By: Dawda Baldeh
The leader of the opposition Gambia Action Party (GAP), Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly, has warned people against homosexuality in the Gambia while calling on the government to implement anti-homosexual laws in the country.
Batchilly made these comments while reacting to a viral video of a man identified as Victor Vickish Wilson, a Sierra Leonean who was dragged out of a car a few days ago around Senegambia by a group of people including women for dressing like a woman.
He said a government led by GAP will accord zero tolerance to homosexuality and enforce maximum punishment to individuals found wanting.
In the video, Victor could be heard saying “I am not gay, I am a crossdresser.” While the attackers continued yelling at him, he tried to explain but the group weren’t interested in what he wanted to say. He added: “Why are you doing this to me?”
Mr. Batchilly also condemned the act while blaming the government led by President Adama Barrow for not enforcing laws that protect the cultural values in the country.
He said the video has triggered the violation of human rights cognizant of the fact that the majority of the Gambians are Muslims.
“All religious doctrines in the world abnegate this inhumane act.; the Gambia should not be an exception. The government has failed to protect the cultural rights and values of our nation since President Barrow ascended power due to selfish reasons,” he claimed.
Commenting further, the GAP leader promised to criminalize same-gender marriage or affairs to ensure that people with religious identities continually worship their beliefs without being dirty or filthy.
“Our government will accord zero tolerance towards these barbarians hiding under the covers of so-called freedom and democracy,” Batchilly said.
The Gambia has zero tolerance towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The criminal code states that any person who has or attempts to have ‘carnal knowledge’ of any person ‘against the order of nature’ is guilty of a crime and could face 14 years imprisonment. The criminal code was amended in October 2014 to include a section (144A) entitled Aggravated Homosexuality.
