Yesterday, I reported on the worsening situation in Ghana for human rights for GLB people. Today, a government minister ordered the arrest of all gay people in his region.
The Western Region Minister Paul Evans Aidoo has ordered the immediate arrest of all homosexuals in the region.
He has tasked the Bureau of National Investigations and all security agencies to smoke out persons suspected to be engaging in same sex.
He also enlisted the services of landlords and tenants to provide reliable information which will lead to the arrest of homosexuals.
His directive follows months of campaigns against the practice of homosexuality in the country.
Only yesterday, the Christian Council of Ghana capped months of protestations against the practice of homosexuality with a strongly worded message against the practice and courting Ghanaians not to vote for any politician who believes in the rights of homosexuals.
UPDATE: In a sign that there are forces of reason in Ghana’s leadership, the President said he was misquoted when a news source said he intended to crack down on gays legally. It is not clear what he will do about this call for unlawful arrests.
The story was planted to raise the debate in public places. The vast majority of Ghanaians proclaim one religion or another.It’s almost non-existent to hear of atheist. No politician can agree to this no matter the amount of AID or donor support.(S)he’ll loose in any election.Ghana has not yet developed to the stage of discussing sexual orientations. When it comes to Ghana,almost everyone is a Tea party member. It’s similar to what America and other countries have gone through in history and time is of essence.
@qwuasi
This is evidently not the case as that discussion is going on! In newspapers and on radio.
I have covered this here http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2011/07/audio-in-ghana-is-it-getting-worse-for.html
It’s worsening reporting and not necessarily a worsening situation. In fact it might be a moral panic reaction to an improving situation such as increasing support for decriminalisation by civil society.
isnt this outrageous for people to be calling on gays and lesbians to be “hanged”? are we judging others when we even dont know what happens in bedrooms under the cover of darkness?
minority rights should be upheld…..if that is what they enjoy,they should be given the freedom to be…..instead of we showing love and care to people we say are morally bankrupt….
isnt this outrageous for people to be calling on gays and lesbians to be “hanged”? are we judging others when we even dont know what happens in bedrooms under the cover of darkness?
minority rights should be upheld…..if that is what they enjoy,they should be given the freedom to be…..instead of we showing love and care to people we say are morally bankrupt….
@qwuasi
This is evidently not the case as that discussion is going on! In newspapers and on radio.
I have covered this here http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2011/07/audio-in-ghana-is-it-getting-worse-for.html
May God Almighty Help Us All….I can only pray that reason, through love, and compassion, prevail. Isn’t that what Our Lord Jesus the Christ was trying to convey?
May God Almighty Help Us All….I can only pray that reason, through love, and compassion, prevail. Isn’t that what Our Lord Jesus the Christ was trying to convey?
The story was planted to raise the debate in public places. The vast majority of Ghanaians proclaim one religion or another.It’s almost non-existent to hear of atheist. No politician can agree to this no matter the amount of AID or donor support.(S)he’ll loose in any election.Ghana has not yet developed to the stage of discussing sexual orientations. When it comes to Ghana,almost everyone is a Tea party member. It’s similar to what America and other countries have gone through in history and time is of essence.
Paul,
You are so deluded that you cannot tell the difference between Civil society and “Civil Society Organizations” (a.k.a Non-governmental organizations). Civil Society Organizations in most African nations are funded by Western donors so their views are not always that of African people.
Warren,
It is lawful to arrest people who engage in the crime of gayism in most African nations and Ghana is no exception. Funnily enough, the official state-run Ghana News Agency has not taken down its story that the Ghanaian President unequivocally condemned gayism as being alien to the culture of the Ghanaian people. I also received information from Ghana that the Ghanaian Times never published a retraction of story. So there is even doubt that President Atta Mills ever scolded the paper in the first place. The Ghanaian source of the information told me that this gay brouhaha began with the planting of a fake story in a national newspaper which claimed that 8000 people came out as gay and registered themselves with a United States-funded NGO in Western Ghana. He said that the story was planted by what he called the “International Homosexual Cartel” to spark the debate that your friend Paul Canning seems so excited about. From news reports on the internet and personal conversations with XXXXXX in Kumasi City, I get the impression that widespread condemnation of gayism as opposed to robust debate is taking place in Ghana. XXXXX also gave me the impression that many religious leaders in Ghana perceive President John Atta-Mills as a nice man, but a weak president who can easily be pressured by pro-gay Western governments to do their bidding. Hence, the heavy condemnation of gayism by vocal church groups. My own personal view is that these church groups may be overreacting because there is no way gayism can be legalized there against the wishes of the deeply conservative society. From personal exprience, West Africans are more conservative than East and Southern Africans.
It’s worsening reporting and not necessarily a worsening situation. In fact it might be a moral panic reaction to an improving situation such as increasing support for decriminalisation by civil society.
Paul,
You are so deluded that you cannot tell the difference between Civil society and “Civil Society Organizations” (a.k.a Non-governmental organizations). Civil Society Organizations in most African nations are funded by Western donors so their views are not always that of African people.
Warren,
It is lawful to arrest people who engage in the crime of gayism in most African nations and Ghana is no exception. Funnily enough, the official state-run Ghana News Agency has not taken down its story that the Ghanaian President unequivocally condemned gayism as being alien to the culture of the Ghanaian people. I also received information from Ghana that the Ghanaian Times never published a retraction of story. So there is even doubt that President Atta Mills ever scolded the paper in the first place. The Ghanaian source of the information told me that this gay brouhaha began with the planting of a fake story in a national newspaper which claimed that 8000 people came out as gay and registered themselves with a United States-funded NGO in Western Ghana. He said that the story was planted by what he called the “International Homosexual Cartel” to spark the debate that your friend Paul Canning seems so excited about. From news reports on the internet and personal conversations with XXXXXX in Kumasi City, I get the impression that widespread condemnation of gayism as opposed to robust debate is taking place in Ghana. XXXXX also gave me the impression that many religious leaders in Ghana perceive President John Atta-Mills as a nice man, but a weak president who can easily be pressured by pro-gay Western governments to do their bidding. Hence, the heavy condemnation of gayism by vocal church groups. My own personal view is that these church groups may be overreacting because there is no way gayism can be legalized there against the wishes of the deeply conservative society. From personal exprience, West Africans are more conservative than East and Southern Africans.
Oh my, I am shaking my head and shedding a few tears over this happening. Those damned Christians! I can’t help but say that and I am one, but I am not that kind of Christian. Does this remind anyone else of the Witch Hunts from the 1400 hundreds through the 1700 hundreds? When peopled turned in their neighbors for being witches? The similarity is striking to me.
Oh my, I am shaking my head and shedding a few tears over this happening. Those damned Christians! I can’t help but say that and I am one, but I am not that kind of Christian. Does this remind anyone else of the Witch Hunts from the 1400 hundreds through the 1700 hundreds? When peopled turned in their neighbors for being witches? The similarity is striking to me.
Yes, there are times when it would appear that gays and lesbians would be better off under a Muslim rule. At least there you have to have 5 people (men, 10 women? Now we’re talking about a show) who actually witnessed a person having sexual relations with another person of the same sex. These so-called Christians seem to want root you out just if you are suspected.
Ok… I know that the Muslims in Uganda once were saber-rattling over the same thing as is demanded in Ghana. But see… Uganda doesn’t need the AHB to turn people into spies on their fellow man or woman. This guy in Ghana is just taking it all on himself and making people – landlords and tenants – bend to his will. Damn the Constitution of Ghana! Does it have one?
Would that you were to actually follow the precepts of your religions.
Oh well…. I think I will go ‘engage in same sex’ now – whatever that means.
…
Yes, there are times when it would appear that gays and lesbians would be better off under a Muslim rule. At least there you have to have 5 people (men, 10 women? Now we’re talking about a show) who actually witnessed a person having sexual relations with another person of the same sex. These so-called Christians seem to want root you out just if you are suspected.
Ok… I know that the Muslims in Uganda once were saber-rattling over the same thing as is demanded in Ghana. But see… Uganda doesn’t need the AHB to turn people into spies on their fellow man or woman. This guy in Ghana is just taking it all on himself and making people – landlords and tenants – bend to his will. Damn the Constitution of Ghana! Does it have one?
Would that you were to actually follow the precepts of your religions.
Oh well…. I think I will go ‘engage in same sex’ now – whatever that means.
…