JWG CONDEMNS HOMOPHOBIC UTTERANCES FROM TREKI - UN

Lesego Tlhwale (BTM Intern)

AFRICA ABROAD – 05 October 2009: The newly appointed President of the UN General Assembly, Ali Abdussalam Treki, has received backlash from activists following his pessimistic statement the on the decriminalization of homosexuality.

Responding to question around the recent vote on the decriminalisation of homosexuality Treki said, “homosexuality is not really acceptable.”

The UN General Assembly President further reiterated that, “it is not acceptable in the majority of the world. And there are some countries that allow that, thinking it is a kind of democracy, I think it is not”, he said.

The Joint Working Group (JWG), a network of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI) organizations throughout South Africa and the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) are infuriated by these comments.

Emily Craven, Coordinator of JWG said that, “these statements are deeply disturbing given the high levels of intolerance, abuse and violence LGBTI people throughout the world face on a daily basis, not least on Treki’s own continent of Africa.”

Craven said that, “it is entirely unacceptable that in a country where the constitution specifically prohibits discrimination against LGBTI people that our government turns a blind eye to such as the united nation.”

On the other hand, “ILGA is deeply worried and outraged by UN Assembly new President Ali Abdussalam Treki’s failure to consider the protection of the life and safety of LGBTI people all over the world a matter of human rights”, said Gloria Careaga and Renato Sabbadini, Co-Secretaries General, ILGA.

They further highlighted that, “considering that the statement called for the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality one cannot but conclude that the new president of the UN Assembly is, in favour of criminalizing LGBTI people.”

Phumi Mtetwa, Director of the Equality Project pointed out that comments made by Treki are dangerous.

Mtetwa recalled on the UN Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions (2003) which stated that they continued to receive reports of persons having been subjected to death threats or extra judicially killed because of their sexual orientation.

“If Treki and others ignore those findings demonstrates ill will in achieving human rights for all and stopping violence against marginalized people in our societies”, said Mtetwa.

“If the UN is committed to the human rights of all people and that they are indivisible, universal, and interdependent then its structures and official must lead to make this real.”

ILGA is set to demand an explanation to the UN Assembly President for his words and react consequently.

“The South African government and their representative at the United Nations have a clear obligation to condemn in the strongest terms Treki’s comments and to make clear this country’s commitment to the rights of LGBTI people across the world,” said Craven of JWG.
 
Meanwhile the JWG have communicated their demands to the Department of International Relation and Cooperation, asking them to officially condemn Treki’s comments.