北朝鮮、イラン、ビルマ・・・米国にとっては悪のトリオと
というところか。勝手な基準だな。
それでも、これらの国では、我々の基準から考えると、
とんでもないことが起こっているのも事実だ。イランでは7月、
では、ビルマでは、同性愛者はどういう風に見られているの
だろうか。厳しい仏教国ビルマであるが、そこはやはり、
人間の生きる社会である。単に通り過ぎるのでは分からない、
その土地独特の顔をもっている。
上座部仏教に対する精霊信仰「ナッ」がそれである。
毎年8月初め、マンダレー近郊で催される「タウンビョン」に
おける「ナッ」のお祭りはその例といえるだろう。
「タウンビョン」の祭りを司る「ナッカドー」と呼ばれる司祭は、
主に男性の同性愛者が努めることが多い。
「ナッカドー」として出番を待つ。
「ナッカドー」として踊り回り、精霊信仰を呼び出す。
また、首都ヤンゴン・ボージョー市場の2Fには美容院が
建ち並ぶ。そこの美容師の多くは、同性愛者である。
マミーさんは75歳(2005)。ヤンゴンで最高齢のゲイである。
ビルマ国内では、同性愛者を認めない法律がある。
国外に逃れた民主化運動家(主に元学生)は、
この法律を変えたと報告されている。
--------------------------------------------------
The All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF),
at its 6th Conference held on April 10, 2001, voted
to repeal a law criminalizing same-sex sexual relations.
Section 33A of the Law for the Student Army--a code
that applies to all ABSDF members, whether in the
cities or on the front lines--punished anyone, male
or female, engaging in same-sex sexual acts with one
year imprisonment and dismissal from the organization.
The conference also passed a law increasing the penalty
for same-sex rape, covered by Section 33B of the Law for
the Student Army, from three years to seven years.
The ABSDF was founded on November 1, 1988, to represent
thousands of democracy activists, mostly students, who
had fled Burma for neighboring Thailand, China, India,
and Bangladesh in the wake of massive repression.
・・・・・.
・・・・・.
The declared aims of ABSDF, promulgated during its Fourth
Conference in 1996, are:
1. To liberate the entire people of Burma from the
suppression of military dictatorship.
2. To achieve democracy and human rights.
3. To restore internal peace.
4. To emerge the federal Union of Burma [to re-establish
the State as a multi-ethnic federal system].
The recent decision eliminating the ABSDF's sodomy law
grows out of long discussions within the organization
about the need to recognize rights on the basis of sexual
orientation as human rights, as well as the need for
ABSDF to respect international human rights laws and
principles.
Meanwhile, Myanmar/Burma itself, under SLORC military rule,
continues to retain its own sodomy law. That law, Section
377 of the colonial-era Penal Code of 1882-88, prohibits
"Unnatural Offenses":
377. Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the
order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be
punished with transportation for life, or with imprisonment
of either description for a term which may extend to ten
years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Explanation- Penetration is sufficient to constitute the
carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in
this section.
ABSDF's decision moves Burmese democracy forces closer to
condemning the existing legal repression of homosexuality
which continues on Burmese territory.
ABSDF's decision, and its internal discussions, were
furthered by the work of the Committee for Lesbigay Rights
in Burma (CLRB), an organization of exiles and others
committed to supporting lesbigay rights and their place
within the liberation struggle for Burma.
It sees the democracy movement and the human rights of all
groups as interlinked. Its members seek to build the
committee to support Lesbigay networking and a newsletter
for Burmese people. The organization's goals are:
1. To build a strong lesbigay movement in Burma
2. To strengthen the democracy movement
3. To fight for sexual human rights and for the responsible sexual
liberation of all people of Burma
4. To fight HIV/AIDS and address the health-related concerns of
lesbigay people in Burma.
According to the CLRB, the repeal of Section 33A is a significant
decision because it signals concrete recognition and concern for
lesbian, gay,bisexual, and transgendered people. It is a
major step in raising awareness around these issues among the
grassroots members of ABSDF. It also paves the way toward
greater understanding and respect for LGBT members of the
organization -- and of Burmese society, both in exile and at
home -- when they do "come out."
--------------------------------------------------
ゲイに関しては多くの情報があるが、レズビアンに関しての
情報は皆無。やはり、こういうところにも男女差があるのだ
ろう(か?)
