Nekongo defends anti-gay stance
The Swapo Party Youth League secretary buckled down on problematic utterances that the gay community is immoral.
JANA-MARI SMITH
WINDHOEK
Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo says he will not give in to demands from Namibian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) campaigners who are calling for his resignation due to comments he made about homosexuality.
The campaigners say his comments that homosexuality is “satanic and demonic” are reminiscent of apartheid-era rhetoric used to discriminate against the minority group.
“Ephraim would never allow a white person to refer to him as satanic and demonic because the impact, association and meaning harms his dignity as a black person.
“Why wouldn’t it also harm the LGBTQ, knowing that just as much as religion was always used to devalue black people, it is used to devalue and degrade LGBTQ persons,” campaigners Ndiilokelwa Nthengwe and Omar van Reenen said this weekend.
They argued that Nekongo’s verbal attack on homosexuality was a dangerous call to violence against an already vulnerable group of Namibians.
“Sweep out the homophobes from your party,” the Namibia Equal Rights organisers said, calling on Swapo leaders to take “LGBTQ matters seriously”.
‘They are sick’
On Saturday, Nekongo stuck to his guns and dismissed concerns that his words could incite violence against LGBTQ persons.
“I am not inciting violence. I said homosexuality is satanic and demonic. And I stick to that. That does not warrant any hate speech,” he said during a brief telephonic interview.
He said SPYL stands by its call on government to only discuss “bread and butter issues”.
“We must not entertain demonic and satanic activities. Because these things are immoral.”
He added: “I think their sickness is growing in their brain. They are sick”.
Embarrassing
Van Reenen added that if Nekongo stays in his leadership role, “it means that Swapo not only condones but supports those sentiments that incite violence against a vulnerable and minority group”.
“It's embarrassing that he says we do not have the mandate to call for his resignation when we ourselves are youth. If he represents the youth, then what youth does he advocate for? Only heterosexual youth? If so, then that just shows that SPYL is not a party of liberation, but a party that represents only a privileged few Namibians,” Van Reenen said.
On Friday, delegates met with members from the Office of the Ombudsman to discuss the draft prohibition of discrimination, harassment and hate speech bill.
The draft Bill is aimed at prohibiting unfair discrimination, harassment and hate speech, and makes way for the establishment of equality courts in Namibia.
WINDHOEK
Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo says he will not give in to demands from Namibian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) campaigners who are calling for his resignation due to comments he made about homosexuality.
The campaigners say his comments that homosexuality is “satanic and demonic” are reminiscent of apartheid-era rhetoric used to discriminate against the minority group.
“Ephraim would never allow a white person to refer to him as satanic and demonic because the impact, association and meaning harms his dignity as a black person.
“Why wouldn’t it also harm the LGBTQ, knowing that just as much as religion was always used to devalue black people, it is used to devalue and degrade LGBTQ persons,” campaigners Ndiilokelwa Nthengwe and Omar van Reenen said this weekend.
They argued that Nekongo’s verbal attack on homosexuality was a dangerous call to violence against an already vulnerable group of Namibians.
“Sweep out the homophobes from your party,” the Namibia Equal Rights organisers said, calling on Swapo leaders to take “LGBTQ matters seriously”.
‘They are sick’
On Saturday, Nekongo stuck to his guns and dismissed concerns that his words could incite violence against LGBTQ persons.
“I am not inciting violence. I said homosexuality is satanic and demonic. And I stick to that. That does not warrant any hate speech,” he said during a brief telephonic interview.
He said SPYL stands by its call on government to only discuss “bread and butter issues”.
“We must not entertain demonic and satanic activities. Because these things are immoral.”
He added: “I think their sickness is growing in their brain. They are sick”.
Embarrassing
Van Reenen added that if Nekongo stays in his leadership role, “it means that Swapo not only condones but supports those sentiments that incite violence against a vulnerable and minority group”.
“It's embarrassing that he says we do not have the mandate to call for his resignation when we ourselves are youth. If he represents the youth, then what youth does he advocate for? Only heterosexual youth? If so, then that just shows that SPYL is not a party of liberation, but a party that represents only a privileged few Namibians,” Van Reenen said.
On Friday, delegates met with members from the Office of the Ombudsman to discuss the draft prohibition of discrimination, harassment and hate speech bill.
The draft Bill is aimed at prohibiting unfair discrimination, harassment and hate speech, and makes way for the establishment of equality courts in Namibia.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article