Zimbabwe: stop attacks and politically motivated arrests of GLBT advocates

Zimbabwe: Drop Charges Against Rights Defenders
Stop Attacks, Politically Motivated Prosecutions Against Gays and Lesbians

For Immediate Release

Contact:
In Cape Town, Chivuli Ukwimi, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (English): +27-21-469-3700; or +27-79-440-3938 (mobile)

In New York, Juliana Cano Nieto, Human Rights Watch (English, Spanish): +1-212-216-1867; or +1-646-407-0020 (mobile)

In Brussels, Shaun Kirven, Protection International (English, Spanish): +32-26-09-4409; or + 32-474-276-555 (mobile)

In Halifax, Kim Vance, ARC-International (English): +1-902-488-6404 (mobile)

(Harare, May 30, 2010) - A police raid and apparently politically motivated arrests at the offices of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) is an attack on all human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, a group of five international organizations said today in a letter to Margaret Sekaggya, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders.

A trial is set for June 10, 2010, for two persons arrested in a raid at the GALZ offices in Harare on May 21. The arrests occurred shortly before the opening of a national Constitutional Reform Outreach Program, through which GALZ is seeking to remove discriminatory provisions and secure constitutional protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The five human rights organizations believe that the context in which the raid and arrests occurred raises serious concerns that they were politically motivated.

"It is troubling-and ironic-that the government is persecuting people who are seeking to protect the rights of all Zimbabweans through the constitution," said Juliana Cano Nieto, researcher in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "This assault on the LGBT community threatens everyone in the country who is working for human rights."

In the raid on May 21, the police arrested a GALZ staff member, Ellen Chadenama, and a visitor to the offices, Ignatius Mhambi, charging them with possession of "dangerous drugs" and "pornographic material," and confiscating educational material. On May 24, a Zimbabwean Magistrate's Court added the charge of "undermining authority of or insulting [the] president" because the GALZ office displayed a placard that made a critical reference to President Robert Mugabe. Two days later, police searched the house of the acting director of GALZ, confiscating his birth certificate, several GALZ magazines, books, and business cards. The Magistrate Court in Harare granted bail to Chadenama and Mhambi on May 27 after they spent six days in detention.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), which is providing legal assistance to GALZ, said that Mhambi and Chadenama stated being physically assaulted by the police while in custody. Mhambi said that police hit him with empty glass bottles on his knees. Both told the lawyers' group that the police forced them to "sit in the air"- crouching in an uncomfortable position-for a long period of time.

"This is not the first time a state has used antiquated public decency laws to garner public support for intimidation and harassment of legitimate sexual rights work," said Shaun Kirven, advocacy officer at Protection International. "These attacks only inflame public intolerance and prevent the international community from taking action against state-sponsored homo- and transphobia."

Other GALZ staff members, including some who were out of Zimbabwe at the time of the arrests, are afraid to return home or to the GALZ office, and the work of the organization has effectively been halted, the human rights groups said. GALZ, the only organization of its kind in the country, provides critical HIV/AIDS and psychological support and services to the LGBT community in Zimbabwe.

"The raid on GALZ, the arrests and the charges severely impede the work of an organization that provides life-saving services to a marginalized population," said Chivuli Ukwimi, health and human rights officer at the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. "It is time for the government of Zimbabwe to deliver on its promise of equality and justice to all members of society."

In their letter, the human rights organizations called on Sekaggya and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, to investigate the raid on GALZ and the prosecution and alleged ill-tratment of Mhambi and Chadehama.

"This is a cynical and revealing move by Mugabe's camp to exploit the fact that the international community is in 'wait-and-see' mode vis-à-vis the unity government, which has also left the opposition toothless and vulnerable," said Lisa Veneklasen, executive director of JASS.

Government-sanctioned homophobia has led to attacks against GALZ in the past. In 1995, GALZ was denied permission to participate in the Zimbabwe International Book Fair because of government pressure. In May 1998, the state-controlled Sunday Mail published a front-page article accusing GALZ of running a brothel from its office and of showing pornographic videos. Subsequently, the same paper accused GALZ of holding "rowdy parties" featuring "public indecency." In no instance was there any evidence to support the allegations.

Speaking at a ceremony marking International Women's Day earlier this year, President Mugabe said, "Those who engage in homosexual behavior are just crazy." In the past, Mugabe has compared homosexuals to pigs and dogs and has stated that homosexuality "degrades human dignity."

The 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders calls on states to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of everyone against any violence, threats, retaliation, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the Declaration."

The letter was signed by the following organizations:ARC-InternationalHuman Rights WatchInternational Gay and Lesbian Human Rights CommissionJASS-Just AssociatesProtection International

The mission of The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is advancing human rights for everyone, everywhere to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. A non-profit, non-governmental organization, IGLHRC is based in New York, with offices in Cape Town and Buenos Aires. Visit http://www.iglhrc.org for more information.

Understanding Gay Misogyny: Why "Ticked off Tra**ies with Knives"?

Ain’t nothin’ hotter than a dead girl

To many transgender people the whole concept of Misogyny is a mystery and to others like myself, it is not.

I once identified out of fear as male and played the male dominate role. It had been ingrained in my psyche and served as my cover so no one would get a glimpse of my true self, except.....

.....when I had to lower my defenses as I had to do frequently to engage in sex. Then I was feminine and emotionally accessible and afterwards I felt angry. Angry at myself for being vulnerable, at my sexual partner for seeing my vulnerabilities and in my momentarily sedated mind I was especially angy at my temporary sexual partners for capitalizing on my vulnerabilities.

Seeking retribution and a way to mend my broken self I would tell sexist jokes, visit strip clubs, act disrespectfully and generally try to makeup for my lack of self respect by exhibiting passive aggressive behaviour towards women.

Exit Mr and enter Ms. I am asking you to take a leap of faith with me.

In believing I have transitioned and have had many years introspection and spiritual growth thats allowed me to view that "me" with a rear view mirror. That intimate knowledge of misogyny and the resultant behaviour enables me with a unique vantage point.

But why are so many gay men so enthralled with stereotyping as sexually inferior transgender woman, usurping and denigrating transgender phraseology and whats up with this violence? First lets get a handle on what misogyny is and thanks to glbtq Social Science we will debunk it's mystery.

"Misogyny" literally means "hatred of women." However, in everyday usage, beliefs and actions described as misogynist range from intense hatred of women to a more subtle disdain that maintains women as inferior beings who must be dominated and controlled by men. There are some men who eagerly adopt the label of misogynist and others who take its definition literally to mean hatred and therefore absolve themselves of the charge."

Curious is the response of a few transwoman who defend "TO$WK"!

"Misogyny also infects women, including their attitudes toward themselves as well as toward others. Just as there are homophobic queer people, there are also misogynistic women."

So how is Misogyny exhibited socially?

"Misogyny, and societal acceptance of it, can be blamed for men's violence against female family members, as well as strangers; discrimination against women in employment, education, and politics; lack of appropriate health care for women (such as inadequate funding for research on female cancers); and continuing unequal divisions of labor in the home, among many other social inequities."

How does misogyny effect gay men?

"Gay men are both perpetrators of misogyny and victims of it. In all-male societies where women are neither necessary nor desired, gay men can create a misogynistic culture without the existence of any women to object."

"Gay men's use of drag, as well as campy humor imitating or making fun of women, can be seen as misogynist behavior. Drag exaggerates and flaunts over-the-top femininity in a way that few women would or could. While many drag artists and connoisseurs respect and appreciate women, others engage in drag with the conscious understanding that they are making fun of women, or at least of certain aspects of female behavior and existence."

So how as a transgender woman does gay misogyny affect my life?

"As individuals who reside in the borderlands between maleness and femaleness, or who try to cross this border, transgendered people are subject to particularly virulent misogyny (wit TO$WK). Men who are seen as "acting like women" are subjected to misogynist violence by men who see them as degrading masculinity. Women who are seen as "acting like men" are often especially targeted by misogynists, who believe such behavior is a corruption of nature. Fear of violence from misogynists and others forces many transgender people to try to hide who they are, an onerous task in daily life."

How can I better the transgender experience for people yet to begin there trip on our road less traveled?

I am working hard to expose this sickness in our LGBTQ community. You may also and we can help to open one gay persons heart, stop one gay man from attending TO#WK, stop one LGBTQ film festival from gorging at the temple of transplotation, we have succeeded for today.

For today! Tomorrow as our detractors have often noted much to there dismay, we will work again Never satisfied untill we are treated as fully equal in the Gay and Lesbian Bi Sexual world.


Interesting read: Hollywood’s Misogyny: Top Model’s Beautiful Corpses