Malawi’s president, Bingu wa Mutharika, on Saturday pardoned a gay couple who had been sentenced to 14 years in prison after their conviction on charges of unnatural acts and gross indecency.
Their sentence, the maximum penalty allowed, was a consequence of the couple’s holding a traditional engagement ceremony in an insular nation where homosexuality is largely seen as nonexistent or something that must be suppressed.
The case had drawn international attention as another example of the broad antigay sentiment in Africa and was condemned by human rights groups worldwide.
“These boys committed a crime against our culture, our religion and our laws; however, as the head of state I hereby pardon them and therefore ask for their immediate release with no conditions,” Mr. wa Mutharika said after meeting with the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, here in Malawi’s capital. “I have done this on humanitarian grounds but this does not mean that I support this,” he added
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Source: The New York Times
14 comments:
Kai! The world is def coming to an end. The world now supports evil and refuses to acknowledge evil as evil. Lord my one desire- Pls let me make heaven.
Buhahaha..Jisos! Why do they look like that? O_O
For the way they are dressed they shouldn't have been pardoned! Jeez
Praise the Lord!!! I am so glad that the gay couple was released. However the release was done under pressure from the United Nations and human rights pressure groups. Malawi needs a coherent change of its legal system regarding homosexuality. Will the United Nations step in again with another case of this kind?
these men should go and get jobs and add value to society. they've been pardoned so let us hear word biko. see as the other one be like wetin i know no. gay ni gay ko
I actually disagree with this decision because it was due to international influence. Every country has its rules and regulations and one shouldnt overly extend your culture to another country?
The western world permit homosexuality and heck even sisters and borthers can legally married but they despise polygamy. If no one forced them to legalise polygamy, why should they enforce their own culture on other countries.
Am I saying homos should be killed? not at all. Howveer if I country intends to change certain rules due to their barbaric nature, LET THE CHANGE COME FROM WITHIN, not some pansy pleasing the west rhetoric!
Come on, the west implicity allows their priests to have sexual relationships with young boys, yes, I, Mena said it! yes ke, when they have not punished any culprit nko?? They have not demonised any name, in the manner they dealt with M.J, So who are they to tell other countries what and what not to do? Let us 'primitive 3rd world society figure things out for ourselves than kissing arse of people who do not give two effs about y'all but the precious natural resources including oil, diamonds, orphan boys and girls et al.(ok am being sarcastic but you get the gist!)
so who is fooling who for f**k sake?
pscheuiw.
Mena
Mena, your argument doesn't make any sense?? When the United Nations didn't stop the genocide in Rwanda, I bet you were one of the folks complaining? We are all part of the United Nations. The main law is universal declaration of human rights adopted in 1948 by member countries of the United Nations. You go read the requirements of members of the UN. It was the law of Germany under Hitler to kill all Jews. Are you saying that world had no right to stop Germany because it is their law, and they need internal change? Please answer my question? Have the Western world stopped us from practicing polygamy or any religion? I am sorry but I don't get your point. If my country is taking my right as a woman, I wouldn't mind if the world steps in and puts pressure on my country!
The argument about the Catholic church. It was the Catholic church that covered the atrocities against those little boys not the country. There is a difference between state and religion. The state needs facts to pursue prosecution against those Fathers. There was a big cover up by the Catholic church. The boys didn't come forward until most of them were grown and the statute of limitation expired!
@Anonymous:
universal declaration of human rights? U.N shaa? Same UN that yankee and U.S do not respect? abeg make we hear word ojare.
Thank God you mentioned genocide. Genocide no dey happen for middle east as we dey here dey type? Abi UN agrees with that one?
My point was in the double standard and hypocrisy of the whole issue. Firstly, Why should the catholic church not only protect those priests, but actually post them to other stations with vulnerable children, knowing quite well that those men are sick sick sick!
Secondly, abi is it not hypocritical for a country to declare that they ratify the provisions of the human rights declaration, yet people are JAILED for polygamy? where is the right to marriage/expression/practise tenents of religion protected there? (note that I despise polygamy, but truth be said, its not a crime in every single part of the world.)
And if their argument is 'this is the way we do things in this country' why should they stick their noses in how other countries 'do things'?
Again I reiterate that I am not saying that gays should be killed or should suffer abuse, not by any measure! I am saying that Malawi (and by extension, Africans) should repeal their more barbaric laws by themselves. Not pander to some hypocritical western stance.
chikena!
peace
Mena
@Mena..Isn't the United Nations fighting against genocide in the Middle East or some part of the world? Some states in the U.S practice Polygamy. There are state laws and federal laws. The state shouldn't determine who you screw or marry...It is an individual right. Have they stopped Africans or the Middle Easterners from marrying more than one wife? No they haven't. Also International laws have not stopped the Western world from prosecuting bigamy. As long as we are part of the United Nations, we have to adhere to the bylaws of Universal Declaration of rights. Those laws were based on the killings committed against gays, Jews(ethic cleansing), and gypsies(ethnic cleansing) in
Germany. Don't forget that Hitler justified killings of the Jews based on biblical sources. International laws, not %100 perfect, have respected cultural differences around the world. Those laws were created to protect human beings. Malawi does not have the right to jail people based on sexual orientation, and the gays shouldn't have planned to get married knowing that it is against the laws of the country.
North Korea have the right to arrest those journalist for crossing the border. But North Korea released the Journalists due to international pressure. It is called diplomatic relationships between countries. 20 years ago this will not have been an issue.
However the world is changing.
Gay movement is increasing and gaining momentum. Don't forget that most Westerners are against homosexuals.
Like I said Church and state are different entities. The church choose to protect its image. It has nothing to do with the state. The church is a mirror of society.
There are good and bad forces in every parts of the world. In African, don't we protect men that molest little children? Do we prosecute child rapist in Nigeria. I grew up in Nigeria. It is a shame for a lady or child to cry rape. So it is swept under the rug. The police will blame the child or lady for being raped. I was witness to a rape as a child. Men prey on little girls in secondary schools. Isn't that pedophilia? What is the difference between the Catholic church and Nigeria society not exposing sexual crimes? First of all, you fight for those little girls raped by uncles, houseboys, teachers, and bosses in Nigeria.
I LOVE THE GAYS!!!
YAY!!!!
i hate this.baba jooooooooooo.heaven is so real.
NO WONDER THEY ARE GAY. I KNOW I WON'T DATE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE HOPELESSLY UGLY. SO UGLY THAT I CAN'T PUT MY FINGER ON THEM BEFORE I GIVE BIRTH TO THEIR KIND...UGLY MONSTERS.
lmao @ their outfits, wow!!
Abeg throw them in a Dungeon and throw away the key jor...see as them be like akpasun!
eeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww
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