Malawi Gay Couple Return To Respective Homes, American Admiral Mullen Wishes Congress Would Have Delayed Vote To Repeal DADT Till After Review Completed

Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, pardoned and released from prison Saturday were taken back to their separate residences, according to Gift Trapence, the director of the Centre for the Development of the Peoples, a human rights advocacy organization that funded the gay couple’s legal fees. “They were taken back to their home last night by prison authorities,” Trapence said. “The prison authorities told them they had been given instruction from about that they should take them to their respective homes.”Trapence added that authorities had sent them to their village to “avoid any hostility towards them by the public.” In custody since their arrest December 28, the two were subjected to taunts and threats each time they appeared together in court to appear on charges of unnatural acts and gross indecency. Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika, at the request of the United Nations Secretary General Bin Ki-moon, pardoned both men, who were sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour. Their attorney, Muaya Msuku, said he has yet to visit with the couple, but that “they need a rest ... I am glad it is over now.”

While never directly criticizing the White House, United States Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said Sunday that he had hoped Congress would have waited until after a commissioned review by the Pentagon how best to implement a change in policy that will allow gay men and women to serve openly was completed and not before. The study is due December 1st, and will be based on a survey of current armed service members and their families. “Ideally, I would certainly have preferred that legislation not be brought forward in terms of the change until we are completed with that review,” said Mullen. It is really critical to understand the points of view of those it will affect the most as we look at the implementation challenges, should the law change. So we will complete that review and certainly incorporate what we learned from that into implementation when that time comes.”