MORE THAN A NAME State-Sponsored Homophobia and Its Consequences in Southern Africa I wanted to speak to my president face to face one day and tell him, I am here. I wanted to say to him: I am not a word, I am not those things you call me. I wanted to say to him: I am more than a name. Francis Yabe Chisambisha, Zambian activist, interviewed in 2001. Human Rights Watch and The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission Copyright © 2003 by Human Rights Watch. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-286-6 Library of Congress Control Number: 2003102060 Cover photograph: Cover design by Addresses for Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10118-3299 Tel: (212) 290-4700, Fax: (212) 736-1300, E-mail: [email protected] 1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500, Washington, DC 20009 Tel: (202) 612-4321, Fax: (202) 612-4333, E-mail: [email protected] 33 Islington High Street, N1 9LH London, UK Tel: (44 20) 7713 1995, Fax: (44 20) 7713 1800, E-mail: [email protected] 15 Rue Van Campenhout, 1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel: (32 2) 732-2009, Fax: (32 2) 732-0471, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org Listserv address: To subscribe to the list, send an e-mail message to hrw-news-subscribe @igc.topica.com with “subscribe hrw-news” in the body of the message (leave the subject line blank). Addresses for IGLHRC 1375 Sutter Street, Suite 222, San Francisco, CA 94109 Tel: (415) 561-0633, Fax: (415) 561-0619, E-mail: [email protected] IGLHRC, c/o HRW 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10118-3299 Tel: (212) 216-1814, Fax: (212) 216-1876, E-mail: [email protected] Roma 1 Mezzanine, (entrada por Versalles 63) Col. Juárez, C.P. 06600, México City, México Tel/Fax: +52-55-10-54-32-14, E-mail: [email protected] HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Human Rights Watch conducts regular, systematic investigations of human rights abuses in some seventy countries around the world. Our reputation for timely, reliable disclosures has made us an essential source of information for those concerned with human rights. We address the human rights practices of governments of all political stripes, of all geopolitical alignments, and of all ethnic and religious persuasions. Human Rights Watch defends freedom of thought and expression, due process and equal protection of the law, and a vigorous civil society; we document and denounce murders, disappearances, torture, arbitrary imprisonment, discrimination, and other abuses of internationally recognized human rights. Our goal is to hold governments accountable if they transgress the rights of their people. Human Rights Watch began in 1978 with the founding of its Europe and Central Asia division (then known as Helsinki Watch). Today, it also includes divisions covering Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East. In addition, it includes three thematic divisions on arms, children’s rights, and women’s rights. It maintains offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, London, Brussels, Moscow, Tashkent, Tblisi, and Bangkok. Human Rights Watch is an independent, nongovernmental organization, supported by contributions from private individuals and foundations worldwide. It accepts no government funds, directly or indirectly. The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Michele Alexander, development and outreach director; Rory Mungoven, advocacy director; Carroll Bogert, communications director; John T. Green, operations director, Barbara Guglielmo, finance and administration director; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Patrick Minges, publications director; Maria Pignataro Nielsen, human resources director; Joe Saunders, interim program director; Wilder Tayler, legal and policy director; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. Jonathan Fanton is the chair of the board. Robert L. Bernstein is the founding chair. The regional division directors of Human Rights Watch are Peter Takirambudde, Africa: José Miguel Vivanco, Americas; Brad Adams, Asia; Elizabeth Andersen, Europe and Central Asia; and Hanny Megally, Middle East and North Africa. The thematic division directors are Steve Goose, Arms (acting); Lois Whitman, Children’s Rights; and LaShawn R. Jefferson, Women’s Rights. The members of the board of directors are Jonathan Fanton, chair; Robert L. Bernstein, founding chair, Khaled Abou El Fadl, Lisa Anderson, Lloyd Axworthy, David Brown, William Carmichael, Dorothy Cullman, Irene Diamond, Edith Everett, Michael Gellert, Vartan Gregorian, Alice H. Henkin, James F. Hoge, Jr., Stephen L. Kass, Marina Pinto Kaufman, Wendy Keys, Robert Kissane, Bruce Klatsky, Joanne Leedom- Ackerman, Josh Mailman, Joel Motley, Samuel K. Murumba, Jane Olson, Peter Osnos, Kathleen Peratis, Catherine Powell, Bruce Rabb, Sigrid Rausing, Orville Schell, Sid Sheinberg, Gary G. Sick, Domna Stanton, John J. Studzinski, Shibley Telhami, Maureen White, and Maya Wiley. Emeritus Board: Roland Algrant, Adrian DeWind, and Malcolm Smith. THE INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION The mission of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is to secure the full enjoyment of the human rights of all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation or expression, gender identity or expression, and/or HIV status. A US-based non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), IGLHRC effects this mission through advocacy, documentation, coalition building, public education, and technical assistance. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report was written by Scott Long, consultant to Human Rights Watch and former program director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. A. Widney Brown, deputy program director of Human Rights Watch, and Gail Cooper, consultant to Human Rights Watch, contributed substantial portions to the text. For Human Rights Watch, the report was edited by Ian Gorvin, program consultant; Bronwen Manby, deputy director of the Africa Division; and Dinah PoKempner, general counsel. For IGLHRC, it was reviewed by Sydney Levy, former director of communications. The report is based on research conducted between 1998 and 2002. Scott Long carried out a mission to Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe for five weeks in November-December, 1998 and conducted thirty- one interviews which laid the groundwork for future documentation. Scott Long and Widney Brown returned to South Africa in October-November 1999 for two weeks, for a regional workshop for LGBT activists, during which they helped formulate the conceptual outlines of this report in cooperation with activists. Scott Long returned to Zambia and Zimbabwe for five weeks in July-August 2000, and conducted nineteen interviews in Zambia and thirty-nine interviews in Zimbabwe, as well as an additional five interviews in South Africa. Scott Long returned to South Africa for two weeks in November 2001 and conducted nineteen interviews in Johannesburg and Soweto. Kagendo, Africa/Southwest Asia program officer for IGLHRC, visited Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa in November-December 2001, and in five weeks conducted eight interviews. For Human Rights Watch, Widney Brown and Gail Cooper conducted a mission to South Africa and Namibia in July-August 2001. In South Africa, Widney Brown interviewed thirty-one people, mostly in Gauteng and Eastern Cape provinces. Gail Cooper interviewed an additional forty people in South Africa, mostly in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape provinces. Widney Brown continued to Namibia, and conducted thirteen interviews in Windhoek and surrounding townships. Human Rights Watch wishes to thank many persons and institutions who assisted this research during four years of work on the project. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation provided generous funding to support this project from its inception. Human Rights Watch also expresses its gratitude to the David Geffen Foundation; the Gill Foundation; James C. Hormel and Timothy C. Wu; Keith Recker; and the Snowdon Foundation, for their ongoing support of its work on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people’s rights. Julie Dorf, former executive director of IGLHRC, helped conceive and shape this project from the beginning. Rona Peligal of Human Rights Watch, and Leslie Minot, Octavia Morgan, and Meredith Wood of IGLHRC, all played important roles in articulating the importance of the project and obtaining the support of funders. Matthew V. Jones, intern at Human Rights Watch, provided important research assistance for this report. Ali Arain, program associate at IGLHRC, transcribed numerous interviews. Jonathan Horowitz and Patrick Minges oversaw production and publication. In Botswana, Rodgers Bande of LEGABIBO provided invaluable help in our research; so did Joe and Mike of the same organization, as well as the staff of Ditshwanelo, including Alice Mogwe, and Father Richard Chance of the Anglican Church. In Namibia, we received steady help