BEVERLY HILLS, CA, January 20, (THEWILL) – The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, Monday said that the signing of the law banning same sex marriages and gay acts in Nigeria is against human rights laws and warned that the law could make the US cut off funding for the fight against HIV and AIDS in the country.
The new US ambassador made the declaration in Abuja during a visit to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega.
UPDATE:
Indications emerged on Monday that more troubles lay ahead for the Federal Government over its recently-signed Anti-Gay law .
This is as the United States Government said it would examine the implications of the law to determine its future dealing with the Nigerian Government in the support for and funding of the fight against HIV and AIDS.
The new U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle,who disclosed this in Abuja said the law is tantamount to restricting the right of a people to assemble and freedom of expression of a certain section of its citizens, warning that it was a move against the rule of law.
The envoy stated this during a brief media chat after visiting the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said as a friend of Nigeria, the United States views the bill as putting significant restrictions to the right of its people.
He noted that such laws may in turn put restrictions to the areas where Nigeria receives aids and funds from the United States of America.
The ambassador warned that with the anti gay law signed into law by the Nigerian government, the United States will have to review its supports to Nigeria, especially in the areas of funding the fight against HIV and AIDS. He stressed that whatever the United States will do in Nigeria will be in compliance with the new law.
He also noted that even though the majority of the states in the US has not legalised same sex marriage, it is widely seen as a very controversial issue throughout the world.
“The issue of same sex marriage is very controversial through out the world, including my country. I believe that because I think in the US, only about I7 counties have signed it into law, which means that the majority of states in my country have not permitted it, may be there are some core challenges to that in my country, I do not know.
“The issue that we see as a friend of Nigeria is that as I read this bill, I am not a lawyer, it puts significant restrictions to the right of a people to assembly and freedom of expression, and my own opinion, once the government begins to say wait a minute in these areas where the rules no longer apply, it seems to me that something needs to be done.
“The other issue is that we as donors to the different areas in the country, as you, we put millions of dollars in the fight against HIV AIDS and other health and social problems in Nigeria. Again I am not a lawyer but I want to feel that such laws may put some restrictions in what we can do to fight issues like HIV and AIDS in the country.
” Those are the issues we are looking at as we look at the anti gay bill. Absolutely, we have to look very carefully into the law because whatever we will be doing will be in compliance with he new law. That is how I see that law,” Entwistle said.
