IN MEMORIUM = Steve Lenford Harvey
Murder of Gay Jamaican HIV/AIDS Advocate Must be Strongly Condemned
PRESS RELEASE Sunday, December 11, 2005
The National AIDS Committee of Guyana strongly condemns the brutal killing of Jamaican, Steve Harvey, a gay HIV/AIDS outreach worker on November 30th. 2005. The NAC is calling for a prompt and thorough investigation of his death. Steve Harvey was taken by unidentified armed men from his house on November 30, the eve of World AIDS Day, and later found dead from gunshot wounds.
The NAC is also requesting that the December 17 concert sponsored by the Government of Guyana and USAID/GHARP launching a new HIV/AIDS campaign to fight stigma and discrimination be formally dedicated to Steve Harvey. Given the way popular music and concerts have been used by Jamaican musicians to promote homophobia, the NAC believes the Guyana ‘Don’t Dis Me’ concert, which is to be addressed by both the President of Guyana and the Ambassador of the United States, is the ideal venue to launch a sustained assault on this form of intolerance and discrimination.
Jamaican popular musicians have been in the forefront of the homophobic campaign in Jamaica which has led to deaths and maiming of men suspected of being gay. Reggae star Buju Banton, for example, is presently before the courts along with others charged in an attack in which a gay man was blinded.
The Jamaica AIDS Support Society (JAS) for which Steve Harvey worked was supported by Christian Aid, the development arm of the British Council of Churches and one of Britain’s largest private charities. JAS is involved in fighting homophobia through education. Specifically JAS pledges “to promote changes in attitudes and behaviour and empower persons to respond positively to the challenges”.
“We will always remember Steve's broad smile, generous heart, and easy-going nature. He was a wonderful colleague and friend. May his example help guide and inspire us all to courageously face fear and overcome it with love.”
Harvey was described by Human Rights Watch as “a person of extraordinary bravery and integrity, who worked tirelessly to ensure some of Jamaica’s most marginalized people had the tools and information to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS”.
While homophobia – hatred of gay people - is exceptionally virulent in Jamaica, the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean is too complacent on this issue. It must bring itself to reject and condemn this barbaric behaviour and the attitudes which support it. Jamaican singers, whose lyrics inciting hostility to gays are banned in other parts of the world, are feted with no such reservation around the Caribbean.
Given our capacity for ‘follow pattern’, steps are needed to ensure copy-cat homophobia must be emphatically discouraged. Caribbean people are generally tolerant of many things. People of gay orientation have lived – some quite openly in communities - without comment for decades. Opinion-makers, particularly religious and political leaders, need to reflect how much they may be responsible for fostering intolerance and homophobia.
“This is not just a loss of a good man this is a loss for all mankind who have been affected by HIV or have friends who have suffered. We need people like Steve Harvey who care and give support and my deepest sympathy goes to his family and all the people who have been affected by his death. God Bless and support all HIV/AIDS people wherever they live.”
The CARICOM community in general has to decide whether it wants to function in a world governed by tolerance and respect for diversity, or to remain entrenched in bigotry, vindictiveness and discrimination. Those who have assumed leadership of the fight against HIV/AIDS – governments, donors and church leaders – have a particular duty to demonstrate leadership in this area.
We realize taking a public stand against homophobia requires a degree of courage. However, in light of Steve Harvey’s death and its implications for the rest of the Caribbean, the ‘Don’t Dis Me’ concert should not risk passing off as one more ‘feel good’ event.
Let Steve Harvey’s death be the start of a new era.
National AIDS Committee of Guyana
Article courtesy SASOD
All rights reserved
Messages of Condolence for Steve Lenford Harvey from around the World “Walk good, Steve. Your legacy will live on in the hearts and lives of all those you have touched and loved. My condolences to your father, friends and colleagues.” “I cannot begin to describe the shock and horror I felt upon learning of Steve's death. Did they have to kill him? Jamaica and JAS in particular is the poorer for having lost one of it's most tireless and committed HIV/AIDS activists. Walk good dear Steve and may your light continue to shine brightly in the hearts and lives of those who have been fortunate enough to have known you.” “This is not just a loss of a good man this is a loss for all mankind who have been affected by HIV or have friends who have suffered. We need people like Steve Harvey who care and give support and my deepest sympathy goes to his family and all the people who have been affected by his death. God Bless and support all HIV/AIDS people wherever they live.” “I still can't believe he is not here, his death has been such a loss for us all, he touched each of us in a special way, I will always remember fondly our 'discussions' about the politics of the day. You will always be remembered with LOVE. See you down the road Steve.” “This is one on the saddest moments in our life, and despite the days that went by, we are still in disbelief and do not know how to recover. We feel like having fallen into a trap and cannot find a way out. Despite the relatively short time we knew Steve, we certainly became close friends. We were lucky enough to spend quite some time with him during the past months, and just two weeks ago enjoyed an 8 days' stay together in El Salvador. We will never forget how happy he was, how much in love, how dedicated to his work. With regard to his work with LACCASO, he was certainly the central point for the success of the Gates/CIDA/GSK project. We could never have made it without him. Always with a smile on his face, and without complaining, he managed the heavy workload the project meant. He also had a great capacity to select those he wanted to work with. We made common travel plans: Mexico in December, Kingston in January, Belize in February, Toronto in August. He loved this kind of life, and we loved to be around him.” “There are no words that can begin to express the sense of loss, dismay, fear, anger and sadness that I feel. As the numbness that had taken over my body and mind subsides I mourn my fallen colleague, weep for my island and celebrate Steve's life. He was a passionate, strong-willed, opinionated ray of light and those hateful, searing bullets cannot, must not erase his memory or legacy!!” “We will always remember Steve's broad smile, generous heart, and easy-going nature. He was a wonderful colleague and friend. May his example help guide and inspire us all to courageously face fear and overcome it with love.” “We from all the regions in Africa mourns with the people of Jamaica for the lose of the beloved and our beloved Steve Harvey, we will always remember you Steve. The people of Jamaica will always remember you.” “Do you think Jamaica will ever learn anything from the Brian Williamson campaign to stop homophobic killing? I am extremely sad at the killing and I think it is an absolute waste of life. My thought and prayers of sympathy will be for the family and friends of Harvey.” Data courtesy UK Blackout |