Church agency deplores homophobic murder in Jamaica

-05/12/05

Christian Aid, the UK-ba


Church agency deplores homophobic murder in Jamaica

-05/12/05

Christian Aid, the UK-based international churchesí development agency, has condemned the murder of a Jamaican health worker who provided HIV support to gay people and to those caught up in prostitution.

Steve Harvey from Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) was murdered when three men, armed with guns, broke into his house and demanded money. They then forced him to carry valuables into the JASL car parked outside.

One of the gun men was reported to have said to Mr Harvey and his two house-mates: ëWe hear that you are gayí. Two of the men denied it. They were tied up and left in the house.

Mr Harvey was forced into the car which then sped away. Two hours later, he was found, shot dead.

Christian Aid is among the international partners of JASL. A spokesperson for the agency said: ìJamaica AIDS Support for Life defends the rights of people who are not considered to have any rights in Jamaica. The work they do is very dangerous.î

Gun violence is common and homophobia rife in Jamaica, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world. With a population of only 2.7 million people, the country has seen 1,383 murders in 2005 alone.

Victims of anti-gay violence are often too scared to appeal to the police for protection. According to Human Rights Watch: ìPolice actively support homophobic violence, fail to investigate complaints of abuse, and arrest and detain [men] based on their alleged homosexual conduct.î

Last year, the founder of Jamaicaís gay rights movement, Brian Williamson, was murdered. Investigators claimed the motive for murder was robbery, since a safe was missing and the apartment ransacked. However, many believe the killing was a hate crime.

Homosexuality is illegal in Jamaica. Men convicted of homosexual activity can face ten yearsí imprisonment with hard labour.

An estimated 1.5 per cent of Jamaicans are living with HIV/AIDS. Although two thirds of HIV transmission is through heterosexual sex, many people still blame gay men for spreading the virus.

[Also on Ekklesia: Pope faces controversy on gay priests and HIV/AIDS ; Churches face up to world AIDS pandemic; Cameroon Catholic cardinal backs condom use; Faith groups prepare for World AIDS Day; Churches sign AIDS code; Christian-owned company produces cheap AIDS drugs; Cardinal calls for reduction in price of AIDS medicines]


Church agency deplores homophobic murder in Jamaica

-05/12/05

Christian Aid, the UK-based international churches’ development agency, has condemned the murder of a Jamaican health worker who provided HIV support to gay people and to those caught up in prostitution.

Steve Harvey from Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) was murdered when three men, armed with guns, broke into his house and demanded money. They then forced him to carry valuables into the JASL car parked outside.

One of the gun men was reported to have said to Mr Harvey and his two house-mates: ëWe hear that you are gay’. Two of the men denied it. They were tied up and left in the house.

Mr Harvey was forced into the car which then sped away. Two hours later, he was found, shot dead.

Christian Aid is among the international partners of JASL. A spokesperson for the agency said: ‘Jamaica AIDS Support for Life defends the rights of people who are not considered to have any rights in Jamaica. The work they do is very dangerous.’

Gun violence is common and homophobia rife in Jamaica, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world. With a population of only 2.7 million people, the country has seen 1,383 murders in 2005 alone.

Victims of anti-gay violence are often too scared to appeal to the police for protection. According to Human Rights Watch: ‘Police actively support homophobic violence, fail to investigate complaints of abuse, and arrest and detain [men] based on their alleged homosexual conduct.’

Last year, the founder of Jamaica’s gay rights movement, Brian Williamson, was murdered. Investigators claimed the motive for murder was robbery, since a safe was missing and the apartment ransacked. However, many believe the killing was a hate crime.

Homosexuality is illegal in Jamaica. Men convicted of homosexual activity can face ten years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

An estimated 1.5 per cent of Jamaicans are living with HIV/AIDS. Although two thirds of HIV transmission is through heterosexual sex, many people still blame gay men for spreading the virus.

[Also on Ekklesia: Pope faces controversy on gay priests and HIV/AIDS ; Churches face up to world AIDS pandemic; Cameroon Catholic cardinal backs condom use; Faith groups prepare for World AIDS Day; Churches sign AIDS code; Christian-owned company produces cheap AIDS drugs; Cardinal calls for reduction in price of AIDS medicines]