africa rapport lobbies the british prime minister about Africa lgbti issues and hiv/aids.

To: The Prime Minister of England

Your Honourable Mr. Tony Blair,
10 Downing Street
London.

Hamburg, 2005-06-12

Your Excellency,

The reason for which I am writing this letter is to create awareness about the LGBT situation on the African continent ;HIV/AIDS prevention is not covering the LGBT community on the continent; and the total discrimination that LGBT people continue to face, including harassment and real violence. Many times this violence is carried out by the state. But even more frequently, the violence is at the hands of other citizens. I must declare that as an active member of Amnesty International USA and as the co-ordinator for African-rapport networks, I assume that democratic governments have an obligation to fulfill - regarding the promotion of human rights and the right to health - to the maximum of their available resources. Governments around the world should really be concerned about the many who are not represented by the anti-homosexual movement and about those who may have been tempted to believe its deceitful propaganda. Governments around the world should be also aware about the view that homosexual activity is as equal as the heterosexual activity, and therefore does not put the society at large in jeopardy.

The intrinsic dignity of each person must always be respected in word, in action and in law. But the proper reaction to crimes committed by some African governments against homosexual persons should not be to claim that the homosexual condition is disordered. No government has any conceivable right, and neither the Church nor society at large, to persecute people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Therefore, with these words, I appeal to you, Your Excellency, to use all your power, your dignity and your democratic commitments to pressure those African Governments that do not respect the civil, human and sexual rights of their own people.

Reaffirming their adherence to the principles of human and peoples' rights and freedoms contained in the declarations, conventions and other instruments adopted by the African Union, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the United Nations, should be our main aim to promote. Only this way, will we acquire peace, equality and respect of one another on this beautiful continent of Africa. The African Commission on Human and People's Rights acknowledged the importance of the work done by human rights defenders when it adopted a resolution that recognized them as crucial contributors in defending human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Africa at its 35th session in 2004.

To ensure protection, African-rapport together with its networks and with West African gay organizations continue to advocate for legal and policy protections for persons affected by or at high risk of HIV/AIDS. It is unthinkable to believe that the services given by AIDS organizations are not able to cover LGBT communities. I must confess that without a focus on LGBT human rights, many investments in HIV/AIDS programmes and policies are doomed to fail.

Your Excellency, I congratulate you and your party for winning the last election. The people of Africa need your SUPPORT and your real COMMITMENT. HIV spreads with frightening efficiency among the LGBT community due to lack of access to condoms, and lack of information. Human rights violations only add to the stigmatization of persons at highest risk of infection and thus marginalize and drive underground those who need information, preventive services, and treatment most desperately.

We are counting on your support.

We can do well in this world. We have difficult times but we have had difficult times in the past and we will have difficult times in the future. But we know that the vast majority of people in this world want to live together, want to improve the quality of their life, and want justice for all human beings who abide in our world.

Let us dedicate to ourselves to make this world a better place to live, for you for me and for all the people of this wonderful planet called the earth.
On behalf of the African LGBT community, we thank you in advance for your time on this important and urgent matter, and look forward to the honour of a reply.

Yours respectfully

Jimmy Leon
Co-ordinator for African-rapport Networks
Educator activist for Amnesty International USA.
www.africanrapport.net.ms