Burmese GLBTs speak out
GLBT rights activists from Burma have spoken about the plight of GLBTs under the country’s totalitarian regime at an event marking International Day Against Homophobia across the border in Thailand.
One of the participants told local media that Burmese security forces “extort money from us, bar us from public service, and even in hospitals, we are badly discriminated against”.
“Even though International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is being celebrated in over 140 countries around the world, we aren’t allowed to join with others in Burma,” she said.
Others complained about the treatment of GLBTs by police and in popular culture.
“If a homosexual person is cast in a movie, he or she just plays the role of a clown … No one shows them any respect,” one said.
Another spoke about the fate of a young gay man who had failed to pay protection money to police.
“He was raped by nine policemen through the whole night, but no legal action was ever taken against the perpetrators,” he said.
Police use a vague law banning “suspicious behaviour” to harass GLBTs while another law punishes sex between men with from 10 years to life imprisonment.
Burma is the only majority Buddhist country in Southeast Asia that still outlaws homosexuality.
I have just returned from Burma and did not experience any discrimination as a gay person. In fact, I heard (while there from several different people) that there are no laws against homosexuality and Burma in fact holds one of the largest gay parties in SE Asia.
Peter,you cant expect all the Straights in the World to agree with us! Otherwise it may mean that we would really turn on them!
Terry.
Like any Narco State (except NSW of course), the people are just an inconvenience. Indaidual morality is replaced by indaidual corruption and ruthless self serving desperation.
Unfortunatley in Burma, its everyone who suffers, not gays alone.
But to quote a line from Evita, “while the money keeps rolling in no one asks questions”…. sound familiar?
The Singaporians bank the cash, and then wahsed lilly white they use it to buy the QVB in Sydney. SO Australians would do well to consider that they just might also contribute to the suffering of gay and lesbian people in Burma.