Pardoned, But Not Safe

Malawi president, Bingu wa Mutharika, has pardoned gay couple, Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, who were sentenced to prison for fourteen years for the crime of having a committment ceremony. Late last week, as UN chief Ban Ki-moon visited Malawi, Mutharika, ordered the immediate release of the couple.

Ban Ki-moon hailed the president's decision as "courageous," and said: "This outdated penal code should be reformed wherever it may exist."

Amen.

Mr Ban is trying to put pressure on parliamentarians to reform his country, and other African nations, outdated anti-homosexuality laws, but the issue is causing friction between Western governments and those other African nations. So far, South Africa is the only country in Africa to legislate for gay rights, and if public opinion regarding homosexuality doesn't change, it's unlikely these hate laws were soon end.

Mutharika, who in the past dismissed homosexuality as alien, said he had set the men free on humanitarian grounds: "In all aspects of reasoning, in all aspects of human understanding, these two gay boys were wrong - totally wrong. However, now that they have been sentenced, I as the president of this country have the powers to pronounce on them and therefore, I have decided that with effect from today, they are pardoned and they will be released."

Released, but still wrong, or guilty, in Malawi.

Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza are in hiding now, because the laws, and the atmosphere of hate, is still quite prevalent in their country. The couple's lawyer, Mauya Msuku, has not seen the men since their release, and Chimbalang's brother-in-law, Maxwell Manda has said, "We heard that they were released but we don't know where they are. They are neither at their home in (a Blantyre suburb) or their villages. But I know they are keeping a low profile deliberately because of the sensitivity of their case."

Stay safe, gentlemen, and find a place in this world where you can be together, openly and honestly.