Burundi’s president reiterates LGBTQ people should be stoned in a stadium
Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye on March 8 reiterated his call for LGBTQ people to be stoned in a stadium. Ndayishimiye made the remark during the commemoration of the International Women’s Day in Gitega, the country’s political capital.
He first called for the public stoning of LGBTQ people last December during a public event. LGBTQ activists sharply criticized the comments and some international diplomats even threatened to cut economic ties with Burundi.
Ndayishimiye, however, seems unmoved by this pushback and maintained that if it meant if his nation would cut economic ties with the developed countries on the basis of his anti-LGBTQ stance then so be it, reaffirming that nothing will change his stance.
Jésus Dior Kant, a gay man and LGBTQ activist from Burundi, said the president’s remarks are tantamount to publicly calling for the lynching of gay people. “This violent and anti-LGBT+ rhetoric endangers the lives of many individuals in Burundi and stains the nation’s commitment to human rights,” said Kant. “Such discourse not only incites homophobia and violence but also violates international human rights laws and norms that protect individuals regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.” Kant also said what Ndayishimiye said now poses a real and immediate threat for LGBTQ people in the country. “The impact of this statement is not merely rhetorical, it poses a real and immediate threat to the safety and well-being of the LGBT+ community in Burundi,” said Kant. “It encourages hate crimes, promotes discrimination and undermines progress made towards equality and justice.
