There seems to be no relief for gays in Africa. Following the likes of Uganda and Nigeria, Chad is now ready to approve a new law that restricts sexual freedom. Chad’s Cabinet has indeed enacted a new draft of section 361 of the country’s penal code, which aims at punishing anyone who has sexual intercourse with someone of the same sex.
The punishment for those who break the law is far from being insignificant: 15 to 20 years’ imprisonment as well as an 800 euros ($980 USD) fine, which roughly corresponds to a year’s salary for a worker of N’Djamena.
According to a document obtained by Agence France Presse, Chad’s government claims that the measure is intended to preserve and protect the family and to comply with Chadian tradition. The law will now go before President Idriss Déby, who has already been called upon by several NGOs advocating human rights not to rubber-stamp it. According to Déby and his staff, the law would be part of a project meant to update the country’s penal code, which is more than half a century old. The new code also abolishes the death penalty, a move welcomed by human rights organizations.
If Chad were to approve this anti-gay law, it would become the 37th country in Africa to ratify a discriminatory law against gays. This would reflect the dangerous rise of homophobia that is crossing the African countries’ borders. This trend may have been encouraged by American Evangelicals who are spreading hatred towards gays, but it could also be a response to the increased exposure that African gays have achieved throughout the years.
Last month Gambia passed an anti-gay bill imposing life imprisonment, President Yahya Jammeh stating that gay and lesbian people should leave the country or be beheaded. Moreover, a few months ago, President Jonathan Goodluck of Nigeria signed a bill that outlaws same sex marriage. In Zimbabwe, too, gays are constantly under attack: during his public speeches, President Mugabe never misses the opportunity to insult the gay community.
Life is therefore becoming tougher by the day for the gay community in Africa, in spite of the pressure of NGOs and the international community. African governments seem to have picked gays as a perfect scapegoat to divert the public attention from the corruption and the appalling conditions of their own country.
Cutting off financial aids to those African countries passing laws that trample on human rights and freedom could be the only solution to apply concrete pressure on the governments and make them take a step back on the issue.
After all, the Western influence is constant and increasing in Africa, often harming those African countries. This would indeed be a great opportunity to try to intervene without causing any more harm to them.
Edited by Sayuri Romei
There seems to be no relief for gays in Africa. Following the likes of Uganda and Nigeria, Chad is now ready to approve a new law that restricts sexual freedom. Chad’s Cabinet has indeed enacted a new draft of section 361 of the country’s penal code, which aims at punishing anyone who has sexual intercourse with someone of the same sex.
