Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 17:13:28 -0700 From: Ron Buckmire Subject: GALZ Banned From Book Fair for Second Year 23 Jul 96 Homosexuals Banned From Zimbabwe Book Fairs HARARE, Zimbabwe (PANA) - The Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) has been banned from exhibiting in this year's Zimbabwe International Book Fair and from all future book fairs. Issuing the order, the government of Zimbabwe said homosexuality is immoral and against the country's cultural ethics. Director of Information, Bornwell Chakaodza, said Tuesday, by barring GALZ from exhibiting at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF), the government was not contravening any of its laws but protecting the nation's cultural values. "In light of the foregoing, the position of the government of Zimbabwe has not changed. The Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe remain barred from renting a stand at this year's book fair. "And they remain banned from displaying their books and other reading materials at future international book fairs of Zimbabwe," he said. This is the second time that the government has banned GALZ from exhibiting at book fair. Last year's ban provoked harsh criticism at home and abroad, including demonstrations against President Robert Mugabe when he visited South Africa, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Despite last year's ban and Mugabe's condemnation of homosexuality, the organisers of the book had decided to allow GALZ to exhibit at this year's week-long fair starting July 30. At the opening ceremony of last year's book fair, Mugabe described homosexuals as perverts and sodomists. He branded homosexuals as worse than dogs and pigs, adding they were not entitled to rights of any kind. The Executive Director of the fair, Trish Mbanga, said "we want to exercise democracy. We cannot stop them from participating but people can just ignore them if they want to." The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace and the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference said there was nothing wrong with GALZ exhibiting literature, mostly on AIDS, which would benefit its members. But a newly-formed Christian Communicators Association of Zimbabwe had threatened to mobilise Christians to boycott the book fair, and Sangano Munhumutapa, a pressure group, had threatened violence and "total sabotage", if gays were allowed to exhibit . Chakaodza said "The barring of GALZ from renting a stand at the fair is not a question of contravening the laws of Zimbabwe or the country's own declaration of rights. Neither is it a question of violating freedom of art and expression. "It is a question of protecting and guaranteeing the cultural health of zimbabwe." He said GALZ had no right to publicly display literature and material at a public and cultural event where hundreds of children visited. He denied recent press reports that information, posts and telecommunications minister, Joyce Mujuru, had said the government would not interfere with organisers of the book fair in their decision to allow GALZ to exhibit.