NextGenderation:
/////////////////////////////////////////////////
Dear, Dearest,
October 4, 2004: Prominent lesbian activist, *Fannyann
Eddy* from
Sierra
Leone, was murdered while working late in the offices
of SLLAGA (Sierra
Leone Lesbian and Gay Association) at the end of last
week in what many
fear was a homophobic hate crime judging by the brutal
nature of the
attack.
Fannyann is survived by her 9 year old son and her
girlfriend in South
Africa, and will be sorely missed by activists and
individuals across
the continent.
http
<
http://www.mask.org.za/sections/Women/newlook/gnd/gnd012.htm>://
www.mask.org.za/sections/Women/newlook/gnd/gnd012.htm
<
http://www.mask.org.za/sections/Women/newlook/gnd/gnd012.htm>
http://www.mask.org.za/sections/AfricaPerCountry/ABC/sierra%20leone/sierra%20leone_6.htm
<
http://www.mask.org.za/sections/Women/newlook/gnd/gnd012.htm>
<
http://www.mask.org.za/sections/Women/newlook/gnd/gnd012.htm>
<
http://www.mask.org.za/sections/Women/newlook/gnd/gnd012.htm>
______________________________________________________________________
Intervention by MADRE
Item 14 - 60th Session, Commission on Human Rights
Distinguished members of the Commission,
My name is Fannyann Eddy and I am representing MADRE I
am also a member
of the
Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association.
I would like to use this opportunity to bring to your
attention the
dangers
vulnerable groups and individuals face not only in my
beloved country,
Sierra
Leone, but throughout Africa.
My focus of interest is the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender
community,
which most African leaders do not like to address. In
fact, many
African
leaders do not want to even acknowledge that we exist.
Their denial has
many
disastrous results for our community.
We do exist. But because of the denial of our
existence, we live in
constant
fear: fear of the police and officials with the power
to arrest and
detain us
simply because of our sexual orientation. For
instance, recently a
young gay
man was arrested in Freetown for being dressed as a
woman. He was held
in
detention for a full week without any charge being
brought. Though I
personally was able to argue with the authorities to
release him, most
people
like him would have been held indefinitely because
there are very few
of
us who
are able to speak up.
We live in fear that our families will disown us, as
it is not unusual
for
lesbian, gay bisexual, and transgender people to be
forced out of their
family
homes when their identity becomes known. Many people
who are forced
from
their
homes because of their sexual orientation or gender
identity are young
with
nowhere else to go, and thus become homeless, have no
food, and resort
to sex
work in order to survive.
We live in fear within our communities, where we face
constant
harassment and
violence from neighbors and others. Their homophobic
attacks go
unpunished by
authorities, further encouraging their discriminatory
and violent
treatment of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
When African leaders use culture, tradition, religion
and societal
norms to
deny our existence, they send a message that tolerates
discrimination,
violence
and overall indignity.
This denial has especially disastrous results in the
context of
HIV/AIDS.
According to a recent research study published in
December 2003 by the
Sierra
Leone Lesbian and Gay Association in collaboration
with Health Way
Sierra
Leone, 90% of men who have sex with men also have sex
with women,
either
their
wives or girlfriends. Of that group, 85% said that
they do not use
condoms.
Clearly the message of sexual education and
transmission of HIV is not
delivered to these men in Sierra Leone. It is clear
that many men get
married
not because that is what their inner being desires,
but because that is
what
society demands-because they live in a society which
forces them to
fear for
their freedom or their lives because of their sexual
orientation. The
silence
surrounding them-the refusal to acknowledge their
existence or address
their
health care needs-endangers not only them but their
wives and
girlfriends.
Yet, despite all of the difficulties we face, I have
faith that the
acknowledgement
by the Commission of the inherent dignity and respect
due to
lesbian, gay people can lead to greater respect for
our human rights.
As
evidenced by the liberation struggle in South Africa,
where the
constitution
bars discrimination based on sexual orientation,
respect for human
rights can
transform society. It can lead people to understand
that in the end, we
are
all human and all entitled to respect and dignity.
Silence creates vulnerability. You, members of the
Commission on Human
Rights,
can break the silence. You can acknowledge that we
exist, throughout
Africa
and on every continent, and that human rights
violations based on
sexual
orientation or gender identity are committed every
day. You can help us
combat
those violations and achieve our full rights and
freedoms, in every
society,
including my beloved Sierra Leone.
--
_______________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!
http://vote.yahoo.com
