statement from gays and lesbians of zimbabwe (GALZ)

Relating to: Recent homophobic comments made by Namibia's Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration, Theopolina Mushelenga

September 13, 2005: Recent comments by Namibia's Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration, Ms Theopolina Mushelenga, claiming that lesbians and gay men betrayed the fight for Namibian freedom, are responsible for the HIV/AIDS pandemic and are an insult to African culture, are outlandish, highly irresponsible and blatantly untrue.

It is Ms Mushelenga who is doing the insulting, not gay and lesbian people who, generally speaking, have stood up for the pursuit of freedom, democracy and good governance in southern Africa.

To blame lesbian and gay people for the spread of HIV in Africa is reckless and foolish. It is well known that transmission of HIV in southern Africa is largely through heterosexual sex but, that said, all of us, and especially those like Ms Mushelenga who are in positions of authority, should avoid pointing the finger at anyone, especially vulnerable minorities. The Deputy Minister should concentrate her energies on more practical and humane approaches to HIV/AIDS interventions.

It should be noted that the gay and lesbian community in southern Africa has played a significant role in HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns and in the fight for access to affordable treatment for all those on the African continent living with the virus. We do not warrant being abused and set aside in this way.

The Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) demands that Ms Mushelenga publicly retract her comments and set the record straight.

Fadzai Muparutsa
Programme Manager for Gender
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)

mushelenga bat le tambour de nujoma

Dans deux communiqu�s distincts mais comparables, l'association des gays et des lesbiennes du Zimbabwe (GALZ) et les britanniques d'OutRage! d�noncent les propos tenus r�cemment par la vice-ministre de l'Int�rieur et de l'Immigration de Namibie, Theopolina Mushelenga, selon laquelle les lesbiennes et les gays ont trahi le combat pour la libert� namibienne, sont responsables de la pand�mie de sida et repr�sentent une insulte � la culture africaine. Pour Fadzai Muparutsa, de GALZ, "c'est Mme Mushelenga qui insulte, pas les gays et les lesbiennes qui, pour la plupart, se sont battus pour la libert� et la d�mocratie" dans le sud du continent africain. "Bl�mer les lesbiennes et les gays pour l'�tendue des contaminations de sida en Afrique est inconscient et idiot, poursuit le communiqu�.

Il est bien connu que la transmission du virus en Afrique se fait essentie