Following a hullabaloo that erupted at its sub-office in Sinkor, over allegation of a gay weeding, the management of the Population Services International has clarified that at no time did the institution organize a gay weeding.
Allen’s compound on 16th street in Sinkor, the outskirt of Monrovia was on Sunday morning besieged by some angry residents of the community after hearing of an organized gay weeding at the facility influenced by PSI- Liberia.
A community leader Joe Goeh in an interview with Journalists on earlier this week explained, that he received a call around 2:30 AM on Sunday November 10, 2019, concerning a gay wedding.
Mr. Goeh narrated that he was informed by a neighbor that a combined wedding for 20 gay couples was taking place in the Allen’s Compound, but angry mob had besieged the area.
He explains that in no time people were running in different directions and went amok and started stone – throwing battle.
But speaking in an interview with online television station, Queens TV, PSI Country Representative Rajiv Dua, clarified that the event was a birthday Party, and not a gay wedding as it was misconstrued.
He added that the party was in observance of the 33rd birth anniversary of a staff of PSI Liberia who then invited others for the celebration at the institution’s facility in Sinkor.
According to the PSI country’s representative, the institution’s goal is to work with those that marginalized and discriminated in society not to judge them. He added that the HIV infected, drug users, sex-workers, the gays and Lesbian communities are no exception to their program.
Dua, described as ”unfortunate”, the violent disruption the birthday Party which according to him resulted to about ten of those attending the party sustaining major injuries while others were severely beaten by angry mob, and are currently undergoing medical attention.
An apartment belonging to a staff of PSI-Liberia was besieged by some angry residents of the Ducor Community in Central Monrovia demanding the exit of a party organizers from the community.
PSI is an American organization headquartered in Washington D.C. and is known in Liberia mainly for the sale of male and female condoms for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
Liberia is a secular state that respects the rights of all persons void of sexual orientation and background but the LGBT community in the country continues to receive threats from the public.
Gay and Lesbian activities remain illegal in Liberia and criminal under the Liberian Constitution.
