| Homosexuals in Nigeria protested against making same-sex marriage a crime, saying that it is a violation of their fundamental human rights. They say they have constitutional right to live and associate freely in a democratic country.
The new law would give prison sentences to homosexuals who live together, and anyone who “aids and abets” them. A bill “Act to Prohibit Marriage Between Persons of Same Gender, Solemnisation of Same and for other Matters Related Therewith”, is before the House of Representatives and is to be sent to the Senate for concurrence if it passes the House The Joint Committee of the House on Human Rights, Women Affairs and Justice, conducted a public hearing on the bill and the spokesperson for a homosexual group, Queer Alliance said, “Homosexuality, which is a private decision does not in anyway impinge on the rights of others. “We are law-abiding citizens and have not fallen into any problems with the laws. “None of us would want to be discriminated against because of our sexuality that we have no control nor have we chosen. “It is already a trial to survive the hardship of our nation let alone the discrimination we face as sexual minorities.” “I did not choose to be gay. It is trial enough to live in this country, we should not create more laws to make us suffer,” “We believe that we are created by God and do not wish to be discriminated against, we seek your help and appeal to you all to lay this bill aside. “We ask that the House of Representatives and our lawmakers work with us to understand the concept of sexuality and sexual orientation through our experiences and not create laws that punish us needlessly.” Human Rights Watch, and the Global Rights,also criticised the bill said, “Marriage between persons of the same gender is not now legal in Nigeria , and there is no possibility of its recognition without specific state affirmation. “Imposing criminal penalties on this particular form of marital relationship is redundant. It can only be construed as an effort to further stigmatise relationships between persons of same gender and to provide additional grounds for official harassment, arrests and persecutions of anyone even suspected of such a relationship.” Critics say the law does not make sense since anyone who aides and abets people to live together would face a tougher sentence than the couple concerned. The law would make it easier for the police to arrest suspects, and criminalise anyone working in a human rights organisation that dealt with gay rights, they say. But the Church of Nigeria called homosexuality “being ungodly, unscriptural, unnatural, unprofitable, unhealthy, un-cultural, un-African and un-Nigerian.” Church groups spoke in favour of the bill, saying that homosexual marriage risked “tearing the fabric of society and in the Bible it says homosexuals are criminals,” “There are wild, weird, ways of life that are affecting our own culture very negatively, we have people who either by way of the media or travelling around the world have allowed new ideas which are harmful to our nation and our belief,” The bill’s sponsor, Mayor Eze, said the bill was necessary to protect the family. He said, “If you are not careful and allow the family institution to break down, and the consequences will be on all of us,” |
Mar122009