Church, chiefs criticize British MPs on gay law

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

Roman Catholic Church and some traditional leaders in the country have described the call by British and Scottish legislators for the legalization of same-sex marriages as “strange and disrespect to Malawian cultures and values”.

Recently, 29 members of the British parliament joined Amnesty International in condemning the arrest of two gay men in Malawi. The MPs went further by moving and signing a motion calling for parliament to condemn what they described "illegal and homophobic arrests" of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga.

The House of Commons Early Day Motion (EDM 564), which condemns Malawi’s arrest and current trial of the two who according to the Britons “have already suffered abuse, humiliation and violence while being held on remand at Chichiri Prison”.

Dundee West MP Joe FitzPatrick, who introduced the motion, said that although Scotland does not have an official foreign policy role, he felt that parliament should speak up.

He said: "Malawi is one of several African countries adopting increasingly homophobic attitudes, with Uganda having recently introducing anti-homosexual legislation including the death penalty and other repressive practices being introduced in Gambia.

"Apart from the human rights violations, and the discriminatory nature of the contraventions, it is likely that these retrograde and illegal moves will considerably set back efforts to combat the massive problem of HIV AIDS in the African sub-continent."

But Vicar General of Chikwawa Diocese, Monsignor Cosmas Chasukwa, said on Wednesday that as a sovereign state, Malawi does not need foreign interference in running the state of its affairs.

Monsignor Chasukwa said it would be wrong for Members of Parliament (MPs) of the British and Scottish House of Commons to start guiding other nations on what to do and what not to.

“Our stand as Catholic Church is that homosexuality is evil and we don’t want it legalized. Foreign MPs should know that we, too, need to have due respect for our cultures and beliefs,” he said.

Asked if Malawi should still cling to its stand against homosexuality even in the event that the Britons and Scots threaten to withhold their financial assistance to Malawi, Monsignor Chasukwa stated that there was need for the donors to know their boundaries in dealing with other sovereign states.

“Being a donor doesn’t mean you should force beneficiaries to follow your lifestyles and cultures. The two are not related in any way and they are not supposed to be. Therefore, I expect them [British and Scottish legislators] to respect our cultures and beliefs,” he stressed.

In his remarks, Traditional Authority Ngabu of Chikwawa urged government and local MPs currently meeting at the New State House in Lilongwe to refrain from passing laws that brings moral decay in the society.

Ngabu emphasized that by bowing down to foreign pressure on homosexuality would be the same as allowing foreign nations to rule Malawi.

“Government should not bow down to the pressure from Britain or Scotland on same-sex marriages. We’re a sovereign and we should not allow to be ruled in everything including cultural values,” he said.

In Mzimba, Traditional Authority Mzukuzuku Jere warned the civil society against receiving monetary assistance from foreign organizations with questionable motives.

“Let us be responsible; our poverty should not push to immorality and social corruption,” he warned.

“We might be poor, but do we need our poverty to drive us astray like allowing gayism?” Mzukuzuku Jere asked.

Meanwhile Monsignor Chasukwa and Ngabu have expressed hope that all Malawians and local NGOs will not be pushed into legalizing same-sex marriages in exchange of donations.

“We believe Malawians and our MPs will express themselves honestly without any monetary influences. Homosexuality is a mental sickness that needs not to be allowed in Malawi.

“We are also appealing to NGOs to stop soliciting funds in the name of advancing the campaign for the legalization of same-sex marriages in Malawi,” they concluded.

END