Aufruf: Protestmails wegen Mord an jamaicanischem Bürgerrechtler

Liebe Freundinnen und Freunde,

Mitte Juni wurde in Jamaikas Hauptstadt Kingston der schwule Bürgerrechtler und Gründer der Organisation J-FLAG, Brian Williamson, brutal ermordet.
Brian Williamson war wohl bekannteste Homoaktivist des Landes. Seit 1997, so J-Flag, seien in Jamaika rund 30 Schwule Opfer sog. Hassverbrechen geworden.

Auf der Karibikinsel ist schwuler Sex noch immer strafbar und wird mit bis zu 10 Jahren Haft und Zwangsarbeit geahndet . Es gibt zudem Musiker, die in ihren Songs die Todesstrafe für Homosexuelle fordern oder zum Mord an Schwulen aufrufen (Hatesongs). Erst kürzlich wurde der jamaikanische Reggae-Star Beenie Man wegen der Verbreitung solche Hatesongs bei seiner Einreise nach Großbritannien auf einem Londoner Flughafen verhaftet.

Schickt bitte das unten stehende Protestschreiben in englischer Sprache an die jamaikanische Regierung und in Kopie an die jamaikanische Botschaft in Berlin, indem Ihr es kopiert, unterzeichnet und an die email-Adressen info@cabinet.gov.jm und info@jamador.de schickt.

Oder aber Ihr druckt es aus und schickt es als Brief an den Premierminister:

The Right Honourable P.J. Patterson
Prime Minister of Jamaica, Office of the Prime Minister Jamaica House
1 Devon Road
Kingston 6, Jamaica

und in Kopie an die Botschafterin:

Jamaikanische Botschaft
Schmargendorfer Strasse 32
12159 Berlin.


Viele Dank und Grüße

Klaus Jetz
LSVD Geschäftsstelle
Pipinstr. 7
50667 Köln
T. 0221-9259610
lsvd@lsvd.de
www.lsvd.de

The Right Honourable P.J. Patterson
Prime Minister of Jamaica, Office of the Prime Minister Jamaica House
1 Devon Road
Kingston 6, Jamaica


Dear Sir:

The recent brutal killing of gay activist Brian Williamson June 9, 2004 in Kingston, is a grim reminder of the intolerance, harshness and appalling level of homophobia in Jamaican society towards their own people of other sexual orientation. The ever growing threat of lives of homosexuals in Jamaica have reached a horrendous level and so we demand that the Jamaican authorities take urgent and concrete steps, put measures in place to protect the lives of Jamaican homosexuals and in the end homosexual visitors coming to the island.

This is also an urgent appeal to the Jamaican Government to investigate the death of Brian Williamson, by the Public Prosecutor. His violent death is being viewed internationally as a hate-related crime.

Jamaica's violent attitude towards homosexuals is encouraged by its 140 year old anti-gay laws which the Government there has not been prepared to abolish, resulting in hatred very much embedded in Jamaican society over the many years and in ever creating a disastrous atmosphere for gays in Jamaica who are constantly targeted for violence eventually resulting into murder.

This is an urgent appeal to the Jamaican Government to abolish its anti-gay law labelling homosexuals as criminal offenders. This request was made even by the U.K. Government some years ago. There must be a debate among politicians, influential groups including the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays (J-Flag) to achieve the banning of the anti-gay law and mordernise the way of thinking in Jamaica.

We demand law reform and other measures to protect the lives of lesbian and gays from violence and discrimination in Jamaican society. Because, if that isn't done soon, Jamaica's fragile tourism image will crumble to pieces and visitors not only including homosexuals from other countries will go elsewhere for holidays. Homosexual murders in Jamaica are already driving liberal-minded tourists and with it valuable income away from the country, also skilled Jamaicans (including homosexuals) to leave for greener pastures abroad.

This is also an urgent appeal for Prime Minister P. J. Patterson to state publicly that violence and abuse against lesbians and gays in whatever form will not be tolerated, including banning anti gay songs by some Jamaican entertainers from public radio.

The death of gay rights activist Brian Williamson will continue to influence lives of homosexuals living in Jamaica and overseas who are determined to continue their protest in Jamaica for years to come, until Jamaica bans discrimination and violence, and the old anti gay law is abolished. Only so that a new wave of tolerance and acceptance can be created in Jamaica as being part of the modern world.

Yours faithfully