galz cause stir at book fair, again

August 10, 2004: Reports in various Zimbabwean newspapers claim that members of GALZ were beaten and chased from their stand at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair last week. This year's scandal has led to the resignation of honorary trustee, the Midlands provincial governor, Cephas Msipa from the board of the fair.

The turbulent history of GALZ (Gay and Lesbians of Zimbabwe) and the Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF) continued this year with reported violence and a high profile resignation. GALZ were banned by government from participating in the 1995 fair, following which they obtained a Supreme Court order in 1996 allowing them to take part. Government has remained consistently opposed to their attendance. Between 1997 and 2002, GALZ participated at the book fair as part of the human rights stand. Last year the group exhibited on its own amid hostile rhetoric from officials and members of the public.

The Herald on August 4, 2004 reported that members of the GALZ group who were manning the stall at the book fair were beaten and chased from their stall on Monday evening. "Exhibitors at nearby stands who witnessed the assault said a group of people charged towards three GALZ members accusing [them] of being inhuman. A heated argument ensued and the group started beating the three who fled to safety," the report said. Officials of the book fair say that no reports of violence had been received from GALZ and they had not heard of a report to the police either. Responding to criticisms from the public that the book fair is promoting homosexuality in Zimbabwe ZIBF director Samuel Matsangaise is reported to have said, "If we do not allow them to participate, then we would have broken the law as the recent High Court ruling made them eligible to exhibit."

The Herald followed this report with another the following day explaining that GALZ had returned to the stall despite the incident, although it is at pains to point out the cautions that GALZ were then taking to avoid confrontation. "When The Herald visited the GALZ stand yesterday, all they saw were only a few pamphlets with no member on sight. Some exhibitors on the adjacent stand said GALZ members reappear at their stand when there are a few people and when the number increases they would then move to other stands."

The GALZ stand was reportedly the busiest at the fair as many people visited the stand to register their discontent with the organisation's participation in the exhibition.
GALZ director Keith Goddard said that it was regrettable that homophobic elements were illegally using violence to suppress other people's freedoms of assembly and association.

In the latest development, the Zimbabwe Independent has reported on August 6, 2004 that Midlands Provincial governor Cephas Msipa has quite as an honorary trustee of ZIBF in protest at GALZ presence at the fair. He disagrees with the rest of the board's decision to allow GALZ to participate, despite the High Court ruling.

Msipa's resignation means ZIBF now has seven honorary trustees from across the world. George Kahari is the only remaining Zimbabwean on the board of trustees.