UK won’t push Namibia on gay rights

British High Commissioner Charles Moore says there is no persecution of gay people in Namibia – a claim often used by those seeking asylum in his country – and his government would not push Namibia to expedite processes required to realise full rights and equality of the country’s LGBTQI community.

The United Kingdom (UK) is in the process of sending back hordes of Namibians whose applications for asylum have been declined, a development that has unsettled those affected.

Historically, many of those seeking asylum in the UK and Canada have claimed that they are gay and face state persecution because of their sexual orientation. It is alleged that many of those making these claims are actually not gay, but are only seeking economic opportunities in those countries.

Moore, who was posted to Namibia two years ago, said the allegations of persecution of sexual minority groups are devoid of truth.

Legislation to allow same-sex marriage in England and Wales – some of the oldest democracies - was passed by the UK parliament in July 2013 and took effect on 13 March 2014.

Although the Namibian Constitution is stone-silent on homosexuality, sodomy is outlawed and so are same-sex marriages.

“It’s a complex issue and we respect where Namibia is at the moment,” he said on The Agenda, airing this Sunday.

“Our own journey towards full LGBT rights and equality – and we are very proud of what we’ve done – took us decades.”

He added: “Our own journey and challenges about LGBT rights and same-sex marriages, full equality across the board for the LGBT community, has been very long, emotive and painful. We have been through the same challenges that Namibia is going through”.

Tolerance

Homosexuality is perceived as an abomination in many African societies, but Western nations have often urged the continent to loosen its grip on these beliefs and allow gay people to enjoy full rights like their heterosexual compatriots.

“I’ve been very impressed since I’ve here – and I am a strong believer in LGBT rights and equality – but ‘m impressed that Namibia has tolerance for the LGBT community. There’s no persecution, they are free.

"They are not as yet equal as I would have them to be in terms of full equality, recognition of same-sex marriages, adoption of children and repealing of the sodomy law, but I fully respect where Namibia is on that scale at the moment.”

“But I’ll not push that agenda. I’m happy where the UK is, but it took us time too. We’ll never say ‘we have done it, now you have to do it’. If there’s any support needed, we are happy to do it,” the British diplomat concluded.

Moral issue

Attorney-General Festus Mbandeka, in affidavits filed in court recently in response to a case asserting that Namibian laws promote stigma and the exclusion of consensual sexual acts between men, stated that homosexuality presents a highly controversial and emotional question of moral and social policy.

Gay rights activist Friedel Dausab brought the case, in which he is seeking the repeal of the sodomy law.

But Mbandeka retorted: “As the applicants accept, for many Namibians, homosexual conduct is immoral and unacceptable. I deny that the mere existence of the sodomy law promotes the stigmatisation of gay men.

"If these men suffer any stigma, it is in consequence of their choice to engage in sexual conduct considered to be morally taboo in our society.”