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Behind the Mask
Gambia
information:
http://www.mask.org.za/index.php?page=gambia
Gambia
News (general):
http://www.wow.gm/gambia/news
1 The
Gambia: Bumster Trouble 10/02
2 Homosexuals
and HIV/Aids 12/02
3 Maryland
gay man fights deportation to Gambia: claims abuse
during U.S. incarceration 8/04
4 In
Gambia, AIDS cure or false hope? 3/07
5 How is it to be gay in Gambia now? About African Gay Scams, Predators and Victims
6 Call for action against bogus AIDS cures 3/08
7 Gambia's President declares war on gay community 5/08
8 Pan Africa ILGA Condems the Homophobic Remarks and Orders Made by President Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia 5/08
9 Gambia arrests two Spanish men for "homosexual proposals" 6/08
10 UK updates travel advice for the Gambia 6/08
11 Advice for gays considering a holiday in the Gambia - try Greece 6/08
12 Gambia releases Spaniards accused of soliciting sex 6/08
13 EU may rebuke Gambian president over threats against gays 6/08
Mark Maxon, Travel Writer
http://www.moxon.net/the_gambia/bumster_trouble.html
26 October 2002
1
The Gambia: Bumster Trouble
Speaking the official language of a foreign country doesn't just make life
easier; it also makes life more amusing, not least because you can understand
the local media. As I strolled round the Gambia's Atlantic beach resorts
this morning, the headline of the local newspaper caught my eye:
'Mass Arrest of Bumsters' proclaimed the front page of the Sunday Observer, while
inside there were plenty of other notable headlines, including 'Football
Witchcraft Palaver', 'Surgeons Deliver 46-year-old Foetus' and 'Student
Surprised to See Black Hole Eat Star'.
What
a paper; I just had to buy it, if only to find out what a
bumster was. Touts are a basic fact of life in the tourist areas of Africa,
but in the Gambia they're infamous, not so much for their voracity
as for their
nickname; everyone,
from newspapers to policemen, calls them 'bumsters', which makes it practically
impossible to take them seriously. Bumsters are young, unemployed
youths who hang round the beaches of the Gambia, hustling tourists and trying
to make
money any way they can. The Gambia has high unemployment and no welfare system,
so for school dropouts it's not easy to make ends meet, and being a bumster
is an obvious temptation. Tourists are rich, stupid and easy meat, and it
sure beats having to work the peanut fields for a living.
It does make wandering around the beaches challenging for visitors, though,
as we found out yesterday within a few minutes of arriving in Fajara, one
of the resort areas on the Atlantic coast. The taxi dropped us off at a pleasant-sounding
hotel, but unfortunately it hadn't got enough room, so we started wandering
round the area, peering at the map and generally looking like little lost
toubabs.
One guy latched on to us and said he knew a great place just down the road
that might be suitable. The map in my guidebook seemed to bear no relationship
to reality, so we figured we might as well go along with him, but by the
time we decided to follow him, the word had spread. As if by magic, bumsters
started
materialising out of thin air.
'Hey, how ya doin', you wan' room, I have good room, give you good price,
where you from?' they chanted, by now numbering eight with others homing
in, seemingly
appearing out of thin air from under rocks and from behind bushes. 'This
place you go, very good, we show you good place, no?'
The problem was I couldn't take them seriously at all. One guy, a
particularly ugly specimen, was wearing a red string vest and baggy shorts,
and he couldn't
have looked more gay if he'd tried; given that this guy was known to everyone
round here as a 'bumster', I had trouble keeping a straight face. Surely
even the baking sun of the Gambia isn't strong enough to make people think
that
red string vests are cool, is it? I idly wondered if Fajara was the seaside
equivalent of Soho; these guys certainly looked sleazy enough.
'If you want another place, I find you good place,' the chorus continued,
and meanwhile our initial guide, who was keeping quiet and seemed almost
as irritated
by the bum-boys as we were, led us to the hotel he'd mentioned. In we went,
trailing an entourage that positively reeked of 1980s gay chic, and found
a lovely apartment for four at D850 per night that sported satellite TV,
air-conditioning
and loads of space. We took it.
However, it looked like the bumsters were still interested in hanging round
with us, and they loitered outside the apartment, looking like they might
start break-dancing or moon-walking at any moment. The lady renting the apartment
explained that they wanted some money for their help, but we told her that
apart from the initial guy they'd been nothing but a bunch of rude louts,
so
she told them to leave, and we slipped the guy who'd shown us the hotel a
D10 note as a thank you.
Five minutes later, as we basked in the warm glow of CNN, the lady came back
and said the guide was outside, and wanted a word with us. It
seemed our bumster friends were proving harder to shake off than
dog shit in the tread
of your
Doc Martens, but when Chris went to investigate he found out that our guide
had been rolled by his bumster friends, and they'd stolen his D10 tip.
He wanted another one, and as he seemed genuine enough we handed
it over, resigned
to
the fact that we'd never know if this was yet another scam. Toubab tax
is a funny beast...
Apart from one niggling bumster who tried to talk to Sarah and got soundly
ignored by all of us, we haven't had any more hassle from the local irritants,
which is weird after yesterday's baptism by fire.
But
today's paper explains all; yesterday more than 200 bumsters
were arrested by the Gambia National
Guard, which was deployed in the tourist area following increased reports
of hassle. According to the report the bumsters are being detained before
being
'transferred to Sapu, Jahali and Pacharr Rice Development Fields to engage
in meaningful agricultural work', which sounds pretty extreme, but at
least it means that our newfound string-vested friends are probably
digging paddy
fields by now. Happily, the guy who showed us the hotel is still kicking
around, so it seems justice has been served and the bumster threat has
been eradicated
from the Atlantic coast... for now, anyway.
Like 1980s gay fashion, though, I have a bad feeling that they'll be
back...
Two Days Later...
Unfortunately the effects of the police swoop on the bumster population
are starting to wear off. The path from our hotel to the beach, previously
a
pleasant stroll through trees and past hotels to the white curve of the
Kotu shoreline,
has started springing ugly surprises every few paces. One particularly
repugnant troll has taken up residence in the bushes by the road, and
whenever any
of us walk past he springs out, yelling, 'Hey, hey, how you doing?'
Ignoring
him
elicits louder protestations, until you have no choice but to acknowledge
him; I had my first experience of our new neighbour as I wandered down
to the beach
this afternoon.
'Uh,' I said without breaking my stride.
'Hey, where were you yesterday?' he asked.
'Yesterday?' I asked, thinking that I might be able to string him along
by simply repeating the last word he said each time. Deep in my mind,
a voice
said, 'Do not feed the monkeys.' I tried to ignore it.
'It was my wedding yesterday,' continued the bumster. 'Where were you?'
'Where was I?' I repeated, sticking to my guns.
'Yeah. I got married.'
'Married?'
'Married. Why weren't you there?'
This threw me, and for a split second I forgot all about repeating
things. This perfect stranger was asking me why I hadn't been at his
wedding – this
required further investigation. The voice in my head repeated its warning,
but I'd been bumstered, and I heard myself engaging before my brain could
step in.
'But I don't know you. I've never seen you before,' I said.
'Yes, from Friday, I showed you to your hotel, Golf Apartments, you
remember.'
Oh god, I thought, this was probably one of those string-vested morons
from the other day. 'Sorry mate, I don't know you,' I said, and strode
on.
'You come and meet my wife,' he said. 'She's just over here.'
'Listen my friend,' I lied. 'Perhaps you should go and meet your wife,
because it's a little sad to be inviting perfect strangers round the
day after your
wedding. Now I don't know you, and I'm going to the beach. Goodbye.'
'You're very rude,' he said.
'You should hear me when I'm angry,' I said, and hit the road, only
to find the guy who'd found us the hotel a few yards down the road.
I thought
I could
trust this one; he'd been rolled by the others, for a start, and he
had a happy face.
'Hello', he said.
'Hello,' I said. 'How are you?'
'I am well,' he said. 'I am working over here.'
'That's good,' I said.
'I am making tea', he said, 'but I have no sugar. Can you help me?'
'Um, sorry, I'm clean out of sugar,' I said.
'Perhaps you can give me five dalasi for sugar then?' he tried.
'Oh really, not you as well' I thought, and repeated my get-out clause:
'No thanks, I just don't have the time. Sorry, I'm off to the beach.'
This time I ran. And to think, this was the off-season...
From:Behind the Mask
http://www.mask.org.za/Gambia
December
10, 2002
2
Homosexuals and HIV/Aids
Author unknown
The story of the ostrich is an interesting one. When in the
presence of grave danger, it prefers to bury its head in the
ground, believing erroneously that
by doing so that is by pretending that the danger does not exist, the danger
will quietly go away! Perhaps the ostrich is a believer of the concept that,
'If I do not see you that automatically means that you too do not see me!'
Life is never like that, and more especially, where danger
is concerned.
Sometimes we human beings also like to behave like the foolish ostrich. We often
see what will hurt us gravely but prefer to look the other way for several
reasons which may be society mediated, religiously oriented, culturally
ingrained
or as a result of our outright ignorance.
I am talking about the way we see homosexuals in our society… yes, homosexuals,
those men who have sex with their fellow men. Some people I believe, are already
frowning at my mere mention of the term, 'homosexuals', but do they not exist
in our society? Are they not among our brothers and husbands and fathers
and friends? Are they not among those who buy from us and sell to us? Do they
not
pray with us or even preach to us in the churches and mosques? They have been
found among lawmakers, and even among kings. What I am saying is that homosexuals
are not UFO's (unidentified flying objects). They are human beings and are amongst
us.
But we prefer to deny them and not talk about them or even acknowledge their
existence just the way we blatantly distanced ourselves from HIV/AIDS for several
years, but were finally forced to embrace the sad fact about its existence
after it had started destroying and killing us like no man's business. Like
the Ostrich,
we have since buried our heads in the soil, pretending that homosexuals are
not there or that they do not matter. Whom do we think we are fooling? None
other
but ourselves!
Especially considering the fact that HIV/AIDS spreads like wildfire
among them, the homosexuals and then from them to those of us who are not homosexuals, because, these homosexuals are also bisexuals meaning that after having sex
with fellow
men is secret places, they return home to meet wives and girlfriends!
In the fight against HIV/AIDS I will argue that we are a stumbling block to
victory and we open ourselves to defeat by the scourge by vehemently
refusing to acknowledge
them - the homosexuals. And in so far as we continue to act as such, we must
be ready to continue 'fetching water with basket' a futile effort indeed, even
to the most mundane. By not acknowledging them, we must continue to fight a
losing battle with HIV/AIDS.
It is a fundamental fact that most same-sex behaviour is conducted
out of natural preference (please don't ask me why
a man would prefer his fellow man sexually,
for that is not the intent of this focus). Apart from the natural preference
for a fellow man, there are also situations when men are thrown into certain
situation and are therefore forced to be engaged in homosexual practices
(not their faults now, is it?). This happens when they
are obliged to spend long
periods in all-male company, such as in the military, prisons, monasteries
and other
strict religious domains, male-only educational establishment etc. While
such institutional male homosexual behaviour represents
only a small part of all
male-to-male sex, it can nonetheless be important from the point of view
of the AIDS epidemic.
Male prisons, for example have been shown to make a significant contribution
to some countries' epidemic - both through drug injecting and male-to-male
sex (UNAIDS technical update, prisons and AIDS)
In most countries, as is in The Gambia, a certain proportion of sex
between men is some way commercial due to unemployment and failing economy. One only
has
to spend late nights in the various hotels around town to observe how our young men sell themselves for hard currencies to tourists! Much sex work
is also
highly informal, with the expectation perhaps of a small 'present' from 'the
boss' for
services rendered. This too may border on fear and job insecurity as individuals
may do it unwillingly in order to protect their sources of income and employment.
Sex between men occurs in most societies though its extent certainly varies
from place to place, for cultural or other reasons. Its existence, however,
is frequently
denied by the authorities in many places because of religious teachings or
cultural taboos, or because as individuals they feel uncomfortable with the
subject.
Sexual acts between men have often been condemned, by civic and religious
leaders, and criminalized by law. In some countries, penalties for those
accused of
sexual acts between men are among the severest available. Elsewhere, even
where same-sex
behaviour is not illegal, there is frequently unofficial persecution by the
authorities (the police or military, for instance), or discrimination against
or stigmatisation
of those men known or thought to be having sexual relations with other men.
For
these reasons, in many parts of the world, The Gambia included,
much sex between
men is hidden or secretive.
I don't know and would wish to know how many programmes in the
fight against HIV/AIDS are directed towards homosexuals in this country. But before I
am furnished with that piece of information, I would like to hazard an
intelligent
guess.
To my knowledge, no programme is directed towards them! So why is this
so? Because no body knows where to reach them as they operate clandestinely
since
they have
no rights here. As such, they continue to pose a serious threat to their
wives and female partners.
Many males having sex with males out of preference or for commercial
purpose as male sex workers have a wife or regular female partners at home. Frequently,
the clients of male sex workers are married men or are behaviourally bisexual.
Challenges to be overcomed if we must engage the HIV virus on the homosexual
front:
Denial
In The Gambia policy-makers and programme managers
sometimes deny that male-to-male sex occurs or that their occurrence is
significant to
be taken
seriously. Denial of the reality of male-to-male sex is an enormous obstacle
to efforts at AIDS prevention and care must be taken not to relegate it,
or else will
be tantamount to 'washing our hands in order to crack palm kernels for
the chickens!'
Inadequate epidemiological data: Lack of, or unreliable epidemiological
data are an obstacle to HIV prevention work. In The Gambia, risk exposure
categories
are not properly set up to take account of male-to-male sex. Perhaps research
should be carried out to ascertain the prevalence of homosexuality in this
country. This will be a first step towards tackling the HIV/AIDS on the
homosexual front.
Lack of knowledge or awareness: Because HIV education emphasizes only heterosexual
transmission, men may be ignorant of the risks of male-to male sex or consider
that the risks don't apply to them - and may therefore be less likely to
protect themselves. Just as awareness programmes are directed towards the
heterosexual
mode of transmission of the virus, the homosexual mode should not be left
out in the cold.
Difficulty of reaching many of the men who have sex with men: Many
homosexuals engage in casual, fleeting and anonymous sexual encounters.They
may also not think of themselves as having sex with men. The
combination of these factors makes them difficult to reach for
prevention work. Male
sex workers can be particularly difficult to access especially where
the work is
clandestine and where the workers are not organised into establishment.
Ways
and means to identify them must therefore be sought.
Inadequate, inaccessible or inappropriate health facilities: Males having sex with fellow males seeking attention on sexual
or medical matters,
or tests
for HIV or other STDs, may find such facilities to be lacking. Alternatively,
the
facilities may exist, but the men may find access to them difficult
- for reasons of negative attitudes on the part of health staff
towards
same-sex
behaviour,
lack of discretion or anonymity for clients, inconvenient location
or opening hours, or cost.
So homosexual friendly services must be provided for those who are
inclined in that respect.
Stigmatization and criminalization: The Gambian society
is hostile to men who engage in same-sex behaviour, stigmatizing it
and treating
it
as sinful
or
as criminal. Such men will then often not choose, or have the opportunity,
to be
honest about the fact that they have had sex with other men. Fearing
to be questioned about their sexual behaviour, they will be reluctant
to report symptoms of STDs including HIV. Because of
this, all efforts
at education on HIV and safer sex, the provision of condoms and appropriate
STD and other
medical care, are made extremely difficult. Hostility on the part
society also hinders effective HIV prevention efforts aimed at adolescents
and
young
men
who have sex with other men.
We must reach them now, or be FORCED to reach them much later when
we must have lost so much in terms of both human and material resources!
Naturally, the choice is ours!
We cannot continue to ignore the threat we pose to ourselves
as individuals and as a society by continually burying
our heads in the dust and assuming
that homosexuals
do not matter or that they do not exist. Such stance could completely sour
the good work being done daily by all stakeholders who continually battle
to stem
the spread of the disease.
HIV/AIDS must be fought from all fronts.
We must put religion, culture, personal feelings and all other sentiments
aside if we are not to negate the efforts we are making and the successes
we have
achieved thus far. We MUST recognise those engaged in male-to-male (homosexual)
activities
we must accord them their right and provide them with conducive environments
that will make it easier to reach them with services with which they can
protect themselves and all others.
Washington Blade, Washington,
DC
August
20, 2004
3
Maryland
man fights deportation to Gambia Gay: Gay exile claims abuse during
U.S. incarceration
by Adrian Brune
It is no simple feat to obtain a student visa and an airline flight
in one month’s time. But at the point Yorro Kuyateh fled his
native Gambia for the United States, the impossible seemed easier
to face
than what he said is the inevitable: a lifetime of periodic imprisonment
and vicious beatings for his political beliefs and his homosexuality.
He said he arrived in the United States in August 1997, an itinerant
with no money and few resources, usually wearing a cap to cover scars
from the head injuries he incurred during his last arrest in Gambia.
Unable to finish nursing school, Kuyateh said he overstayed his visa
without seeking asylum — a common problem among refugees — and
the Immigration & Naturalization Service apprehended him five
years later.
While detained in five different Midwestern jails for eight months,
Kuyateh’s real torment began, he claimed. And he said it occurred
under the watch of the INS.
Local police placed Kuyateh in the general population, where he said
he endured constant physical, verbal and sexual abuse from other inmates,
many of whom had been convicted of violent crimes. Pleas to the INS
from Kuyateh for a transfer to a safe location went unanswered, he
said.
Finally, he said an inmate charged with murder, viciously beat him — the
assault captured by a prison security tape — effectively ending
his incarceration, but leaving him with permanent brain damage.
“
My people treated me badly; I came here and they treated me
just like my own people,” Kuyateh said, speaking occasionally with angry
intonations. “But I will never have liberty in my country. They
will certainly kill me.”Pattern of mistreatment?
Though gay refugees have a right to seek asylum in the United
States under a decree issued by Janet Reno in 1994, the INS — now under
the broad umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security — does
not single them out as a protected class in detention.
As a result, immigration rights activists say Kuyateh’s story
echoes the accounts of many other gay exiles seeking refuge in the
U.S., who are eventually afforded it only after sometimes enduring
worse abuse than in their native countries.
The federal government guarantees gay expatriates a fair hearing
for political asylum. But activists say biases in locales
across the nation
often affect the ultimate — and often life or death — decision to allow a refugee to stay or force him to return to the country
responsible for his original detriment.
“
We hear from dozens of gay immigrants every year, some who have been
beaten to the point of death by other inmates when the only thing they’ve
done is violate their visa status,” said Victoria Nielson, a spokesperson
for Immigration Equality, formerly the Lesbian & Gay
Immigration Rights Task Force.
“ Gay detainees face the worst of both worlds, held in terrible conditions,
not knowing they could have sought asylum and, at that point, without
the full recourse of the law.”
Gay immigrants to the United States often bear a greater burden of
proof in front of a judge, forced to prove they are gay when they kept
that fact secret in their country of origin, according to Asylum Research,
a national organization that monitors and documents gay refugees and
their dilemmas.
They must also overcome language barriers and many times, the impact
of physical and mental trauma, while immersed in a court system completely
foreign to their own.
The agency responsible for Kuyateh’s situation, the Immigration & Customs
Enforcement Division of Homeland Security, granted Yorro Kuyateh a
hearing in Kansas City, Mo., in April 2003, shortly after his release,
said Christopher V. Nugent, Kuyateh’s current pro bono attorney
from the D.C. office of the law firm Holland & Knight.
The former Gambian civics teacher knew almost nothing of his rights
in the United States, but attempted to represent himself. Immigration
Judge Jennie L. Gambastiani commissioned DHS trial attorney, Paula
Davis, to directly examine and cross-examine him. That dual role
ultimately posed was an ethical conflict of interest, according to
Kuyateh’s
advocates, forcing Davis to act simultaneously as his advocate and
his prosecutor.
Davis neglected to admit evidence of Kuyateh’s beatings in Gambia
and refused to elicit key testimony that would have allowed him to
meet the burden of proof for asylum, according to gay Congressman
Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who has stepped in as Kuyateh’s government
advocate.
Davis also asked hostile and, Frank says, arguably homophobic questions,
comparing sodomy laws in Missouri and Kansas to those of Gambia,
in an attempt to vitiate Kuyateh’s reasons for flight from Gambia.
“
As a result of the trial attorney’s ethically problematic role,
Mr. Kuyateh’s testimony and due process right to a full and fair
hearing were significantly compromised,” Frank said in a July
letter to the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
Gambastiani denied Kuyateh’s claim for asylum under the United
Nations Convention Against Torture. He was ordered to return to Gambia
but managed to find Nugent, who delayed his homecoming with an appeal
to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Deputy Chief Counsel of Immigration Enforcement, Karl Cozad, has
argued that Gambastiani correctly ruled in Kuyateh’s case. Kuyateh’s
reasons for his failure to file an asylum application as soon as
his student visa expired did not rise to extraordinary circumstances,
he
said.
Cozad also disputed the danger Kuyateh faced in Gambia, asserting
that harassment in Gambia under its sodomy laws resembled that
of the United
States
‘Challenging’ system
“The immigration system is extremely challenging for gays and lesbians,” said
Nugent, an immigration specialist. “There are absolutely
no guidelines for their claims, but the INS is not about creativity,
it’s
about mass detention and deportation. I have recommended
immigrants to seek
asylum in Canada before because their system is far more welcoming.”
Cozad refused to comment on the outcome of Kuyateh’s case, citing
the possible endangerment of the petitioner. The board will render
its decision on whether to hear Kuyateh’s appeal later
this month.
Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the INS keeps
statistics on the number of gay exiles to the U.S. every year,
though watchdog
groups estimate the numbers hover around 2,000. For its part,
Immigration Enforcement claims it does not single out gay exiles
because it
maintains high detention standards to protect all immigrants
in custody.
“
Our detainees are kept separately from hard-core criminals unless they
are one of them. If something did happen to a gay detainee, it would
be reported to us and some kind of action would be taken,” said
Immigrations Enforcement spokesperson Ernestine Fobbs.
“
It’s not to say that they don’t exist, but I have never heard
of someone coming forth and saying, ‘I’m gay, I need special
detaining facilities and procedures.’”
While human rights organizations have not placed Gambia high
on the list of offending governments, in the winter of 2003,
Gambian
President
Yahya Jammeh called for a crackdown on gays, who he has compared
to animals.
Homosexual acts are illegal in the largely Muslim country,
and those convicted of “having carnal knowledge against the order of nature” face
imprisonment up to 14 years.
Kuyateh said Gambians had expressed hostility toward him for
being gay since he returned from college in Sierra Leone to
work in a
rural school in 1993. A government coup d’etat in 1995
furthered his endangerment, he said.
Military police first arrested Kuyateh in 1995 on a violation
of Gambia’s
sodomy laws interrogate him about the whereabouts of his exiled
brother-in-law, a former member of parliament, he claims. They
repeated the arrest
a year later, this time burning his genitals with cigarettes
and whipping him with the metal end of the belt, he said.
Kuyateh said he doubted that he would survive his second incarceration,
and fled as quickly as possible.
Kuyateh now lives with a distant family friend in Maryland, unable
to work due to a seizure disorder, and staving off depression
and anxiety over his situation. Asylum would open the door to
a new
life for him
by assisting him with medical care, housing and job opportunities.
But the soft-spoken, affable man tries to take pleasure in small
things while he awaits his future.
“
I went to Gay Pride for the first time in June,” Kuyateh said. “That
was incredible.”
Adrian Brune can be reached at abrune@washblade.com.
4
In
Gambia, AIDS cure or false hope?
March 17, 2007
by Jeff Koinange
Banjul, Gambia - At the only hospital in the capital of this
tiny West African nation, a 3-year-old AIDS patient named Suleiman
receives his daily dose of medication -- a murky brown concoction
of seven herbs and spices served out of a bottle that once contained
pancake
syrup.
The boy is told a spoonful a day will make him better. His mother,
Fatuma, takes the same concoction, as do several dozen other AIDS and
HIV patients here. Adults take two spoonfuls.
"
It's amazing," Fatuma says. "Two weeks ago, I was very
ill, weak and couldn't eat without vomiting."
This has become the treatment for HIV/AIDS patients here since early
January, when Gambian President Yahya Jammeh announced he had discovered
a cure for the disease that has wreaked havoc across Africa. He made
that announcement in front of a group of foreign diplomats, telling
them the treatment was revealed to him by his ancestors in a dream.
His concoction has stirred controversy and anger among health officials
who say the president's claims will bring false hope to the nation's
more than 20,000 HIV/AIDS patients. They are also afraid that it could
cause patients to stop taking the anti-retroviral drugs that have been
proven to prolong life and improve quality of living.
One critic was Fadzai Gwaradzimba, the U.N. envoy to Gambia. She
was abruptly kicked out of the country after saying on February 9
that
patients should continue their normal treatment and that Jammeh's
concoction be "assessed by an international team of experts."
"
The U.N. system encourages all patients currently receiving anti-retroviral
treatment to continue to comply with their recommended treatment regimens
while the efficacy of the new treatment is being assessed," she
said. (Read full statement)
The U.N. Development Program stands by the envoy's remarks. The World
Health Organization has also been critical of Jammeh's treatment.
No formal medical training
Jammeh, 41, is a former army colonel who has no formal medical training.
He wears white robes and carries a copy of the Quran with him in this
mostly Muslim nation.
His degree is a high school diploma. But he claims his family has a
history of healing people through traditional African medicine.
At the hospital in the capital, patients claim the president's concoction
is making a difference to them.
Ousman Sow, 54, said he's been HIV-positive since 1996 and had been
taking anti-retrovirals for the past fours years until he volunteered
for this program.
Four weeks later, he said he's gained 30 pounds and feels like a new
person.
"
I am cured at this moment," he said.
Asked if he had any HIV symptoms, he responded, "No, I don't.
As I stand before you I can honestly tell you I have ceased to have
any HIV symptoms."
Patient after patient gave similar statements to CNN. But it was difficult
to verify the authenticity of their testimony. The government claims
to have scientific evidence, but it did not provide any to CNN.
Jammeh refused to speak to CNN for this report.
CNN also sought medical reports of the HIV/AIDS patients to see whether
they are indeed on the mend. The material was not provided. The government
would also not release the concoction to CNN for testing.
Gambian Health Minister Tamsim Mbowe, a trained physician with multiple
medical degrees, defended the so-called herbal cure.
"
I can swear, 100 percent, that this herbal medication His Excellency
is using is working. It has the potency to treat and cure patients
infected with the HIV-virus," he told CNN.
What does he have to say to skeptics?
" I will tell them, as a Western medical trained doctor with 13 years
experience meeting different professors, meeting different colleagues
of mine, I've seen His Excellency, my leader, coming up with herbal
medications that are able to treat and cure patients with HIV-virus,
which have been proven within all medical and laboratory parameters."
Health officials worldwide remain doubtful of these claims. Experts
also say it's in places like Gambia that the poor and desperate will
latch onto anything resembling hope.
"
For a country's leader to come up with such an outlandish conclusion
is not only irresponsible, but also very dangerous, and he should be
reprimanded and stopped from proclaiming such nonsense," said
Professor Jerry Coovadia of the University of Kwa Zulu Natal in South
Africa.
September
2007
5
How
is it to be gay in Gambia
now? About
African Gay Scams, Predators and Victims
Dear
GlobalGayz,
I have a sweet young gay friend (in Brikama) whom I met on internet. He tells
me there are private beaches in Gambia where it is possible to be naked. I love
to be naked on the beach! Do you have any such information ? Also about nice
places to stay either gay owned or gay friendly. How is it to be gay
in Gambia
now?
I'm thinking about my winter holidays (January/February).
If you can't help me perhaps you have address to someone who can ?
Kind regards
Bjorn (Oslo/Norway)
Dear
Bjorn,
Thanks for your message.
Your 'sweet young gay friend' must be considered with some serious
caution. Without calling him a liar, as I know nothing about him, I
urge you to read the news reports on my web site about Gambia:
http://globalgayz.com/gambia-news.html It
is not a pretty picture.
The Internet is rife with scams and misrepresentations. And the beaches
of Gambia are rife with touts and poor sex workers, as you can read.
Poverty and sex are closely linked.
That said, there may well be a nude beach in Gambia since a great many
Scandinavians take holidays there and the 'Scandies' do like to be
naked on beaches--as you well know. But I doubt it's a public beach
since it is a Muslim country and the two don't mix. Perhaps there is
an upscale hotel with a private beach populated with Scandies.
You can read a brief summary about Gambia at:
http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1025856201616
Homosexuality is strictly forbidden so any activity is underground,
furtive, secretive and almost always in exchange for money--many non-gay
sex workers will opt for gay sex for the money.
An African website is Behind the Mask: http://www.mask.org.za/ and
offers no positive views.
I urge much caution (do not send your sweet boy any money) and I would
love to read your report upon your return.
I look forward to your words--and your safety.
Sincerely,
GlobalGayz.com
Dear
GlobalGayz
I wouldn't mind letting you write the story - but ... please wait for
a little while. I still don't know what the real intentions of this
young boy were; something
tells me he is not a liar.
But, I got fed up yesterday though with his teacher (?) as he wrote to me again
urging for the money to send the boy to England. Here is the contents of his
mail:
Mon, 17 Sep 2007
“Dear Sir,
Can you let me know now how much that you can contribute on this for this boy
to have way to go to England and learn and come back and work for the government.
Sir you have to consider this boy,If you really have a good heart for this boy
you would try for him to leave this country and educate in England, If you use
your money to help this boy its would be a big reward for you, Sir dont act like
that, I think you are having a good heart for this boy because I know if you
have a good heart for him you would do it. Try to have the faith and help this
young boy.”
My reply to this message: There will no NO more money and that's final !
Sincerely,
Bjorn
Dear Bjorn
I much relieved that you have
severed your relation with this endless pit of begging and conning
and manipulation. You are
very wise to see your vulnerability and to protect yourself from these pitiable
people. The story you tell is so typical of the northern older European
being swindled by erotic-tongued African youth.
The ultimate price of course is losing your life, which happened to my friend
George in Morocco:
http://globalgayz.com/morocco-news.html#article2
Bali is a much safer place for you with an identifiable gay scene and nude
beach (although I don't know where it is).
Sincerely,
GlobalGayz
Dear GlobalGayz,
First
of all I must tell you that I am utterly impressed about the work
you obviously do keeping this website active. It
must be a full time job - at least. I read the story about
your friend George..... I can see him before me, being flirted by
a dark-skinned young beauty,
always being the
one who gives in hope of even more passion and finally .....
A terrible fact of life as he is only one of too many....
The Gambia boy was not serious for me from a relation point of
view. Of course it would be totally out of any reasonable question
even
to consider a serious
realtionship between a 63 and 19 year old and in addition from a country
with a totally different background in every possible respect.
However, a while ago I met a young guy from Bulgaria, he's 30 now. There
has been (quite a lot of) money involved here as well but I firmly believe
it's
different - still. He wants to learn Norwegian and settle down here where
life is easier than in Bulgaria which, as you know, is still among the
poorest
in Europe. I'm going to visit him for a weekend in November. He's a very
handsome young man.
I suppose
I might have ended up with far less problems if I
had taken interest in older men, but I really
haven't had any serious experience that I couldn't cope with.
I guess I'm fortunate. I get a lot of mail also from the very young
ones who think I'm sexy and good looking. Can you imagine, at the age
of 63?
Sincerely yours
Bjorn
Dear Bjorn
Dear Bjorn,
Yes, GlobalGayz is more than a full time job; it is a huge labor of love
and thanks to the Internet I can communicate with interesting risk-taking
people
like you and converse about playful/serious matters.
My late friend George is one I will never forget. He had his full wits
and wisdom with him...but he chose a boy with a deeply injured soul...
Be
warned.
Your 'final' response to the Gambia boys is a relief to me. I feared
you would continue vulnerable to them but I see you have made a clear
stop
to that. No
you were not harsh at all since anything less would be picked up by them
and played for more.
As for Mr Bulgaria, I could repeat my warning not to send more money
as he too is suspect, regardless of his effusive sincerity. But you appear
to be
aware of this and now it's wholly your choice to play your gamble
or
not. If you have a plentiful supply of money you can play that game and
have some
sex-fantasy fun with it; but if you are of modest means you run a higher
risk as you play with him (and perhaps others sitting next to him at
the computer) as he siphons your
account.
Don't
be surprised, if you go deeper with him, if he/they steal your bank
ID and take more than you intend. Don't take much cash when
you visit
him in November.
I once had a younger Thai friend whom, after my return to USA, I supported
for
English classes--allegedly. But there was always some additional family
or school or
medical or
motorbike emergency that necessitated more money. Then one day he wrote
begging for a large amount to help pay for his hospital bill for an
illness. As it
happened, I had another Thai friend who checked on the
story and found my young friend was setting up to scam me (urged on
by a greedy
friend
of his)--and this after four years of 'friendship'!
When his scam was discovered he apologized profusely and begged forgiveness.
But I cut him off and said the friendship was over. We had no contact
for about fours years. This past December we did visit again but the
dynamics
were quite
different, to say the least.
So my advice to you is not just theory and rumor. Poverty and sex make
poor bedfellows, and 'mature' gays with money can never forget that,
although many do.
You said "I firmly believe it's different" with Mr Bulgaria, and
I believe you believe that's so, but it is essentially not. The components
are the same: youth, beauty, sex, age, vulnerability, money, real and pretended
passion...
As I said, you know all this and it's your choice. If you can play
with these ingredients and still protect yourself, go for it. But if
you get
serious
and invest your heart and soul I fear for you.
And of course you are not the only one: my young Thai friend (now 37),
when I saw him last, had managed to get a Norwegian to marry him and
now they
both live in Norway. I recall his words: "It's my last chance.
I must do this for my future and my mother " (live in
Norway and make sufficient money so his frail mother can stop working
in a factory). He didn't say anything
about love.
I suggest you find a 50 year-old Norwegian from Oslo with a good job!
Makes life and love easier
Sincerely,
GlobalGayz
pinknews.co.uk
http://pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7045.html
6th March 2008
6
Call for action against bogus AIDS cures
by PinkNews.co.uk staff writer
A leading human rights group has called on the United Nations to act against the proliferation of unproven treatments for AIDS. An article published in the peer-reviewed journal Globalisation and Health, Human Rights Watch cited examples of the promotion of these remedies in countries as diverse as Zambia, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, India, and Zimbabwe.
Human Rights Watch says the UN and its member states are failing to address serious threats to life and health posed by the promotion of unproven AIDS 'cures' and by counterfeit antiretroviral drugs. "Fake cures have been promoted since AIDS was first identified," said Joseph Amon, HIV/AIDS programme director at Human Rights Watch and author of the article. "In the era of expanded antiretroviral treatment programmes, the failure of governments to monitor these false claims and ensure accurate information about life-saving antiretroviral drugs undermines global efforts to fight AIDS."
In Gambia in February 2007 President Yahya Jammeh claimed to have developed a herbal cure for AIDS that was effective in three days if people taking the treatment discontinued taking antiretroviral drugs and refrained from alcohol, caffeine, and sex. Following the announcement, Gambian journalists who criticised the so-called cure were fired, and the UN resident coordinator in Gambia, Fadzai Gwaradzimba, was permanently expelled for asking for scientific proof of the treatment’s effectiveness. Last week the Gambian government announced with much fanfare that Jammeh had been awarded an honorary degree in Herbal and Homeopathic medicine by the Brussels-based Jean Monnet European University. In accepting the degree, Jammeh announced that he had discovered cures for obesity and impotence, adding to his previously declared 'cures' for infertility, diabetes, and asthma.
Also in 2007, the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced the discovery of IMOD (an abbreviation for immuno-modulator drug), a herbal AIDS treatment made from seven local Iranian herbs. The government has promoted the drug as a "therapeutic vaccine" and as the "first choice" for treatment in resource-constrained developing countries. The President's Office for Technology Cooperation has also promoted the remedy and sought partners for joint marketing, clinical trials, and manufacturing.
According to news reports in November 2007, the Iranian Minister of Health and Medical Education stated that all patients with
advanced HIV disease – more than 1,500 overall – would be treated with IMOD.
"Countries are gambling with the lives of people living with HIV by promoting unproven AIDS remedies,” said Mr Amon. "The UN should condemn this practice and work with governments and civil society groups to ensure that effective AIDS treatment and information about it are provided."
pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7677.html
May 19, 2008
7
Gambia's President declares war on gay community
by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
Gay men and lesbians must leave the country within 24 hours or face "serious consequences," the President of Gambia said on Thursday. President Yahya Jammeh turned on homosexuals and foreigners in an address at a victory celebration rally in Tallinding.
The Daily Observer reported that the President had issued: "An ultimatum to homosexuals, drug dealers, thieves and other criminals, to leave The Gambia or face serious consequences if caught. The President equally warned all those who harbour such individuals to kick them out of their compounds, noting that a mass patrol will be conducted on the instructions of the IGP and the director of the Gambia Immigration Department to weed bad elements in society. Any hotel, lodge or motel that lodges this kind of individuals will be closed down, because this act is unlawful." he said. " We are in a Muslim dominated country and I will not and shall never accept such individuals in this country."
" He stated that a law is in place regarding this unlawful acts tougher than the Iranian laws and warned those involve in this infamous activities to desist from them." President Jammeh also claimed that foreigners are taking the benefits of investment and "all stores belonging to Gambians and rented to forigners would be seized."
Gambia, a mostly Muslim country of 1.7 million people, punishes homosexual acts, even in private, with up to seven years in prison. A former British colony, the country has been ruled by President Jammeh since a bloodless coup in 1994. Last year he horrified scientists by announcing that he had developed a "miracle cure" for HIV/AIDS. Hundreds of Gambians lined up to be "cured" by President Jammeh, who treats his patients by rubbing a mysterious herbal paste into their ribcages and then instructing them to swallow a bitter yellow drink, followed by two bananas. The therapy is administered repeatedly over several weeks. According to Mr Jammeh, AIDS sufferers are cured within "three to thirty days."
The President announced his alleged cure in January to a gathering of perplexed foreign diplomats. "Whatever you do there are bound to be sceptics, but I can tell you my method is foolproof," he said. "Mine is not an argument, mine is a proof. It is a declaration. I can cure AIDS and I will."
Government radio and TV addresses publicised the treatment, which Jammeh provides for free. It has the backing of the Gambian Health Ministry. Mr Jammeh refuses to disclose the ingredients of his herbal concoction, saying only that the treatment uses seven plants - "three of which are not from Gambia". His official website claims that patients have experienced a "marked improvement" in their health as a result of the treatment and scoffs at critics who dispute its efficac.
29 May 2008
8
Pan Africa ILGA Condems the Homophobic Remarks and Orders Made by President Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia
Pan Africa ILGA condemns the statements made by President Yahya Jammeh against gay people in Gambia.
Mr. Jammeh has openly called for direct discrimination against gay people; those in Gambia as well as visitors to Gambia. He has also referred to gay people as ‘dirty’, yet he has admitted that Gambia has high regards for positive cultural and religious practices. In deed, is it not a positive African cultural trait to be welcoming to those in our society, to show love and understanding to those around us?
Untrue stereotypes have in the past been used to deny vulnerable groups their rights. For example, before the women’s rights movement, women were viewed as second class citizens and subordinate to men and were denied education, property and employment. In the same way, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex(LGBTI) individuals are viewed as less than human and have their human rights violated on a daily basis with impunity. Mr Jammeh has expressed that homosexuality is ‘sinful and immoral’. Personal beliefs such as his are no excuse or justification for targeting and denying the rights of a section of society.
The president, as a leader, should not allow his own personal beliefs to get in the way of his duty to uphold and secure the human rights of his citizens. The excuses given are that homosexuality is unAfrican, unnatural, against religious beliefs. This stubborn bigotry is insisted upon even where the facts clearly contradict these superstitions. In deed, homosexuality in Africa has existed even before the colonialists arrived, and most religions preach peace and not torture. Religions have changed some of their attitudes about women over time, and more religious discourse is focusing on tolerance of minorities. What is required of everyone is tolerance.
Mr. Jammeh’s statements can also be interpreted as incitement and will ultimately lead to all types of violence against Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) individuals. Torture, violence and intolerance are not what make a civilized community: it is tolerance and respect for individual human rights that do.
PAI calls for Mr. Yahya Jammeh to retract the statements that he has made targeting LGBTI individuals. Further, PAI calls for Mr. Jammeh to publicly condemn any violence towards LGBTI individuals in Gambia, and take stern action against any person who violates LGBTI rights. LGBTI rights are human rights and they must be respected just like women’s rights, children’s rights and other minority rights.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Pan Afrique ILGA condamne les remarques homophobes et ordonnances rendues par le président Yahya Jammeh de la Gambie
Pan Afrique ILGA condamne les déclarations faites par le Président Yahya Jammeh contre les homosexuels en Gambie.
M. Jammeh a ouvertement appelé à la discrimination directe contre les homosexuels, ceux en Gambie ainsi que les visiteurs en Gambie. Il a également évoqué les homosexuels comme «sale», mais il a admis que la Gambie est élevé pour ce qui est positif pratiques culturelles et religieuses. En effet, est-il pas un trait culturel africain d'accueillir à ceux qui sont dans notre société, de faire preuve d'amour et de compréhension à ceux qui nous entourent?
Faux stéréotypes ont dans le passé été utilisée pour priver les groupes vulnérables de leurs droits. Par exemple, avant les femmes du mouvement des droits, les femmes étaient considérées comme des citoyens de seconde classe et subordonnées aux hommes et se sont vu refuser l'éducation, la propriété et de l'emploi. De la même manière, Lesbian Gay Bisexual transgenres et intersexué (LGBTI) les individus sont considérés comme des moins que l'alimentation humaine et leur ont violé les droits de l'homme sur une base quotidienne en toute impunité. M. Jammeh a fait savoir que l'homosexualité est «péché et immoral». Convictions personnelles comme son sont pas une excuse ou une justification pour le ciblage et nier les droits d'une partie de la société.
Le président, en tant que leader, ne devrait pas permettre que son convictions personnelles de prendre le chemin de son devoir de faire respecter et garantir les droits fondamentaux de ses citoyens. Les excuses invoquées sont que l'homosexualité est unAfrican, contre nature, contre les croyances religieuses. Ce fanatisme est têtu insisté sur même si les faits sont en contradiction flagrante avec ces superstitions. En effet, l'homosexualité en Afrique a existé avant même les colons sont arrivés, et la plupart des religions prêchent la paix et non la torture. Les religions ont changé certaines de leurs attitudes à l'égard des femmes au fil du temps, et plus le discours religieux met l'accent sur la tolérance des minorités. Ce qui est requis de tout le monde est la tolérance.
M. Jammeh déclarations peuvent également être interprété comme une incitation en fin de compte, à tous les types de violence à l'égard des lesbiennes Gay transsexuels et bisexuels intersexué (LGBTI) personnes. La torture, la violence et l'intolérance ne sont pas ce qui fait une communauté civilisée: c'est la tolérance et le respect des droits de l'homme qui le font.
PAI demande de M. Yahya Jammeh à revenir sur les déclarations qu'il a formulées au ciblage des personnes LGBTI. En outre, PAI demande à M. Jammeh à condamner publiquement toute violence à l'égard des LGBTI personnes en Gambie, arrière et de prendre des mesures contre toute personne qui viole les droits LGBTI. LGBTI droits de l'homme et elles doivent être respectées tout comme les droits des femmes, les droits de l'enfant et d'autres les droits des minorités.
*Pan Afrique ILGA est autonome réseau régional africain de l'International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). Entre autres objectifs, PAI et les lobbies défenseurs des droits des lesbiennes Gay transsexuels et bisexuels intersexué (LGBTI) personnes en Afrique
*Pan Africa ILGA is the autonomous African regional network of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). Among other objectives, PAI advocates and lobbies for the rights of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) individuals in Africa.
The International Herald Tribune
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/02/africa/AF-GEN-Gambia-Homosexual-Arrests.php
June 2, 2008
9
Gambia arrests two Spanish men for "homosexual proposals"
Banjul, Gambia (AP) - Authorities in Gambia have arrested two Spanish men for allegedly making "homosexual proposals" to taxi drivers, police said Monday. The arrests come less than three weeks after Gambia's president ordered homosexuals to leave the West African country and threatened in a nationally televised speech to "cut off the head" of anyone discovered to be gay. The Spanish nationals were taken into custody Friday after the taxi drivers reported being solicited by them, police spokesman Sulayman Secka said. He declined to give further details on the incident or say when the men might be released. "They are helping the police in their investigation," Secka said.
Homosexual sex is illegal in Gambia, where those convicted of consensual homosexual acts face jail terms of up to 14 years. Controversy over homosexuality has been growing across Africa in recent years, with many countries toughening laws prohibiting homosexuality even as South Africa legalized gay marriage. In his speech last month, President Yahya Jammeh also threatened to close down hotels that rent rooms to gays. "We are in a Muslim-dominated country and I will not and shall never accept such individuals in this country," he said.
Jammeh's statements were condemned by international gay rights activists but welcomed by Gambia's Supreme Islamic Council, which said Jammeh had taken a "principled stand."
pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7814.html
June 3, 2008
10
UK updates travel advice for the Gambia
by Tony Grew
British tourists in the Gambia are being advised that the government there is "actively enforcing" laws against gay people. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson told PinkNews.co.uk that their advice was updated today. Two Spanish men have been taken into custody by police in the Gambia after being accused of trying to solicit sex from male taxi drivers. The EU nationals were arrested on Friday after complaints from the drivers and remain in prison. A police spokesman said they were "helping in the investigation."
Last month the President of Gambia said gay men and lesbians must leave the country within 24 hours or face "serious consequences." "Foreign visitors to the Gambia need to carry an ID with them at all times," the FCO guidance reads. "Although there are no laws specifically covering homosexuality in the Gambia, the Gambian Criminal Code states that any person who has, or attempts to have, "carnal knowledge" of any person "against the order of nature" is guilty of a felony and could face imprisonment. The Gambian courts may interpret homosexual acts as falling under this part of the Code. The Code also states that gross indecency between men, whether in public or private, is a felony and anyone committing this felony could face imprisonment. Any private citizen has the power of arrest for these offences. We have received reports that the police are actively enforcing this Code. There are no current reports of any attacks on homosexuals. There are no gay clubs in the Gambia."
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised gay citizens not to disclose their sexual orientation if they visit the Gambia. The mostly Muslim nation of 1.7 million people punishes homosexual acts, even in private, with up to seven years in prison. A former British colony, the country has been ruled by President Jammeh since a bloodless coup in 1994. According to the Department for International Development, tourism is the second largest employer and is the main foreign exchange earner in the Gambia. British companies are heavily promoting the Gambia as a welcoming destination.
The country, notorious for "sun, sea and sex" holidays, with affluent Western women flocking to the beach resorts to have sex with local men, hopes to reposition itself as a family destination. In 2004 the annual GDP growth rate was 8.3% but poverty remains high with an estimated 59% of the population living on less than one dollar a day. Some 75-80% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. The UK is one of the few bilateral donors to have a country office, and has a development programme allocation of £3 million for 2007-08. Britain also provides development assistance to The Gambia through contributions to multilateral organisations, such as the European Union, World Bank and United Nations agencies.
pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7818.html
June 3, 2008
11
Advice for gays considering a holiday in the Gambia - try Greece
by Adam Lake
With controversy growing over the Gambian government's treatment of homosexuals, Pinknews.co.uk's Adam Lake tries to book a holiday there. Gambia is fast becoming a popular holiday destination among British holiday goers. Log onto any large travel agency website and it won't be long before your blitzed with offers of a 'great deal' on a holiday in the tiny West African country. But with the news this week of two Spanish tourists being arrested for "gay behaviour," is it safe for LGBT tourists to travel to the area?
Wanting to get my facts straight from the outset, my first port of call was, naturally, the Gambian High Commission in London. After some unsuccessful attempts at PinkNews.co.uk I finally got through to somebody by pretending to be a tourist. Posing as a gay man who wishes to spend a peaceful summer break with his partner, the representative from the Gambian high commission refused to give advice on our personal safety. Despite being a major news story in national and international media the member of staff denied any knowledge of the Gambian President's recent threat that gays would face "serious consequences" if they did not leave the country. The representative instructed us to call the British High Commission in Gambia. As reported on PinkNews.co.uk earlier today, the Foreign Office has updated its advice to British citizens travelling to the Gambia. They warn that the authorities appear to be enforcing colonial-era penal codes concerned with "carnal knowledge" that goes against the "order of nature." As the two gay Spanish tourists accused of trying to chat up taxi drivers know all too well.
If you google the Gambia the first two addresses are for two of Britain's biggest travel agencies: ThomasCook.com and Lastminute.com. What would their advice be to the would be gay couple looking to visit? I call ThomasCook first and I am quickly put through to a member of the sales team for African holidays. Although not committing to any particular advice he advised me to check with a trip adviser website and also to ring the Gambian High Commission. He also added that if we were to book into a large hotel then we should experience no problem whatsoever but in smaller, more rural areas we may run into trouble.
Concerned by the idea that LGBT travellers may find trouble in rural areas, I call British holiday company 'The Gambia Experience.' The lady who we spoke to was also uncertain about whether or not it would be a good idea to travel: "It's really down to you to make that decision," she told me. She added that some of their main staff in the country are gay and that they haven't reported any problems. She went on: "You have to be sensible about what your doing there, it would definitely be a good idea to be discreet about stuff. If you're discreet then there's no way they would know and you're not going to get into any trouble." I was glad that they both advised me to check with official sources before booking.
With the Foreign and Commonwealth Office updating their website this week with a warning to LGBT travellers, the travel agents advice would hopefully lead most LGBT holidaymakers to reach the correct conclusion about visiting the country. My final call was to internet travel agency Lastminute.com. After a long day attempting to book a holiday to a destination that I already know I will be avoiding, my spirits are lifted when the phone is instantly picked up by a spritely northern woman: "I've got no idea about that darling but I'll put you through to Darryl- he's like yourself." Who could ask for anything more? Seconds later I am put through to Darryl who is, to my delight, very much like myself.
Darryl tells me what ThomasCook.com, The Gambia Experience and even what the Gambian High Commission told me- "I'm afraid I don't know anything about that." What, however, separates Darryl from the other guys, and indeed from any other travel agent I have spoken to, is the fact that he promised to call his sister who lives in the Gambia and call me back in ten minutes with some info. While I wait for Darryl to call me back I ponder at how helpful it would be if High Commissions acted a bit more like travel agents. Five minutes later Darryl called me back full of facts and a bit of gossip.
"There is a problem there and I definitely would not go to the Gambia, especially with your partner. It's illegal and they've thrown a couple of guys in prison for coming on to a taxi driver, which personally I don't believe at all. If you are going on holiday with your partner I would suggest Greece or the Canaries, but of course you don't have to go to a gay destination, it just might make you feel a bit more comfortable." Thanking Darryl for his help, and in my opinion he went beyond the call of duty on that score, he reassures me, "feel free to call our main booking line anytime, we'll all very open with these sorts of things here."
If your'e wondering why I haven't spoken to British High Commission in Gambia, as advised by the Gambian High Commission, it is because they are extremely hard to get hold of. There is however a link on there web page telling would-be LGBT tourists to be careful. So in order to obtain current and helpful advice about travelling to the Gambia I would advise going through a travel agent's sister. It seems that the Gambian government has no problem is telling gays to 'get out,' but when rich Western tourists want to go and spend their money, they're distinctly less strong with their language - or as we have seen here, silent. Without doubt the Gambia is a dangerous county for LGBT travellers to visit and the vast majority of trival agencies have no knowledge of this.
With misleading descriptions such as 'some minor construction work yet to be completed' and 'beach just a short walk away' the British public are used to travel agencies only mentioning the good stuff, and of course they will, they are selling a product after all. My fear is that LGBT holiday makers are not made aware of the dangers of travelling to the country and are drawn in by the flashy pictures and cheap deals. When people book a holiday they consider the sun, sea and sand. They rarely look into the political situation. The fact of the matter is, LGBT travellers who visit the Gambia they may not only find themselves having a horrid holiday, they may be putting their lives in danger. In my opinion travel agencies have a duty educate there staff about this and warn potential customers accordingly. Perhaps it's about time holidays came with a health warning.
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7564409
June 5 2008
12
Gambia releases Spaniards accused of soliciting sex
by Abdoulie John, Associated Press Writer
Banjul, Gambia (AP) - Two Spanish men detained in Gambia for allegedly propositioning taxi drivers for sex have been released after five days in jail, a Spanish official said Wednesday. The men were released late Tuesday and have left the West African country, said Nicola El Busto, an official with Spain's embassy in Gambia. The Spaniards were arrested Friday after taxi drivers reported being solicited by them. Homosexual sex is illegal in Gambia, and those convicted of consensual homosexual acts face up to 14 years in prison. Gambian authorities could not be reached for comment.
Last month, Gambia's president ordered gays to leave the country and threatened to ``cut off the head'' of anyone found to be gay. President Yahya Jammeh also threatened to close down hotels that rent rooms to gays. Controversy over homosexuality has been growing across Africa in recent years, with many countries toughening laws against homosexuality even as South Africa legalized gay marriage. Jammeh's statements were condemned by international gay rights activists but welcomed by Gambia's Supreme Islamic Council, which said Jammeh had taken a ``principled stand.''
pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7964.html
June 15, 2008
13
EU may rebuke Gambian president over threats against gays
by Sophie Picheta
European Union member governments have prepared a statement in response to the President of Gambia's recent threats to gay people. Graham Birse, the acting British high commissioner has said that EU states, under the Slovenian Presidency, are in discussion with the Gambian ministry of foreign affairs. A government representative told IRIN "we decided we should come up with a common message and we are all aligned with it. "Obviously we don't agree with the President's statements." they added.
Last month it was reported that Gambian President Yahya Jammeh turned on homosexuals and foreigners in an address at a victory celebration rally in Tallinding. The Daily Observer said the President had issued: "An ultimatum to homosexuals, drug dealers, thieves and other criminals, to leave the Gambia or face serious consequences if caught." Government officials have denied he made any threatening comments. President Jammeh has in the past claimed that he can cure HIV/AIDS. Scott Long, Executive Director of the LGBT programme in the Human Rights Watch, told IRIN that the strongest leverage international organisations have is "to shame and embarrass the president." HRW reported that President Jammeh retracted his threat to kill gay and lesbian people, but has not the threat to expel them from the country.
"We are monitoring situation through contacts in-country to keep track of what the police and others are doing as a result of the statements, and we're waiting to see the government's next move." Long told IRIN. "If you can attack even these most marginalised people, it could set a precedent for attacking wider human rights."
Gambia is a mostly Muslim nation of 1.7 million people, which punishes homosexual acts, even in private, with up to seven years in prison.