UN panel cuts gay reference from violence measure

UNITED NATIONS,  (Reuters) – Arab and African nations  succeeded yesterday in getting a U.N. General Assembly panel  to delete from a resolution condemning unjustified executions a  specific reference to killings due to sexual orientation.

Western delegations expressed disappointment in the human  rights committee’s vote to remove the reference to slayings due  to sexual orientation from the resolution on extrajudicial,  summary and arbitrary executions.

“The subject of this amendment — the need for prompt and  thorough investigations of all killing, including those  committed for … sexual orientation — exists in this  resolution simply because it is a continuing cause for  concern,” a British statement to the committee said.

The General Assembly passes a resolution condemning  extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions and other  killings every two years. The 2008 declaration included an  explicit reference to killings committed because of the  victims’ sexual preferences.

But this year, Morocco and Mali introduced an amendment on  behalf of African and Islamic nations that called for deleting  the words “sexual orientation” and replacing them with  “discriminatory reasons on any basis.”

That amendment narrowly passed 79-70. The resolution then  was approved by the committee, which includes all 192 U.N.  member states, with 165 in favor, 10 abstentions and no votes  against.

The U.S. delegation voted against the deletion but  abstained from the vote on the final resolution. Diplomats said  the U.S. delegation also voiced disappointment at the decision  to remove the reference to sexual orientation.