O-blog-dee-o-blog-da

It seems that the U.S. Evangelical push for so called FAMILY VALUES has led to more and more forced displacement of LGBTQI+ Africans, whose crime is to love. While reflecting on the reported millions spent by the religious right to re-colonize Africa with homophobia, to promote Kill the Gays in Africa, I ponder the comparative trickle of funds that our NGO’S, LGBTQI and FUNDING COMMUNITIES provide to the casualties of hate in Africa. In the trenches we see it!

The amount of direct humanitarian funds dedicated to African LGBTQI+ people in forced displacement is abysmal and some of that inadequate funding does not deliver the type of work you will see reflected below. There are few to none doing what AHRC does to triage and cradle the damage that is escalating.

Now this, A Crisis….

AHRC is the only LGBTQI+ global organization, LGBTQI+ refugee and immigrant led dedicated solely to Africans in forced displacement. We are on the ground and in the trenches responding to the humanitarian crisis currently before Africa. Through our ambassadors on the ground we are already dealing with more cases than we can manage given our limited funding. Given this imagine how tough it will be when the new onerous Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023, which includes a death penalty for aggravated homosexuality, is announced as formalized law:

Uganda has passed its new “Kill the Gays Bill” and in a matter of 30 days or less either President Museveni will attest to the Act making it Ugandan law or Parliament will re-pass it with a 2/3rd majority vote in parliament. Because it is as good as law, and already we are in crisis emergency mode, we must ramp our response. We need your help. But first look at what we have done between march 26-May 06.

Ghana is about to pass its Family Values Bill, Kenya is threatening harsher anti-Homosexuality legislation and religious groups in Malawi will be protesting at the Blantyre High Court later this month with the call:”Come and stand up against homosexual practices and unions.” To name but a few of the heightening anti-LGBTI climates.

UGANDA

This past month, the first passage of the AHA, has engendered panic and displacement. It is only going to get worse.

• Delivered food over a one month period to 6 LGBTI men jailed in Jinja pending trial – see article about arrest HERE.

• Transport to Jinja jail for human rights observer

• Relocated and assisted LGBTQI people within the country

• Transportation, food and stipends to assist LGBTQI+ people to leave Uganda

• Provided passport and visa fees to several Ugandans preparing for the worst

• Provided briefings to journalists as well as multinational corporations examining their future role

• Mentoring, providing guidance and resources to human rights defenders, many of whom are in hiding

• Working with LGBTI community in hiding to plan strategy and provide resources

• Working with three lesbians unable to leave servitude in UAE

• Consulted with several agencies and congregations on their Press Releases and statements regarding Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality law

• Updated Uganda Country Conditions Reports with Supplemental Affidavits for attorneys utilizing our country conditions expert witness reporting and testimony services

KENYA

• AHRC Food Distribution Program in Kakuma Camp, sponsored by a generous corporate donor: This month, again, we were able to supplement the Kakuma camp food rations to 570 LGBTQI and 60 children. We are seeking further corporate funding to be able to continue serving Kakuma, as we are finding more and more emergencies arising.

• Pictures Copyright: © AHRC 2023.

• AHRC manages and supports 2 safe shelters in Kenya to include utilities and food.

• AHRC provided school fees for several children in Kenya ad well as school equipment.

• AHRC negotiated the costly release of a gay refugee from Kenyan police custody. This is a perfect example of how LGBTI people are subject to blackmail in a country. that criminalizes sexual intimacy between consenting adults. AHRC paid the release “fine” and victim “fine” in exchange for the refugee’s release. This photo was taken before release:

(Picture Copyright: © AHRC – permission is not granted to use photo for any purpose. )

ZAMBIA and MALAWI

• Each month HRC continues to provide food and sanitary support to LGBT groups in a Zambian transit center. As it is getting very cold in Zambia we have also provided comforters, cooking utensils.

• AHRC funded a shelter for LGBTI in Malawi, and provides on going assistance to several LGBTI+ people as needed

Picture Copyright: © AHRC 2023.

AHRC provided advocacy for a diabetic refugee who had been hospitalized. He is now receiving regular insulin. AHRC provides $45 per 2 weeks to ensure he is able to eat according to the doctor’s recommended diet. After being in very poor condition, he is gaining strength and doing as well as can be expected.

Pic: Special diet

Good News

• Its bitter sweet when one is forced to leave one’s country and then is resettled, the latter never guaranteed a refugee.

• AHRC was integrally involved in advocacy and resources for an LGBTI person who was resettled to the United States this past week. We are so grateful to UNHCR and all agencies involved in this successful meaningful trajectory to a new home for one of our team members.

• Special Easter meals in all Camps and Urban Shelters

Picture Copyright: © AHRC 2023.

PATHWAYS + ADVOCACY

AHRC continues to advocate for special pathways for LGBTQI+ people forcibly displaced by persecutory laws and country conditions. We are very few voices specifically addressing LGBTQI+ inclusion and pointing out the unique circumstances in these joint advocacy endeavors.

We have participated as signatories or commentator in pertinent advocacy related endeavors to include, inter alia, the Proposed Asylum Ban Rule, Title 42 related, detention issues and more.

AHRC statement on Biden Administrations New Asylum Policy: Here

On March 26 AHRC submitted a formal 8 page Comment on the Proposed Rule by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) on Circumvention of Lawful Pathways, CIS No. 2736-22; Docket No: USCIS 2022-0016; A.G. Order No. 5605-2023 to Acting Director Daniel Delgado and Assistant Director Lauren Alder Reid.

PIC 1 of 8 pages: Below Commentary available upon request: nathan@africanHRC.org

POINT OF CURRENT ACTION

Notably on May 11, House Republicans will bring the Secure the Border Act of 2023 to the floor for a vote (summary here.) This bill would dismantle the asylum system and cause significant and irreparable harm to immigrant families and communities. If you can help please pressure your Republican reps to defect and request your Democratic reps hold the line.

Update on Jaime

Lesbian Asylum Seeker Shot while SAFE in America: Except for enduring trauma, Jaime is physically on the mend- but it will still take several months. We are pleased to report that asylum seeker Jaime had a successful surgery to repair the bullet would to her leg/ankle. We still await the medical reports for long term outcome. Jaime’s story and fundraiser is HERE.

THANK YOU AND HELP

I would like to thank all our donors for your generous contributions which helps us keep this unique and life saving work going.

Here are are current urgent needs:

• We are seeking $4,000 for a young lesbian who is currently in hiding. We have a path for her situation. I wish I could post more about her extraordinary young life, but that is not possible here. I am willing to have direct phone conversations to give more information. It is a dire situation. The good news – we have the path. The bad news we do not have the funds. (Updated since newsletter: $2,000 raised! THANK YOU)

• We are seeking a grant/ corporate donor to advance our food supplemental program $33,600

• We are seeking operational funding – imagine what we could accomplish with operational funding when we do all this with none…

• We are seeking to replenish our emergency fund $6,000

DONATIONS HERE

MANY THANKS

IN SOLIDARITY

ALUTA CONTINUA

Melanie Nathan
Nathan@AfricanHRC.org

Country Conditions Expert Witness for Ugandan and other,
African LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum in America and globally.