GAYS HAVE A LOT TO OFFER THE COMMONWEALTH – ACTIVISTS

By Simangele Mzizi (BTM Intern)

AFRICA ABROAD – 29 July 2009: In an attempt to fight stigma against homosexuality, support is being mobilised for NGOs and Civil society organisations in Commonwealth member states through petitioning the Director of Commonwealth to provide a platform to safeguard the rights of homosexual people at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November.

According to Sahran Abeysundara, Chairperson for Equal Ground in Sri Lanka, the Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF), held prior to the CHOGM, creates a civil society statement which calls on Commonwealth Governments to act upon key issues in their states.
 
“This is an extremely important opportunity that we must not miss, at which our voices could be heard and our rights upheld”, Abeysundara said.

This years’ CHOGM, held every two years, will take place in November in Trinidad and Tobago where the statement indicating key issues, including homosexuality will be presented to all the Heads of Governments.

“For too long our voices have not been heard, we have been subjected to arbitrary arrests, violence and social stigma and in some countries, are put to death for just being who we are”, Abeysundara lamented.

During this year’s Commonwealth Law Conference held in Hong Kong Convention, former Australian High Court Justice, Michael Kirby criticised Commonwealth member states that criminalise homosexuality, saying they “put a cohort of citizens in a position of stigma and shame.”

According to Abeysundara the marginalisation of homosexual people puts them at a greater risk of HIV and health problems in these Commonwealth countries.

“If we cannot truly address issues, problems are never fully resolved, it is time for change”, Abeysundara said.

He also emphasized “the true potential of our nations will not be fulfilled if there is a large group of marginalised people that cannot truly be themselves.”

Following India’s historical decision to decriminalise homosexuality, Amnesty International has extended its call on those countries within the Commonwealth to repeal laws that continue to criminalise homosexuality.

“Currently there are a few individuals and governments that are making very positive steps towards advocating for the rights of LGBTI people, too many of the Commonwealth member states still criminalise homosexuality”, Abeysundara revealed.

Meanwhile homosexuality is still punishable by death in Mauritania, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iran.
 
Garnering support from member states of the Commonwealth who are still hostile towards homosexuals Abeysundara said the LGBTI community has a lot to offer the Commonwealth and the world.

“We are represented in every aspect of human life and we need to be recognised as human beings and be awarded the same rights as everyone else”, he concluded.

Equal Ground is a non profit organisation that works for human and political rights for the LGBTI community of Sri Lanka.

The Commonwealth Foundation is an inter-governmental organisation mandated by the 53 Commonwealth countries to strengthen the capacities of civil society in these countries and they are responsible for the convening of CPF.