Fw: [caconvenors] Press Release - Changing Attitude Nigeria
Robin Miller
PRESS RELEASE - 22 March 2007
For immediate release
Changing
Attitude Nigeria urges international action against
Same Sex Marriage
Act
The “Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2006“ was debated yesterday,
22
March, by the Nigerian House of Representatives. The bill undermines the
fundamental human rights of all lesbian and gay Nigerians, their families
and
friends.
World opinion needs to urgently condemn further
progress on this Bill in the
Nigerian House of Representatives. It will make
criminals of LGBT people
simply for being who they are. We urge all
Provinces and Primates of the
Anglican Communion to support international
action in condemnation of this dangerous
and inhuman bill.
Anyone who
“goes through the ceremony of marriage with a person of the same
sex,”
“performs, witnesses, aids or abets the ceremony of same sex marriage”
or
“is involved in the registration of gay clubs, societies and
organizations,
sustenance, procession or meetings, publicity and public show of same sex
amorous relationship directly or indirectly in public and in private” and
any
priest or cleric aiding or abetting such a union could be subject to the
five-year prison term.
The version of the Bill presented yesterday is
the original "Sani" version
that was presented last March. No amendments
have been made and the public
hearing has not influenced the Bill in anyway.
The bill does not take into
consideration the views of the Human Rights
Committee of the House that the bill
will create a fundamental abuse of LGBT
human rights. The Committee is
understood to be trying to block the Bill and
the chair of the Committee reported
that they are going to present a
minority report. It is clear that no consensus
has been reached on the
content of the bill between certain of the house
committees.
The
House of Representatives will officially go into recess today which
gives
more time for lobbying. Archbishop Peter Akinola is said to be doing last
minute lobbying of Anglicans in the House of Representatives and the
Government
to ensure the bill is voted on soon and passed into
law.
Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria (CAN),
said:
“Changing Attitude Nigeria stands as a reminder to the world-wide
Anglican
Communion that the Church of Nigeria is promoting and supporting a
bill which
will erode the most basic human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual
and
transgender (LGBT) people.”
“Archbishop Peter Akinola has
committed himself to the Windsor Report which
commits him to the process of
listening to LGBT people. If he is honest and
serious about listening to
LGBT members in his Province he must speak out now
in condemnation of this
bill and ensure that it is defeated.”
"I am very worried because very few
Nigerian LGBT activists are free to
speak out in a country which already has
repressive anti-gay legislation on the
statute book. The bill is moving very
fast and although some people think the
bill will fall, the Church sponsors
are not giving up and neither are we.“
"Conservative Christians want to
use Nigeria as an example to other African
countries to demonstrate that
anti-gay legislation can be passed which
criminalizes all affection and
activity between LGBT people.”
END
Contact:
Davis Mac-Iyalla,
Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria
Tel. Mobile: +2348025866133
Email:
_davis@nigeria.changingattitude.org_
(mailto:davis@nigeria.changingattitude.org)
Colin Coward
Director of Changing Attitude England
01380
724908
07770 844302
www.changingattitude.org.uk
6 Norney
Bridge
Mill Road
Marston
Devizes SN10 5SF
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