‘PILANE IS HOMOPHOBIC’

Advocate Sidney Pilane has attracted the wrath of an international symposium in Johannesburg for the ‘anti-gay’ remarks he made recently in the landmark case involving Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana. Pilane, who is representing the Attorney General’s Chambers in the case, argued in court that homosexuality is unAfrican and does not correlate with the traditional values of Batswana. “As things stand Botswana is being forced to abandon its moral values. The courts should be conservative and measured,” he said then. He also said that there was no substantial evidence to indicate that Batswana’s views on homosexuality had softened in the past years He cited the Kanane case of 2004 before the Court of Appeal, which indicated that Batswana were hardened against acceptance and tolerance of homosexuals, adding that Penal Code provisions could be revisited when the time was right. At the end of Key Populations Reach Programme regional symposium in Johannesburg, whose mission was to evaluate the programme after its three years, Pilane’s name featured and it was in no flattering terms. “This is just unfortunate and a display of ignorance. I wonder if the lawyer knows what homosexuality is and what being African and unAfrican is,” said Adolf Mavheneke, Regional Policy and Advocacy Specialist at SAfAIDS. In an interview with The Midweek Sun, Mavheneke said Pilane needs a dose of the boxes and binaries so that he can understand better issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. “It is this moral narrative which entrenches stigma and discrimination,” he said. He added that Pilane’s remarks are the narrative empty of the inclusive agenda which aims at defining the world in the commitment to end HIV by 2030. “We cannot take in measures, practices and sentiments that put one of our own as lesser human. To be different is the peak of humanity and human diversity and the understanding and respect for that diversity is the moral signature and truth we should preach,” he said. Established in 1994, SAfAIDS is a regional non-profit organisation based in Harare, Zimbabwe that works to promote ethical and effective development responses to sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR), HIV and tuberculosis (TB) by working to influence changes in policy and social practices through advocacy, communication, and social mobilisation. It was one of the organisations engaged in the KP Reach programme. SAfAIDS’ primary target group is policy makers and the most vulnerable and marginalised communities, whilst their secondary target group is the general population that requires a specific service. SAfAIDS works in partnerships with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs), AIDS Service Organisations (ASOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs), and the media to reach their target populations. Meanwhile, Pilane is reported to have asked in Court what was so important about ‘sex’ that homosexuals could “not do it” without upsetting the laws, saying that they were conducting their affairs behind closed doors anyways. Pilane further wondered whether legalising homosexuality indicated to the public that there was room to change the law to accommodate “unnatural behaviour”, and asked rhetorically: “Should those who partake in bestiality (sleep with animals) also come here and demand that laws be changed to accommodate them?” LEGABIBO is represented by Tshiamo Rantao, and the applicant, a gay man, is represented by Gosego Lekgowe. The ruling is set for June 11.