There is outrage over a United Nations vote that removed sexual orientation from a list identifying characteristics that make people particularly vulnerable to prejudice-motivated murder. The list is part of a resolution which calls for countries to investigate “extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings” that are motivated by prejudice and discrimination. It stresses the right to life of all people. Prominent UK gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell says it is a shameful day in United Nations history. “It gives a de facto green light to the on-going murder of LGBT people by homophobic regimes, death squads and vigilantes”. The list highlights vulnerable groups and includes people belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, people belonging to indigenous communities and human rights defenders. Sexual orientation was added to the resolution in 1999, over concern at the high number of murders motivated by homophobia. The amendment to remove sexual orientation from the resolution was sponsored by Benin, representing the African Group attending the assembly. It was voted in with 79 votes in favour, 70 against and 17 abstentions. Countries supporting the amendment included Cuba and South Africa. Cary Alan Johnson, Executive Director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission called the outcome of the vote a “dangerous and disturbing development.” He added that it “essentially removes the important recognition of the particular vulnerability faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people - a recognition that is crucial at a time when 76 countries around the world criminalise homosexuality, five consider it a capital crime, and countries like Uganda are considering adding the death penalty to their laws criminalising homosexuality”. Voting to remove sexual orientation from the resolution were Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Voting to keep sexual orientation in the resolution were Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Abstaining were Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belarus, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Colombia, Fiji, Mauritius, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Absent were Albania, Bolivia, Central African Republic, Chad, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, and Turkmenistan.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 23rd November 2010 - 9:47am