DIVERSITY | ETHIOPIA
LGBTQ+ Ethiopians flee in the face of sudden crackdown
Martina Schwikowski
https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-lgbtq-co ... a-66571195
5 hours ago
Authorities in Ethiopia have initiated a crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community. Rights activists have branded it a diversionary tactic in the wake of renewed violence across the country.
[deleted] remains deeply taboo in Ethiopia, with many choosing to leave for their own protection. Ugandan LGBT refugees pose with a rainbow flag in a protected section of Kakuma refugee camp in northwest Kenya. Image: Sally Hayden/ZUMA/imago images
Few understand the dangers of belonging to a marginalized group in Ethiopia https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia/t-55807318 like Faris Cuchi Gezahegn.
they told DW.The reality of being [deleted] and being part of the LGBTQ+ community https://www.dw.com/en/lgbtq-rights-in-africa/t-65075097 in Ethiopia and being Ethiopian is to the point of like, you know, we don't exist,
Gezahegn are far from alone in their anxiety. The fear of persecution among [deleted], [deleted], [deleted], [deleted] and other sexual minorities in Ethiopia is so great that some are fleeing abroad.
Gezahegn, who describe themselves as non-binary, co-founded the LGBTQ+ activist group The House of Guramayle in Ethiopia before fleeing the country. They now live in Vienna, Austria, working with others who have found refuge in London and Washington to raise awareness for the plight of the LGBTQ+ community back home.
Above all, Gezahegn and their colleagues are fighting for recognition and against hatred in Ethiopia, where a new wave of [deleted] threatens the safety of many.
A state-inspired crackdown
Last week, authorities in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa announced a crackdown on same-sex activities in hotels and bars. The public was also urged to report "heinous" acts to the police.
The so-called "Addis Ababa Peace and Security Office" — a government body that, among other duties, purportedly protects the peace and tranquility of Ethiopian society — announced they had already raided a guesthouse in Addis Ababa after receiving a tip, leading to the arrest of its manager.
Gezahegn said.We strongly believe the current coordinated and organized attacks towards LGBTQ+ Ethiopians in Ethiopia and also the diaspora is heavily politically motivated to divert attention away from what is happening at the moment,
refers to the renewed outbreak of violence https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-amhara/a-66483313 in the country and the reaction of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.What is happening at the moment
Even in exile, Faris Cuchi Gezahgen works to protect Ethiopia's LGBTQ+ community. Image: Ina Aydogan
A state of emergency was declared in Ethiopia https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-declares ... a-66438392 on August 4 after days of fighting between the army and insurgent militias of the Fano group in the Amhara region. The violence was triggered by the government's announcement that it would disband local militias and integrate them into the country's armed forces.
This puts Ethiopia in another state of civil unrest, despite ending the two-year civil war in the Tigray region with a peace treaty https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-seeks-na ... a-64045798 in November last year.
'Our families monitor us'
According to Gezahegn, the current hunt for members of the LGBTQ+ community is nothing more than a smoke screen on the government's part.
But authorities in Ethiopia refer to the existing laws prohibiting same-sex relationships in Ethiopia. If found guilty, offenders can face up to 15 years in prison.We are being used as pawns! The aim is to distract from the political tensions.
says Ethiopian-born DW editor Azeb Tadesse Hahn.[deleted] in Ethiopia is not only a taboo, it is equated with crime or murder,
In the past, people did not talk openly about [deleted], and same-sex relations were considered devilish. Today people say: 'It's not our culture, [deleted] is not acceptable in Ethiopia, it's a Western thing.'
Authorities are calling for a crackdown on "heinous" acts in Addis Ababa Image: Tiksa Negeri/REUTERS
Gezahegn strongly condemn what they view as a clear escalation of [deleted] in the country.
they said.It's really the case that this social mentality and this way of thinking extends into the families,
Equaldex, an online publication resource on LGBTQ+ rights, data released last year also reveals the prevalence of [deleted] attitudes in large parts of Ethiopian society. According to the report, 69% of Ethiopians do not want to live next door to LGBTQ+ people, and 80% oppose accepting [deleted].We are monitored by our families.
Scapegoating minorities
Annette Atieno works in neighboring Kenya at the [deleted] and [deleted] Human Rights Commission in Nairobi. https://www.dw.com/en/east-africas-lgbt ... a-65068984
From her perspective, the situation in Ethiopia is profoundly worrying but not surprising.
[deleted] is deeply rooted in religion, culture, and tradition in many African countries, including Ethiopia, Atieno explained to DW. In particular, the conservative and highly influential Orthodox Church is partly responsible for the fact that the LGBTQ+ community is still so firmly rejected by society.
Atieno also believes that the increase in the persecution of LGBTQ+ people https://www.dw.com/en/are-african-lgbtq ... a-65804242 has to do with the tense situation in Ethiopia.
she told DW.We know historically that in times of political instability or societal unrest, minority groups become convenient scapegoats,
Atieno also believes unchecked aggression on social media fuels the problem even further.In this case, the LGBTQ+ community bears the brunt of this misplaced aggression.
she said.Without checks and balances, these platforms become the fires of hatred and prejudice,
But from their exile in Vienna, Faris Cuchi Gezahegn remain optimistic about the future of their homeland.
they said.Like all nations, we have an LGBTQ+ community trying to survive and thrive, given the tense political situation,
This article was originally published in German.It is challenging. But despite all these challenges, we exist, I would say, in a significant way.
