Secretary of State John Kerry on
Wednesday issued a statement in response to anti-gay remarks made by
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh.
During a televised speech to mark the
49th anniversary of Gambia's independence from Britain,
Jammeh said that his government “will fight these vermins called
homosexuals or gays the same way we are fighting malaria-causing
mosquitoes, if not more aggressively.”
“We will therefore not accept any
friendship, aid or any other gesture that is conditional on accepting
homosexuals or LGBT as they are now baptised by the powers that
promote them,” Jammeh added. “As far as I am concerned, LGBT can
only stand for Leprosy, Gonorrhea, Bacteria and Tuberculosis; all of
which are detrimental to human existence.”
Kerry responded in a statement.
“The United States is deeply troubled
by the hateful rhetoric used by President Jammeh in his National Day
speech on February 18. All people are created equal and should be
able to live free from discrimination, and that includes
discrimination based on sexual identity and sexual orientation. We
call on the Government of Gambia to protect the human rights of
all Gambians, and we encourage the international community to send a
clear signal that statements of this nature have no place in the
public dialogue and are unacceptable,” Kerry said.
“Human rights and fundamental
freedoms belong to all individuals. The United States stands by you
no matter where you are and no matter who you love.”