A Gambia girl living in the UK, Awa Tunkara is currently fighting deportation to The Gambia. She fears that she will be prosecuted because of her sexuality. Speaking to Freedom Radio, she disclosed that she is in a relationship with a British girl. 

Awa was due to be deported last Wednesday, but the campaign group, Movement for Justice by Any Means Necessary is helping her to challenge the UK Border Agency’s decision to deport her.  The group said in a newspaper interview: “Despite having gathered evidence for a fresh claim, including several statements from friends who knew her in the Gambia, the Home Office plans to deport her to the Gambia this week.” 

They added: “Awa faces certain persecution and the likelihood of rape, forced marriage, torture and imprisonment in the Gambia; she will have to live in hiding to survive, as other lesbians have had to when sent back by the Home Office.” 

Since we posted the story on our Facebook page, Gambians have been expressing their anger, surprise and betrayal. One Adama Sumareh wrote that Awa is lying about her sexuality in order to gain the right to stay in the UK. 

“This is Gambia and we are not going to accept any homosexual or lesbian because it’s a Muslim country and its haram,” wrote Big Sam 

Khadijah Ebrahim Jabbi Gassama argued that homosexuality is unafrican, ungodly and unnatural.  She added: “Sister I wish you would turn your life around.” 

Dada King Omzy commented: “Let Awa stop kidding. She does have feelings for men. You cannot say you are wiser than God, who created you ad says men for women and women for men. Do you want to say God has forgotten your feelings when creating you?” 

But Gambian-US based model, Fayer Faye called all the insults rained on Awa as “stupidity to the highest degree.” 

She wrote on the Facebook page, PimpimCorner: “I been having gay friends since I was in junior school and I was born and brought up in Gambia” 

Awa Tunkara is not the first Gambian lesbian to fight deportation to The Gambia. In June, 2013 a petition was launched for one Isatou, a bisexual woman. She was also fighting for the right to remain in the UK. 

 

Photo: Movement for Justice by Any Means Necessary (Facebook)