Dear GL:ers, I cannot say that I have followed this debate very carefully. Somebody that has a great knowledge in Islam told me that FGM is against the Islamic rules. Can anyone tell me how it is with that? I am sorry if the answer has been written before, as I told you I have not followed this issue very good. Greetings from a Sweden where spring is coming... from Monica Ceesay. Quoting momodou olly-mboge <[log in to unmask]>: > <html><DIV> > <P>Mr Conteh,</P> > <P>With respect, i think your position on Female Genital Mutilation is > simply wrong. You said that you are proud that no one have died > from this practice. How did you come to such a conclusion? What are > the facts that back your evidence? It is not enough to say that your grand > mother counselled you not to discuss such a sensitive issue. Those > who are really qualify to talk on this issue are those who went through > this ancient practice. </P> > <P>One of the contributors on the L who have gone through such a practice > and who is relentlessly campaigning for the abandonment of this > practice is my sister. She is not spurred by any western > ideology. She is simply against such a practice because FGM do not > serve any positive purpose. It rather traumatises our > women. Some of our sisters engaged in the struggle > to eradicate this practice are culturally more aware than > many of us. There campaign have been waged in the tradition of > respect for elders. My sister have been engaging our elders > for many years on the FGM issue. She have no illusion that it is an > easy task. Of course it is difficult but by God it is worth it. I > wish her and everyone all the best in this noble task.</P> > <P>I think also we should go beyond this continuous chiding of western > ideology. Culture is a living thing. It is always > changing. It has never been static. For me, good cultural > practices, good education and health practices are universal. They no > boundaries. </P> > <P>Bravo Ms Herlund.</P> > <P>Regards,</P> > <P>Mboge</P> > <P> </P> > <P> </P></DIV> > <DIV></DIV> > <DIV></DIV>>From: Lamine Conteh <[log in to unmask]> > <DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related- issues mailing list > <[log in to unmask]> > <DIV></DIV>>To: [log in to unmask] > <DIV></DIV>>Subject: Female Circumcision > <DIV></DIV>>Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 18:06:39 -0500 > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>Comrades: > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>Now that Mr. Hernlund has co authored a book on > <DIV></DIV>>female circumcision, I wonder how much he will > <DIV></DIV>>earmark in educating us about any potential > <DIV></DIV>>danger on this sensitive issue. > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>Being a child of the rural areas, I am skeptical > <DIV></DIV>>of the net effect of Mr. Hernlund's narratives. > <DIV></DIV>>I am proud to say that no one has died of > <DIV></DIV>>complications as a result of female circumcision > <DIV></DIV>>in my native Kombo East District, despite western > <DIV></DIV>>illusions. My grandmother who was one of the > <DIV></DIV>>elders of this tradition had always told me to > <DIV></DIV>>not even discuss this topic because it is a > <DIV></DIV>>woman's issue. > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>I am concern that some women have taken this as > <DIV></DIV>>a crusade for women's rights. With all due > <DIV></DIV>>respect, we can convince our elders if we > <DIV></DIV>>approach female circumcision from a moderate > <DIV></DIV>>point of view. The word "FGM" if interpreted in > <DIV></DIV>>any Gambian language will upset many Gambian > <DIV></DIV>>women. I think "FGM" should be replaced with > <DIV></DIV>>just female circumcision. I want to assure The > <DIV></DIV>>Gambian women that I believe in gender equality. > <DIV></DIV>>I am, however concern about the division this > <DIV></DIV>>might cause in our society. Please let us use > <DIV></DIV>>our culture to curb female circumcision. > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>In trying to reach your audience one has to be > <DIV></DIV>>very careful in the choice of words. Those who > <DIV></DIV>>are advocating a ban on female circumcision > <DIV></DIV>>should try and live with the locals and assimilate > <DIV></DIV>>in the culture before they bombard them with their western > <DIV></DIV>>ideologies. > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>I hope the audience is not interpreting my annunciation has > a > <DIV></DIV>>proponent of female circumcision. In fact, I am oppose to > it, but > <DIV></DIV>>I would rather engage The Gambian women from a lay person's > <DIV></DIV>>point of view than subject them to western illusions. Our > African > <DIV></DIV>>culture should stay intact, but we also > <DIV></DIV>>must change as the world changes around us. An elder in > <DIV></DIV>>the rural areas or in the cities > <DIV></DIV>>of The Gambia will understand us clearly if we > <DIV></DIV>>approach them in our rich Gambian culture. We must > <DIV></DIV>>clearly know that western ideologies are not supreme. > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>With the passage of time the West has tried numerous > <DIV></DIV>>times to set the clock for us. Some people have > <DIV></DIV>>come with false hope of salvaging us. It is sad to > <DIV></DIV>>say that this people are only interested in enriching > <DIV></DIV>>themselves. > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>Naphiyo, > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>--------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- > <DIV></DIV>> > <DIV></DIV>>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to > the Gambia-L > <DIV></DIV>>Web interface at: > http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > <DIV></DIV>>You may also send subscription requests to > [log in to unmask] > <DIV></DIV>>if you have problems accessing the web interface and > remember to write your full name and e-mail address. > <DIV></DIV>>--------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- > <DIV></DIV><br clear=all><hr>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <a > href="http://explorer.msn.com">http://explorer.msn.com</ a><br></p></html> > > ------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- > > 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. > ------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- > ................................................................ 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