Last edited: January 04, 2005


Mob Protests American Gay Tourists

365Gay.com, March 17, 2003

SUMMARY: More than 300 Tanzanian Muslims staged a noisy demonstration in central Dar es Salaam on March 14 to mark the arrival of a gay tour from the United States.

More than 300 Tanzanian Muslims staged a noisy demonstration in central Dar es Salaam on March 14 to mark the arrival of a gay tour from the United States.

The protest followed traditional Friday prayers. One third of Tanzania is Muslim. Notices of the demonstration were read out in mosques throughout the city.

About 100 gay tourists from the United States are scheduled to spend a month on a safari in the Tanzanian wilderness. Security around the Dar es Salaam airport was tight and officials would not confirm that the group actually arrived.

Nevertheless, the protesters took to downtown streets accusing the gays of bringing immorality to the conservative country.

“Homosexuality is foreign to Africa and it is totally against the teachings of Islam outlined in the Holy Koran,” Sheikh Musa Kaleo, a preacher at Kigogo Mosque, told the crowd.

“These people are bringing immorality to our community and the government is allowing them,” he said as the crowd jeered and shouted.

One of the leaders of the demonstration, Shaaban Mapeyo, a Muslim youth leader, said the march sent a clear message to the gays and all those who support the visit that Muslims were against “this foreign culture.”

Gays in the country lead an invisible life. One man, who did not wish to be identified, said gay couples must be very careful not to show any affection in public.

Earlier in the week a government spokesperson said that in principle, the government has no objection to the visit of gay tourists.


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