TEN US senators have written a letter to President
Barack Obama asking him to impose economic
sanctions against Nigeria in response to the
government's hostile stance towards lesbians and
gays.
On January 7 this year, President Goodluck Jonathan
signed Nigeria's Draconian bill Same Sex Marriage
Prohibition Act into law, making anyone convicted of
being homosexual liable to 14 years in prison. Since
the law came into effect, the police have swung into
action arresting lesbians and gays across Nigeria,
while homophobic vigilante groups have also
stepped up attacks on suspected victims.
Coming at a time when several other African nations
are also clamping down severely on homosexuals,
the US senators have asked President Obama to step
in and halt the witch hunt. Those who signed the
letter include Christopher Murphy, Tammy Baldwin,
Martin Heinrich, Richard Blumenthal, Barbara
Boxer, Al Franken, Kirsten Gillibrand, Edward
Markey, Sherrod Brown and Mark Udall.
They are seeking sanctions against Nigeria, over
what they described as a growing trend of laws and
proposed legislation targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Africa. In their
letter, the senators are seeking a review of the
African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which
allows for duty-free treatment of certain imports from
Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries
since 2000.
In their letter, they stated: “We, therefore, ask that
your administration review Nigeria and Uganda’s
eligibility for Agoa’s trade preference and if it is
determined that those countries are not making
continual progress in meeting the statute’s
requirements, that you take steps to revoke Agoa's
eligibility to Nigeria and Uganda, in accordance with
19 USC 2466a(a)(3),” the senators stated.
According to the senators, the enacted Same-Sex
Marriage Prohibition Act by Nigeria in January and
the enforcement of these laws would be a human
rights abuse, in violation of the standards set forth in
the Agoa. In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni
signed a law into effect on February 24 under which
accused persons can be sent to prison for life for
aggravated homosexuality.
“These laws, combined with the growing public vitriol
by government officials and the media, threaten to
usher in an era of widespread oppression of the LGBT
community in many African countries. We believe
that the discriminatory anti-LGBT laws in those
countries represent a clear violation of human rights
and hope that the interagency process charged with
Agoa’s annual review will make this
recommendation.
"We further ask that you not restore eligibility until
these beneficiary countries have taken steps to
eliminate harsh penalties for LGBT persons,” the
senators added.
Source: www.nigerianwatch.com/news/4941
Barack Obama asking him to impose economic
sanctions against Nigeria in response to the
government's hostile stance towards lesbians and
gays.
On January 7 this year, President Goodluck Jonathan
signed Nigeria's Draconian bill Same Sex Marriage
Prohibition Act into law, making anyone convicted of
being homosexual liable to 14 years in prison. Since
the law came into effect, the police have swung into
action arresting lesbians and gays across Nigeria,
while homophobic vigilante groups have also
stepped up attacks on suspected victims.
Coming at a time when several other African nations
are also clamping down severely on homosexuals,
the US senators have asked President Obama to step
in and halt the witch hunt. Those who signed the
letter include Christopher Murphy, Tammy Baldwin,
Martin Heinrich, Richard Blumenthal, Barbara
Boxer, Al Franken, Kirsten Gillibrand, Edward
Markey, Sherrod Brown and Mark Udall.
They are seeking sanctions against Nigeria, over
what they described as a growing trend of laws and
proposed legislation targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Africa. In their
letter, the senators are seeking a review of the
African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which
allows for duty-free treatment of certain imports from
Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries
since 2000.
In their letter, they stated: “We, therefore, ask that
your administration review Nigeria and Uganda’s
eligibility for Agoa’s trade preference and if it is
determined that those countries are not making
continual progress in meeting the statute’s
requirements, that you take steps to revoke Agoa's
eligibility to Nigeria and Uganda, in accordance with
19 USC 2466a(a)(3),” the senators stated.
According to the senators, the enacted Same-Sex
Marriage Prohibition Act by Nigeria in January and
the enforcement of these laws would be a human
rights abuse, in violation of the standards set forth in
the Agoa. In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni
signed a law into effect on February 24 under which
accused persons can be sent to prison for life for
aggravated homosexuality.
“These laws, combined with the growing public vitriol
by government officials and the media, threaten to
usher in an era of widespread oppression of the LGBT
community in many African countries. We believe
that the discriminatory anti-LGBT laws in those
countries represent a clear violation of human rights
and hope that the interagency process charged with
Agoa’s annual review will make this
recommendation.
"We further ask that you not restore eligibility until
these beneficiary countries have taken steps to
eliminate harsh penalties for LGBT persons,” the
senators added.
Source: www.nigerianwatch.com/news/4941
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