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Africa News afrol News
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Africa News afrol News
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afrol.com, 2 October - Namibian Minister of Home Affairs, Jerry Ekandjo, again made international headlines by urging a group of police constables to "eliminate" gays and lesbians "from the face of Namibia." President Nujoma earlier has made homophobic statements, in line with President Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Jerry Ekandjo, Minister of Home Affairs, only two weeks ago had to humble himself apologizing to the judiciary after embarrassing his government declaring that foreign legal advisers would loose their working permissions after an affair were one foreign judge ruled against the government. The Minister of Justice had to correct him and guarantee the independence of the judiciary. At that time, Ekandjo demonstrated little political skills. This time, he demonstrates an unnatural disrespect for human beings, urging a group of 700 newly graduated policemen and women at the police training college at Ondangwa, in the north of Namibia, to eliminate gays and lesbians from the face of Namibia. Defending his homophobic statements, Ekandjo claimed that the Namibian "Constitution does not guarantee rights for gays and lesbians." To underline his point, he added that "even if gays and lesbians had a gay dog they would murder it". He thus urged the young police officers to fight homosexuality and all other "unnatural acts including murder." The last time Ekandjo made a fool of himself, he was urged by the president and the cabinet to apologize in public. This time, an apology is not expected, as homophobia pervades the government. President Sam Nujoma previously attacked gays and lesbians, calling them "unnatural." On 25 June, the president stated that "those who practiced homosexuality were idiots who should be condemned." If Ekandjo's statements are left uncorrected, Namibia joins line with Mugabe's Zimbabwe in violating the human rights of gays and lesbians. In Namibia, The Rainbow Project, an organisation promoting gay and lesbian rights in Namibia, called on the government "to publicly reject" Ekandjo's remarks, according to the Mail and Guardian. The Rainbow Project started in May 2000, struggling for equality and recognition of the rights of gays and lesbians. Its office is only the third of its nature in Africa after the ones in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Ekandjo's statement already has provoked reactions worldwide. The political insensitivity of the controversial minister again produces headlines in an astonished world press. Afrol has observed headlines ridiculing Namibia as far apart as Sweden and South Africa. However popular his statements may be in some circles in Namibia, he is contributing heavily in alienating world opinion and giving Namibia, and Africa at large, an image of medieval mentality.
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