Culture

UK, US mount subtle pressure on Ghana over homosexuals, lesbians, others

Indications that the United Kingdom and the United States are keen on pushing LGBTQ rights, considered a cultural aberration in Ghana, have emerged.

Published

6 years ago

June 18, 2018

Africa News Watch

Indications that the United Kingdom and the United States are keen on pushing LGBTQ rights, considered a cultural aberration in Ghana, have emerged.

The High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Ghana, Iain Walker has said his government owes itself and the world a right of duty to ensure that laws that set out to ‘intentionally or unintentionally’ discriminate against homosexuality are changed or new favourable ones created.

The High Commissioner passed this comments on GhanaWeb’s 21 Minutes with KKB over the weekend as monitored by MyNewsGH.com.

Mr Walker’s comments were in reaction to a question about what might have prompted Theresa May, UK Prime Minister to offer to help Ghana change its laws to be more favourable and accommodating to homosexuals when President Akufo Addo participated in a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting hosted in London by the United Kingdom.

The UK High Commisioner said Theresa May’s comments were “within the context of LGBT rights”, adding that “it (homosexuals rights) is something that we the UK feel very strongly about”.

The UK High Commisioner becomes the second top diplomat of a powerful Western Nation to add his voice to the call for de-criminalization of homosexuality in Ghana.

The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Robert P. Jackson had earlier said he thinks Ghanaians are “myopic” on the subject of homosexuality.

He said Ghanaians’ attitude towards the subject reflects a “lack of understanding of the sciences”.

In the interview with Ghanaweb’s Kyenkyenhene Boateng, the US Ambassador had categorically replied to a question as to whether he holds the view that it is myopic to oppose the basic human rights of gays just because of their sexuality. The Ambassador had replied: “I do think it’s myopic. I think it reflects a lack of understanding of the science.”

In apparent response to public outcry, however, the UK High Commissioner, Iain Walker, has cleared the air on the raging volatile issue on homosexuality and the role his home country is playing as far as the topic is concerned.

He stressed that contrary to what many believed to be the stance, UK would never dictate terms to Ghana as far as laws on the community of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer rights were concerned.

“Ghana’s a very tolerant country. I well understand the fact that many LGBT people live in societies and are not persecuted. They are accepted and there’s the tolerance of it… I think we say that we in the UK helped create laws that were unintentionally or at the time intentional but now unintentionally discriminatory. We feel the responsibility that if countries wish to change those laws we’d like to find a way of helping and that’s what Theresa May was saying when she spoke to all members of the commonwealth,” he stated.

Related Topics:Ghana homosexuals lesbians Robert P. Jackson UK US

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Culture

Two Algerians arrested over alleged murder of Swiss tourist

Published

3 days ago

October 23, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Algerian authorities have arrested two men in connection with the brutal murder of a Swiss tourist who was killed on October 11 while sitting at a cafe in the southern Algerian town of Djanet, a popular desert tourism destination.

The female tourist was reportedly attacked with a knife and had her throat slit by an assailant. She was rushed to a local hospital, but later died from her severe injuries.

According to local Algerian media reports, two suspects who were arrested following the attack have been identified as men from northern Algeria who had arrived in Djanet about six months ago and were dressed in the style of Tuareg nomads.

An online platform which reported on the incident, said the murder occurred on the terrace of the Cafe Skaner in central Djanet, next to the local tourism office.

“The victim was part of a group of five Swiss tourists visiting the area. The other four members of her group have since been evacuated back to Switzerland with assistance from the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

In a statement, the Swiss ministry confirmed it was aware of the violent death of a Swiss citizen on October 11 in the south-east of Algeria, but gave no further details out of respect for the victim’s privacy.

Though Algerian authorities have not yet issued any public comments on the killing, a source familiar with the situation told the French newspaper, Liberation, that “for the moment, it is completely hushed up. Nothing is coming out, even on social networks. On the ground, the watchword is radio silence. Everyone is complying.”

An Algerian diplomat said the murder could deal a significant blow to Algeria’s efforts to boost tourism in the Sahara desert region. Djanet, near the Tassili n’Ajjer National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, only opened to tourism in 2022 after years of being off-limits due to security concerns.

The town has since become a popular destination, attracting thousands of domestic and foreign visitors with direct flights from Paris.

An investigation into the murder is reportedly underway and security has been tightened around Djanet, including increased military checkpoints and it remains to be seen how Algerian officials will address this high-profile case and whether this will impact the country’s ambitious plans to grow its nascent tourism industry, the platform said.

Culture

Algeria accuses renowned Singer Cheb Khaled of spying for Morocco

Published

5 days ago

October 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Algerian authorities have accused renowned musician, singer and songwriter, Cheb Khaled, of spying for neighbours Morocco as another wave of hostilities brew between the two countries.

Founder of Algerian news outlet, Algeria Par, Al Abdou Semmar, disclosed on his YouTube channel that the military court in Blida, Algeria, hd reportedly forwarded a dossier to the court of Bir Mourad Rais in Algiers, containing serious allegations against the famous artist.

“Cheb Khaled has been friends with Moroccan monarch Mohammed VI for several years,” the journalist said, claiming that Algerian judicial authorities seek to charge Khaled in an alleged espionage case for Morocco.

Semmar further claimed investigations by his news channel has revealed that the singer is suspected and accused of complicity in espionage activities with the Bennacer brothers.

“This refers to the brothers Toufik and Boualem Bennacer, sons of the later General Larbi Bennacer,” the journalist said.

He added that Khaled also faces accusations of “transmitting sensitive information classified as ‘defense secret’ in Algeria to Moroccan authorities.”

“Based in Luxembourg, Cheb Khaled is now wanted by Algerian justice, which wishes to hear him, charge him, and put him on trial,” the journalist said.

He explained that such claims and accusations have come amid the Algerian regime’s hostility towards any party with close ties with Morocco.

“This is not the first time Algeria has arrested individuals and accused them of espionage for Morocco. The latest arrests took place earlier this week in Oran and Sidi Bel Abbès, and involved two Moroccan nationals,’ he said.

Khaled has close ties with Morocco, having performed numerous times in the North African country, where he has millions of Moroccan fans and frequently shares statements expressing his love and passion for Morocco,, referring to it as his second country.

In 2013, he obtained Moroccan citizenship under a royal decree, an act that has repeatedly put him at the heart of controversies among those sharing hostility towards Morocco.