The Sochi Winter Olympics are just about to start with all its glory and while athletes and officials from all over the world flock to Russia to participate the LGBT people in Russia are being systematically bullied and oppressed by the Russian authorities. They are systematically attacked, beaten up and killed without anyone doing anything about it. Officials from around the world, including members of the Icelandic Parliament and Iceland´s President, are flying over to participate in Putin´s show off party, and sadly no one seem to have the guts to say or do anything.
The reality facing LGBT people in Russia is terrifying but the fact that the global community is sitting quietly by doing nothing is even more terrifying. Olympic host nations are supposed to obey seven principles and Principle 6 says discrimination of any kind is not allowed. But, the Olympic Committee, Russia and participating nations are now acting like lesbian, gay, bi and trans people just don’t count. Members of The National Queer Organization in Iceland, Samtökin '78, and Reykjavik Gay Pride, met up with Minister of Education & Culture, Mr. Illugi Gunnarsson recently and challenged him and other members of the Icelandic committee who will be traveling to Sochi to stand up and speak up against LGBT oppression Russia. The Minister will be attending the Olympics with the Icelandic President Mr. Olafur Ragnar Grimsson and his wife Mrs. Dorrit Moussaieff.
At the meeting the Minister seemed reluctant to bring the issue up in Russia so it´s not very likely that LGBT oppression will be brought up in a conversation with Russian authorities at all. But he did state that if he found himself in the appropriate situation he would speak out in support of LGBT rights but he seemed unwilling to seek that situation out or create it himself. Not deterred the group set him off with rainbow flags, rainbow ribbons and rainbow floral collars for him and other representatives to wear in support of LGBT rights. (It´s a sad reflection of the political cowardice of today, but hopefully we´ll be proven wrong. )
Picture (www.mbl.is) : Anna Pála Sverrisdóttir, Chair of Samtökin '78 and Mr. Illugi Gunnarsson, Minister of Education & Cutlure
Gayice.is / FJ
