NATIONAL

Bush State Dep’t backs gay groups’ failed bid at U.N.
Frank praises U.S., Colombia for reversal of position

JOSHUA LYNSEN
Thursday, May 25, 2006

Gay groups seeking to influence United Nations proceedings have been rebuked again, despite new support from the Bush administration.

A coalition of nine nations, including China and Iran, last week derailed attempts by the International Lesbian & Gay Association’s European office, and other gay groups, to obtain the coveted consultative status.

The special status enables non-government organizations to speak at United Nations meetings or lobby member nations.

Votes by the 19 nations, which occurred May 16 and May 17, also denied consultative status to a German gay organization. A third application, from a Canadian gay organization, was deferred May 19 because no French-to-English translators were available.

Mark Bromley, a spokesperson for international human rights organization Global Rights, said the votes were expected but upsetting.

“We were pretty outraged,” Bromley said, “as were a lot of other organizations.”

Bromley said that no major gay organizations have yet received consultative status from the United Nations, despite several attempts by various domestic and foreign groups in recent years.

An estimated 3,100 organizations have consultative status at the United Nations. Those groups primarily participate in social and economic discussions.

Despite the defeat, applicants said they were pleased and thankful that Bush administration officials chose to reversal their earlier alliance with those opposing the bids.

Philipp Braun, co-secretary general for the International Lesbian & Gay Association in Belgium, said U.S. officials opposed applications by gay groups in January.

“We were very happy that the U.S. changed its position,” he said. “We just want to have a voice at the U.N.”

Earlier vote criticized

Following the January vote, several human rights groups and congressmen criticized the U.S. for not supporting two gay organizations that sought consultative status.

A coalition of 40 organizations — led by the Human Rights Campaign and Human Rights Watch — urged Bush administration officials in a Jan. 25 letter to support future bids by gay groups.

“As long as human rights abuses against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people occur, it is vital that non-governmental organizations working on their behalf are given a place and voice at the United Nations,” the letter says.

Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) sent letters to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe noting his disappointment with the vote.

“There was clearly no reason, other than the fact that they represented gays and lesbians, that led to their rejection,” wrote Frank, who is gay, in his letter to Uribe. “Your lack of respect for the essential dignity of myself and other gay and lesbian people is, as I said, deeply disappointing to me.”

Frank said this week he was pleased that both the United States and Colombia voted May 16 and May 17 to support the gay groups seeking consultative status. He noted the next step is winning over countries that continue to vote against the applications.

“We need to keep at it, and we need to keep the pressure up,” he said in a telephone interview. “We need to put pressure on those countries [at the U.N. that oppose these applications], and people in the United States with ties to those countries should put pressure on them.”

Edgar Vasquez, a Bush State Department spokesperson, said the U.S. opposed the International Lesbian & Gay Association application in January because of the organization’s “past history” with the North American Man/Boy Love Association.

He said the U.S. supported the applications considered this month because “there were different groups involved.”

Vasquez said NAMBLA, which advocates legalizing sexual relations between adults and minors, was a founding member of ILGA. The U.S. supported consultative status this month for ILGA’s European office.

ILGA severed all ties to groups that support lowering the age of consent for gay sex following its decision in 1994 to expel NAMBLA from its ranks.

Angela Clements, a Human Rights Campaign public policy advocate, said she was thrilled that U.S. officials reversed their vote and supported the gay groups.

“The United States needs to act as a beacon — not as an obstacle — in situations like these,” she said. “We took a good step in the right direction with this vote.”

Vote can be appealed

Applications for consultative status did not die with last week’s vote.

Braun said the United Nations’ Economic & Social Council could revisit applications by the International Lesbian & Gay Association, plus the German and Canadian groups, later this year.

He said the council could reconsider or overrule the committee vote, especially if the groups can successfully argue discrimination played a factor.

“It has something to do with discrimination, in the sense that some countries, like Iran, don’t want to deal with LGBT issues,” Braun said. “But we still feel that it is crucial that LGBT people can speak in their own names.”

Bromley said Global Rights, which helped the three gay organizations with their applications, is now exploring methods to appeal the committee vote.

He said they could attempt a procedural appeal, because the hearing was not properly run, or a substantive appeal to address discriminatory issues.

“Our hope is that the full plenary committee will actually reconsider these votes when they meet in July,” Bromley said. “That’s what we’re pushing for — and other, supportive governments are pushing for that.”

Clements said the organizations should continue to fight to be heard. She noted that “time and education” is needed to change the outcome of future votes.

“I think that we can’t just wait for the membership to be friendly,” she said. “We need more global allies.”

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