fannyann remembered at homomonument

October 24, 2004: Recently murdered activist Fannyann Eddy was remembered at the Homomonument in Amsterdam yesterday at the close a week of lesbian and gay activities in the city organised by HiVOS.

Fannyann Eddy was murdered in Sierra Leone last month while working late in the offices of SLLAGA (Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association) in Freetown. Police have still not apprehended any suspects and conflicting information continues to circulate about the circumstances and motives for the murder. But homophobic attack or senseless violent crime, the end result is the same - a great activist is lost to the struggle: a woman, a lesbian, a tireless campaigner for the rights of gays and lesbians in her country and across Africa.

At the opening of the HiVOS Symposium on Homosexualities and HIV on Thursday October 21, 2004 representatives from Africa stood at the front of the hall, gave a short dedication to Fannyann Eddy and called for a minute's silence - Fannyann was killed during preparations for the symposium and would have been present were it not for her untimely death. The week of meetings, workshops and the symposium and other programmes concluded on a rainy day at the Homomonument - a monument in Amsterdam which commemorates the lesbian and gay people killed during World War II - on Saturday October 23, 2004 with a moving memorial to Fannyann Eddy. Carol Millward of The Rainbow Project, Namibia, represented CAL (The Coalition of African Lesbians) of which Fannyann was a founder member. Tearful speeches were also delivered by representatives from the Asian Lesbian Network, as well as representatives from HiVOS and Mama Cash. Finally flowers were laid at the tip of the monument, which reaches into the canal.

An inspiration to those who knew Fannyann Ann in life, her memory is now serving to inspire others worldwide - preparations are underway for a memorial in London next week.