-urges gov’t to tackle archaic laws
Former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran has welcomed the army’s decision that it would not discriminate against soldiers in same sex relationships as an important step forward for human rights in the country, while saying the government should follow its lead and abolish the unconstitutional laws against homosexuality.
“It is important that the decision of the [Guyana Defence Force], as announced by Chief of Staff Commodore Best, that the army will not discriminate against soldiers on the basis of their sexual preference, be publicly acknowledged because it is such an important step forward in Guyana for human rights and human dignity,” Ramkarran wrote in a letter published in yesterday’s Stabroek News. “Commodore Best and his colleagues in the leadership of the GDF must be congratulated for their decision which must have taken courage in our homophobic society and region,” he added.
Ramkarran’s letter followed a declaration by Best on Tuesday that the army would not discriminate against soldiers in same sex relationship. “No one is discriminated against at the GDF,” Best said, adding that its concern is “how persons conduct themselves”.
It was his first public statement on the issue in the wake of the sanctioning of two female soldiers after a recording of them in a sexual act leaked to the public.
Ramkarran, in response to reports about the two women soldiers, had previously criticised homophobia in the disciplined services, as well as the government’s reluctance to address homosexuality frontally.
In the letter published yesterday, he repeated his criticism of the government’s position on the issue and urged that it follow the courageous lead of the army and brings the matter to an end without further delay and excuse.
“The next step is for the National Assembly, which includes the opposition, and the government to end the charade of ‘public consultation’ which is a thinly veiled attempt to sidestep the issue because of the known public intolerance of alternative lifestyles which will be revealed and used as an excuse to avoid action,” he said, in reference to an announcement that public consultations would be hosted by a parliamentary select committee on the decriminalising consensual same sex relations and discrimination against Lesbians, Gays, Bi-Sexual and Trans-gender (LGBT) persons.
Ramkarran, who is a Senior Counsel, said that archaic laws against homosexuality adopted from the UK over a century ago violate our constitution. He further suggested that Attorney General Anil Nandlall, “who has been vociferous about the constitutional rights of high officials,” should follow the example of Commodore Best “and talk a bit about ordinary people who are forced to live in hiding because of fear of intolerance and worse.”
He opined that Nandlall ought to advise the government “on behalf of those who have suffered and are continuing to suffer discrimination and much violence that the unconstitutional laws against homosexuality should not prevail.”
He added that government spokesman Dr Roger Luncheon’s recent invitation to rights advocates that they should make their presentations to the Special Select Committee is part of the government’s strategy, to which he said the opposition has willingly acceded, to do nothing about this issue.
