U r right, people should understand that a culture/tradition is just a way of living and should be changed gradually and that is called EVOLUTON. It is high time to stop female circumcision, it is not humain at all. I RATHER CALL IT PERVO. MACOU. >From: Ndey Jobarteh <[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; My View. >Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2000 22:07:23 +0200 > >The issue of FGM has been a very sensitive, delicate issue and women are >saying that we have enough of this hypocrisy. We are been mutilated and it >is time to say no to it and that is exactly what is happening. I even >refused to called it female circumcision because it makes it look nice and >neat, it is mutilation. > >I had debated on this issue on many occasion but the most horrible of all >is my experience at a hospital in UK. I was admitted at the hospital in UK >on the maternity ward. A Somali woman was my neighbour her bed next to >mine. We became friends and as Africans this was easy.Her baby was due >and shewas just waiting to deliver. In the middle of the night , i will >never forget this experience,when this woman was about to diliverthe baby >could not come out. This poor baby was forcing her way out but could not >because this woman was mutilated and sewed. So, the nurses have to rush her >to the Labour Ward. I even quarrelled with one of the nurses who was >telling the woman that she should have informed them of it, they could have >cut the stitches. I said to her that you cannot talk to her like that when >she is in such a pain. They had to call around, chasing doctors who can >perform that kind of surgery but it was getting late. So they have to make >a decision to operate the woman if not the baby won't survive. > >The poor woman did not want caesarean but did she have any choice? Did her >parents give her any choice? Did society give her any choice? Did tradition >give this woman any choice? I could not sleep for days, I went to work >telling my colleagues about this horror and i said to myself this is just >the beginning of the fight. Our tradition should protect us and not kill >us. > >The Struggle Continues! >Ndey Jobarteh > >----- Original eMessage ----- >From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Sunday, October 08, 2000 9:02 PM >Subject: Re: Female circumcision; My View. > > > > In a message dated 10/8/00 2:24:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > > [log in to unmask] writes: > > > > << Our mothers and grandmothers may not agree with us because they've >lived > > their lives believing that it is part of our culture and tradition we >must > > not change, but you'll be surprised what a little bit of education and > > dialogue can do. During my visit to Gambia last year, I had a >conversation > > with a mother who feels that if I give birth to a daughter, I must take >her > > to Gambia for circumcision. As liberated as I thought I am, you can >imagine > > the look on my face as this question was dropped on my lap so >unexpectedly; > > and I had to compose myself and prepare a response that would show this > > lovely mother what my decision was NEVER to do that. At the end of our > > debate, she did not agree with me, but respected my decision without >any > > hard > > feelings. I think we can make a lot of progress that way: take a >stance and > > maintain your principles, but have respect for your co-debater on this >issue > > -- in the final analysis, statistics will show who the winner is. > > > > Regards, > > > > > > Awa Sey > > ******************************** > > I also believe that this is precisely the only way that we can change >some > > aspects of our culture that are negative and harmful.Every generation > > contributes to what is ultimately viewed as "our culture", and it is up >to > > each new generation to do their part to weed out the negative and > > unproductive aspects of the culture, and to add a few positive aspects >of > > their own. The views and practices that the future generations will have > > depends entirely on how we raise our sons and daughters today. > > > > We do have a lot of respect for our elders, but if we find that they are > > insisting on holding on to some practices that are harmful to us as a >people > > and a society, what we do is to just make sure we instill in our >children , > > the will to say no to those practices, and we will surely watch their >demise. > > > > While some young ladies find themselves in the midst of people who will >even > > drag them to these events if they resist, I think that most young ladies >can > > successfully resist being subject to this degrading and painful >experience > > nowadays. The key to ending this practice lies in our hands as parents >of > > this present generation. Like the "say no to drugs" adage of the 80's >here in > > the U.S, we must teach our daughters to say no to this harmful practice. >At > > the same time, we must also organize support groups that will lend >support to > > those who may still encounter forces that will try to subject them to >FGM > > against their will.With a little effort, we will not have to worry about >this > > anymore. > > Have we not eliminated the arranged marriages and other negative >aspects of > > our culture that were the order of the day even in my generation? How >well I > > remember two distinct occasions when I was the subject of such an >attempted > > arrangement, and all I had to do was say no, and remain adamant, and I >had > > the support of one sole individual in the family, my aunt Ida Jallow, >and > > that was all the lifeline I needed to stand my ground. I was terrified > > because my grandmother in particular was raining all sorts of words in >my > > ears about the lack of respect of this present generation, but in the >end > > when it was realized by all that I was going to stand my ground, the >subject > > was dropped, just like that. > > I am sure our daughters and sisters can display the same strong will to > > resist something that is harmful and senseless, and with the suport of > > parents, sisters and others in the community, there is no way this >practice > > can survive. > > > > > > Jabou Joh > > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >Gambia-L > > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] > > if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write >your full name and e-mail address. > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your >full name and e-mail address. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. 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