Serves me right for not reading Gambia-l postings before sending my own. I just sent a post on this same Point article about "Imam" Leigh. You can't say too much about the man, though. Ousman >From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: 4th Branch of the Government Speaks - Imam Fatty >Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 18:41:37 +0000 >MIME-Version: 1.0 >X-Originating-IP: [64.241.230.3] >Received: from [149.68.45.24] by hotmail.com (3.2) with ESMTP id >MHotMailBEA953AB009F4004321B95442D180A276; Mon, 13 May 2002 11:43:10 -0700 >Received: from maelstrom.stjohns.edu (149.68.45.24) by >maelstrom.stjohns.edu (LSMTP for OpenVMS v1.1a) with SMTP id ><[log in to unmask]>; Mon, 13 May 2002 14:41:45 -0500 >Received: from MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU by MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU >(LISTSERV-TCP/IP release 1.8d) with spool id 565620 for >[log in to unmask]; Mon, 13 May 2002 14:41:40 -0500 >Received: from hotmail.com (64.4.15.44) by maelstrom.stjohns.edu (LSMTP for > OpenVMS v1.1a) with SMTP id <[log in to unmask]>; >Mon, 13 May 2002 14:41:39 -0500 >Received: from mail pickup service by hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; >Mon, 13 May 2002 11:41:37 -0700 >Received: from 64.241.230.3 by lw10fd.law10.hotmail.msn.com with HTTP; Mon, >13 May 2002 18:41:37 GMT >From [log in to unmask] Mon, 13 May 2002 11:43:49 -0700 >X-OriginalArrivalTime: 13 May 2002 18:41:37.0578 (UTC) > FILETIME=[D066F8A0:01C1FAAD] >Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> >Sender: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> > >Uh! Uh! Uh! > >Chi Jaama > >Joe Sambou > >Imam Fatty Calls For Circumcision > > >The State House Imam, Alhagie Abdoulie Fatty, has called on Gambian >communities to circumcise their children, saying that the ongoing anti FGM >campaign is West- motivated, calculated to undermine Gambia’s cultural >norms >and values. The Imam, who has made a name for himself for his stance in >favour of FGM, accused the West of sponsoring certain non governmental >organisations in the country in a bid to propagate an anti FGM campaign. >“The whole campaign against FGM is Western motivated, because, for example, >if you look at the NGOs fighting against FGM, they are sponsored by the >West. It is aimed at undermining our traditional beliefs,” said Imam Fatty. > >Imam Fatty said female circumcision would help to reduce the sexual passion >of women and those engaged in the practice have very good reasons of doing >it. “I am appealing to the communities doing female circumcision to >continue >with the practice, because it is recognised by Islam. The only thing is >they >should abide by the teachings of sharia and do it the way it is compatable >with the teachings of Shaira’ said the Imam, while calling on Gambain >authorities to create clinics that will help to take care of children >during >circumcision. > >The Imam added that female circumcision has been going on for the past >thousand years and called on those opposed to the practice to give peace to >communities so that they could continue with the practice which has been >recognised by Islam. Reacting to the story Imam Baba Leigh, who is in >charge >of religious affairs at the Gambia Committee Against Traditional Harmful >practices or (Gamcotrap), said: “I am yet to be convinced that female >circumcision is a Western motivated thing to undermine our religion and our >traditional beliefs in the sense that not all Muslims are doing it and it >is >not a religious injunction. > >There is no proof that the Prophet and his family has practised it or he >advised people to practise it.” While conceding that female circumcision is >a deeply rooted culture, Imam Leigh said the fight against FGM requires >vigorous campaign. He observed that FGM has a negative impact on the lives >of children, noting that some of these kids exposed to the practice usually >experienced a lot of pain and trauma. He added some of the instrument used >to circumcise the children are not sterilised and could be deadly to >children. > >“Cutting the genital part of a woman, is Islamically unacceptable simply >because medical personnels know the harmful side of it, and with this >generation at that when we are talking about HIV/AIDS and all the stds. It >is more than the word dangerious, so if you are encouraging people to >circumcise their children under this circumstances really, it is imortant >for people to review your position in the society. Do you love society? the >Kanifing East Imam asked. > > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ousman Email: [log in to unmask] _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~