Re: Request for info: Refugee status / homosexuality in Nigeria

[D. Tola Winjobi]

Hi Garam,   Thanks for your email.   I am a human rights activist born and bred in Nigeria, and with over twenty years CSO experience. I have worked for various human rights organizations before including Amnesty International and Centre for Constitutional Governance. I shuttle between Ibadan and Abuja ( Abuja is the capital city where the refugee claims his house was demolished). I also live and work in Abuja.   It is true that the federal government's policy is to demolish any building that violates the Abuja Master Plan but compensation is paid to those who have proper documentation. He may not get compensated not because he is a gay but because he does not have legal documentation on the property he alleges has been demolished. This is against the law. Those who have proper legal documentation are usually compensated but most people do not have this because they want to become emergency landlords at all cost at the federal capital. That is why they meet with the original land settlers/owners and pay pittance for them to acquire land to build houses. This is wrong. Federal government gives C of O to landlords who have acquired their landed property legally without violation of Abuja Master Plan. It’s not new that a house is being demolished. For instance, where I used to live in Lugbe (Satellite town in Abuja) has been demolished, but my landlord cannot claim anything.   On the issue of being denied compensation because he is gay, this is far from the truth. There is no law in Nigeria violating the rights of gay or discriminating against gay or lesbian. As a matter of fact, there is freedom of religion and association in Nigeria. If there is an islamic law like sharia that might be contemptuous of LGBT right in Nigeria, it can only happen in northern Nigeria even in very few states not in Abuja that is meant for all of us. The federal government allows everyone to do what he/she feels is according to his/her conscience provided it does not violate the law of the land. So, NO WAR AGAINST GAY IN NIGERIA. More so, it is wrong to run away from your own country due to economic hardship and claim it is the government that is persecuting you. Not in Nigeria.   If I have details about that refugee CONCERNING BEING PERSECUTED BECAUSE HE IS A GAY, I am ready to hire some lawyers to look at his plight.   I perceive that Nigerian refugee only wants a greener pasture which he is trying to get having "faked" refugee status in order to get him a place in Korea. That means he is an irregular/illegal migrant, as well, travelling without proper documentation. We counsel potential and irregular migrants like this in our office.   If you need more information, kindly get back to me. My contact is stated below my signature. Regards D. Tola Winjobi (PhD) Principal Coordinator, CAFSO-CPCM National Coordinator, Open Forum Nigeria Plot 5 Akingbade Street, Opposite New Gbagi Market, Off Old Ife Road, Box 15060, Agodi P. O, Ibadan 200003, NIGERIA. +234 80 306 18326 +234 80 820 08222 tolawi...@yahoo.com http://www.wiserearth.org/user/TolaWinjobi/section/main http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/profile/TolaWinjobi     --- On Tue, 10/12/10, Forced Migration List <fml...@QEH.OX.AC.UK> wrote: From: Forced Migration List <fml...@QEH.OX.AC.UK> Subject: Request for info: Refugee status / homosexuality in Nigeria To: FORCED-M...@JISCMAIL.AC.UK Date: Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 10:19 AM Urgent request: Question: Refugee status-Homosexuality in Nigeria (7 Day Deadline) I'm very glad to write to you concerning to refugee problems in Africa. Our organisation, NANCEN, is working for refugees in South Korea. Recently, a Nigerian man is detained by Korean government and he wants to be granted refugee status in our country. In Nigeria, he lived in the capital, Abuja. He told us that his house had been demolished according to the Nigerian government's urban development plan. Even though the government promised adequate compensation, he has not been paid the money for being a gay. Since then, he has been threatened various occasions and finally came to Korea. In regards to this case, I would like to get some advices which might be helpful for the detainee's refugee application procedure. 1. It looks like Korean government will require the applicant to demonstrate any kind of official documents to prove the house demolished has been his property. But according to the applicant, what I've understood is that they don't make any documents when they sell or buy land or buildings in Nigeria between natives. I wonder if you know any Nigerian customs on it. 2. He claims to be a refugee being homosexual, but this is the hardest part for Korean government to understand since it cannot be proven by any 'explicit proofs'. I've made some basic research concerning to the treatment of homosexuality in Nigeria, but I couldn't find anything but some patch of newspaper articles. I wonder if you can suggest me any other detailed studies on the subject. He has been officially interviewed by the government yesterday and since then, we can present a written opinion in 7 days. So it would be very helpful if you could give us some advices according to two questions above. South Korean government has granted refugee status to a Pakistani for being homosexual this year, but it is the only case. I'm sincerely looking forward to your response. Best regards, GARAM KWON refuc...@gmail.com -- ??????(NANCEN) refuc...@gmail.com<mailto:refuc...@gmail.com> www.nancen.org<http://www.nancen.org> Tel. +82 (0)2-712-0620 Fax. +82 (0)505-503-0620 Dr. Barbara E. Harrell-Bond, Director Fahamu Refugee Programme 298 Banbury Road, Flat 2 Oxford OX2 7ED Phone: +44 (0) 1865 424 697 Mobile: 07500337690 Skype: Barbara.Harrellbond www.srlan.org/beta www.fahamu.org -- ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Note: The material contained in this communication comes to you from the Forced Migration Discussion List which is moderated by Forced Migration Online, Refugee Studies Centre (RSC), Oxford Department of International Development, University of Oxford. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the RSC or the University. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this message please retain this disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. 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