Louis-Georges Tin, the founder of the International Day Against homophobia and transphobia (IDAHO), and two other members of the IDAHO Committee, Alexandre Marcel and Usaam Mukwaya, started a hunger strike on monday june 26th to protest against the French president, Mr Hollande, who does not seem to keep his word about a resolution in the UN for a universal decriminalisation of homosexuality.

As a founder of the International Day Against Homophobia and transphobia (IDAHO) in 2005, Louis-Georges Tin is also known for being the person behind the declaration on gay and lesbian issues read in the General Assembly of the UN in 2008 -it was the first time ever in this place.

On may 10th 2012, as a president of the IDAHO Committee, Louis-Georges Tin had a meeting with Francois Hollande, the French president. He asked M. Holland to bring in a resolution (a text which is more binding than a declaration) for a universal decriminalisation of homosexuality. As M. Tin explained, this is an emergency : without the support of the United States, no resolution on this issue will be possible. But at the end of the year, the republicans may perfectly win the elections in the USA, and should this happen, they would not provide great support for such a resolution, obviously… That’s why, accordint to M. Tin, this opportunity should not be missed. The resolution must be brought in before november, and should be announced now. Francois Hollande claimed that he could agree on this, and committed to bring in the text in the UN. As a matter of fact, Louis-Georges Tin has been working on this resolution since 2009. Several ministers of foreign affairs in France, and including the former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, had told him they would support this initiative, but none of them ever did anything. Each time, there was something more urgent to do : Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, Greece, Syria, etc. Each time, gays and lesbians had to wait in their jails, and the issue was postponed. However, in more than 80 countries, homosexuality is still regarded as a crime, punishable by death in 7 countries. ” In many countries, people are sent to jail just because of their love. But love is no crime “, said M. Tin. Now, in spite of his committment, M. Hollande seems to forget his word, and the ministry of foreign affairs does not respond to the emergency. ” If a resolution is to be voted in october, it has to be announced and worked on now. It is almost too late ! “, said M. Tin. That’s why, on monday june 26th, three members of the IDAHO Committe, M. Tin himself, Alexandre Marcel, and Usaam Mukwaya (a gay Ugandan refugee) decided to launch a hunger strike, as they had warned the French government. A few days before the Gay Pride, which is scheduled on june 30th in Paris, the president of the IDAHO Committed declared : ” The attitude of French politicians on this issue is full of cowardice and cruelty. Our souls are bleak and determined altogether.

Contacts : Louis-Georges Tin, +33 6 19 45 45 52, tinluigi@aol.com ; www.idahofrance.org/ www.idahofrance.org ; www.dayagainsthomophobia.org/ www.dayagainsthomophobia.org

Louis-Georges Tin, discussing with Francois Hollande, on May 10th, a few days before the IDAHO day.