Gambian President Threatens Gays

Gambia’s notorious President, Yahya Jammeh, who is well-known for his anti-homosexual rhetoric has issued a new threat to gays.

The President, who spoke at a nationwide agricultural tour said, he would slit the throats of gays living in Gambia, claiming that ‘white people can do nothing to stop him’  VICE News reports.

“If you do it [in the Gambia] I will slit your throat — if you are a man and want to marry another man in this country and we catch you, no one will ever set eyes on you again, and no white person can do anything about it,” Jammeh said.

Fatu Camara, a Gambian journalist and former press secretary to Jammeh, who left the country in 2013, to escape treason charges leveled against her. She asserted that connecting to the Western world was probably a nod to leaders of European countries, who have been critical of the country’s severe policies and poor track record regarding gay rights.

The United States and the European Union (EU) have both lowered assistance to the country since last year as they alleged general fears on the continued human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, about 95 % of Gambia’s populace are Muslim, a development that has made funding from other Muslim countries continued despite the human rights concerns.