Gay People in Iraq Suffering Intense Persecution

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.losangeleschronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=37725

Newswire Services
September 14, 2007

Since the US invasion of Iraq, Gay people in Iraq have suffered particularly intense persecution. Violence against all the gay community has intensified sharply since late 2005, when Iraq's leading Shiite Muslim cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, issued a fatwa (religious decree) which declared that gays and lesbians should be "killed in the worst, most severe way." Since then, LGBT people have been specifically targeted by the Madhi Army (the militia of fundamentalist Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr) as well as by other militant death squads. There are even credible reports of gay men being arrested and executed by the Iraqi police. The United Nations and the US State Department have issued reports documenting some of the more recent killings. It is impossible to document precisely how many gay, trans gender and lesbian have been killed in Iraq as a result of their sexuality, but we have specific knowledge of hundreds of cases, and every LGBT individual in Iraq is currently in severe danger.

Since 2006, Friends of Iraqi LGBT has been trying to help by funding safe houses in Iraq for individuals, who have come to the attention of the death squads and who have consequently had to flee their homes. We have also been providing financial assistance to assist LGBT individuals in particularly dangerous areas of Iraq to move to relatively safer parts of the country, or even to seek refuge abroad.

Now, however, we are facing a critical situation regarding funding. The need is rising, and unless more financing can be raised immediately, a number of safe houses will have to close by the end of this month, putting dozens of vulnerable people at risk of execution.

[BOSSHOG]

1. They could move to Iran then they wouldn't be gay

Just another example that bush's attempt to force freedom on a country has been a miserable failure, just like him.

[cali]

2. Just answer this one simple question:

Who is NOT suffering in Iraq?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. its ahmadinejads fault or saddams fault. its no way our fault.

[bryant69]

4. I see your point. It's ok to persecute Gays in Iraq so it's ok to Persecute them in Iran

I hadn't thought of that before, but this puts it in sharp relief. Hanging gays in Iran? Who cares? We are doing the same thing in Iraq.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[La Lioness Priyanka]

5. its a problem through the middle east and blaming only ahmadinejad

is not going to get rid of the problem.

[bryant69]

6. Ah - so you would say Islam is the problem? Or Middle Easterners? n/t

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. neither.

political unrest, poverty, extreme inequality of wealth, illiterate populations make it very hard for social change and progressive ideas about women/gays etc.

[lligrd]

9. I Think You Missed The Point

All the poster did was share a news-story. I hate when people blame the poster for posting the news. And I believe the point of the news-story was that we screwed up in Iraq and gays are paying a heavy price (as are women and children).

[Marrah_G]

7. Everything Bush touches turns to shit

I fear for Iraq once we do leave. They will become like Afghanistan was/is. Ruled by vicious Theocrats stomping on the rights of women and gays all in the name of their "God".

I don't think we should be there but I am really scared for the people we leave behind. Women have lost all their rights and live in fear most of the time.

There is no way to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.