Deeply conservative
Swaziland / Eswatini is to see its first-ever LGBTI pride event on Saturday (30
June 2018). The state police in the kingdom controlled by King Mswati III,
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, has granted permission for it to
take place.
Homosexual acts are illegal in the tiny kingdom of 1.1 million people where most of the population live under a feudal system isolated in rural areas.
Homosexual acts are illegal in the tiny kingdom of 1.1 million people where most of the population live under a feudal system isolated in rural areas.
Traditionalists, led by the
King who has 15 wives, are antagonistic to LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual
transgender and intersex) people and say their lifestyles are ‘unSwazi’.
The pride event was
officially launched on Friday (22 June 2018). US Ambassador to Swaziland Lisa
Peterson told the launch the event was a call to respect the human rights of
all people.
The event is organised by
Rock of Hope an advocacy group for LGBTI people. Its Advocacy and Communication
Officer Melusi Simelane said the event was a day of freedom of expression.
The event is at the Prince
of Wales Stadium, Mbabane, starting at 9 a.m.
There is a long history of
discrimination against LGBTI people in Swaziland. Pitty
Dludlu told the annual Joshua Mzizi Memorial Lecture held in Ezulwini in
December 2017 they faced a number of issues that included access to health care
without stigma and prejudice. She said police and health care workers were the
worse abusers of LGBTI people.
In a review of human
rights in Swaziland in 2017 the US State Department noted, ‘Societal
discrimination against LGBTI persons was prevalent, and LGBTI persons generally
concealed their sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBTI persons who were
open regarding their sexual orientation and relationships faced censure and
exclusion from the chiefdom-based patronage system, which could result in
eviction from one’s home.
‘Chiefs, pastors, and government officials criticized
same-sex sexual conduct as neither morally Swazi nor Christian. LGBTI advocacy
organizations had trouble registering with the government.’
It added, ‘On July 23 [2017], a third-year University
of Swaziland student committed suicide, reportedly because he found himself
isolated after his family rejected him due to his sexual orientation.’
In May 2016 Rock of Hope reported
to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review on Swaziland that
laws, social stigma and prejudice prevented LGBTI organisations from operating
freely.
The report, presented jointly with three South
African-based organisations, stated, in Swaziland sexual health rights of LGBTI
were not protected and there was inequality in the access to health care.
The report added, ‘LGBTIs are discriminated and
condemned openly by society. This is manifest in negative statements uttered by
influential people in society e.g., religious, traditional and political
leaders. Traditionalists and conservative Christians view LGBTIs as against
Swazi tradition and religion. There have been several incidents where
traditionalists and religious leaders have issued negative statements about
lesbians.
‘Human rights abuses and violations against members of
the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex population continue to go
undocumented, unreported, unprosecuted and not addressed.’
It added, ‘There is no legislation recognizing LGBTIs
or protecting the right to a non-heterosexual orientation and gender identity
and as a result LGBTI cannot be open about their orientation or gender identity
for fear of rejection and discrimination.’
HOOP (House of Our Pride), a support group for LGBTI
people,
reported to the United Nation in 2011, ‘It is a common scene for
LGBTI to be verbally insulted by by-passers in public places. [There is]
defamatory name calling and people yelling out to see a LGBTI person’s
reproductive part are some of the issues facing LGBTI in Swaziland.’
See also
KING’S
NEWSPAPER HATES LGBTI PEOPLE
PARENTS
WANT ‘LESBIAN’ TEACHER OUT
LESBIAN
AND GAY MURDERS IN SWAZILAND
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2015/03/lesbian-and-gay-murders-in-swaziland.html
SWAZI MINISTER LIES TO UN ON GAYS
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/swazi-minister-lies-to-un-on-gays.html
SWAZI MINISTER LIES TO UN ON GAYS
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