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Nepali gay men
contesting poll hope to end taboo
26 Feb 2008-
Katmandu, India - At least five Nepali gay men are contesting this year's
elections in the hope of shattering taboos in the conservative nation, a gay
candidate said.
Homosexuality is
effectively illegal in Nepal under a law banning "unnatural sex". Offenders can
be jailed for up to a year.
Gay and transgender
Nepalis complain that they are often excluded from jobs and schools because of
their sexuality, and sometimes are victims of assault or rape, including by
police.
"It is a prejudiced
society," said Sunil Babu Pant, founder of a leading gay rights group, Blue
Diamond Society. "We are standing in the elections to fight the discrimination
against our community," he said. "This is a very symbolic approach to tell all
Nepalis that we have equal rights."
Pant and four other gay
candidates are standing for public election on April 10 to become members of a
new 601-seat constituent assembly. It will be Nepal's first national vote since
1999.
The five candidates have
been fielded by the Nepal Communist Party (United), a junior partner in the
ruling alliance.
There are already signs
the taboo may be beginning to lose its grip. In December, the Supreme Court
ordered the government to end discrimination against gays and guarantee sexual
minorities the same rights as other citizens.
Pant feels he has a good
chance of winning, saying there are hundreds of thousands of gay and transgender
voters across the country to whom he will appeal.
"I feel sad and we feel
excluded," said Pant, who lives in Kathmandu. "As human beings we all like to be
loved and respected. We are deprived of the opportunity to contribute to our
society and nation."
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