alice Nkom

Today is ‘Gay Hate Day’  in Cameroon, where homosexuality is criminalized as it is in 38 African African countries. Cameroon association to mark the 21 August as a national anti-gay, promising a homophobic parade through the streets of the capital.  The Rassemblement de la Jeunesse Camerounaise association (Cameroonian Youth Rally, or RJC) announced that it will ‘celebrate’ a gay hate day.

The association is intent on countering Gay pride and instead it  that on  Thursday (12 July) that 21 August will be ‘celebrated’ as the national anti-gay day of Cameroon.

Many Countries in Africa, are feeling the  influence  of  Evangelical Christians and Islamic extremists, and pass on the anti-gay message such as that of  Cameroon’s Archbishop of Yaoundé who declared homosexuality “shameful” and “an affront to the family, [an] enemy of women and creation.”

Alice N’Kom, a Cameroonian attorney renowned for her support of LGBT rights said: “These anti-gay proponents say they are protecting our ‘traditional values.’ But we want to tell them that hate and homophobia are not African values. (Pink News)

Yves Yomb, director of Alternatives-Cameroun, an organisation working for the rights of Cameroonian LGBT people said: “This anti-gay movement is misinforming Cameroonians. A poster announcing the ‘Gay Hate Day’ claims that hemorrhoids, incontinence and various infections are consequences of homosexuality.

Imagine a world where there is such little outcry internationally, when a group in a country gets tacit endorsement by virtue of Government silence, of a Day dedicated to hating a  minority of  its citizens? The persecution through criminalization of homosexuality is Government persecution and the DAY today endorses the sentiment – that if you are LGBTI you are indeed hated.

I think it is time for the West to take a stronger stand and in doing so to open its borders to a whole new breed of  refugee.

There should be special U.S.  State Department (and other country) programs in place to bring openly gay or closeted Gay people to Western countries. At this time the programs barely help LGBTI people because of the impracticable aspects of escape and obtaining refugee status. These programs ought to extend to all LGBTI and not only human rights defenders. More later.

http://www.kenyan-post.com/2012/07/cameroon-to-celebrate-national-anti-gay.html