Ivory Coast LGBT celebrate IDAHO at post-attack HQ
Report by Jean Marc Yao.
English version by Denis LeBlanc.
(Aussi publié en français)
The LGBT rights anti-AIDS organization needed the new location because its former offices had been ransacked in January by a homophobic mob.
A chat/discussion was organized for this week’s celebration. This discussion focused on the theme of democracy and homosexuality.
It was an opportunity for the LGBT to discuss their situation in Ivory Coast, and to compare it with the situation in Cameroon. Because of the persecution experienced in their country of origin, Cameroonian refugees in Ivory Coast explained that. as imperfect as may be the situation for LGBT people in Ivory Coast, it is in no way comparable to that in Cameroon, where persecution and repression are experienced on a daily basis.
Alternative Côte d’Ivoire received support for this meeting from the Lesbian Life Association, whose president attended together with some of the group’s members.
Two human rights defenders also participated in the meeting. Jean Marc Yao of the Ivory Coast League for Human Rights (Ligue Ivoirienne des Droits de l’Homme – LIDHO) who, in turn, invited Antonin Rabecq, representative in Ivory Coast and Guinea to the International Federation of Human Rights (Fédération Internationale des Droits de l’Homme – FIDH).
Recall that the offices of Alternative Côte d’Ivoire were sacked last January 25 by a group of demonstrators. According to Touré Clave, Executive Director of Alternative Côte d’Ivoire, those who planned the attack had introduced bandits among the local residents. These gangsters sacked and looted everything.
After the attack, the association was hosted by one of its partners. It was only this Tuesday, May 13, that the group moved into their new headquarters.
IDAHOT on May 17 was the first opportunity for the members of Alternative Côte d’Ivoire to visit their new headquarters since last January’s devastating attack.
Related articles
