That is….if you care about human rights.
Actor George Clooney recently penned an op-ed urging people to boycott Brunei-owned hotels and other businesses. Elton John, Ellen DeGeneres and other high-profile LGBTI celebrities have also encouraged their fans to take action against Brunei, after the tiny, oil-rich nation announced new laws making homosexual acts and adultery punishable by death.
From April 3 in Brunei, a south-east Asian country with a population of about 430,000, anyone found guilty of homosexuality or cheating on spouse could be whipped or stoned.
The country, which gained independence from the UK in 1984, is headed by the Sultan of Brunei and through its investment agency, the Dorchester Collection, owns The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane as well as Coworth Park in Berkshire. Its portfolio also includes two very prestigious local properties, the Hotel Bel-Air and The Beverly Hills Hotel.
George said: “Every single time we stay at or take meetings at or dine at any of these nine hotels we are putting money directly into the pockets of men who choose to stone and whip to death their own citizens for being gay or accused of adultery. Brunei is a Monarchy and certainly any boycott would have little effect on changing these laws. But are we really going to help pay for these human rights violations? Are we really going to help fund the murder of innocent citizens? I’ve learned over years of dealing with murderous regimes that you can’t shame them. But you can shame the banks, the financiers and the institutions that do business with them and choose to look the other way.”
In 2014, when the country announced it was implementing Sharia Law, activists demanded stars stop attending Brunei-owned hotels and Clooney said a fundraising event usually held at the Beverly Hills Hotel was cancelled because it had lost steam and interest. Britain then updated its travel advisories to caution people about the changes in the Muslim-majority country where Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has a firm grip on power.
Penny Mordaunt, Secretary of State for the UK’s Department of International Development (DFID), tweeted “No one should face the death penalty because of who they love. Brunei’s decision is barbaric and the UK stands with the LGBT+ community and those who defend their rights. LGBT+ rights are human rights.”
Nonetheless, the nation isn’t the only one where gay sex is punishable by death. Other bad actors with similar policies include Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, certain regions in Indonesia, the Maldives, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. So when booking your next holiday bear in mind the laws of the country you may be visiting and what they support – and what they oulaw.
Now some of you may think it’s not your problem, why does it affect us? I love my Saturday afternoon high tea as much as anyone? And what about the poor people that work at these hotels, that rely on our patronage to support their families? Trust me their jobs are safe, and business will return to order once you hit these properties where it hurts – their pocketbook. Big businesses will in effect cause change. But, if you think we should get over it and keep quiet, then you are a part of the problem. Being gay is not a choice, it’s not a lifestyle and it’s most certainly not a waste of a life. We continue to fight for equality on a national scale, because rights can be taken away from us in an instant. We are your sons and daughters, we are your brothers and sisters. We are your neighbors and your friends. We are your military helping to keep you safe. We are your teachers, your students, your doctors and your parents’ care workers. But mainly we are your allies. Now will you please be ours?
Only in the recent years did I declare myself fully, without fear of judgement or persecution. But my gay counterparts in other parts of the world have no choice but to remain closeted. They are not so lucky. It’s now a matter of life and death…talk about high stakes.
If you truly care and want to make a difference in the lives of the LGBTQI community AKA – PEOPLE, please join us in the fight for their rights and their right to live. Consider making a donation to the Human Rights Campaign. (HRC) https://bit.ly/2UbZor5
Cheers!
Craig Young
