URGENTLY Calling on HRC, NCLR, Get EQUAL and Other U.S.A. Organizations to Start Preparing Now to Form a Coalition to Rally for Nigeria
By Melanie Nathan, February 13, 2014.
Nigeria’s LGBT community, through The Solitary Alliance, is calling on the world to help protest against the anti-gay law that has caused major persecution and mob injustice against gays and lesbians in Nigeria. I wrote to all our USA group back on January 13 asking for noise and 2 groups out of the 8 responded saying that they were waiting to hear from Nigeria’s LGBT community first, I think in the case of Nigeria that was a big mistake and one that could also hurt Ugandan gays – which is waiting to see if Museveni will sign his assent to its pending Anti-gay Bill.
Now the Nigerian LGBT community, is begging for help and asking for a Global Day of Solidarity to be held on March 07. Is out American LGBT community responding? It would seem not – read on…
The harsh anti-gay law was signed surreptitiously by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. Though it may be too late, the Alliance is hoping that with enough pressure the law could be repealed.
Michael Ighodaro, an advocate for LGBT people noted: “Aside from the fact that sections of this law are in direct violation of our fundamental human rights – freedom of expression and assembly, freedom to have a private and family life – and set back the provision of healthcare services, they effectively signify that it is open season to attack the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community.”
Since the signing of this law, a number of people have been arrested and as recently as today, mob justice has been used to further the goals of the Government, causing extreme persecution of the LGBT community. The LGBT community, as well as their friends and family, are living in fear against state-sanctioned violence.
The Solitary Alliance, Nigeria now calls on the rest of the world to join in a Global Day of Action on March 7 to stand against homophobia and the violation of human rights.
Ighodaro added: “The world has been silent on the passage of the bill, the silence is like saying Nigeria gays are not as important as gays in Uganda or Russia,’
However many U.S.A. organizations, who I personally contacted and asked to take immediate action have to date remained silent and 2 such groups declared to me that they have been waiting to hear from the Nigerian activists, first:
This is what I wrote back on January 13 in a letter to these U.S.A. organizations which have the most amount of membership and fundings:
“……I am reaching out to HRC, Immigration Equality, Get EQUAL, Queer Nation, NCLR , ORAM, Task Force and others to organize their membership behind this asap. Rallies at consuls are number one. Petitions and statements will not cut it. It needs ot be more visual and it needs to be angry. I however have a sense that the usual handful of grassroots activists will be the ones doing the work. I hope not. I hope to see an organized and cohesive effort by all groups to come out loudly on this.
No more footsie. Africa needs us!
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has surreptitiously signed the so-called Same Sex Prohibition Bill into law. Reports are that Jonathan actually signed the Bill, better known as the “Jail-All-The-Gays” Bill, quietly last week. News of it’s signing has only now been leaked.
It seems that the Nigerian President was afraid of a huge international outcry prior to signing the Bill, yet how he could think it would never make the news defies logic. Now that the story is out, it is absolutely incumbent upon us here in the United States to do two things, firstly to vehemently protest Nigeria and this horrific law, including a call for boycotts and sanctions and secondly to stand by our LGBTI family in Nigeria by providing support for safe-housing and asylum in the West.
ALSO – Re Uganda: It is critical that we make a LOT of Noise NOW vs Nigeria so Museveni sees that the world will not be happy if he assents to the BILL. http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2014/01/13/shock-amongst-gays-in-nigeria-as-president-signs-jail-the-gays-law/ “
Well here is it HRC, Task Force, NCLR, GetEQUAL, Oram, Immigration Equality et al – the Nigerian activists ARE asking for us to voice our disapproval and to do it loudly. What are you doing about it?
It would seem that the USA organizations have failed to note that the Nigerian LGBT representation is extremely repressed and living in dire fear and that they may not be as vocal as the Ugandan groups due to lack of funding, lack of publicity and critical organization when compared to the Ugandan LGBT activists. Not to mention the very act of an LGBT person asking for international help would be seen as an admission of homosexuality which could lead to arrest or mob rule violence for whomever was so foolish to reach out! So to expect them to respond as diligently and as well organized as the Ugandans have done to their anti-gay law, is a serious hiccup in our understanding.
“That’s why we are calling on everyone to come out on (March 7) to show solidarity to Nigeria’s LGBT community, to show that the world has not neglected us.” noted Ighodaro.
The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, during a live-web interaction with journalists, explained that the USA was concerned about discrimination against anyone on the basis of sexual orientation.
She said:
“US is opposed to the legislation targeted against gay people and we will continue to press forward to see that it is changed so that those group of people will have the freedom to exercise their rights. We are of the view that criminalization against anybody on the basis of their sexual orientation and affiliation is wrong and contradicts human rights law. Nigeria is quick and has gone far in signing the bill into law. We will continue to press the Nigerian government and the legislators to change the anti-gay law.”
However not a whole lot of accounting for seems to be happening when it comes to gays of Nigeria. They have been forgotten and our USA organizations are doing nothing to help. It is our hope here at OBLOGDEE that the U.S. organizations and the Assistant Secretary will do much much more than pay lip service to this problem. The entire world must face the problem with vigorous protests and show up for the day of protest on March 07, in a big way. Simply saying it is a day opf protest is not productive – do something. Over to you the reader to call HRC and others to ask where the hell they are going to be on March 07!!!
Thanks… [email protected]
the ban on homosexuality was in the old testament under the law of Moses and Jesus has repealed it and established Grace Hebrews 10:9 , secondly the buggery act of 1533 which was brought in by Henry 8th and the basis of all the anti gay laws which was passed down to the colonies was actually passed as a wicked act by Henry in a bid to get rid of the Catholics who as you know he was trying to break away from. Manyof the priests were gays and so he wanted to nabb them with this law , the bible writers of course obeyed the King and followed suit in the bible versions from the time of Henry. True. The church of England of which he was head over too preached it as their king stated it.
Secondly practically Nigerian stance from a Christian point of view is not a Love your neighbour stance which it must stand under , as homosexuality is not a crime against another it should not warrant a punishment as it is not breaking the law of Love which Jesus established.
Thirdly practically those that are affected with HIV AIDS will not be able to go and get treatment whether they are gays or heterosexuals as they will be given over to the police.
IN NIGERIA I DON’T THINK IS GOING TO BE EASY FOR GAYS BECOS OF OUR CULTURE AND DEEP RELIGION , MAKE DEM GO STAY 4 USA.
Silly silly you…. it was the colonialists that brought this anti-gay stuff to Africa. …and then the Christian Bible – explain to me how THAT belongs in your culture?
Here’s the issue.
When equal rights for blacks passed, it was a milestone. Those progressive folk (regardless ethnicity) who pushed for it- because it was right- were stalwart & staid. They saw the inequality, & they rose against it.
No one thought they’ll wake up one day, black.
Same-sex rights….now, we venture into unknown territory. Everyone knows it’s true.
But- we’re talking a whole lot of repressed & terrified people who (at this point in our history) have been let know, in no uncertain terms, that to be “gay” (LGBTI) is the worst thing– ever. And, if things keep going the direction they are- these very frightened people may have their reason to stay closeted, removed…Scary, indeed. So, they fight harder to stop LGBTI rights than ever before.
THAT is what we’re now up against.
Melanie- can you please collect email addresses to complain to into one spot which allows users to hammer them? Might help?
Just an idea.
I am always uncomfortable when I hear White Westerners trying to assume a leading role in defending the supposedly helpless Africans, many of whom insist that well-meaning White Westerners often exacerbate their plight. White Westerners should always wait to hear from African activists before they start trying to save them. (‘The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”) Africans are not nearly as helpless as so many White Westerners imagine.
That mentality got the Jews and Rwandans slaughtered ,. THAT SAID- the victims – yes I said the VICTIMS – gay Nigerians have asked for a day of solidarity around the GLOBE. Can you not read? or do you only care about straight Africans? This effort is actually anti-colonial because indeed it was the colonialists who brought the anti-gay penal codes to African countries, where before the scourge of evangelical Christianity – no one gave a damn! So get your facts straight buddy if you will…
My facts are straight. I care about all oppressed people regardless of their sexual orientation, and I have demonstrated this throughout my life. The fact is that you did not wait to hear from the Africans themselves. You acted BEFORE they stated their case. However, this kind of condescending arrogance is par for the course. As far as the Jews and Nazis are concerned, it is a different situation. The Jews of Europe, as far as I know, had no history of White people coming into Germany trying to conquer them. Rwandans, on the other hand, are Africans. If you do not know about the damage that well-meaning White people have done to Africans at this late date, why, good night!
Let us make one thing clear before my triggered angry rant goes off here – – their case was made by the signing of the Jail the Gays Bill!!!!!! What other case needs to be made beyond that? ?
You cant read Norm? We did wait for the Nigerian gays and they are asking for help? What part of that does your eye not see? That said, you are full of crap. Of course we must stand up for a group of minority victims who have no organization and too terrified to speak out. I have been contacted by many Nigerians currently in hiding begging for my help -for well over a month – I DID HEAR FROM THEM – they are begging to get out of there. So I should ignore their pleas for advocacy and their pleas for asylum help?
Mr. Big mouth what are you doing? How about sending some money to a victim or is that TOO WHITE for you? Because they are begging for help it is me and ithers who they are asking????
You want to ignore because AFrica has nothing to do with the white man? We do not owe in reparation? We must not help? Who are you waiting for? How many deaths do you want? How many incarcerations do you want while you play political correctness for whom? While we wait for scared people to come from where? To ask for what? Its because of your attitude of silence that this happening in the first place. We should have all spoken out a LONG time before Goodluck Jonathan even signed that damn bill. Now its almost too late. It IS because people like you sanctimoniously impose your white guilt on the reality of what is going down. They dis not make their cries for help public because they could not. And it was well sourced people like me who knew it. What part of oppression do you not understand? Thank God some of us are here to help.While people like you twiddle your thumbs waiting for word from WHOM? Some oppressed person in a dungeon who cannot get out to buy internet time? What world arer you living in Mr. privileged?
Reblogged this on JerBear's Queer World News, Views & More From The City Different – Santa Fe, NM.
Reblogged this on Attitude.
This is something serious!!
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Where are they?? Help is needed urgently!!
More evidence of why we need to act: ” A mob armed with wooden clubs and iron bars, screaming that they were going to “cleanse” their neighborhood of gay people, dragged 14 young men from their beds and assaulted them… Four of the victims were marched to a police station, where they allegedly were kicked and punched by police officers…”
http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2014-02-15-Nigeria-Gay%20Attack/id-bfbf33297f3d4ea29466ec7cb5223cdc
I agree, Nigerians need out help NOW, I’m reblogging this on several sites.