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Malawian
homosexuals form association
20 Aug
2008- Lilongwe, Malawi- Malawian homosexuals, who claim to have been
oppressed for a long time, have formed an association, the Malawi Gay
Rights Movement (Magrim).
According to the
organisation's interim Chairperson, Mc Leod (requested that his surname
not be mentioned), Malawian gays and lesbians have never publicly come
foward because of the country's repressive laws. Under Malawi law, just
like in most Southern African Development Community (Sadc) member
states, it is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment with hard
labour.
Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has gone on to describe homosexuals
as 'worse than pigs', a stance Mc Leod fears has been adopted by other
Sadc Heads of State, including Malawi.
"What people must know is that Malawi has always had an active gay
population. and these people have been meeting for a long time. Only
that now we have decided to come forth because we want our views heard;
we are Malawian citizens who should be protected like anyone else.
Doesn't our Republican constitution say everyone is equal, and that
nobody is more equal than others," queried Mc Leod in Blantyre today.
Apparently, when a Malawian civil rights organisation, the Malawi Human
Rights Resource Centre reported some three years ago that it wanted to
advocate for the decriminalisation of homosexual laws, the country went
up in flames against the proposal.
But Mc Leod describes the situation as "pathetic", saying, contrary to
prevalent perceptions that homosexuals are 'artificial' human beings,
the reality is that, just like heterosexuality, being gay or lesbian is
natural.
"These people don't understand, but we will fight on. In fact, Malawi
has an active population of 89, 000 homosexuals, and this we say because
we meet, and have sexual intercourse," said Mc Leod to prove the fact
that homosexuality is real in Malawi.
The launch for the association, which currently has 3890 members,
including 680 ladies, is slated for Blantyre on September 13.
"We have a place in Blantyre City Centre where we have been meeting for
the past six years," he said, adding that thge association was looking
for well-wishers to help bank-role the occasion. He added that it also
had plans to begin outreach activities, starting this November, to
sensitise people that homosexuality is natural, and no cause for shame.
He said they were currently looking for K1, 400, 000 (about U$D10,000)
to carry out the activities he said were necessary to rid Malawian gays
of the bondage they have suffered for the past 45 years, that is the
time Malawi has been independent from her former colonial master
Britain.
This is the first time gays have come openly to express themselves, as
the world increasingly embraces homosexuality.
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