Foreign entities continue to push smaller nations such as Belize to embrace homosexuality as normal, acceptable behaviour. We are not in the habit of reporting on foreign leaders very often, but a few weeks ago we had Britain Prime Minister David Cameron’s picture on our screen and this evening we have US President Barack Obama on our screen. Both in the same kind of story where they have in essence used their power to threaten or twist the arms of smaller, poorer nations into accepting homosexuality. Obama issued a presidential memorandum on Tuesday, saying that “Agencies engaged abroad are directed to strengthen existing efforts to effectively combat the criminalization by foreign governments of LGBT status or conduct and to expand efforts to combat discrimination, homophobia, and intolerance on the basis of LGBT status or conduct,” The memorandum says that US agencies in countries such as Belize should “vigorously advance” the promotion of gay rights. While any unnatural act with another person is on the Belizean law books as criminal, there have been no known court prosecution against such lifestyle choice as homosexuality. Even so, it is viewed by many as a “gatekeeper” law to avoid issues such as gay marriages that is itself being fought for in the United States and not without opposition either. Now the US President has in essence said that their country’s moral battle will be expanded beyond their own country as they take the battle to other nations in the Caribbean.

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Yet Mr. obama is concerned about havin gay marrigaes in Belize? He should be focusing on his own domestic problems instead of playing golf and interfereing with the rest of the world, including poor countries like Belize that have not prosecuted gay acts between consenting adults, but in general do not want gay marriages either. Why is this a problem to the US? What planet did Obama come from?

It was less than a few years ago a gay couple was arrested and jailed here. It does still happen and the laws can be enforced as long as they are still laws.
I do think the laws of the world hold more terror than our homosexual laws, Women in some countries are being sent to prison because they were raped.
Obama is not asking we allow gay marraiges, get real!!! The U.S. in most States do not allow that. He is asking certain laws of discrimination, and unhumane jail terms and punishment be taken off the books. I cant figure out why he would pick this as an agenda. Another battle he cant win at this time. We are too depended on Churches here. For our childrens education and alot more. These changes will come in time, strange choice for Obama!!!!

tyshepp,

I'm very sorry, but you seem extremely misinformed about this human rights issue that affects heterosexuals and homosexuals equally. No one is trying to legalise gay marriage in Belize. Belize does have a law which allows for the prosecution of anyone who participates in 'unnatural sex', which is contrary to the Belizean Constitution and to international human rights conventions that the Belize government has chosen to sign. This has nothing to do with gay marriage although the radical fundamentalists fighting to maintain this unconstitutional and antiquated law like to frighten people by claiming that it does. I'm sure we're all used to the concept of using fear and ignorance to undermine human rights and I'm sure that most of us are capable of seeing through such false and misleading propaganda. I'm not sure why you are so concerned about this particular issue when there are many other things that I'm sure you could find irritating that the USA President has done. Please don't panic, no one is asking for gay marriage to be legalised in Belize.

They put blinders on horses so things that won't hurt them won't scare them. Churches do the same for their congregations.

My husband and I both had brothers that wre homosexual. They are deceased and we loved them dearly. It is clearly a hard topic to deal with.

I stand beside you on this subject.I will not debate this issue because it isn't black and white for me.

Unibam is only asking that sex between two consenting adults is not in the same legal code as sex between a person and an animal. I think we have enough intelligence,tolerance and love in our hearts to give that dignity to our family, friends, associates and neighbors who are gay, don't you? The church has a hard time distinguishing between sex between two consenting adults and pedophilia, but we know better. PM Cameron and Obama are both asking for the same of countries they give aid to.

Is there any treaty or universally accepted international document that even establishes homosexuality as a human right? I happen to agree that gays should be left alone and treated equally, and all human beans should have the right to privacy -- to be left alone if not infringinging on someone else's rights.

But I think it's incredulous that Obama would pick that subject when the world is still full of gender-based abuses (did u see where the Saudies just executed a woman for "sorcery?" Religious intolerance by countries he gives buku money to, I just think he's playin a stupid and dangerous game that WILL turn many countries aainst the US, and all because he wants to pander for votes from gay rights activists in US. And yes, there are many things Obama is doing stupidly, but this is a curent event.

Firstly again tyshepp, you're misinformed. This is not about homosexual rights. So I'm not exactly sure what your point is or why this is such an important issue for you. This is about the right to privacy for all adults participating in consensual sex in the privacy of their own homes within Belize.

With respect to your specific question, yes, there are international conventions on human rights that cover sexuality. Under the UN, these include:

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) (article 2, 26)
Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) (article 2)
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW) (1981)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees -Since April 1993 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has recognized in several Advisory Opinions that gays and lesbians qualify as members of a "particular social group" for the purposes of the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. In its publication "Protecting Refugees," the UNHCR states: "Homosexuals may be eligible for refugee status on the basis of persecution because of their membership of a particular social group. It is the policy of the UNHCR that persons facing attack, inhuman treatment, or serious discrimination because of their homosexuality, and whose governments are unable or unwilling to protect them, should be recognized as refugees." (UNHCR/PI/Q&A-UK1.PM5/Feb. 1996)

Under the ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS)

The first case on human rights and sexual orientation in the Inter-American system is that of Marta Alvarez who brought a petition against Columbia before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (Velasquez Rodriguez v Honduras, 1998). She was denied the right to equal treatment through the refusal of Colombian prison authorities to grant her the conjugal visits with her partner because of her sexual identity as a lesbian. Colombian law states that conjugal visits are a right for all its citizens, without regard to sexual orientation.

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the largest regional security organization in the world with 55 participating States from Europe, Central Asia and North America. OSCE was created by the 1975 Helsinki Final Act which contained a provision to "respect … human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and belief", as well as "equal rights and self-determination of peoples".

The Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE passed a declaration in Ottawa in 1995 calling on member states to provide equal protection against discrimination for all, sexual orientation being among the grounds specifically protected from discrimination.

I'm not sure why you believe that one form of discrimination deserves more attention than another. All forms of oppression and discrimination and abuse deserve equal attention and members of those vulnerable communities all deserve protection, whether they are women, men or children. It seems a bit like saying - 'Why are there all these organisations to help dogs and cats when horses suffer so much abuse?'

All of this aside, the current issue in Belize is a human rights issue affecting all adults, not a homosexual issue. As you seem very interested in this subject though, please let me refer you to some further reading

International Council on Human Rights Policy - Sexuality and Human Rights Discussion Paper