World

Eight years behind Senegalese bars - for loving men, not women

by Miriam Mannak | January 9, 2009 at 03:44 am

425 views | 70 Recommendations | 11 comments

By Miriam Mannak

In Senegal, nine men have received a nine-year jail sentence. Not because they killed, stole, pillaged, raped, abused, hijacked, hurt, stabbed, shot, assaulted or robbed - they were punished because they prefer men over women.

Among the victims is prominent gay activist Diadji Diouf. He heads an NGO that provides HIV prevention services to the gay community in Senegal.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission claims that the men were arrested last month, and are being accused of "engaging in acts against the order of nature."

Senegal forms no exception when it comes to persecution of gay men and women. Apart form South Africa, the first and only African country where gay marriage is legalized, homosexuality is a crime in the whole of the continent.

In Uganda for instance, it is referred to as "carnal knowledge of another against the order of nature". In June 2008 for instance, a gay rights activist was unlawfully detained and tortured by the police for protesting against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

According to Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe, homosexuals are "worse than pigs and dogs", and Cameroon regularly imprisons people from breaching the ban on gay sex.

Last year, oil state Nigeria attempted to pass a law that would deny homosexuals the right to meet to discuss their rights and Gambia’s president threatened to behead any homosexuals found in his country.

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Paschen

at 04:18 on January 9th, 2009

This is very frequent though in many African and even Asian Countries as well as South America and even some European countries. We are still very far from a tolerant and equal World. Actually I think we are even sleeping backwards rather then progressing.

Amitjha

at 04:22 on January 9th, 2009

really very strange and disturbing,.

Miriam Mannak

at 04:23 on January 9th, 2009

Most countries do not accept homosexuality at all, actually, and only a small minority have actually legalized same sex marriages. Obviously there are countries where you do not find yourself behind bars when you are not heterosexual, but that does not mean you can automatically marry the person you want to be with. Which is sad.

Paschen

at 04:52 on January 9th, 2009

Well, Marriage is a whole new ball game and would not be such a big deal if a compromise would be accepted by both sides such as giving it an new name since the Religious orders insist that it is in scriptures and it is. Yet every one is being stubborn here as well rather then imaginative and tolerant, there is some intolerance from Gay and lesbian here as well. I like to try and find acceptable compromises that all can easily live with and fell respected. after all life is one big compromise and tolerance has to go either way. Now that is the issue of Gay marriage only.

The rest of Accepting and respecting gay and lesbian is a real problem since in many countries one can get the death penalty for that.

Miriam Mannak

at 05:31 on January 9th, 2009

What compromise? I just do not understand why people can be treated differently and be denied marriage, simply because of something that is completely beyond their control. Like I, being a straight women, cannot force myself to fancy chicks, a friend of mine cannot force herself to fancy men. People are the way they are, and let's just accept that!

Giving marriage a different name will not help, I think.

Paschen

at 05:47 on January 9th, 2009

Live and let live Miriam, We can not have every thing and progress does take time, patience, tolerance, resilience and wisdom. If you refuse to respect the other sides feelings about an issue how can you demand respect from them? And most important the art of Negotiating and changing minds and settings for the better is by compromising and understanding the other side as well. If you push to hard and are to persistent all that will happen is the opposite from what you actually wanted. It is like a hostage negotiation or negotiating a peace among warring parties, very delicate, a bit like a dance. All in good time. Do not do it for your self nor expect it for your time, do it for the coming generation. Much easier and you will achieve a lot more.

Amitjha

at 04:31 on January 9th, 2009

we have seen good controversy in California regarding this issue, the acceptance level is very low.Well if this minor community is physically conditioned like that, whats wrong in that.

Miriam Mannak

at 04:45 on January 9th, 2009

I can;t see the problem either. Who cares who loves whom? As long as there is love and not hate. And frankly, there are too many people on this planet who hate and dislike other people's guts. Which is sickening.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 05:10 on January 9th, 2009

Thank you for this story, Miriam Mannak. A list of countries that recognize same-sex marriage and civil unions can be read, here: Legal Recognition of Same-sex Couples.

Amy Judd

at 11:00 on January 9th, 2009

This is sad that we haven't even come this far yet in all countries so as to allow people to choose how they want to live their life. I know it's been the practice in these countries forever, but I think it would be so nice if we could just move on from this - wishful thinking I suppose...