To all,

Sorry for the typing errors on the mail posted earlier but I hope you will
seive through and take the essence from the rubbish.

Amie.


>From: AMIE BOJANG-SISSOHO <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Female Circumcision
>Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 10:24:58 -0000
>
>Mr Conteh,
>
>You you want to wait until you have evidence of the dead child to tell your
>grandmother that FGM is a harmful practice?  I had an article on the FEMALE
>CIRCUMCISSION OR FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION published in the observer
>sometime ago I will try t get the original and post it on the L for some of
>us to try and understasnd that we are not dealing with semantics but the
>cutting of part(s) of the girls body that affectes her later as a woman's.
>Th most ecent case I have withness was in December 2000,  when a 25 year
>young woman got married and only then that it was realised that the effect
>of the act done on her. She was a baby, two weeks old.  This was 25 years
>ago and the circumcisor was then proud that it only took three day and the
>girl was healed.  She assumed she did female circumscission.
>
>By the way, my grandmother was also amongst the group of ealders in Kombo
>South who led other women for the continuity of the practice, but that
>doesn't justify that I should not campaign against it when I became more
>aware of its consequencies.  She said the same for food taboo and girls
>education but those things are no longer taboos as they were ten years ago.
>
>Sorry to bother you with things you may have already known.
>
>Amie.
>
>
>>From: Lamine Conteh <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Female Circumcision
>>Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 18:06:39 -0500
>>
>>Comrades:
>>
>>Now that Mr. Hernlund has co authored a book on
>>female circumcision, I wonder how much he will
>>earmark in educating us about any potential
>>danger on this sensitive issue.
>>
>>Being a child of the rural areas, I am skeptical
>>of  the net effect of Mr. Hernlund's narratives.
>>I am proud to say that no one has died of
>>complications as a result of female circumcision
>>in my native Kombo East District, despite western
>>illusions.  My grandmother who was one of the
>>elders of this tradition had always told me to
>>not even discuss this topic because it is a
>>woman's issue.
>>
>>I am concern that some women have taken this as
>>a crusade for women's rights.  With all due
>>respect, we can convince our elders if we
>>approach female circumcision from a moderate
>>point of view.  The word "FGM" if interpreted in
>>any Gambian language will upset many Gambian
>>women.  I think "FGM" should be replaced with
>>just female circumcision. I want to assure The
>>Gambian women that I believe in gender equality.
>>I am, however concern about the division this
>>might cause in our society.  Please let us use
>>our culture to curb female circumcision.
>>
>>In trying to reach your audience one has to be
>>very careful in the choice of words.  Those who
>>are advocating a ban on female circumcision
>>should try and live with the locals and assimilate
>>in the culture before they bombard them with their        western
>>ideologies.
>>
>>I hope the audience is not interpreting my             annunciation has a
>>proponent of female circumcision.           In fact, I am oppose to it,
>>but
>>I would rather             engage The Gambian women from a lay person's
>>point of view than subject them to western illusions.          Our African
>>culture should stay intact, but we also
>>must change as the world changes around us.                      An elder
>>in
>>the rural areas or in the cities
>>of The Gambia will understand us clearly if we
>>approach them in our rich Gambian culture.                       We must
>>clearly know that western ideologies                     are not supreme.
>>
>>With the passage of time the West has tried numerous
>>times to set the clock for us.  Some people have
>>come with false hope of salvaging us.  It is sad to
>>say that this people are only interested in enriching
>>themselves.
>>
>>Naphiyo,
>>
>>Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
>>
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