official name: Sierra
Leone
capital: Freetown
independence: 1961 ( From UK )
president: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH
population: 6million
language: English (Official), Mende, Temne,
Krio
currency: leone
religion: 60% Muslim, 10% Christian
homosexual status: Illegal
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Sierra Leone
Shirley Gbujama
Condemns Same Sex Marriage
30.11.2005- Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs Minister,
Shirley Gbujama Tuesday condemned same sex marriage in Sierra Leone at the
opening session of the Second General Assembly of the Inter-Religious
Council of Sierra Leone held at the Young Women Christian Association
(YWCA), Brookfields Freetown.
"Same sex marriages are the most
disgusting practices that have infiltrated into our society," she noted
adding that it is not part of our culture and we must say no to it.
She claimed that one such group has
gone to her ministry for registration but promised she would see how she
could handle such a trend as the practice, according to her, is very odd.
Gbujama also touched on the idea of
sexual violence and gender based violence and confirmed that children as
young as three months old have been sexually molested, a situation, she
maintain, has escalated the issue of corruption and moral decadence in
religious societies.
She maintained further that these
matters are of grave concern to the government and that a concerted effort
with civil society including the intervention of the inter-religious
council would be employed to solve the problem amicably.
President of the Inter-Religious
Council-Sierra Leone (IRCSL) retired Reverend Dr. Joseph C. Humper
expressed his council's effort in bringing political, socio-economic and
spiritual development to the people of this country.
"On political development, my council
ensured that the people of this country enjoy their franchise through
continuous monitoring of both the 1996 and 2002 general elections," he
said adding that by maintaining such diplomacy his council helped greatly
in mustering international support during the war.
He further pointed out that his
council worked with the World Conference on religions for peace in the
country and has strongly engaged in sustainable programs with regional
offices in all the headquarter towns.
He said they would continue to work hard to ensure that peace and
tranquility exist between the government and the governed without any
discrimination.
Secretary General IRCSL, Dr. Abdul
Karim said the most valuable export commodity of this country is its
religious tolerance, noting that the council believes in unity in
diversity.
Report by Mariama Kandeh
Freetown
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