Dutch Gay Ambassador Transferred To Canada After Partner Harassed In Estonia
by The Associated Press, June 6, 2006
(Amsterdam, Netherlands) The Dutch ambassador to Estonia has left his post for a Canadian assignment, complaining of discrimination and racism, after his same-sex partner was repeatedly harassed on the streets of the capital, Tallinn, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.
Hans Glaubitz will be transferred at his own request, and will join the Dutch consulate in Montreal, said spokesman Herman van Gelderen.
"This is partly because of unpleasant experiences in Tallinn but also partly because we're looking for the best possible people in Montreal,'' Van Gelderen said.
Glaubitz told the ministry that his partner, a black Cuban national, was the target of verbal abuse.
"As far as I know there were no physical attacks, but verbal attacks that were very threatening,'' Van Gelderen said. This occurred a number of times.''
He said Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot will meet with his Estonian counterpart about the matter, "but not in the sense of a diplomatic row.''
"The Estonian government did everything it could never to discriminate'' against Glaubitz and his partner, Van Gelderen said.
The Dutch paper NRC Handelsblad said the harassment began last year after an Estonian weekly paper revealed the pair were gay. The NRC report said racists baited other embassy staff with dark skin.
The paper quoted Glaubitz as saying Estonian "society is far from ready to accept two men (as a couple), especially if one is black.''"We can't do anything about bad manners on the street,'' the diplomat said. "I am, moreover, convinced that most Estonians are very nice and polite.''
Hans Glaubitz will be transferred at his own request, and will join the Dutch consulate in Montreal, said spokesman Herman van Gelderen.
"This is partly because of unpleasant experiences in Tallinn but also partly because we're looking for the best possible people in Montreal,'' Van Gelderen said.
Glaubitz told the ministry that his partner, a black Cuban national, was the target of verbal abuse.
"As far as I know there were no physical attacks, but verbal attacks that were very threatening,'' Van Gelderen said. This occurred a number of times.''
He said Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot will meet with his Estonian counterpart about the matter, "but not in the sense of a diplomatic row.''
"The Estonian government did everything it could never to discriminate'' against Glaubitz and his partner, Van Gelderen said.
The Dutch paper NRC Handelsblad said the harassment began last year after an Estonian weekly paper revealed the pair were gay. The NRC report said racists baited other embassy staff with dark skin.
The paper quoted Glaubitz as saying Estonian "society is far from ready to accept two men (as a couple), especially if one is black.''"We can't do anything about bad manners on the street,'' the diplomat said. "I am, moreover, convinced that most Estonians are very nice and polite.''
2 σχόλια:
ρατσισμός ενάντια σε gay στο τάλλιν είναι πολύ δύσκολο να βρείς και σε καμία περίπτωση το verbal abuse που πέφτει σε πόλεις όπως η αθήνα. ρατσισμός ενάντια σε κάποιον που είναι μαύρος μπορώ να το φανταστώ . οι gay σχέσεις είναι απολύτως αποδεκτές σχεδόν όπως σε χώρες τύπου Ολλανδία.
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