Seeking help for LGBT Ethiopians, not the death penalty

Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…

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The Ethiopian LGBT-rights group Rainbow Ethiopia today called for continued foreign aid to the country, but an end to international financial support of organizations that seek passage of the death penalty for sexual minorities in Ethiopia. In recognition of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), the group issued this statement:

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — May, 17^th 2013 — Rainbow-Ethiopia joins today the global commemoration of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. As every year, May 17th represent for us a renewed opportunity for calling the international community to struggle against homophobic and transphobic violence in Ethiopia –and, in particular, against all those forms of stigma and violence associated with sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and bodily diversity.

The anti-gay movement in Ethiopia is comprised of a large coalition of Orthodox, Muslim, evangelical and Roman Catholic leaders, Christian right advocacy groups like United for life Ethiopia and other evil-minded homophobic organizations that works on many fronts to promote hate and further restrict the legislation and demand death penalty for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Ethiopia through organized and orchestrated efforts to promote their anti-LGBT agenda at all levels of government and by espousing myths and lies about LGBT people for political and financial gain.

The movement is financially and technically supported by an international homophobia agents like United for Life International, Exodus International, Lausanne Movement, Human Life International and others….

We as a highly threatened community would like to kindly request these foreign organizations directly and their respective governments to stop funding and supporting the local homophobia/hate agents; we also we need the support of the US government, Canadian government, Norwegian government, Swedish government and other European countries government, European Union, UN agencies and all other international human rights organizations and the international community to do everything in their power to cut the funding from the above mentioned evangelical fundamentalist organization to their local counterparts like United for Life Ethiopia, and outlaw them from using the tax payers money to promote their hate agenda.

However we don’t oppose any form of aid and support to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia government and to other developmental organizations which are doing a good job, should continue and increased to the poverty alleviation programs of the country.

We’re Ethiopian & we’re Gays
We’re Ethiopian & we’re Lesbians
We’re Ethiopian & we’re Trans
We’re Ethiopian & we’re Bisexuals
We’re Ethiopian & we’re Intersex
We’re Ethiopian & we’re Human!!!

Rainbow-Ethiopia Core Team Wishes All the International LGBTI Community and Frontline Activists a Happy IDAHOT 2013!!!

In Solidarity!!!