REGIONAL NETWORK AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA

6th International Meeting Against Homophobia will host the initiative of Regional Network as well.

Kaos GL, planning an LGBT network for the countries of Middle East, Caucasus and the Balkans for solidarity in the struggle against homophobia, has begun to make preparations for the organization of the Regional Network.

KAOS GL, calling on internationally for the initiative "Regional Network Against Homophobia," is inviting participants from countries such as Armenia, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Georgia, Cyprus (North/South), Azerbaijan to the 6th International Meeting Against Homophobia. One whole day will be entirely allocated to the assembly of "Regional Network".

When KAOS GL had declared itself and defined its perspective of struggle in 1994, it proclaimed "Conference of Homosexuals of Middle East and Balkan Countries" as a dream. One of the main forums of the Meeting ongoing since 2006 has become "International Experiences in the Struggle Against Homophobia".

For an inclusive network in the region, Kaos GL has prepared the following call:

REASON

• Kaos GL will organise the 6th International Anti-Homophobia Meeting in 2011.
• One of the fundamental forums of the Meeting, which has continued since 2006, is "International Experiences in the Battle against Homophobia"
• Kaos GL declared "The Conference for Middle East and Balkan Countries' Homosexuals" as a dream when it declared its foundation 16 years ago and shaped its liberation perspective.
• Liberation and survival struggles of LGBT in our region has always been a constant consideration for Kaos GL, one of the first LGBT organisations in Turkey.
• The reflections of all ethnic, religious and cultural diversity seen in the Middle Eastern, Caucasus and Balkan countries exist in Turkey's society.
• Kaos GL has strived for this diversity to represent and express itself in the LGBT movement since its foundation.
• Homophobia is institutionalising in civil society and public area by blending racism and nationalism in the countries of this region including Turkey.
• Institutionalised homophobia integrates into historical animosities between the countries of our region and increases existing alienation between peoples.
• It is the LGBT organisations and the regional network between these organisations that will have to resist homophobic and sexist reflections of racist and nationalist policies in our region.

EXISTING SITUATION

• Communication between regional LGBT organisations is not sufficient even though they meet in international networks.
• Local and regional opportunities that would emerge from direct access to anthropological and sociological knowledge of the LGBT existence in our region cannot be utilised. This knowledge mostly reaches our region from an orientalist and colonialist tradition.
• A basic reason for the lack of communication between regional LGBT organisations is physical obstacles but alienation from our region and societies is the decisive factor in overcoming all other obstacles.
• LGBT individuals living in our region can't fight for their lives and see salvation in going abroad and especially to the West. A big number of Iranian refugees migrate to Australia, north America and western Europe through Turkey because their lives are not safe in Iran.
• Regional government do not accept the fact that LGBT rights are human rights.
• Some regional countries do not only ignore the LGBT reality, but makes denial of this reality a state policy and turn a blind eye to social exclusion, killing and cultural punishment of LGBT people.
• Non-governmental organisations and unions which resist racism, nationalism and sexism show reluctance to include the battle against homophobia in their activities.
• Three great religions that dominate our region reproduce and spread homophobia despite differences in social and cultural effects.
• Institutionalisation of racist and nationalist rhetoric in state policies cause borders between the countries to insurmountable borders between societies.
• Homophobia has become the common produce of new nationalisms that emerged from disintegration of former Yugoslavia.
• The border between Turkey and Armenia remains closed, but all gates are open in both countries for production of nationalism and homophobia.
• Nationalist split between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia does not change joint homophobia, and in the case of division in Cyprus homophobia and nationalism feed each other.
• Homophobic denial of the Iranian administration causes of the violation of the right to life and makes the problems of Iranian LGBT refugees chronic.
• Occupation and war in Iraq turned traditional homophobia into violence and created an environment that destroys the LGBT people's rights to life.
• At war, Palestinian homosexuals are the first to be sacrificed and deprived of the solidarity to resist a double siege upon themselves.
• Possibilities of travel between Turkey and Syria have increased recently and it appears that travel opportunities will emerge between Iraq and Turkey soon.

TARGETS

• We want to form Middle East, Caucasus, Balkan Countries LGBT Network for the struggle against homophobia.
• We aim for a social, cultural and political life in the region where LGBT can express themselves and live without hiding themselves.
• We want LGBT to organise directly in their regions and existing organisations to become stronger through regional solidarity.
• We want to raise consciousness that the homophobia is not only the problem of LGBT individuals and organisations but a problem for the non-governmental organisations and unions which stand against racism, nationalism and sexism in the region.
• We aim for the media in the region to change its discriminatory, militarist, sexist and homophobic language which produces hate and ignites nationalism, and development of a peaceful media.
• LGBT will not stand by the policies of regional states but support the policies which take sides with social, cultural and religious sectors which are the target of racist and discriminatory practices because of their ethnic and religious roots.

WHAT WILL WE DO?

• Homophobia is a global problem and on the basis of this fact, we want to learn about the experiences of the LGBT individuals and organisations in the Middle East, Caucasus and Balkan region against homophobia and share our own experience.
• We want to share our views and hold a discussion over a vision of the region where LGBT individuals and heterosexuals gain freedoms together.
• We seek solution to our problems and want to share the solution paths and create the material and spiritual possibilities of intervention when necessary.
• We will invite participants to Turkey's capital Ankara especially from the countries including Armenia, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Cyprus (North/South), Azerbaijan to the Sixth International Anti-Homophobia Meeting on the week of May 17. We will organise a full-day gathering within the scope of the meeting.
• We will organise workshops in four selected countries for transferring practices of struggle against homophobia.

HOW WILL WE WORK?

• LGBT organisations and initiatives from all regional countries can join the Regional Network against Homophobia. The LGBT initiatives and organisations that have been established in other countries because they cannot operate in their countries because of local conditions can join the Regional Network.
• We will hold meetings which will be announced in advance and which will be open to all LGBT initiatives and organisations in the region.
• We will shun prejudices emanating from government policies in order to come together in the regional network and address local and common problems without making a distinction.
• We will set up an e-group for sharing experience and information and ensuring communication.
• We will organise a one or a two-day-Regional-Network Meeting within the scope of the International Anti-Homophobia Meeting on the week of May 17.

E-mail: kaosgl@kaosgl.org – nevin@kaosgl.org