Thank you Isatou for your comments. If you can, please join Jamila and I in
Gambia next year.  Like I said, the more support we have the stronger our
fight.

Ramatoulie


>From: Isatou Njie <[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 - What Should Be The Approach To
>    Faciliating Positive Change
>Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 09:23:39 -0700
>
>Ramatoulie:
>I think this is definitely a good starting point. I
>mentioned in a posting last week that we need to get
>motivated and take on the task of educating our
>people. One might think that it could be difficult
>with us being in the States, but as you mentioned,
>some of us do have the privilege to visit Gambia once
>in a while. My suggestion is that we as concerned
>citizens should form a task force and get some
>materials together which can be distributed to friends
>and families. The few of us who might be fortunate to
>make the trip can use the materials to educate and
>empower the people to change. Personally, I think this
>can be done if we can get some people to believe in
>the need to change. Contacting The World Health
>Organization, and Ms. Melching could be a good
>referencing source.I just hope that this vision that
>we have for change can be share by all......
>--- Ramatoulie Gillen <[log in to unmask]>
>wrote:
> > Jamila,
> >        I also have been reading the postings on the
> > L. Some of the arguments
> > were good. However, some were saying that we can't
> > stop the immoral act?
> > others saying that it will be slow and so on.
> > something must be done
> > immediately.  The UNICEF reports that 6,000 girls
> > around the world are
> > subjected to FGM every day....And so as I write now,
> > my heart hurts so
> > painfully that my fingers tremble and I
> > traumatically flinch to the
> > knowledge that there is a child screaming for our
> > help right at this
> > moment....help from us, the unknown because her
> > mother, the known, is
> > outside dancing and chanting to the occasion with
> > family and friends.
> >
> > As I reflect back to some of these responses, I feel
> > as helpless as that
> > little girl currently under the razor blade.  Right
> > now I could not help but
> > join her creams...as tears fell down our cheeks, we
> > are screaming for your
> > help Gambia Lers. Let us stop the pessimisms and
> > arguments, and start doing
> > something. The already cut off clitoris cannot be
> > restored, but we must not
> > allow anymore mutilation. Like most stated,
> > education is the weapon that can
> > abolish FGM.
> >
> >                 EDUCATION  EDUCATION  EDUCATION
> > I'm planning to go to Gambia next year.  My plans,
> > if successful is to
> > create a program that allows me to go to high
> > schools and teach future
> > mothers and fathers the deadly health problems
> > caused by FGM. Most of the
> > time we go to Gambia just to have fun and show off.
> > How about everyone who
> > goes for holidays target few families and discuss
> > all the facts he/she
> > learns about FGM on the L.  You guys it works! We
> > can do it.  Non-African
> > and non-muslims are doing it. In Somalia, Molly
> > Melching, an American
> > exchange from the University of Illinois, designed
> > an intensive literacy
> > program. This program, sponsored by Hillary Clinton,
> > teaches Africans the
> > consequences of FGM. as a result, 700 villages have
> > stopped the
> > practice(Vivienne Walt, Washington Post, 1995). The
> > World Health
> > Organization is willing to send anyone who
> > volunteers to teach the dangers
> > of FGM. In April 1998, Hillary Clinton herself was
> > one of these volunteers
> > send to Senegal. I could go on. If these people can
> > do it, Why can't we?
> >
> > All it takes is talking. The mutilators are not our
> > enemies, they are just
> > so acculturated to such barbaric practice beyond
> > their recognition of harm.
> > Ramatoulie
> >
> > >From: Jamila Allston <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing
> > list
> > ><[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Female Circumcision - What Should Be The
> > Approach To Faciliating
> > >            Positive Change
> > >Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 11:35:21 -0700
> > >
> > >Dear Sisters and Brothers,
> > >
> > >     I have been following the debate regarding FGM
> > and I believe that
> > >the interchange is very good.  FGM is an issue that
> > arouses many
> > >emotions (anger, pain, etc.)  The array of
> > vocalizations is indeed
> > >needed to come to a consensus that life is a
> > continuum and that
> > >cultural practices that have been instituted at one
> > point can be
> > >modified/changed for the betterment of a people.
> > >
> > >     As an African Woman born in America, not only
> > am I concern about
> > >the conditions of my people where ever we are...I
> > have a special
> > >concern regarding the mental, emotional,
> > psychological and physical
> > >oppression and abuse of African Women throughout
> > the diaspora and at
> > >home in Africa.
> > >
> > >    While I have been a long time believer that FGM
> > must be eradicated,
> > >I also recognize that issues of culture and
> > tradition must be handled
> > >delicately.  It is not enough to demand a change of
> > a people' s
> > >practices of culture and tradition (however we
> > disagree or how sincere
> > >we may be) through the rantings of disgust and
> > condemnation.
> > >
> > >    As the debate proceeds, the next logical step
> > may be to look at how
> > >this forum can be used to developed proactive
> > strategies for
> > >facilitating educational activism to assist these
> > communities,
> > >villages, etc. to re think a cultural/traditional
> > practice that is
> > >indeed harmful to the well being of the African
> > Woman...thus ultimately
> > >harmful to the well being of the African family and
> > community.
> > >
> > >   Part of the strategy should be to also examine
> > the genesis of some of
> > >our questionable practices.  Are these practices
> > truly African in
> > >nature, or have we taken on practices/behaviors
> > that are now viewed as
> > >African practices that were originally instituted
> > by external cultural
> > >and religious forces throughout the centuries.
> > Irregardless of the
> > >genesis, the practice needs to be eliminated.  Yet
> > we must understand
> > >the dynamics of our history in order to make
> > appropriate constructive
> > >change.
> > >
> > >    Just as we have come together to fight those
> > oppressive forces that
> > >are destroying The Gambia, let us use our
> > collective capabilities to
> > >develop strategies and programs that can indeed
> > play a major role in
> > >eradicating FGM forever.
> > >
> > >    Yours in the struggle.
> > >
> > >                              Jamila
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >__________________________________________________
> > >Do You Yahoo!?
> > >Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from
> > anywhere!
> > >http://mail.yahoo.com/
> > >
> >
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