GAY GROUP SLAMS “UNITED STATES OF AFRICA”
Pic: Agência Brasil / Creative Commons
A South African gay rights group has slammed new efforts to revive the concept of a “United States of Africa”.
The South Africa Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (SA GLAAD) said on Tuesday that it feared that citizens of South Africa would be adversely affected by a single African government.
“Our fear is that South Africa will be dragged into a situation where our own constitutional laws guaranteeing human rights equality will be overridden and replaced by a ‘general’ constitution,” said a statement from the group.
SA GLAAD cited the fact that homosexuality is criminalised in 29 nations in Africa, with countries such as Nigeria, Uganda and Ethiopia recently cracking down on their LGBT communities, as reason for LGBT South Africans to be concerned about a United States of Africa.
“We object to South Africa building relations with countries who flagrantly abuse the human rights of their own citizens – and even seek to unify with them. It is a very worrying proposition indeed, especially where GLBTIQ equality and human rights are concerned.”
The United States of Africa movement is back in the headlines thanks to Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi, who was controversially elected head of the African Union (AU) this week.
Gadaffi has long touted the idea and mentioned it in his inaugural speech at an AU summit in Addis Ababa on Monday:
“I shall continue to insist that our sovereign countries work to achieve the United States of Africa,” he said.
“We urge the South African government to place the best interests of ALL its own citizens above the call to unite with nations who show no regard whatsoever for human rights or equality,” said SA GLAAD.
United states of africa. There is no way in hell that and of the african coutries would agree to such a proposterous thing like this. All african governments are far to power hungry and greedy and will never give up their position as heads of state.
It will also cause a continental collaps of all economies on the african continent.
Thirdly, we now that JZ will never give up power as head of the ANC and granted that he will not fall for such a stupid idea as the united states of Africa.
Such ignorant fools are running countries all over africa.
Idiots………..
….. Funny, I had the same thought. How is ol’ Gadaffi going to convince the government’s of 47 African countries to give up power when they’ve been plundering their own nations for years?
It’s the stupidest idea I’ve heard in a long time, but GLAAD do make a valid point; most african countries have shocking human rights abuses – some happening right now – so how will an African constitution protect the rights of all. Easy answer: it won’t. It will only protect those in power.
Maybe some should tell him that Africa is a CONTINENT with many countries and not one country like the US that can be divided into different states. And who will lead this “United States of Africa” – oh, let me guess. Gadaffi probably has himself in mind for this role….
SCARY MOVIE!!!!. As a gay man, I’d rather have my tongue superglued to a vagina for the rest of my life, than
live under Gadaffi. What a dreamer! We are too diverse a continent to become a “united states” of anything. We will always be a divided continent because most african leaders grow too attached to power and then start going crazy and delusional (like ol’ Bob next door!).
WTF????. They can’t even unite their own people never mind the whole of Africa……. idiot!
… and bear in mind that Gadaffi also believes that States, and thus most likely also the proposed US of Africa, should be one-party states, without any opposition parties.