Kids walk Tuesday Feb.7, through the charred remains of the home of Liberia’s emerging Gay Rights “activist,” Archie Ponpon’s mother, Agatha. Miss Agatha’s home got burnt recently through mysterious circumstances in a slum neighborhood located on 18th Street in Sinkor, Monrovia near the Atlantic Ocean.
The home along with seven others belonging to neighborss according to residents, was gutted by fire around 10:30 PM. Miss Agatha’s son, Archie who has been lately vocal about the protection of Gays and Lesbians rights in the country claimed the incident was a reprisal attack on his mother’s home all because of his belief. Mr. Ponpon is said to have been seeking media interviews since then.
He is also reported to have taken news camera crews to the site in anticipation for massive news coverage of the incident. However, residents interviewed a couple of days ago by our guest correspondent said the arson was accidental and was not carried out by a mob youth as claimed by Mr. Ponpon.
Youth leader for the community, Arthur Kandakai said he and other youth members last Wednesday prevented Archie and a news crew from filming because, according to Mr. Kandakai, “Archie is using lies as a way to solicit money illegally from people and groups outside of the country.”
In recent times, western leaders including US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton have been calling on African governments to respect the rights of Gays and lesbians in their respective nations as a precondition for Western Aids.
This call was butressed by a recent statement by current UN secretary General Ban Ki-Moon who urged African leaders and their governments to similarly respect the rights of Gays and Lesbians.
Interesting as it seems, the issue the issue has sparked off intense debate in Liberia, a country where 15 out of a total of 16 ethnic groups in the country remain deeply attached to their various cultures and view such deviant practices as anti-culture.
Source – All Africa
