“Rumor of Evil”, PSI Terms Invaders Action at Alleged Gay Party; As 200 HIV/AIDS Patients Whereabouts remain Unknown

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“Rumor of Evil”, PSI Terms Invaders Action at Alleged Gay Party; As 200 HIV/AIDS Patients Whereabouts remain Unknown

IPNews-Monrovia: Pharmaceutical provider, PSI here in Liberia has categorically denied hosting gay party at one of its dropping Centers in the Sinkor suburb.

In a reaction to early Sunday morning storm on its premises by invaders during a party, PSI Liberia Country Representative, Rajiv Dua, stated that at no time did it order, sanction or hosted a gay party as rumored.

It may be recalled, a mid-night party allegedly organized by ‘Gays’ erupted into violence on early Sunday in the Sinkor suburb of Monrovia when onlookers and passerby invaded it with stone throwing and physical attacks .

According to IPNews reporter on the scene minutes after the violence erupted reports from eyewitness account that onlooker and passerby took exceptions to the hosting of the party within the vicinity when some guest (men & ladies) were seen openly kissing and making love at the party

An eyewitness told IPNews in the early hours of Sunday, that some men were seen undress with only female under cloths, while others wore white suits.

Rajiv Dua said it was incomprehensible that certain section of the Liberia populace would be wrongly discriminated against and rights abuse.

Dua narrated that the PSI premises caries out HIV/AIDS testing and counseling of sex workers, transgender persons and men having sex with men (MSM), who are vulnerable groups that must not be forgotten.

He narrated that the party hosted by ‘Saranna,’ was the birthday of one of their client at the center during which time PSI peer educators would take advantage to conduct HIV/AIDS testing and counselling to those valuable groups most of whom show up during the night hours.

Mr. Rajiv Dua, stated that contrary to the rumor which rock the party with violence, these vulnerable persons invited their friends to celebrate the 33rd birthday and charity dinner of their friend ‘Saranna” with nickname ‘Saranna Frentera’, by her peers which was wrongly mistaken by passerby and onlookers.

“They invaded our premises because of wrong rumors.”

“We provide HIV & AIDS testing and counselling at that premises and the party was set up to ensure that greater population of this valuable group show up to be tested and counsel but unfortunately people with no ideal of what was happening invaded and manhandled them .

“Now, we have critical national medical concern at hand. Most of those vulnerable groups who were undergoing treatment at the center were beaten, tied and driven from the center and sadly their whereabouts are still unknown.” Mr. Dua explained to IPNews.

A UNAIDS report on Liberia, states that one of the key populations most affected by HIV in Liberia are: Gay men and other men who have sex with men, with an HIV prevalence of 19.8%. and people who inject drugs, with an HIV prevalence of 3.9%.

Since 2010, new HIV infections have decreased by 28% and AIDS-related deaths have increased by 20%.

The laboratory system and supply chain management have the biggest challenges to the AIDS response in Liberia, with frequent antiretroviral therapy stock-outs. The Ebola virus disease outbreak in March 2014 further weakened the health system as health workers died and access to HIV services reduced by 50% in 2015. Test and treat has not been fully implemented.

PSI Country Representative Dua, said the situation is worrisome and needs the urgent attention of Liberia authorities in working with PSI and other non-governmental organization in bringing back those 200 pulse vulnerable persons who escape the dropping center in the aftermath of the invasion.

“This is worrisome and we hope that the government and our peer educators can begin to work together in mapping up these 200 vulnerable HIV/AIDS person who are now in various communities for fear of reprisal.

Same-sex sexual acts are illegal in Liberia, according to Liberia’s new penal law.

The New Penal Law 1978, amending the Penal Code defines ‘voluntary sodomy’ as a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a sentence of imprisonment for up to one year.

In July 2012, the Senate passed an amendment to the Domestic Relations of Liberia Bill, also known as the ‘Anti Same-Sex Marriage Bill’, in order to expressly prohibit same-sex marriage.

Another bill currently considered by the Liberian legislature, the amendment to the New Penal Code Chapter 14, aims to expressly criminalize same-sex acts between both men and women with a sentence of imprisonment for up to five years.

Although the ruling focuses on credibility, the US Court of Appeals supported a finding that a homosexual man in Liberia faced a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of his sexual orientation, after having suffered beatings in his country of origin.

The US State Department notes that the current law on ‘voluntary sodomy’ is rarely enforced. However, incidents of harassment and violence have been reported in the country. On 12 October 2013, according to the same report, two men in Monrovia were attacked by a mob on suspicion of ‘being gay’. Despite attempts to report the incident to the police, the two men continued to face threats and ultimately fled their homes.

More generally, Liberian culture remains strongly opposed to homosexuality, thereby forcing LGBTI persons to conceal their sexual identity, according to the US State Department. As Human Rights Watch explains in its 2013 report entitled’ It’s Nature, not a Crime, homosexuality is generally perceived as ‘un-African’ and immoral, and often imputed to Western behavior espoused by the country’s privileged elite. Anti-gay sentiment and hostility towards LGBTI populations have been fuelled by both media and political discourse in recent years, according to Human Rights Watch.

Although same-sex conduct is already criminalized, the Liberian legislature has been considering more repressive legislation in recent years, according to Human Rights Watch; however, the ‘bills have been lain dormant in the respective legislative houses’ according to Human Rights Watch.

It may be recalled, Liberian ‘Gay Community’ during the celebration of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, requested the government of Liberia for better equality, and partnership to end discrimination and abuse of their rights

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, a single most important date for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) communities as they mobilize worldwide to draw the world’s attention to their plight and demand equal justice wherever they may be.

During the observance in Monrovia, on May 17, the LGBT community in Liberia called on the government, opinion leaders, policymakers and development partners to help end violence that is constantly meted out against them.

Speaking to newsmen, a members of the LGBT community said they are Liberians as everyone else is and, as such, they should be given equal treatment, protection and should not be discriminated against.

Adding his voice to the LGBT appeal was Mr. Evans Adofo, Program Officer of Stop AIDS In Liberia (SAIL), who said “We are aware that the African traditions exist, but also need to realize that they are African and their rights do not need to be violated. Again, Liberia has a discriminatory law, but the international community is saying don’t arrest or discriminate against them.”

According to him, SAIL is not looking at it from people behaviors, but from the rights aspect, which indicates that, despite what personality and gender traits, everyone should be entitled to their human rights.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia represents an annual landmark to draw the attention of decision-makers, the media, the public, opinion leaders and local authorities to the alarming situation faced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people and all those who do not conform to majority sexual and gender norms.

In all this, an invitation and video obtained by Independent Probe Newspaper from the scene described the party as a 33rd birthday charity dinner 2019, of a group named ‘Saranna Frentera’.

The invitation obtained carries this description: Saranna Frentera @ 33 Birthday Charity Dinner, under the theme: “Love will be the best gift you can give yourself”

The order of ceremony detailed in the invitation states: ‘red carpet, cocktail , dinner buffer service, after party, and breakfast’.

Importantly, the party which was hosted at a house located on Chessmen avenue, between 15 & 16 streets, marked “Chessmen Avenue 82”, was described as “ venue: Monrovia DIC 16TH Street Sinkor, within the invitation obtained by IPNews contrary to its actual location description.

When IPNews contacted organizers of the Saranna Frentera 33rd birthday charity dinner party through mobile phone numbers indicated on the invitation about the incident, an unnamed member of the organizing team acknowledged the invaders but refused to comment on  whether the party was a gay party as alleged by onlooker and passerby.

At the premises believed to be rented House by pharmaceutical provider PSI, where the party was held could see cartoons of “Cupid”, a water based lubricant was seen litter all over the yard with table turned outside down.

1 thought on ““Rumor of Evil”, PSI Terms Invaders Action at Alleged Gay Party; As 200 HIV/AIDS Patients Whereabouts remain Unknown”

  1. Pingback: Police release five victims of homophobia from ‘safe custody’ - JournalRAGE Liberia

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