The South African Broadcasting Corporation has produced a heartbreaking report on the status of gay Africans who seek asylum in the RSA.
Watch the report WHEN YOU JUMP ...
Being gay is a crime in at least 32 of the 54 countries in Africa. Three of the nations—Mauritania, Nigeria and Sudan—boast the death penalty for gays or same-sex activity. South Africa is the only African nation where same-sex marriage is legal and boasts the continent's only protections of LGBTs. Many LGBT Africans have fled their homelands for South Africa and asylum ... but they often unexpected prejudice, violence and harassment.
The report opens with the story of Junior Mayema, who fled his native Democratic Republic of the Congo for Cape Town. "My mother tried to inject me with a syringe full of gasoline when she discovered that I was gay," says Junior. Junior's relatives in SA have shunned him and he cannot afford to bribe guards at the immigration center.
Watch the report WHEN YOU JUMP ...
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A nicely balanced interview. I really appreciate that the man from homeland security made it clear that all of their clients are free to report unsuitable behaviour from staff, and that the last interviewee, the intersex woman from Zimbabwe, told any future GLBTI African refugees to South Africa NOT to expect "milk and honey".
It was heartbreaking to watch, yet oddly hopeful. Thanks for sharing this, Rod.
Posted by: archipelago | 23 November 2011 at 04:03
My heart goes out to them.
Posted by: Distant Lover | 26 November 2011 at 20:40