In an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh said homosexuality poses the largest threat to civilization around the world, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Jammeh added that greed and obsession, in addition to homosexuality, "are more deadly than all natural disasters put together."
The president's comments did not come as a suprise. In 2008, he threatened to cut the heads off of all gays and lesbians unless they left the country.
Earlier this year, he warned that any gays or lesbians in Gambia will "regret" being born.
"Homosexuality is anti-god, anti-human, and anti-civilization. Homosexuals are not welcome in the Gambia. If we catch you, you will regret why you are born. I have buffalos from South Africa and Brazil and they never date each other. We are ready to eat grass but we will not compromise on this. Allowing homosexuality means allowing satanic rights. We will not allow gays here," he said at the opening of parliament.
Dr. Stefan Baral, a public health expert and human rights advocate who has extensively analyzed Gambia's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population, said the president's anti-gay language is a public health issue, given the country's high HIV rate.
He also received international criticism for claiming he could cure AIDS with an herbal body rub and bananas.
Jammeh was elected as president in 1996 following a military coup two years earlier. Despite his reputation for charity, he has been accusing of certain rights violations.
Deyda Hydara, former editor of The Point Newspaper who was openly critical of Jammeh, was killed in December 2004. Shortly after his death, stricter regulations were placed on the press.
The Gambian leader was also accused of several human rights abuses, specifically regarding the murder of 12 students and 1 journalist during a demonstration in 2000.
