By Melanie Nathan, July 23, 2013. Two men have been found guilty and sentenced to time in prison for being gay. The court in Yaounde, Cameroon sentenced Joseph Omgba, one of the men accused of homosexuality, to two years in prison and a younger man was sentenced to one year probation. Both have been in … More Cameroon men found guilty of being gay sentenced to prison terms
South African former President Nelson Mandela. This illustration depicts the life of Nelson Mandela and is a good reference for students who want to encapsulate his life in an easy reference time line. However it should not derogate from the extensive information available online to study Mandela in depth. There is so much more…. Source: … More The Mandela Timeline
By Melanie Nathan, July 19, 2013. When I went back to South Africa in 2011, to address the issue of so called “corrective rape” with the South African Government, I wanted to speak to Nelson Mandela. With his house, mere blocks from my family home, I wanted to tell him that his vision for a … More A most moving article of friendship by Nelson Mandela’s friend
As a result of asylum applications lodged by three gay men from Sierra Leone, Uganda and Senegal, seeking refugee status in the Netherlands, with all noting they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home countries based on their sexual orientation, the EU’s Advocate General, Eleanor Sharpston, said on July 11, that applicants for … More EU recognizes Gay asylees as new social group
by Melanie Nathan, July 16, 2013. The U.S. State Department has issued a statement condemning the murder of Eric Ohena Lembembe. Lembembe’s friends discovered his body on Monday evening after being unable to reach him by telephone for two days, and went to his home. They found his front door padlocked on the outside, but … More U.S. State Department condemns murder of Gay activist in Cameroon
By Human Rights Watch, July 16, 2013. Cameroonian authorities should immediately conduct an effective and thorough investigation into the torture and killing of Eric Ohena Lembembe, an activist and journalist who was found dead at his home in Yaoundé on the evening of July 15. Lembembe, executive director of the Cameroonian Foundation for AIDS (CAMFAIDS), … More Cameroon Gay Rights Activist Tortured and Murdered
The South African political party showing up for votes is reprimanded and words are not enough as LGBTI community screams for action By Melanie Nathan, July 14, 2013. A rainbow flag flies amidst the dust as Duduzile Zozo is laid to rest. The beloved daughter and lesbian community member from Thokoza township, Johannesburg, was remembered … More Moving pictures as slain lesbian laid to rest amidst controversial memorial
Heartbreaking Video expresses the scourge of Corrective Rape while the South African Task Team Sleeps By Melanie Nathan, July 07, 2013. Last week, a memorial service was held pending the funeral of a beloved lesbian from Gauteng, bringing home the horrendous truth, that “corrective rape” and violence against lesbians continues uncontrollably, despite acute awareness on … More Outrage at South African Government over Lesbian Murder
The anti homosexuality Bill is still in parliament and on the order paper of business to follow. We urge that you continue consulting activists on the ground as we chose to take on a more subtle way of lobbying as spontaneous actions from our partners especially those not from Africa is always met with … More Ugandan LGBT Group Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Important Reminders
By Melanie Nathan. July 01, 2013. On June 29, President Obama spoke to youth audiences across Africa in a televised town hall from South Africa. U.S. Embassy Kampala – We were thrilled that a group of 10 Ugandan youth (pictured here below) joined the President live via satellite from Kampala’s NTV studio. In his remarks, … More Pictures of President Obama’s Town Hall with African Youth in Soweto
By Melanie Nathan, July 01, 2013. A lesbian woman has been brutally raped with a toilet brush and murdered in what is believed to have been a hate crime in Ekurhuleni over the weekend. The half-naked body of 26-year-old Duduzile Zozo was found in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni, outside of Johannesburg, on Sunday morning, in what is another … More Another Lesbian Brutally raped and murdered in South Africa
Wine Whines about Obama speaking out for the well-being of persecuted Africans | Please sign petition at bottom of post to ensure Wine never gets the chance to whine on an American or EU stage! By Melanie Nathan, June 30, 2013. President Obama spoke out on his current trip to Africa about dignity and respect … More Ugandan Musician Calls President Obama a Faggot
Report by Amnesty International | Criminalization of Same-Sex Conduct in Sub-Saharan Africa June 28, 2013 This report provides an analysis of the legal environment and wider context of human rights violations against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent years have seen increasing reports of people being harassed, marginalized, discriminated … More Making Love a Crime
Vision for Africa | President Obama will engage with young African leaders from across the continent in a live broadcast event from the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus in South Africa. By Melanie Nathan, June 28, 2013. President Obama is on his way to Johannesburg, on his tour of Africa. The University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) … More President Obama to enagage youth all around Africa from a Soweto Campus
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 28, 2013 Today, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, condemned the so-called same-sex marriage prohibition bill just passed by the Nigerian Parliament last month. The bill, which in reality has more to do with criminalizing homosexuality rather than stopping same gender marriages in a country where homosexual acts are … More UN High Commissioner Condemns Nigeria’s pending anti-gay law
By Melanie Nathan, June 27, 2013. President Barack Obama on Thursday praised the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage as a “victory for American democracy” and even called the Prop 8 and DOMA Plaintiff’s to congratulate them while he was on board Air Force One heading out to Africa. However AP has reported that his … More Obama clashes with Senegal President over gay rights
Today Judge Veldhuizen ruled- or should we say barely ruled in the case of fired Pastor Ecclesia de Lange. See our earlier articles here. The lesbian minister who was fired because of her marriage to another woman has lost her court battle to be reinstated by the Methodist Church, but the case has been reverted … More South African Judge Chickens Out on Ruling in Fired Lesbian Pastor Case
By Melanie Nathan, June 24, 2013. The Ugandan Parliament’s legislators are about to reconvene. The Daily Monitor, has reported that as the Ugandan Parliament will have to deal with a “clogged agenda” in the House. There are many issues waiting to be considered, including the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which has been lingering in Parliament over the … More Uganda’s Parliament reconvenes to a clogged house including anti-gay Bill
Posted by Melanie Nathan, June 23, 2013. Nelson Mandela’s health has deteriorated and he is now in critical condition, the South African government said Sunday. The office of President Jacob Zuma said in a statement that he had visited the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader at a hospital Sunday evening and was informed by the medical team … More Mandela Critical
Please tell other Monarchs, especially in Africa, that being gay is OKAY By Melanie Nathan, June 21, 2013 The Crown Princess of Norway, Her Royal Highness Mette-Marit, met famed South African photographer, filmmaker and LGBTI activist Zanele Muholi recently at an exhibition of Muholi’s work in Norway. The event took place last night at the Kunstplass … More South African Lesbian photographer’s big ask of Norway’s Crown Princess
By Melanie Nathan, June 19, 2013. Today, in Vereeniging, South Africa, the ongoing murder trial of the owner of Echo Wild Game Ranger Camp, Alex de Koker, 49, and his co-accused, Michael Erasmus (20) was postponed yet again, due to the accused murderer’s inability to pay his legal fees resulting in the withdrawal of his … More Justice delayed as reparative death camp killer has unpaid legal fees
And then Hello Apartheid…. By Melanie Nathan, June 19, 2013. June 19th 2013 is the 100th anniversary of the now defunct Natives Land Act, 1913 (subsequently renamed Bantu Land Act, 1913 and Black Land Act, 1913; Act No. 27 of 1913) which was an act of the Parliament of South Africa aimed at regulating the … More One Hundredth Anniversary of South Africa’s Native Land Act of 1913
By Melanie Nathan, June 12, 2013. UPDATED 6/13/20123. P.E. Herald took swift action in Apologizing to the South African Gay Community for an Ad that was placed on page 3 of their print publication: “The Herald Port Elizabeth – The Herald distances itself from the contents of this advert which goes against the basic tenets … More P.E. Herald Publishes Hate Ad designed to intimidate Gay Community
By Melanie Nathan, June 12, 2013. At the time of the 1962 trial of Nelson Mandela, one of a few, South Africans who were not white, and who comprised the majority of the population, were not allowed to vote. This was because Apartheid excluded black South Africans from this basic right to equality. When reading … More Remembering Mandela’s 1962 Creative Cry to the World
Inaccurate media reports could be exacerbated by privacy of trial, while Magistrate ‘s call for closed trial may evidence prejudice during time when Zambian Government calls to hunt down gays, By Melanie Nathan, June 11, 2013. Please note update (6/12/) below, where Magistrate denies trial is being heard in camera and accuses a Reporter of … More Public Booted from Trial of Accused Zambian Gay Couple
By Melanie Nathan, June 06, 2013. Members of GALZ, an LGBT human rights organization in Harare, Zimbabwe, were attacked by five hammer wielding men during a board meeting at their offices. No injuries reported, however the group is extremely shaken. The attack occurred at GALZ offices around 11 am on Thursday when five unknown men … More Breaking Gay Board Members attacked with hammers at meeting in Harare
It is believed that Kasonkomona was specifically targeted amidst the Zambian government’s call to “hunt down homosexuals” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 05, 2013 The court case of Zambian Paul Kasonkomona which we have reported on here on OBLOGDEE was today transferred to that country’s High Court for the constitutional challenge Kasonkomona and his defense are seeking. … More Zambian High Court to hear Freedom of Expression challenge after call to hunt down homosexuals arrest
Despite all odds, the fearless continue …. and the least we can do as an international community is support this imperative statement… By Melanie Nathan, June 04, 2013. Last year, despite the climate of fervent anti-gay hostility, Ugandan volunteer LGBT activists accomplished what seemed impossible – they launched the first every Gay Pride celebration in … More Uganda Prepares for Its Second Gay Pride
Compared to being Gay in privacy of home By Melanie Nathan, May 2013. In the context of Stephen Fry, asking Ugandan Minister of Ethics and Integrity, Fr. Simon Lokodo, in a recorded interview, why Ugandans were more concerned with what gays did in the privacy of their homes rather than with the high incidence of … More Ugandan Minister of Ethics and Integrity says Men Raping Girls is Natural
By Melanie Nathan, May 30, 2013. Today in Nigeria, lawmakers passed a bill Thursday banning gay marriage and outlawing anyone from forming organizations supporting gay rights, setting prison terms of up to 14 years for offenders. Nigeria’s House of Representatives approved the bill in a voice vote. In the meantime there may be differences between … More Breaking Nigeria passes sweeping anti-gay legislation
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