Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye has sparked international outrage with his recent statements advocating for the public stoning of LGBTQ+ individuals. During a press conference, President Ndayishimiye, a fervent Catholic, responded to a question about LGBT rights, stating that homosexuals in Burundi “should be stoned” and suggesting that engaging in such acts would not constitute a sin.
The President’s comments reflect an escalating crackdown on sexual minorities in Burundi, a country where same-sex relationships are already criminalized, with prison terms of up to two years for consensual same-sex acts. He also criticized Western nations for pressuring smaller countries to recognize gay rights, declaring that Burundi would refuse aid that comes with such conditions.
This stance from President Ndayishimiye aligns with a wider trend of growing intolerance towards LGBTQ+ individuals in several East African nations. Uganda, for instance, recently passed a law imposing the death sentence for certain same-sex offences and lengthy jail sentences for others. This move has drawn widespread condemnation from Western governments and human rights activists, leading to significant repercussions such as the removal of Uganda from a key trade deal by the United States and suspension of new loans by the World Bank.
Burundi, under Ndayishimiye’s leadership, has been noted for a lack of progress in human rights, despite initial international hopes for improvement following the end of his predecessor’s tumultuous rule. The nation, with a population of 12 million, remains one of the world’s poorest, and this recent development only adds to its challenges.
