Search Click here to read the manifesto Community of Democracies to strip Nigeria of chairmanship over anti-gay law

Search Click here to read the manifesto Community of Democracies to strip Nigeria of chairmanship over anti-gay law

Posted by Sylvester on Saturday, February 8, 2014 0

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INTERNATIONAL non-governmental organisation Community of Democracies has warned Nigeria that the country will not be allowed to take over the chairmanship of the body next year as planned because of its refusal to respect gay rights.

Established in 2000, the Comunity of Democracies works to strengthen democracy globally by providing support to emerging democracies and civil society. Primarily made up of civil society groups, the body was the brainchild of Polish foreign minister Bronisław Geremek and US secretary of state Madeleine Albright and has a strong government presence.

El Salvador currently holds the presidency of Community for Democracies but this is due to pass on to Nigeria next year, however, the recent passing of the Draconian anti-gay law has raised questions. On January 7 this year, President Goodluck Jonathan signed Nigeria's Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill into law under which anyone convicted of engaging in a same sex relationship is liable to be jailed for 14 years.
Following the passing of the new law, the police have swung into action, conducting a series of arrests, picking up 38 men suspected of being gay. Last month, one man was found guilty in Bauchi in northeast Nigeria and sentenced to 20 lashes of the cane under the state's harsh Sharia law.

Wary of the direction things are taking, the international community has expressed fears that Nigeria could be reneging on its international human rights obligations. According to the Community of Democracies, the passing of the anti-gay law casts doubts on Nigeria's

commitment to democracy.
A Community of Democracies spokesperson said: "This Act has provisions which violate a number of the principles which the Community of Democracies holds dear and which are enshrined in the Warsaw Declaration. The law infringes on the rights of a defined group of Nigerian citizens to associate, assemble, express themselves, to equal protection before the law without discrimination, to  respect for private family  life, and to be free from arbitrary arrest.

"That the Nigerian state has chosen to discriminate against gay people, who are already socially marginalised and victimised, at a time when an increasing number of their fellow governments in the Community of Democracies are reviewing their own discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTI individuals and communities is particularly distasteful. In the event that Nigeria is not willing to repeal this act and return to its path of deepening and strengthening a democracy which a number of its own civil society organisations criticise for being deficient in areas of transparency, accountability and participation, the presidency of the community should be passed to another country more able to lead by example."

Dubbed the Jail All The Gays’ law, Nigeria's new Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill is seen by the gay community as one of the most Draconian in the world. Nigeria's gay community in the UK thus plans to hold a demonstration outside the high commission in London to protest against the law.

To be held on 20 February, the rally will involve campaigners delivering a protest letter to the high commissioner Dr Dalhatu Tafida. To make their point, the protesters plan to will hold hands, hug and kiss outside the high commission.

Among the harsh contents of the Nigerian law are a stipulation that parents have a duty to report their homosexual/bisexual children or face 10 years imprisonment. In addition, any doctor who treats patients who are engaged in same sex relationships faces 10 years imprisonment as do landlords who rent their properties to gay couples.

Also, employers who do not report homosexuals in their employment are guilty of aiding and abetting their crime and could face up to 10 years imprisonment. Gay rights activists have written to Dr Chidi Odinkalu, the chairman of Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission, condemning his silence on the matter.