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(CNN) - In an extraordinary decision, the State Department withdrew the US ambassador to Zambia after the president of that country opposed the harsh criticism of the diplomat against the government's background on corruption and the rights of homosexuals
The withdrawal of an ambassador is unusual, especially when the official is working for US values abroad.
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In a scathing statement on December 2, Ambassador Daniel Foote criticized people in the Christian and conservative country who compare homosexuality with bestiality and said he was surprised by the "poison and hate" he received in criticizing the sentence of 15 years in prison against two men in prison for having a gay relationship. In Zambia, same-sex relationships are illegal.
The severe tone of Foote's comments was unusual as it was the public pronouncement by an American diplomat. Foote further criticized Zambian government officials for "stealing millions of dollars in public funds," which the country's administration denies.
"The current Zambian government wants foreign diplomats to be compliant, with open pockets and closed mouths," Foote wrote, noting that the United States provides "$ 500 million annually of US debt-free support for the people of Zambia."
A spokesman for the State Department said in a statement that the entity was “dismayed by the Zambian government's statement that Ambassador Foote's position 'is no longer sustainable', something we consider as the equivalent of a statement that the Ambassador is persona non grata… The United States strongly opposes abuses against LGBTI people. ”
Zambia state media announced that the president, Edgar Lungu, had written to the United States calling for the withdrawal of Foote.
"We have officially complained to the US government and we are waiting for your response," Lungu said in a speech issued on December 15.
Lungu accused Foote of being "disrespectful" on the issue of LGBTQ rights in an interview with Sky News earlier this month, while defending Zambia's laws against homosexuality, comparing it to bestiality.
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Foote is a professional member of the foreign service and was appointed U.S. ambassador to Zambia in November 2017.
And in his letter, Foote wrote that he had not significantly improved relations with the country.
"In my two years, I have strived to improve collaboration between the United States and Zambia, with minimal success," he said.
“Let's stop the facade that our governments enjoy 'warm and cordial' relationships. The current Zambian government wants foreign diplomats to be compliant, with open pockets and closed mouths, ”he added.
LGBTIQ freedoms are among the rights that the US government has. and the State Department have publicly pledged to defend, but the Trump administration has been criticized for some of its actions in these matters.
LGBTIQ groups questioned the government's decision to ban transgender Americans from serving openly in the Army.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as the country's main diplomat, has sent messages of support to LGBTQ people, with statements celebrating the month of gay pride. However, it has also restricted embassies from raising the flags of this community. Pompeo also supports organizations such as the Family Research Council, which opposes same-sex marriage.
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Last week, US officials led an effort at the UN to call 69 countries that criminalize same-sex relationships and urged to protect the LGBTQ community. That initiative was at the head of the United States ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft, and the US ambassador. in Germany, Ric Grenell. The White House tweeted a video highlighting the comments that Grenell and Craft made during that meeting.
"I want them to understand that you can't put someone in jail or kill someone simply because they are gay," said Grenell, who is gay.
“This is the first independent meeting on the decriminalization of homosexuality sponsored by the United States. So, what we are trying to do is unite around something that is absolutely a matter of union, which is the decriminalization of homosexuality, ”he added.
LGBTI Community Ambassador Ambassador United States Zambia