I would like to extend my sympathy to the gays and lesbians of Namibia (in southern Africa), who are experiencing a time of trial and trauma in their country only because they were born homosexual. As many of us know, President Sam Nujoma has instructed his forces to identify and arrest homosexuals.

His inflammatory remarks have included the statement that any homosexual arriving at the airport in Windhoek will be immediately deported by putting him/her on the same plane back out of the country. "Definitely (homosexuality is) against God's will. It is the devil at work. We will combat this with vigour; we will make sure that Namibia will get rid of lesbianism and homosexuality.”

Nujoma has also spoken out against gay weddings in Holland, saying: "How can a man marry a man or a woman marry a woman?"

Gay men and lesbians in Namibia have been contacting European embassies about trying to make claims for asylum.

The South African High Commission has been holding informal discussions about allowing gay men and lesbians to enter the country as refugees. South Africa's constitution protects the gays and lesbians who are its citizens. It adjoins Namibia and would be the most likely and closest haven for the Namibian gay refugees.

Although Nujoma's attitude is a political embarrassment to the country, it does not seem embarrassing enough, despite opposition from other political forces in the country, to make the president keep his silence.

This strikes me as an ideal opportunity for our own compassionately conservative president to offer temporary asylum at the U.S. Embassy in Windhoek on behalf of the considerable African-American population of the USA.

It has been said that on the strength of Nujoma's frightening remarks, ordinary citizens have come to feel that open season has been declared on gays and lesbians. That could be dangerous in a country famous for hunting safaris attracting international visitors to the Etosha Pan, where Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton used to own a lodge.

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