Muslim Alliance Set to Derail Historic UN Vote
Gay.com UK,
April 25, 2003
An historic vote at the UN on gay human rights was
derailed at the last minute by an alliance of Muslim countries.
This was the first time the UN, in its 60 year existence,
was going to vote on gay human rights, but five Muslim countries introduced
amendments to the bill with the intention of killing it off.
These amendments remove any references to discrimination
on the basis of sexual orientation – thus rendering the resolution
meaningless.
Sources in the UN said that Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, Libya and Malaysia were pulling out all the stops to make sure a vote
wouldn’t take place.
The resolution was tabled by Brazil at the UN commission
on human rights in Geneva with the support of 19 other countries include the
UK. The resolution calls on all UN member states to promote and protect the
human rights of ‘all persons regardless of their sexual orientation.’
Of course many UN states simply cannot swallow such
sentiment. Gay sex relations are outlawed in almost half of the member states
and over 70 countries maintain a total ban on homosexuality. In some cases
being gay carries the death penalty.
Peter Tatchell said: “The vote has been derailed and
delayed by Islamic fundamentalist states were gay people are either flogged,
jailed or beheaded.”
He went on to say that the UN resolution was desperately
needed because of those countries’ horrific track record on gay human
rights.
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