Greetings.

Thank you for your support.  BUT, I have to again stress that this book
is a much more neutral work than the approach you take.  We do present the
view you and many others on the list hold, but ALSO the opinions and
arguments of those for whom this is a highly meaningful practice. I think
we need to be VERY careful to avoid using inflammatory language, such as
"barbaric."  We all know that the people in Gambia who pratice
this thing are NOT ignorant, stupid people with no understanding of right
and wrong.

What I was so struck by when I closely followed the work of both
GamcoTRAP and APGWA, was how very respectful and culturally intelligent
their approaches were.  Never did someone like Amie or Isatou Touray or
Mary Small or Binta Sidibeh go out into a community and castigate people
and call their practices barbaric.  That can only lead to alienation.
Instead, I found debates in village workshops to be open, tolerant,
intelligent and even humorous, and there was always an opportunity for
everyone to come out with their point, regardless of their position.
I think we should emulate that on this list.

Nonetheless, I thank you for your interest and support and look forward to
your reactions to the book.  Best, Ylva


 On Thu, 29 Mar 2001 [log in to unmask] wrote:

> Hello Ylva,
>          I have always and will continue be an ardent opponent of FGM.
> Personally, I want to thank you and congratulate you for your grandiose
> efforts to fight this barbaric practice. YOU ROCKS!
>          One thing is clear reading the exchanges on the list is that
> Gambians
> share a different paradigm when it comes to its application and
> contradictions.
> When educated people want to quantify the benefits of an openly proven theory
> that FGM has no medical significant to the millions of victims of this
> dehumanizing
> practice, it makes me wonder if it is the results of the research they are
> worried about or the fear of shifting paradigms.
>          I have ordered your book to help support the brave cause you and
> your colleagues are doing to help end this form of abuse to particularly,
> young women who are the victims of this practice. If people like Mr. Conteh
> disagrees with the tools and methodologies used in your research, I advice
> him to conduct his own studies and brief us with his results.
>         Finally, please continue your qualitative approach to this issue. I
> will send you my thoughts about the book once I read it.
>
> GO GIRL,
> Sincerely,
> Matarr Sajaw
>
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