“If you want us to be ungodly for you to
give us aid, take your aid away, we will survive,” said Jammeh,
in comments that were reported by the Daily Observer. “We will
rather eat grass than accept this ungodly evil attitude that is anti-God,
anti-human and anti-creation.”
The
country’s stance against homosexual behavior has come under increased scrutiny
after President Obama announced in December that the
On
the same day that the Administration’s new policy was announced, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared
that gay rights and human rights were “one and the same” in a speech before the
United Nations Human Rights Council in
British
Prime Minister David Cameron had made a similar statement in October of 2011,
threatening to reduce or cut off aid to African countries that prosecuted
homosexual acts or did not permit gay “marriage.”
Reactions
to the threats have varied in African countries with anti-sodomy laws. In
According
to President Jammeh, the Gambian law is enduring
because it is rooted in the country’s culture and religion. Acceptance of
homosexual acts would compromise the nation’s dignity and “insult God,” he
said. The country is predominately Muslim, but is also home to many Christians.
He
noted that
“We
lost our traditional head scarf for a necktie, but we will not lose our
humanity for the so-called human rights,” he said. “We will respect human
rights where a human being behaves like a human being.”
He
added: “Let me make it very clear that if you want me to offend God for you to
give me aid, you are making a great mistake. You will not bribe me to do what
is evil and ungodly.”
Jammeh has taken a hard line against homosexual behavior during his
four terms in office as President of Gambia. He has received criticism for
threatening overly harsh penalties for homosexual acts, including advocating
the death penalty. According to the U.S. Department of State, this threat was
never translated into law, and current penalties do not include execution.