Brunei

I understand now EllanVannin, however, a Commonwealth country should agree to adhere to better human rights or it has no place in the Commonwealth.

It's an Islamic ruling so who are we to argue ?

Callistemon, I'm aware that Dubai isn't part of the Commonwealth but they have the same religions and laws as Brunei. That's why I compared them.

GrannyGravy I wouldn't say it was a particularly safe place ( S.A. ) as one of my step GS's went, supposedly for two years with his regiment, the Scots Guards. He took wife and daughter in 2017, were originally there until this Sept/Oct, but for reasons only he knows they returned back here last year just before Christmas, a year short of the original arrangement. They were staying in Kenya.

Monday 11th March 2019
The Queen's address at the Commonwealth Service: A Celebration of the Commonwealth at Westminster Abbey:

As we give thanks for our connections across the world, let us pray that we may dwell together in peace,
Prayers were said by Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers, representing Reformed Judaism; Maulana Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi, Shia Muslim community; Lord Singh of Wimbledon, Sikh community; and Father Daniel Humphreys, Roman Catholic Church.

www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/commonwealth-service-2019

They were not all listening, were they.

Amnesty International have called for the immediate repeal of the law under International Human Rights Law. Under International Law stoning and amputation constitute torture. What a disgrace for Britain to be associated with this barbaric treatment.

Amnesty calls upon the Brunei Government to refrain from implementing the laws and asks the international community to condemn Brunei.

Commonwealth nations should expel them and Britain should bring the army home.

Anyone who's ever been to Dubai will note that certain behaviours there will attract a penalty.
But Dubai is not a member of The Commonwealth. What is the point of comparing a non-Commonwealth country with Brunei?

The Commonwealth has certain rules regarding human rights which members should adhere to.
We should be persuading them to adopt those rules or they should be forced out.

Anyone with a heart boycotted SA goods.

mcem I boycotted all South African products. MrGG13 wants to travel to SA but I still have reservations about the country. (Yes I know I am odd)

Surely I am not the only one on GN who boycotted South African oranges?

Unfortutunately there are lots of Commonwealth countries whose human rights are questionable, Homosexuality illegal, women castigated and subjected to unacceptable limitations as they go about their daily lives.

Brunei adopting strict Sharia Law will not be influenced by outside forces. Their leader is an educated man, he knew what the worlds reaction to this would be and went ahead regardless.

I wish I knew what I / We as individuals could do to influence any of these barbaric practices in any of the Commonwealth Countries but so far I have come up with zilch???

Well personally I don’t visit countries like that but I agree that if you visit a country you have to accept its laws

What other countries do or don't do is of no concern to me and if visiting those countries I abide by their rules commonwealth or not. I wouldn't dream of telling them or anyone how to run/rule their country be it for religious reasons or as in apartheid, being segregated.

In this particular case in Brunei, I notice the usual and predictable " celebrities " are in on it Zzzzzzzz.

I think you are missing the point EV. This is about a member of the Commonwealth and we have a perfect right to criticise its behaviour ( as we still would even if it wasn’t) Would you not have criticised apartheid?

We have even more drastic rules on our doorstep in Northern Ireland where abortion is illegal. Shouldn't we worry about that instead ?

Absolutely no place for countries like this in the commonwealth. Expel Brunei publicly and at once!

Anyone who's ever been to Dubai will note that certain behaviours there will attract a penalty.
These are rules of a country------deal with it.

Maryeliza, no, it doesn't have any relevance other than it was caused by interference !

From the BBC website

“What is punishable under the changes to the penal code?
The law mostly applies to Muslims, including children who have reached puberty, though some aspects will apply to non-Muslims.
Under the new laws, individuals accused of certain acts will be convicted if they confess or if there were witnesses present.
Offences such as rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insult or defamation of the Prophet Muhammad will carry the maximum penalty of death.
Lesbian sex carries a different penalty of 40 strokes of the cane and/or a maximum of 10 years in jail
The punishment for theft is amputation
Those who "persuade, tell or encourage" Muslim children under the age of 18 "to accept the teachings of religions other than Islam" are liable to a fine or jail
Individuals who have not reached puberty but are convicted of certain offences may be instead subjected to whipping.”

I simply cannot imagine anyone throwing stones at someone until they're dead. Imagine for one moment how that feels, and to be killed for their sexuality, is horrific; something which is innate to the person/persons and nothing they can prevent or avoid. Adultery was also included in the news item I read.

Yes we did - we’ve interfered a lot. But I’m not sure that this is relevant to discussing Brunei

Maryeliza----we interfered in Iraq when Saddam Hussein was leader and look what happened there !

What exactly are you trying to say EV? That we should accept this and not protest?

Really?

I don’t think it’s ‘interfering’ to protest against regimes and laws in other countries. Interfering is what the USA is very good at when they fund and support coups in other countries to get rid of regimes they don’t approve of eg Chile

The fact that Brunei is a member of the Comminwealth is very germane to this discussion imo. The Commonwealth website talks about shared values including democracy and human rights. South Africa had eventually to withdraw from the Commonwealth because of its apartheid regime. Personally I think it’s wrong that other Commonwealth countries have laws against homosexuality. All these countries benefit from membership and we should ensure that basic human rights apply - but then look at NI - we allow them to ignore certain human rights. Apparently w.e have troops in Brunei and the Defence Secretary is seeking assurances from the Sultan that this law will not apply to any British soldiers stationed there.