Lamin,
Please be assured that Ylva, though a Toubab is a one of the few resourceful
WOMEN to deal with this woman's issue! There is a lot of evidence on that in
Gambia-l archives.

Malanding



----- Original Message -----
From: "Lamine Conteh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 6:06 PM
Subject: Female Circumcision


> 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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