Nigeria votes on same-sex marriages

November 30 2011

www.iol.co.za/news/africa/nigeria-votes-on-same-sex-marriages-1.1188962

Abuja - The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed a bill outlawing same-sex marriages in Africa's most populous country as well as banning public displays of affection between homosexual couples.
Approval of the bill, which must still be voted on by the House of Representatives and signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, came after debate that saw one lawmaker go as far as to suggest that offenders be killed.
The bill spells out a 14-year jail term for anyone entering into same-sex marriage or civil union.
Those who abet or aid such unions could receive 10 years, as would “any person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations” - a provision that seems to target gay advocacy groups as well.
The bill also sets out a 10-year sentence for “any person who directly or indirectly makes public show of same-sex amorous relationships”.
Amnesty International’s director of the Africa Programme, Erwin van der Borght, slammed the bill as “reprehensible”, saying in a statement that it “threatens the human rights of a large number of people”.
“If passed, this measure would target people on the basis of their identity, not merely their behaviour, and put a wide range of people at risk of criminal sanctions for exercising basic rights and opposing discrimination based purely on a person's actual or presumed sexual orientation or gender identity,” he said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has warned that his country will consider withholding aid from countries that do not recognise gay rights.
Senate President David Mark said during debate on the bill on Tuesday that “our values are our values”.
“If there is any country that does not want to give us aid or assistance just because we want to hold on to our values, that country can keep her aid and assistance,” he said.
“No country has the right to interfere in the way we make our own laws, because we don't interfere in the way others make their own laws.”
Senator Baba-Ahmed Yusuf Datti of the opposition Congress for Progressive Change party said during debate, in an apparent reference to same-sex couples violating the proposed law, that “such elements should be killed”.
During a public hearing last month, gay activists staged a protest outside parliament calling for the bill to be dropped, saying it infringed on their fundamental human rights.
It was unclear why lawmakers decided a ban was necessary, with gay marriage not known to be prevalent in Nigeria and homosexuals already harshly discriminated against.
The West African nation is strongly religious, roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south. Islamic sharia law is in place in 12 northern states, though it is selectively enforced.
On Tuesday, one rights activist called the bill a waste of time in a country lacking even the most basic infrastructure, including adequate electricity, despite Nigeria's status as Africa's largest oil producer.
“I can't recall a particular place where this type of marriage has taken place in Nigeria,” said Adetokunbo Mumuni, director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project.
“This particular thing they have assented to is a thing of no substance to Nigeria. They should focus on things that affect the majority of Nigerians.”
South Africa is the only African country that allows same-sex marriage.

AUSTRALIAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Friday November 25th 2011

AUSTRALIAN GOV'T BLOCKS MARRIAGE OF FORMER TASMANIAN PREMIER'S SISTER

Marriage equality advocates are angry that the Australian Government is blocking the legal overseas same-sex marriage of the sister of the former Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett.

Mr Bartlett's sister, Angela Borella, was set to marry her Portuguese partner in Lisbon next year, but her plans have been thrown into disarray because the Australian Government refuses to provide her with the certificate required by the Portuguese authorities to show she is not already married in Australia.

Australian Marriage Equality Campaign Director, Rodney Croome, said Ms Borella is one of many gay and lesbian Australians who have been disadvantaged because of the Federal Government's mean-spirited policy.

"Not content with stopping same-sex couples marrying in Australia, the Federal Government is trying to stop us marrying overseas as well", Mr Croome said.

"The Australian Government says it can't issue the certificate in question to same-sex couples because same-sex marriages aren't recognised here, but these certificates aren't about what Australian marriage law says, they're about whether an Australian is free to marry under foreign marriage laws."

"When the ALP National Conference considers marriage equality next week, I hope delegates take notice of the pain and disadvantage caused by the current denial of equality to people like Angela and support a new policy in favour of marriage equality." 

"But if Government policy doesn't change, we will commence legal proceedings against the Government on the basis that it misusing these certificates for a purpose they were never meant for."

As a matter of course the Australian Government issues Certificates of No-Impediment to Marriage (CNI) to heterosexual Australians marrying overseas, but has refused such certificates to same-sex partners since at least 2005.

In an opinion article to be published today on The Punch website, Ms Borella wrote,

"My partner and I were full of excitement about the future ahead and fulfilling our plan. But my feelings immediately dissolved in to sadness, embarrassment and shame when I found I couldn't have a CNI. I had never felt more de-valued as an Australian citizen."

"The failure of the Australian Government to issue us a CNI impedes greatly on our relationship here. For example, I am unable to access certain entitlements like health care unless I am married. I'm also concerned about my partner. What about her right to enter a marriage with the woman she loves? After all, we are living in Portugal, not Australia."

Ms Borella's brother, former Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett, told the Age newspaper her predicament is "upsetting" and called on the Government to support marriage equality.

"It is now time for the Labor Party to show progress and real leadership on this issue. My sister has found true love and for her not to be able to express that true love in another country that agrees with same-sex marriage because of the Australian context is very upsetting for everyone," he said.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/expremier-calls-for-gaymarriage-law-so-sister-can-wed-true-love-20111124-1nx3s.html

Ireland: Bishop quits before child sex abuse report

  Thursday, 24 November 2011

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/bishop-quits-days-before-child-sex-abuse-report-due-16081875.html

A Catholic bishop stepped down yesterday just six days before child sex abuse audits into two dioceses where he served are due to be published.

Bishop of Derry Seamus Hegarty's resignation on health grounds was accepted by Pope Benedict just two weeks after offering it. He left his post immediately.

Two separate audits of the Derry and Raphoe dioceses, carried out into how the church dealt with paedophile priests, have been pencilled in for release next Tuesday or Wednesday, sources have said.

However, previous dates set aside for the release of the reports carried out by the church-run National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCC) have been postponed.

Church insiders say the contents of audits being carried out by the organisation have been seen by retired Bishop Hegarty as well as the current Bishop of Raphoe, Philip Boyce.

Donegal-born Dr Hegarty served as Bishop of Raphoe from 1982 until 1994 before taking up his position in Derry, where he admitted this year that allegations of child sex abuse had been made against 26 priests over the past 50 years.

Allegations against up to 20 priests have been made in the Raphoe diocese over a similar period.

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         www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12460
        Another Irish bishop steps down
         November 23, 2011

The Vatican has announced the resignation of another Irish bishop, leaving 7 of the country’s 26 dioceses without an active bishop.

Bishop Seamus Hegarty of Derry announced that he was stepping down because of “a health condition which has been assessed to render me unable to fulfill the obligations of my office.” He did not identify the medical condition, but disclosed that although he is now taking treatment, the problem is considered irreversible.

At the age of 71, Bishop Hegarty is 4 years short of the usual retirement age. The timing of his resignation may be significant because he had previously served as Bishop of Raphoe, where numerous complaints of chld abuse have been filed. An investigative report on the handling of sex-abuse complaints in the Raphoe diocese, prepared by the National Board for Safeguarding Children at the request of the Church, has recently been completed and submitted to the current head of the diocese, Bishop Philip Boyce. Its public release is expected in the coming weeks.

News of Bishop Hegarty’s resignation prompted new interest in reports that the Vatican is planning a reconfiguration of the Irish hierarchy, after an apostolic visitation that followed the eruption of the sex-abuse scandal in that country. The Irish Catholic has reported that the Vatican will eliminate a large number of the country’s dioceses. The fact that 7 episcopal sees are now empty would make such a change easier.