Burundi’s President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, launched a vehement anti-LGBTQ tirade on Friday, asserting that same-sex couples should face public stoning.
He also criticized Western nations that pressure other countries to embrace gay rights, warning of potential aid withdrawal.
Homosexuality in Burundi, a conservative Christian country in East Africa, has been criminalized since 2009, with consensual same-sex acts carrying prison terms of up to two years.
A devout Catholic, Ndayishimiye labeled the union between same-sex couples as an “abominable practice.”
During a public event in the eastern part of the country, he expressed his belief that individuals engaging in same-sex relationships should be gathered in a stadium and stoned.
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He asserted that such actions would not be considered sinful.
Moreover, Ndayishimiye condemned Western nations pressuring smaller countries to adopt gay marriage, stating, “Let them keep their help, let them keep it.”
He also declared that Burundians living abroad who practice homosexuality and have “chosen the devil” should refrain from returning to the country.
Homosexuality is prohibited in several East African nations, where a history of repression and stigmatization against the LGBTQ community persists, often fueled by conservative religious beliefs.
In related news, Uganda enacted stringent anti-LGBTQ laws in May, prompting international condemnation.
In response, Washington announced plans to remove Uganda from a crucial trade deal and imposed visa restrictions on select officials, while the World Bank suspended new loans to the country.
Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ legislation is currently facing legal challenges in the constitutional court.
Earlier this year in March, Burundi intensified its crackdown on same-sex relationships, charging 24 individuals with “homosexual practices.”
This move followed Ndayishimiye’s call for citizens to root out homosexuality and ostracize LGBTQ individuals.
Although Ndayishimiye assumed power in June 2020 after the death of President Pierre Nkurunziza, he has received international acclaim for gradually ending Burundi’s isolation.
However, his administration has fallen short in improving the country’s dismal human rights record, and Burundi, with a population of 12 million, remains one of the world’s poorest nations.
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