Terror for Gays in Iraq

[Rev. Jim Cunningham]

Reposted from Towleroad.com

Report: Iraqi Militia Killing Gay Men with Painful Anal Glue Torture

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission writes: The following is a translation of a story from Alarabiya, a UAE-based media network, which was published on its Arabic website a few hours ago. While IGLHRC has not verified all of the allegations, many are consistent with patterns of human rights violations being reported from within the country.

The translation:

"A prominent Iraqi human rights activist says that Iraqi militia have deployed a painful form of torture against homosexuals by closing their anuses using 'Iranian gum.' ... Yina Mohammad told Alarabiya.net that, 'Iraqi militias have deployed an unprecedented form of torture against homosexuals by using a very strong glue that will close their anus.' According to her, the new substance 'is known as the American hum, which is an Iranian-manufactured glue that if applied to the skin, sticks to it and can only be removed by surgery. After they glue the anuses of homosexuals, they give them a drink that causes diarrhea. Since the anus is closed, the diarrhea causes death. Videos of this form of torture are being distributed on mobile cellphones in Iraq.' According to this human rights activist, for the past 3 weeks a crackdown on homosexuals has been going on based on a religious decree that demands their death; dozens have been targeted. She says that the persecution of homosexuals is not confined to the Shiite clerics. Some Sunni leaders have also declared the death penalty for sodomy on satellite channels."

A disturbing BBC video was recently posted of a young Iraqi man being forced to strip at a police stop for wearing women's clothes, as well as reports of fliers being posted around Baghdad's Sadr City threatening death to homosexuals.

[Jim Roberts]

This is an outrage! How could any human being treat another in this horrifying manner? Is there an international human rights organization in IRAQ that can save our brothers from these poison minded killers? We need another exodus that might save these innocent lives from their tormentors. Is there any way to conduct such a project? We as gay people need to form an International Gay and Lesbian Alliance that can fund travel for our gay brothers and sisters who are persecuted in their homeland. Help them get away and start a new life where they can be accepted without torture and death. This could be accomplished through the use of the Internet with funds that are donated or through the practice of fundraising. Every gay man and woman should participate to help these people. Think about what they are going through for just a moment and put yourself in their shoes. You wouldn't want that to happen to you, let's not permit it to happen to them!

[Rev. Jim Cunningham]

As you can see from these photos (above and below), the persecution of homosexuals in Iran and Iraq is intense, from whippings and torture, to government-sanctioned gang attacks, shooting squads, hangings and dismembering. I completely agree that something needs to be done to provide an outreach to persecuted homosexuals, and I am extremely disappointed that this hasn't already been done by huge gay organizations. However, the problem with an international gay & lesbian amnesty organization is that it becomes very difficult to go through the battle of getting countries to open their borders to an influx of persecuted homosexual refugies. We all know how difficult it is to get the government to budge on any gay issues here in America - imagine trying to convince Western governments, most of whom don't even want the homosexuals they have, to throw out the welcome mat to people who are not only homosexual but who are also people of a nationality and a religion that is already looked upon with hate and suspicion! They already have three strikes against them in the eyes of the West, because 1) they are of Middle or Far Eastern nationality, 2) they are most likely Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist or Communist or some other blasphemous idiology, and because 3) they're homosexual. Do you really see Ellis Island reopening for them?

But we are servants of the one true living God. What is virtually impossible for us is virtually possible for Him. It was not by swords nor by treaty nor by the might of men that the Hebrews made the exodus from Egypt, but by the hand of God Himself. It is not to our government but to God that we must run to and plead for the mercy of others. But we also must remember that God is not obliged to tend to sheep that are not His. Our first prayer must be that God will send them shepherds to lead them to Jesus Christ so that our homosexual brethren can receive first spiritual salvation and then physical salvation, because our God will not give one without the other. So let us all pray fore the Lord to show mercy on them and bring them salvation, in every sense of the word. They are the outcasts of the outcasts who have no one to speak for them, no one to pray for them, no one to represent them before the throne of the Father. We are called to be bridge builders and to fill in the gaps, to plead for the lost so that the Holy Spirit can go where we cannot go, to work mighty deeds where we cannot work. And in this way God will receive all glory and praise. -Rev. Jim

[Rev. Kyle]

This is absolutely horrible as is any kind of torture or human persecution! I agree with Rev. Jim that something needs to be done. Why are the gay right organizations and media silent about all this? Hitler did the same thing by torturing gay men and women and the world turned its gaze elsewhere until they could no longer do so. But even today little is said about the horrors the Nazis committed against gay people in WWII. This is a repeat of history and it needs to be STOPPED!!

I pray that God our Father will work his power to protect our brothers and sisters in Iraq and in every other nation that commits such horrors. I pray that the Lord liberates them and forces the world to open their eyes and take action.

Amen
Rev Kyle