Faeroe Islands
ban discrimination against gay people

The Faeroe Islands on Friday voted to ban discrimination against gay people in the Danish semiautonomous territory. In a 17-15 vote, Faeroese lawmakers included the words sexual orientation in the islands' antidiscrimination law. The issue had been under heated debate on the islands after the 32-member Lagtinget last year turned down a similar proposal. Those who opposed the bill argued that homosexuality is against the Bible. "We're very, very happy. To us it has been a matter of human rights," said Annita a Fridriksmoerk, who proposed the bill together with a Republican Party colleague. "The Faeroese law was limping behind other modern societies," she said by telephone. About 48,000 people live on the Faeroe Islands, a tiny fishing community between Scotland and Iceland that has strong Christian traditions. Discrimination against gay people on the islands is rare but became a hot topic in September after Rasmus Rasmussen, a 25-year-old openly gay musician, allegedly was assaulted by five men in Torshavn, the capital. Police were reluctant to investigate the case as a hate crime, saying discrimination against gays was not illegal on the Faeroes. In 1989, Denmark became the first country to recognize same-sex partnerships, but the Faeroe Islands still opposes such unions. The Danish territory has wide-ranging autonomy to set its own laws except on defense and foreign policy matters. (AP)