Talk:International Lesbian and Gay Association/links to pedophile organisations

Links to pedophile organisations

During the nineties the ILGA became embroiled in a controversy concerning some of its members, which in 1993 included groups like NAMBLA, MARTIJN, and Project Truth. The ILGA were widely criticised for its acceptance of such groups, especially by other gay rights such as GLAAD[1]

Pressure from American right-wing groups and politicians began to be exerted on ILGA to expel its pedophile organization members. The US Mission to the UN asked ILGA to "disassociate itself from NAMBLA and other affiliate organizations" whose "objectives are not consonant with the UN's human rights activities".

In November of 1993, the executive committee declared that ILGA "condems pedophilia" and asked NAMBLA, Martijn, and Project Truth to resign voluntarily from ILGA. None of the groups agreed to do so. On the 15th of November, NAMBLA issued a press release reaffirming its membership in ILGA.

In January 1994, the American Senate, on the motion of the right-wing senator Jesse Helms, unanimously decided that the USA had to withhold funds of more than 118 million dollars due to the UN and its sub-organizations unless the President of the USA could certify to the Congress by 30 September 1994 that no agency of the United Nations 'grants any official status, accreditation or recognition to any organization which promotes, condones or seeks the legalization of pedophilia or which includes as a subsidiary or member any such organization'. (From the VSG release)

On June 23, 1994, at the Annual Conference, NAMBLA, Martijn and Project Truth were expelled from ILGA, on the motion of the executive committee, and it was decided that 'groups or associations whose predominant aim is to support or promote pedophilia are incompatible with the future development of ILGA'.

In October 1994, the executive committee of ILGA suspended the membership of VSG, one of the largest gay groups in Germany, due to its vocal solidarity with NAMBLA and its refusal to purge pedophile members. Its membership was suspended until the next Annual Conference of ILGA in June 1995 when the matter could be dealt with in accordance to ILGA's constitution, namely, expulsion.

On April 25, 1995, 'Verein für sexuelle Gleichberechtigung" (VSG) wrote a bulletin in regard to its suspended ILGA membership.

On September 16, 1995, on the motion of the United States, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) suspended ILGA's consultative status and sent the matter to its Non-Governmental Organizations Committee in order to assess whether or not ILGA was in compliance with the Helms amendment, and do decide whether to restore status, or cancel it.