Nigeria begins arrests after anti-gay law passed

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**Frazzled**

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/10571788/Nigeria-begins-arrests-after-anti-gay-law-passed.html

Nigerian authorities today began arresting gay men after legislation was quietly approved criminalising homosexuality and imposing prison terms up to 14 years for breaking the new law.

Several gay couples were taken into custody in the country’s majority-Muslim north, and rights groups feared that others would be targeted across the West African country.

Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s president, signed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act into law on January 7, but there was no public report of the new law until journalists obtained a copy of the act on Monday.

It prohibits homosexuals from even meeting in groups of two or more, bans marriage or civil unions between people of the same sex, and criminalises gay clubs and events.

Reuben Abati, the presidential spokesman, said Nigerians were happy with the new law. It makes Nigeria the 38th African nation to enact legislation persecuting gay people.

“This is a law that is in line with the people's cultural and religious inclination,” Mr Abati said.

“More than 90 percent of us oppose same-sex marriage, so it is a law that is a reflection of the beliefs and orientation of Nigerian people. Nigerians are pleased with it.”

The country already has legislation outlawing homosexual sex, and few people in the country would want publicly to declare their love for someone of the same sex in a marriage ceremony for fear of violent persecution.

This has raised questions over the motivation. Some have suggested Nigeria’s new law and a proposed one in Uganda were a backlash to Western pressure for gay rights.

David Cameron pledged to cut British aid to countries that enacted new laws targeting homosexuals. In relation to the Nigerian law, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "The U.K. opposes any form of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation."

**Soladrin**

Nuke it from orbit.

**Alexzandvar**

Most of these countries are so religiously radical because of missonaries preeching extremism to them.

Take that as food for thought.

**hotsauceman1**

Send in the troops I say and kill their leaders. But we wont because there is nothing of value there

**Alexzandvar**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Send in the troops I say and kill their leaders. But we wont because there is nothing of value there

Oh yeah cause more pain and destruction to stop pain and destruction what a brilliant idea.

How about instead, we just denounce them or sanction them? Maybe speak to them about why, and how it can be resolved?

But we won't because theres part of this country that agrees with what there doing. Sad.

**hotsauceman1**

Im not serious about it, Im joking. TBH I like your Idea. But I think this is horrible and we need to put pressure on them to stop

**Alexzandvar**

I have to say though hotsauceman, we can't be the worlds baby sitter forever, if they want to be self destructive and ignorant, I say we should try diplomacy, but if that doesnt work we should drop it.

Even with sactions you would just punish an already fagile country.

**Jihadin**

Key word. "Muslim" country

**Alexzandvar**

Jihadin wrote:
Key word. "Muslim" country

I don't see your point. Regardless what they are doing is reprehensible and there entire parliament and president deserve to be thrown out of office for such a human rights neglaginces.

Still, we have a long way to go in our own country in regards to gay rights. The rest of the civilized world has gotten past it, so should we.

And if you throw the marriage thing at me, Ill tell you right now I don't care if giving equal marriage rights to all means people can fething marry turtles, or there pet rock.

**easysauce**

so when we think (even wrongly) that a country has WMDS,

dont do anything...

but when we think people are in danger of being told how to handle their pee pees,

invade and kill their leaders! Do somthing!

lol....

but really, there are REASONS why so much of the world is in poor shape, at some point, we have to blame africans for why africa is in such a state, ME'terns for why the ME is in such a state and so on... stop all foregin aid, stop all interventions, just completly leave it alone.

these places were messed up before colonialism, time to stop carrying the torch, its not anyones fault but their own, and all the efforts by the western nations to help just make it worse, or breed dependance, or just breed more hate at the interventionism or "westernization"

africans can make their own decisions and suffer the consequesnces of a fanatical, backwards, fundamentalist, mental, group mentality that does them no good whatsoever.

im sure lots of flak will now come my way, as its not PC to suggest that people lie in the bed they make, but there you go.

**Frazzled**

I didn't say we should do anything, just the stupidity of it is illuminating.

**Alexzandvar**

So its Africans fault that Europe colonized the hell out them, drew borders and forced people together were they didn't want to, and destroyed what African countries could stand against them?

Ethopia for the longest time had a good military and was a prosperous nation, they even kicked out the Italians, but then they got crushed into submisssion.

Im not saying we have to help them, but jeeze at least own the fact that Western Civilzation did do some bad things.

**Jihadin**

In a hardcore muslim country. If a woman is raped she can be executed for committing adultry. Nigerian leaders are Muslims. Nigeria going down the road to a hardcore musloim country.

**Ouze**

Always delighted by Jihadin's signature.

-Sir Ouze Frogstomper, Troll Shadowknight, Quellious

**Frazzled**

Alexzandvar wrote:
So its Africans fault that Europe colonized the hell out them, drew borders and forced people together were they didn't want to, and destroyed what African countries could stand against them?

Ethopia for the longest time had a good military and was a prosperous nation, they even kicked out the Italians, but then they got crushed into submisssion.

Im not saying we have to help them, but jeeze at least own the fact that Western Civilzation did do some bad things.

No. It is the oldest area of settled territory in humanity. They can get their own act together or not. No more sons and daughters to godforsaken lands for godforsaken reasons.

Also the US wasn't involved in Africa's colonial period.

**Jihadin**

Lol EQ Next. A game not played in Muslim countries.

**Alexzandvar**

Frazzled wrote:
Alexzandvar wrote:
So its Africans fault that Europe colonized the hell out them, drew borders and forced people together were they didn't want to, and destroyed what African countries could stand against them?

Ethopia for the longest time had a good military and was a prosperous nation, they even kicked out the Italians, but then they got crushed into submisssion.

Im not saying we have to help them, but jeeze at least own the fact that Western Civilzation did do some bad things.

No. It is the oldest area of settled territory in humanity. They can get their own act together or not. No more sons and daughters to godforsaken lands for godforsaken reasons.

Also the US wasn't involved in Africa's colonial period.

Im not saying we have to help them

I don't want troops over there either.

>We didn't get involved in colonize africa

Holy crackers have I got news for you!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberia

and before you ask, yeah its a hell hole

**Frazzled**

Thats not Liberia now is it Dumbledore?

**Alexzandvar**

Frazzled wrote:
Thats not Liberia now is it Dumbledore?

Errr what? I don't get your point.

Im not saying we should be involved in Africa period, but we DID mess with Africa during the colonization period by major European powers.

**Frazzled**

No, we just tried to establish a colony of former slaves. We didn't cut the hands off half the freaking population like Belgium did to the Congo.

**easysauce**

Alexzandvar wrote:
So its Africans fault that Europe colonized the hell out them, drew borders and forced people together were they didn't want to, and destroyed what African countries could stand against them?

Ethopia for the longest time had a good military and was a prosperous nation, they even kicked out the Italians, but then they got crushed into submisssion.

Im not saying we have to help them, but jeeze at least own the fact that Western Civilzation did do some bad things.

gotta give up the ghost of the long past at some point,

otherwise I can blame africa for when the moores were invading and destroying europe...

gotta own up to the fact that every single civilization has done bad stuff in the past, and had roles been reversed, the same things would have been done.

**Alexzandvar**

Frazzled wrote:
No, we just tried to establish a colony of former slaves. We didn't cut the hands off half the freaking population like Belgium did to the Congo.

Sorry frazzled but just because we were not "as bad as" Belguim doesnt me we didn't do ANYTHING bad.

and Liberia was REALLY messed up, it would be like if we deported illegal mexican immigrants to spain because they "look the same".

Forced deportation to the same CONTINENT you came from is not exactly a holy thing.

**Easy E**

The original article is messed up. Now, let's compare and contrast it with Russia's laws.

Enjoy.

**AlmightyWalrus**

Alexzandvar wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Thats not Liberia now is it Dumbledore?

Errr what? I don't get your point.

Im not saying we should be involved in Africa period, but we DID mess with Africa during the colonization period by major European powers.

Even ignoring Liberia, there's the slight issue of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

easysauce wrote:
so when we think (even wrongly) that a country has WMDS,

dont do anything...

but when we think people are in danger of being told how to handle their pee pees,

invade and kill their leaders! Do somthing!

lol....

but really, there are REASONS why so much of the world is in poor shape, at some point, we have to blame africans for why africa is in such a state, ME'terns for why the ME is in such a state and so on... stop all foregin aid, stop all interventions, just completly leave it alone.

these places were messed up before colonialism, time to stop carrying the torch, its not anyones fault but their own, and all the efforts by the western nations to help just make it worse, or breed dependance, or just breed more hate at the interventionism or "westernization"

africans can make their own decisions and suffer the consequesnces of a fanatical, backwards, fundamentalist, mental, group mentality that does them no good whatsoever.

im sure lots of flak will now come my way, as its not PC to suggest that people lie in the bed they make, but there you go.

It's "not PC" because it's bonkers. The entire world system of trade, and thus the traditional road to improvement of living standards and all the things that brings with it, is rigged in favour of us (developed countries). How do you suppose you'll get any civil rights improvements when we're still using African countries to our own benefit?

Sorry, forgot that I'm in the OT Forum, culpabit victima and all that...

**Frazzled**

gotta own up to the fact that every single civilization has done bad stuff in the past, and had roles been reversed, the same things would have been done.

Except for Switzerland of course. Any country that invents yodelling is a country thats Buddha would accuse of being too mellow....

**Jihadin**

Lol EQ Next. A game hardly played in Muslim countries due to all the Gods in the game

**Alexzandvar**

Easy E wrote:
The original article is messed up. Now, let's compare and contrast it with Russia's laws.

Enjoy.

Most people in Russia don't mind gay people, Putin only passed the law because he wanted to appeal to hardline Russian conservatives.

Source: lots of online russian friends.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Jihadin wrote:
Lol EQ Next. A game hardly played in Muslim countries due to all the Gods in the game

Alright m8 Ill bite, whats you beef with Muslims? Your from the USA yes? IS this just blind patriotism or trolling?

**easysauce**

Frazzled wrote:

gotta own up to the fact that every single civilization has done bad stuff in the past, and had roles been reversed, the same things would have been done.

Except for Switzerland of course. Any country that invents yodelling is a country thats Buddha would accuse of being too mellow....

hey hey... yodelling is awesome to rock out too... I DARE you to head bang to yodelling and not have fun

Seems like we cant acknowledge that western nations actually contributed to the developement of countries technology, and furthered human rights across the globe...

because africa was utopia before colonialism apparently, and nothing the west did helped anyone in any way... they dont need roads, technology, hospitals, democracy, human rights ect...

we must all feel the appropriate level of 1st world guilt for things we didnt do, dont support, while at the same time ignoring all the good stuff that also done at the same time...

Automatically Appended Next Post:

AlmightyWalrus wrote:
It's "not PC" because it's bonkers. The entire world system of trade, and thus the traditional road to improvement of living standards and all the things that brings with it, is rigged in favour of us (developed countries). How do you suppose you'll get any civil rights improvements when we're still using African countries to our own benefit?

so on the one hand, they have nothing we want, so we dont help them,

yet we are using them for things we want?

on the one hand, western influence is bad, on the other hand, western values are not the homophobic, mysogenitic, ect values that are indemic to muslim africa...

mmmhmmmm

and how did the "developed" countries get developed in the first place? can we somehow blame them for not waiting until the stone age civilizations of the world caught up to the steel age before they started exploring the world?

please, tell me more about how all the problems of the world were caused by western civlizations sucess, and how none of the good stuff that came about because of western civ's developement (IE modern medicine, science, technology, roads, human rights, democracy) matter...

**hotsauceman1**

easysauce wrote:

but really, there are REASONS why so much of the world is in poor shape, at some point, we have to blame africans for why africa is in such a state, ME'terns for why the ME is in such a state and so on... stop all foregin aid, stop all interventions, just completly leave it alone.

Sometimes I have to wonder if that is what we need to do. as my Sociology teacher said "Sometimes societies need to collapse to a better one can rise later, some places are beyond repair"

**Medium of Death**

Given the recent protests by various countries surrounding Russia and it's anti-gay policy, perhaps Nigeria should be barred from participation in the upcoming Commonwealth games.

Frazzled wrote:
No, we just tried to establish a colony of former slaves. We didn't cut the hands off half the freaking population like Belgium did to the Congo.

I wonder if this is where the "inspiration" for this barbaric practice comes from in many African civil wars.