On Tuesday, three homophobic knife-wielding men tried to force their way into the apartment of Gaspar, a Cameroonian advocate for LGBTI people. As a result of the attack, Gaspar’s landlord evicted him, declaring that he would not rent to homosexuals.
Map of Cameroon shows Yaoundé, the capital, in the southern part of the country.
By Courtney Stans
Gaspar (a pseudonym needed for his safety) works at the health and human rights organization Alternatives-Cameroun in Yaoundé.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. Aug. 17 after Gaspar returned home from a day of work at Alternatives-Cameroun, where he is the manager of the drop-in center.
Logo of Alternatives-Cameroun
Lying on his bed, he heard noises at the front door. Going to the window, he looked out and saw three men armed with knives and tools trying to break down his door. Gaspar called out for help, but none of his neighbors responded.
The attackers shouted up at him, “You dirty queer, we’ll show you!” “You’ll get what you deserve in this neighborhood!” “You don’t belong here! You’ll pay with your life!”
The three men failed to break into Gaspar’s apartment so, after a while, they left.
Gaspar immediately walked to his landlord’s house to inform him of what had happened.
The landlord grew angry with him, saying, “My house is not a refuge for homosexuals. You have to move out right away, or else!”
Gaspar was shocked.
The next day he filed a complaint with police. So far, they have done nothing to help him.
After the incident, his neighbors stopped speaking to him. His landlord cut off his apartment’s water, cable TV and electricity.
Gaspar is trying to figure out where he can live peacefully and how to pay to relocate.
Courtney Stans, the author of this article, is a Cameroonian journalist who writes under a pseudonym. Contact her at [email protected].
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