Pretoria #ShameOnYou march to protest anti-LGBTIQ nations

The #ShameOnYou march on 27 November in Pretoria will take a stand against those nations that recently voted against LGBTIQ human rights at an international forum.

The demonstration has been organised by the DA’s Rainbow Network (DARN) and will march from the Union Buildings to the embassies of a number of countries.

The event is being held to protest the shocking decision at the 139th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting held in Geneva last month to block debates on LGBTIQ human rights.

Established in 1889, the IPU is an organisation made up of national parliaments from around the world that ironically aims to “protect and build global democracy through political dialogue and concrete action.”

Led by the Ugandan delegation, a majority of MPs voted to block efforts to discuss the issue of LGBTIQ rights. Most of these MPs are from countries known for their appalling human rights record, such as China, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Uganda’s notoriously homophobic Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, trumpeted the vote as a victory against “uncivilised and unchristian behaviours” on the international stage.

According to DARN Chairperson Wayne Helfrich, the protest will deliver letters of shame to as many of those countries that voted to restrict the discussions at the IPU as possible.

He told Mambaonline that special letters would be handed over to the Ugandan embassy for that country’s role in the IPU matter and to the Tanzanian embassy over that country’s recent anti-LGBTIQ crackdown. Letters of thanks will be given to nations who voted to debate LGBTIQ equality at the IPU.

“While this is being organised by the DA, this is not a [party] political event,” he said, and urged LGBTIQ people, organisations and allies of all backgrounds and from all parties to take part in the protest.

“We want to send a clear message that we stand by the rights of all people and are against any form of discrimination,” he added.

The #ShameOnYou protest will held on Tuesday 27 November, 2018, starting at 09:00 at the Union Buildings (Government Ave, Tshwane).