Burundi President believes that Covid-19 is a curse linked to Homosexuality
RegionWeek Newsletter Vol III, Issue #109 | Tuesday, August 25, 2020
This is a new version of RegionWeek Newsletter for the 3rd season( July-December 2020). The content targets Business leaders, Decision-makers, and Young professionals with interests in Burundi and East Africa. Subscribe to stay productive, and competitive in a pandemic and disrupted season.
Dear Readers,
This Monday was an election day in Burundi, the last scheduled for the 2020 electoral process. According to the Police spokesperson throughout the national territory, until mid-day on August 24, 2020, there was no major incident.
BURUNDI IN THE HEADLINES
According to the President of Burundi, homosexuality is the cause of COVID19 and HIV. This comment emerged from a video shot last week in Ngozi where the first family held four days of thanksgiving prayers.
In the video, the President said that "God does not support homosexuals. Homosexuality is the origin of curses such as AIDS and Coronavirus. For him, the countries hit the most by the virus are the ones supporting LGBTQ”
"Homosexuals are responsible for the cases of coronavirus in Burundi. If we are blessed it is because we are against homosexuality” he added
"All Burundians who tolerate homosexuality wander and end up in exile like Caen in the old testament,"- he emphasized
LGBTQ rights in Burundi
In 2009, and for the first time in Burundi’s history, same-sex sexual activity was criminalized. The lower house of Burundi’s Parliament first passed a law criminalizing homosexual acts in November 2008, but it was rejected in the Senate by a vote of 36-7.
The legislation then passed back to the Assembly, which was able to overrule the Senate and restore the amendment. President Pierre Nkurunziza subsequently signed the article into legislation on 22 April 2009. Article 567 of the 2009 Burundian Penal Code punishes same-sex relations with 3 months to 2 years imprisonment and a fine.
“Muco Burundi” an Organization that conducted a study on the matter indicates that LGBT people have reportedly been driven from their homes because of their sexual orientation.
The report produced by MUCO Burundi, notes that it is common for homosexuals to be threatened or insulted in the street. According to MUCO Burundi, verbal attacks are "encouraged by a feeling of impunity itself generated by the homophobic legislation in place.
Xtra magazine reports that in Burundi homosexuality is generally considered a "taboo" and a "curse".
“The family said that I was a curse on the family,” Jean-Daniel Ndikumana told the Washington Blade during an Aug. 9 interview at Human Rights First’s offices near McPherson Square in downtown Washington.
Jean-Daniel Ndikumana was living in the Burundian capital of Bujumbura when he came out to his younger brother and sister. His siblings accepted him, but his aunt kicked him out of her house after his uncle overheard them talking about his sexual orientation.
In addition, MUCO points out that in rural areas the discrimination and violence suffered by LGBT people is even greater than in the cities because of social pressure and stereotypes.
Earthquake
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5 occurred this Monday, August 24, at 2:13:13 PM UTC 7.60km (4.72 miles) away from Magara (Burundi) which is the nearest city to the epicenter. It’s the second earthquake to strike in Africa’s Great Lakes region today. The Burundi tremor, which struck the banks of Lake Tanganyika, came just hours after a 5.0-magnitude quake shook residents of the Liuli region of Tanzania, on the banks of Lake Nyassa, further to the south.
Thanks for reading,
Fabrice Iranzi, RegionWeek.com
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