Gay men attacked, executed in iraq

[Themightytom]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/08/ ... index.html

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Hundreds of gay men have been tortured and killed in Iraq in recent months, some by the nation's security forces, Human Rights Watch said Monday.


Iraqi clerics say homosexuality must be eradicated but warn against anti-gay violence.

Interviews with doctors indicate hundreds of men had been killed, but the exact number was unclear because of the stigma associated with homosexuality in Iraq, the New York-based watchdog group said in its report.

"Iraq's leaders are supposed to defend all Iraqis, not abandon them to armed agents of hate," said Scott Long, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "Turning a blind eye to torture and murder threatens the rights and life of every Iraqi."

Four victims who spoke to CNN gave accounts of the attacks, which they say have intensified in the past few months.

"In 2004, militias and unknown groups started to go after the gays ... but the peak was six months ago," said Qaisar, who uses a pseudonym for fear of reprisal. "It has become wide scale war against gays in Iraq."

Iraqi officials acknowledged that the nation's culture stigmatizes homosexuality, but said the government does not condone such attacks. Authorities are unable to provide homosexuals with special protection, said government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.

According to Human Rights Watch, which is urging a government crackdown, attackers target people on the streets or storm homes, where they conduct interrogations and demand names of suspected gay men. Many end up in hospitals and morgues, the organization said, basing its conclusion on reports from doctors.

Men have been threatened with "honor killings" by relatives worried that their "unmanly behavior" will ruin the family's reputation, Human Rights Watch said. Watch Iraqi men discuss attacks »

Killings, kidnappings and torture of those suspected of homosexual conduct have intensified in areas such as the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, the watchdog said.

"The Shiite people started this war and especially what happened in Sadr City," Qaisar said, adding that his sister-in-law had warned him against going to the area.

Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which is active in Sadr City, has joined in the attacks and defends its actions as a way to stop the "feminization" of Iraqi men, the report said.

"We have testimony that indicates that the nation's security forces are taking part in the attacks," Long said.

The group interviewed more than 50 people who gave accounts of abuses, beatings and stops at security checkpoints, he said.

"When the gay killings started and when they started go(ing) after them at checkpoints ... we started to change our look," said Basim, who also used a pseudonym.

"These killings point to the continuing and lethal failure of Iraq's post-occupation authorities to establish the rule of law and protect their citizens," said Rasha Moumneh, Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch.

A provision from the Saddam Hussein era endorses crimes committed "with honorable motives," according to the organization.

How do you "eradicate" without using violence, and if the government won't offer protection to gays they can CERTAINLY remove the language protecting those with "honorable" motives.

[Simon_Jester]

I'd have to guess "brainwashing." Supposedly, you eliminate homosexuality without violence via brainwashing.

[Themightytom]

I'd have to guess "brainwashing." Supposedly, you eliminate homosexuality without violence via brainwashing.

I'm not sure that doesn't qualify as a type of violence.

The APA periodically releases statements that you can't "treat" homosexuality. because its not an illness.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/aug/09080608.html
In fact, the task force report accepts the normality of homosexual behaviour without question, and begins its resolution with that premise, citing as evidence, most notably, the 1948 and 1953 studies of Alfred Kinsey.

The research of Kinsey, however, considered the father of the sexual revolution, has been discredited by Dr. Judith Reisman, who revealed in her book "Kinsey: Crimes and Consequences," that his survey populations were substantially drawn from prison inmates and homosexual bars, though he represented them as indicative of the general population.

With such support, the APA declares: "Be it resolved, That the American Psychological Association affirms that same-sex sexual and romantic attractions, feelings, and behaviors are normal and positive variations of human sexuality regardless of sexual orientation identity."

Then again according to the article above, they can't clearly articulate the harm that is caused either.

[sketerpot]

"Ex-gay" treatment has always seemed pretty damn violent to me. Even if no physical violence is used, the emotional violence and coercion is pretty extreme.

[Crazedwraith]

I'm not sure how to say this without it seeming slightly homophobic which is not my intent but I do wonder how many false positives they get when hunting and killing off gay people. I mean who do they identify gay people in this context? If I was gay and an iraq I'd be pretty damn secretive about it, if the alternative was being mobbed to death.

The article references people with 'unmanly behaviour' I mean seriously how many straight guys will they be kulling becuase they don't like football their neighbour's don't like them or whatever?

[Samuel]

I'm not sure how to say this without it seeming slightly homophobic which is not my intent but I do wonder how many false positives they get when hunting and killing off gay people. I mean who do they identify gay people in this context? If I was gay and an iraq I'd be pretty damn secretive about it, if the alternative was being mobbed to death.

The article references people with 'unmanly behaviour' I mean seriously how many straight guys will they be kulling becuase they don't like football their neighbour's don't like them or whatever?

What? Bigotry spiraling out of control and forming a witch hunt to enforce social norms? Sarcasm aside, that is exactly what you get. After all, they are trying to combat "feminization" which is pretty much a blanket for killing anyone who stands out.