Date: Tue, 30 Jul 1996 15:17:14 +0200 From: Bjoern Skolander REPORT JULY 29, 1996 FROM HARARE by Mai Palmberg, co-author of the report "Human Rights and Homosexuality in Southern Africa" The book fair in Zimbabwe, the biggest in Africa is opening on Tuesday for traders, and on Thursday for the public. The preparations for the fair has been shadowed by the announcement by the Director of Information, Mr Chakaodza, that Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe will be banned from exhibiting at the fair. This announcement came after GALZ application already had been accepted by the book fair trust, which this year had declared that they would not bow down to government pressure. Even today, Monday July 29, the board of trustees declared that they would not ask Galz to leave since they were a legal organisation and therefore had the right to take part. Today, the Chairman of the Board of Censors, H.Malab, gave a "notice of prohibition" directed to the director of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair Trish Mbanga and to Gays and Lesbian Association of Zimbabwe staing that "The Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) is prohibited from establishing or exhibiting at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair to be held at Harare from July 30 to August 3, 1996." The order is based on 17(1) of the Censdorship and Entertainments Control Act CAP 10:04 and was taken by the board of censors in consultation with the Secretary for Home Affairs. This order means that both Trish Mbanga and Keith Goddard of Galz will be arrested if the Order is contravened. Comment: This has been preceded by a campaign in which the government-controlled press has taken active part intended to create the image of a unaninmous Zimbabwean support for the President Mugabe's fierce verbal campaign against homosexuals and homosexuality. Only the three human rights organisations have opposed the banning order and supported the book fair organisers in their defense of freedom of expression: The Legal Resources Foundation, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation and the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe. It was widely feared that the campaign would, and perhaps was intended to, whip up mob violence, which could have destroyed the book fair. Regards, Mai P