African LGBT coalition slams Peter Tatchell

5/3/07

A coalition of African LGBT leaders hits out at Peter Tatchell and Outrage!

A coalition of twenty African LGBT and human rights leaders issued a public warning, slamming the credibility of Peter Tatchell and Outrage!.

The coalition, including leaders such as Juliet Victor Mukasa, Chairperson of Sexual Minorities Uganda, and Peter Njoroge of Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya, accused the prominent gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell of “causing damage” to their efforts, particularly in regards to Nigeria’s proposed anti-gay legislation.

In January Tatchell sent out a press release about the Nigerian bill, urging international pressure against what he described as the most “comprehensively homophobic legislation ever proposed in any country in the world.”

Tatchell vehement efforts are now being refuted and criticised by this coalition who claim that Outrage! acts “in contempt and disregard of the wishes and lives of African LGBT human rights defenders.”

“We have made every attempt to address this matter with Outrage!, personally, and they have refused to listen,” the statement read.

“We fear that Peter Tatchell's sudden call for a campaign to pressure the Nigerian government regarding the proposed same-sex marriage prohibition might backfire and cause the oppressive homophobic bill's passage.”

“Until Outrage!'s action was issued, the bill was dead.”

Leading activist Dorothy Aken'Ova of the Nigerian organisation, the International Centre for Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights, has also signed the coalition’s statement.

She had considered the bill dead and prior to Tatchell’s press release, urged reporters to stay silent on the issue in fear that international press would reignite legislators' interest in the measure.

"Press attention to the bill, even if it is as mild as reporting that it is presumed dead as a result of political tension will be dangerous. Right now, we want silence," Aken'Ova said in an interview with American journalist Rex Wockner.

However, other local activists disagreed with her sentiments.

"Silence does not equate the death of the bill," Alimi Adebisi Ademola, executive director of the gay youth group The Independent Project told Wockner. "We believe strongly that the bill is still alive only going through a process that no one knows."

Leo Igwe, executive secretary of the Nigerian Humanist Movement, has encouraged international activism.

“Even though the 'general feeling' now is that any call for public action might be counterproductive unless there are indications that the legislation might be passed in weeks."

Kizza Musinguzi, African Affairs spokesperson for OutRage! and a Ugandan gay rights activist, slammed back at the coalitions’ allegations calling them “untrue and sectarian”.

Musinguzi denied that the groups contacted Outrage! or Peter Tatchell.

“[The statements] are made mostly by people who have never had any contact with Peter Tatchell or OutRage! Since we have not run any campaigns about their countries, how can they accuse us of treating them badly?” Musinguzi told Gay.com.

“They have been fed lies about us by people who are jealous of OutRage!'s effective campaigns.”

Peter Tatchell told Gay.com that in the twenty years he’s worked with African gay groups, he’s never encountered complaints.

“All have appreciated the support I have given their campaigns," said Mr Tatchell.

"Our news releases do not contain untrue information, we do not exaggerate homophobic repression, our campaigns have not caused damage and we have never put anyone's life in danger. These wicked smears are being made by political opponents who are trying to discredit me and OutRage!”

"A week before these activists denounced us, we halted our Nigerian campaign. We have not campaigned on Uganda for five months.”

"This vendetta has nothing to do with gay rights. Certain groups seem more interested in fighting other activists than in fighting homophobia. Their petty jealousies and political sectarianism is undermining the campaign for gay equality in Africa.”

The proposed Nigerian bill states: "Publicity, procession and public show of same-sex amorous relationship through the electronic or print media physically, directly, indirectly or otherwise are prohibited in Nigeria. Any person who is involved in the registration of gay clubs, societies and organisations, sustenance, procession or meetings, publicity and public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly in public and in private is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 5 years imprisonment."

It remains unclear whether Nigeria’s National Assembly will pass the bill before April's general election.

.