United Nations to vote on Dec. 20

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission has stood on behalf of LGBT for the past twenty years and vow to continue doing so.

On November 22nd of this year, you probably were just as shocked as we were when the United Nations voted on a proposal submitted to remove a reference to sexual orientation from a resolution which condemns arbitrary and unjustified executions. The resolution contained a reference opposing the execution of gay people in its 2008 version but this year, the new version was passed minus the reference to gay rights.

For the past 10 years, this resolution has urged States “to investigate promptly and thoroughly all killings, including… all killings committed for any discriminatory reason, including sexual orientation”.  It is the only UN resolution to ever include an explicit reference to sexual orientation.

Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, said in a statement, “This vote is a dangerous and disturbing development. [...] It essentially removes the important recognition of the particular vulnerability faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people — a recognition that is crucial at a time when 76 countries around the world criminalize homosexuality, five consider it a capital crime, and countries like Uganda are considering adding the death penalty to their laws criminalizing homosexuality.”

Belize was one of the countries that voted to remove this reference from the resolution; 1 of the 79 countries 43 voted against or did not vote.  The full list of countries that voted with Belize were: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Brunei Dar-Sala, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

However, this Monday, December 20th, 2010 the United Nations will convene once more and they will have the opportunity to restore the reference to sexual orientation – and hopefully extend it to also include gender identity.

That means that there are only a few more day to contact our leaders and send a clear message that killings of those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender are not acceptable – EVER. Letters are being asked to be sent to your officials (address will be posted below) and kindly encourage them to support the reference – or at least to abstain or refrain from voting against human rights. This is a time to be heard not to lash out. Let’s be smart and fight this intelligently, the important thing is to fight.

Please send your emails to the addresses below. This is an important issue and one that will shape many lives for years to come. If you are LGBT or if your family member is LGBT, if your friend is LGBT, if you know someone who is LGBT, then this is an issue that you should take interest in.

• Janine Coye is the UN Rep for the New York Mission,j9coye@justice.com; leen524@aol.com

• Audrey Wallace is the CEO in the PM office, Audrey.Wallace@opm.gov.bz

If you have any questions, kindly email us at gaytravelbelize@gmail.com and we will direct you to the accurate persons. Don’t forget Monday is the vote, send your letter, make your voices heard.

Another way to demand that the Member States of the United Nations condemn extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people  is to join the petition written by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission ADD YOUR NAME —–> Click here.