In Kenya a public witch-hunt against homosexuals. False rumors about a gay wedding circulated in the coastal resort of Mtwapa, and soon religious leaders were calling on their followers to be “vigilant” and to “expose” local homosexuals.

In Africa, the media’s feeding-frenzy on homosexuality continues. Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law and the fate of the gay couple in Malawi have renewed interest in gay rights, but have also led to a rise in homophobic rhetoric and action across the continent.

In Kenya, this erupted into hysteria and a public witch-hunt against homosexuals. False rumors about a gay wedding circulated in the coastal resort of Mtwapa, and soon religious leaders were calling on their followers to be “vigilant” and to “expose” local homosexuals.

Many people took up this call, invading gay-friendly organizations and attacking individuals.

Developing Story http://galck.org/

Human Rights Watch' Letter to the Kenyan Government on Recent Attacks Against Health Workers and Activists

"Dear Dear Sir/Madam,

Human Rights Watch is one of the world's leading human rights organizations, documenting and advocating against a broad range of human rights violations in over 80 countries. We are writing to express our deep concern over recent attacks against HIV/AIDS workers and against individuals suspected of being homosexual in Mtwapa and Mombasa. These attacks have been supported, and perhaps actually incited, by a few religious leaders who have openly called for "flushing out" people suspected of being homosexual. Police took at least six individuals into custody in response to the violence, as this was the only way to protect them from being beaten and potentially killed. The work of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is severely disrupted and some religious leaders are calling for shutting it down. As you know, KEMRI is a government health centre that provides invaluable HIV/AIDS services to the community at large, including to high-risk groups such as men who have sex with men. As we shall explain, these attacks present great threats to public health and human rights. We base this account on interviews and other research we have done with those affected and others living in the region.

Late in January, unsubstantiated rumors about a "gay wedding" scheduled to take place on February 12 started circulating in the coastal town of Mtwapa in Kilifi District. Local and national radio stations also picked up the story, apparently without confirming its veracity. According to the report of a local fact-finding team led by the Kenya Human Rights Commission, several imams and muftis discussed the news of the so-called wedding during Friday prayers on February 7, and warned their congregations to be prepared to demonstrate against homosexuals.

On Thursday, February 11, Sheikh Ali Hussein of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) and Bishop Lawrence Chai of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) held a press conference. They called for an investigation of KEMRI, criticized the government for "providing counselling services to these criminals," and demanded that the KEMRI office in Mtwapa be shut down. Further, in a statement issued after the meeting, as reported in the Daily Nation, the religious leaders promised to "flush out gays" in Mtwapa. Chai has declared himself to be the leader of a network called "Operation Gays Out," also as reported in the Daily Nation; its members have apparently been at the forefront of the violence, although their numbers and actual aims are not known.

The next day, on Friday, February 12, a 200-300-strong group, many armed with sticks, stones, and other makeshift weapons, surrounded KEMRI. Mtwapa Police were present, too. A man identified by local activists as "Faridi," an organizer of the group, declared that a KEMRI staff member was homosexual because he was wearing a T-shirt promoting safer sex. Police took that man and another KEMRI staffer into custody. Earlier the same day, "Faridi", with police, forcibly entered another private individual's home, claiming that the two people in the house were homosexual. Police took the two into custody. Human Rights Watch's sources, who have worked closely with the police, told us that the police took the men into custody to protect them from mob violence.

A large crowd gathered outside the police station where the five were being held. Sheikh Ali Hussein addressed the mob about the need to drive all homosexuals from Mtwapa, according to the report of the local fact-finding team. According to the report prepared by the fact-finding team, a former member of parliament, Omar Masumbuko, encouraged the mob to not bother bringing homosexuals to the police but rather to take the law into its own hands. Other speakers said that homosexuals only came to Mtwapa when KEMRI opened its offices there. Smaller mobs went to the homes of other people suspected of being gay.
(...)
Accounts of the attacks filled the next day's newspaper front pages. A mob attacked and severely beat up another KEMRI volunteer on Saturday, February 13. The police took him into the police station in an attempt to save him, according to local activists who went to the police station. The same day, a person was beaten up in Mombasa on suspicion of being gay and a second person was attacked in Mombasa on Tuesday, February 16. Local activists are attempting to determine the condition and whereabouts of the victims.

On February 16, Sheikh Ali Hussein declared on the radio that there would be a large march or demonstration of Muslims to protest against homosexuality in Mtwapa on Friday, February 19. The protest may extend to mosques all along the coast, including Mombasa.

Although the initial motivation for the detention of the sex men was apparently their protection, some news accounts reported that they would be subjected to forensic examinations to determine if they are homosexual. Five of the six men refused to be examined. The sixth consented and reportedly was examined, although no "evidence" of homosexuality was found. Forensic medical examinations to "prove" homosexual conduct are archaic and discredited and, if conducted without genuine consent, may constitute torture or inhuman or degrading treatment. "

Read the whole on http://galck.org/

"The attacks on Gays which started on Thursday, and continued to Friday and Saturday are bound to take a new twist today, with the presentation of 6 gay men to court. Although being homosexual is not a crime in Kenya, the police with the help of the public have continued to arrest people suspected of being homosexuals. Most of the people have been arrested from their offices or as in the case of two of the men, while boarding public transport - each in a different location.

Reports from Mombasa indicate local politicians are actively involved in the exercise of identifying people suspected to be homosexuals. On Monday 15th Feb, media reports indicated that police in the coastal town have beefed up security operations, with the intention of identifying and arresting suspected homosexuals. Public facilities and clubs suspected of hosting homosexuals will be closed down - reports indicate.

Medical professionals have also been relocated from attending normal hospital operations to help the police with quick identification of the homosexuals through medical examinations. It is assumed that many people will be arrested during the police swoops and the medical professionals will help in filtering those who will be taken to court and those to be released.

Kenya, with a population of 40 million people has less than 5000 doctors. Reassigning the doctors to identify suspected homosexuals is interesting for a country where patients share single beds in most district hospitals. It is not clear how many doctors have been taken to Mombasa to help with this exercise."

"My name is Ishmael from Kenya and I want to write and tell you about the problems we have here on the Kenyan coast. There has been misinformation in the media both local and internationally.

Gay men are being hunted by Muslims and Christians. Our houses are not safe anymore. Some of them broken into and our possessions stolen by the hooligans.

Some gay men have been arrested and some in are in hospital due to the attacks. We cannot change towns as everyone seems to recognise us because our faces were all over in the news.

We wonder when the Muslims and Christians began working together here on the coast. The attacks are well organised and it makes us feel that there could be some mechanism behind this.

Kindly let me know if there is any way that we can make this information available to all so that our guys are safe and also so that we can correct the information appearing on international news about a wedding that never was.

With love we say thanks for your support."