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Loading...Campaign Launched to Kill Gays in Liberia
Flyers are being distributed in Monroeville, Liberia’s capital, by a group calling itself the Movement against Gays in Liberia (MOGAL), saying that those involved in gay rights “should not be given space to get a gulp of air.”
The news matches a pattern familiar to Uganda watchers.
Last year, the West African nation’s former first lady Sen. Jewel Howard Taylor (whose husband is being tried for war crimes in The Hague) introduced legislation making homosexuality a first degree felony, which reportedly could result in imprisonment of ten years to life, or a death sentence at the discretion of the judge.
Those sticking up for gays in the resulting media storm have been violently threatened.
Now we have an actual planned campaign of death.
“Having conducted a comprehensive investigation, we are convinced that the below listed individuals are gays or supporters of the club who don’t mean well for our country,” the fliers read. “Therefore, we have agreed to go after them using all means in life.”
According to the Associated Press, the US Embassy in Liberia would not comment.
Last month, the Nobel Peace Prize winning President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, refused to support gay Liberians currently under sustained assault. She was at a joint appearance with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Pressed on the issue, Blair refused to comment. He was described by The Guardian as “looking visibly uncomfortable.”
At an African Union summit in January, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged African leaders to respect gay rights and to stop treating gay people as second-class citizens and criminals. When pushed on the UN secretary general’s comments, with Sirleaf at his side, Blair responded: “I’m not saying these issues aren’t important, but the president has given her position and this is not one for me.”
Prior to the death threat leaflets, The Coalition of LGBT Liberians and Allies and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission said:
The sharp increase in public bigotry and violence targeting LGBT Liberians is alarming. As discrimination is being institutionalized, with government officials and print and social media taking dangerous, homophobic positions, Sirleaf’s remarks add fuel to an already blazing fire. Religious leaders, too, are using their influence to demonize and marginalize LGBT Liberians as being un-African, un-Liberian, and ungodly.
Liberia has a unique history as a haven for oppressed people. This history deserves to be honored, and Liberia’s international commitments to uphold human rights sustained. We must not sit in silence as some would divide and disrupt Liberia’s attempts to rebuild a nation where every Liberian feels safe, secure, and able to contribute toward building a forward-thinking Liberia.
Related stories:
Nobel Peace Prize Winner Supports Gay-Bashing, Blair Looks On In Silence
Read more: africa, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, lgbt, liberia, tony blair
Photo credit: Wikipedia
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67 comments
+ add your ownThe Nobel Peace Prize lost its status when it was give to the murderers Begin and Sadat.
Sirleaf has been seen as a progressive because she's a woman, but she is nothing but a puppet and goes along with everything to stay in the lime light. Liberia and its neighbors need to have someone to blame their own misdeeds for and what's easier than to jump on the bandwagon and say it's the gays?
likely due to religeous teachings.
What are they so afraid of?
Robin O, I want to know why some AMERICANS are so threatened by gay people that the idea of someone gay wanting to be married makes them feel like they are choking. Are they really that insecure? Those American homophobes are all over these LGBT articles spreading their bigotry, but they don't comment on articles like this one, or about Uganda or Chile. I guess they only comment on the articles they disagree with.
This article makes me so sad. Liberia has so many problems, and they find homosexuality to be a threat? Really? Out of all the other issues they could choose to rally behind, they decide to rally behind killing gay people. Such a shame, and so wrong.
Liberia's PM is a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Why? This should be yanked out from her bigoted little fingers.
People around the world seem to be very frightened by LBGTQ people, why? Are people so insecure with their own sexuality they want to supress something within themselves? Just asking?
Amazing what people will do with their free time. Not save the children, or save the world, but kill people; kill gays.
Why do we hate people?
Sounds like GOP agenda to me.
I still want to know why Africans are so frightened by gay people? We are told that being gay is un-African, and that gays are a small minority. Well, they seem to preoccupy leaders in Africa a lot. One can also hardly be surprised at Tony Blair being slime. All one can hope for is that gays in Liberia can find the means to get on planes and leave that dump, and its ignorant leaders, and interest groups.
god, really sad
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