ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (UNICEF) — In a room filled with visiting dignitaries and members of the Ethiopian National Assembly, Tadeletch Shanko’s voice was whisper-quiet as she talked about the difficult subject of female genital mutilation/cutting, or FGM/C.
Ms. Shanko had performed FGM/C on girls for the last 15 years and underwent the procedure herself as a girl, with devastating consequences.
“I lost seven of my nine children in childbirth,” she said. “Because of the scarring I sustained, I was not elastic enough. All seven of them suffocated inside my womb.”
Raising awareness
Ms. Shanko is no longer a supporter of FGM/C, as a result of a series of community dialogues on the physical and psychological harm caused by the practice.
She shared her story with the members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Women’s Caucus, which convened in Addis Ababa late last month to assess the state of FGM/C across Africa – and to learn from the strategies that Ethiopia and other countries have put in place to eliminate it.
A key objective of the visit was to mobilize parliamentarian and state support for the elimination of harmful traditional practices, with a particular emphasis on female genital mutilation. Also on the agenda were ways to raise public awareness of FGM/C through the media; customary laws to introduce sanctions against the practice; and potential avenues for collaboration among various stakeholders in society.
Powerful testimony
The parliamentarians heard powerful testimony from women and men whose lives had been tragically affected by FGM/C.
For Aregash Agegnehu, female circumcision – as the practice is also known – had never been a question of choice. “I was circumcised when I was a child. My daughter had to be cut as well,” she said. “It was inevitable.”
But since participating in in-depth community dialogues on the subject, Ms. Agegnehu no longer believes that FGM/C is a requisite part of being a woman.
“When I started engaging in community dialogue, I came to understand the harm of FGM, and now I have changed,” she said.
Female genital mutilation is widely practiced by Muslims and Christians alike in Ethiopia, and official statistics suggest that almost three-quarters of women here have undergone the procedure. Forms vary widely by region but generally entail either a partial or total removal of the clitoris.
In the most severe form, infibulation, the labia are removed and the genitals sewn shut – barring a small hole for the release of urine and menstrual blood.
The predominant cultural belief is that circumcision is an essential pre-condition of marriage and motherhood. In many communities, an uncircumcised female cannot be recognized as a woman. Some feel that circumcision is a safeguard against promiscuity. Another common belief is that uncircumcised women tend to be inept at carrying out common household duties.
According to the World Health Organization, women who have undergone FGM/C are more likely to suffer from infertility, develop vaginal cysts and have recurrent bladder and urinary tract infections. FGM/C also increases the risk of childbirth complications and newborn deaths. It has no proven health benefits.
Worldwide, between 100 and 140 million girls and women are living with the consequences of FGM/C. In Africa, an estimated 92 million girls aged 10 and over have undergone some form of genital cutting.
Changed attitudes
Many mothers fear that, without circumcision, their daughters will not fulfil the criteria for marriage or gain full acceptance in the community. Indeed, supporters of FGM/C often cite the fact that it is a long-held social norm. But such attitudes are changing. By the end of 2008, four of Ethiopia’s districts had publicly pledged to abandon FGM/C.
Mergieta Temesgen Ashebir, a religious leader who uses his influence to speak out against the practice, also spoke at the PAP conference. “According to the bible,” he said, “circumcision is only for boys, not for girls. There is no verse that states otherwise.”
Hon. Anab Abdulkadir, PAP Acting Chairperson and a member of the Ethiopian Parliament, pointed out the importance of understanding the root causes of FGM/C
“The demand is coming from where?” she asked. “It is coming from men. If there wasn’t a demand, there wouldn’t have been any supply. We have to … outlaw that demand.”
‘Not cast in stone’
UNICEF Representative in Ethiopia Ted Chaiban voiced the need to accelerate and harmonize efforts to abolish FGM/C in Africa.
“There are encouraging signs that the practice of FGM in Ethiopia is declining,” he noted. “We see this mission of the Pan-African Parliament Women’s Caucus as a major opportunity to catalyze and synergize efforts in Ethiopia, and across Africa, towards an intensified and coordinated affront on FGM.”
Added Hon. Fatima Hajaig, a South African parliamentarian: “Cultural norms are not cast in stone. They develop from day to day. Our cultural value system changes as we go along. This business of ‘in the name of culture’ – I can’t accept that.”
UNICEF Ethiopia has been collaborating with partners on a number of advocacy efforts toward abandonment of FGM/C, including training community-dialogue facilitators and disseminating educational materials in various media. The parliamentary mission is the most recent effort in this direction.
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (Sudan Tribune) — While Ethiopians mark a new year of 2002, Ethiopia’s regional states of Oromiya and Amhara officials on Friday said that they have freed 9,612 prisoners, including 391 women on amnesty in connection with the New Year.
Among the total prisoners freed 6611 of them were released from the Oromiya region and the rest 2901 are from the Amhara region.
The prisoners were pardoned based on the deep regret they showed, the good behavior they displayed while in prison and also considering their length of stay and old ages. They have all served at least half of their prison terms. But the amnesty grant does not include to those who are jailed on rape, murder or other serious crimes.
Regional officials have called on the freed prisoners to stay away from any criminal acts and to rather payback their community by actively engaging themselves in the economic and developmental endeavors of the country.
Ethiopians are today celebrating the Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash). The New Year’s Day is celebrated on September 11 towards the end of the big rains.
SANA’A, YEMEN (SABA) – Security Authorities in Thubab coast of Taiz governorate have arrested about 94 Ethiopians entered the country illegally, the Interior Ministry has reported.
The Ministry said that the Ethiopians, including 38 women, have been all sent to the competent authorities to take the required legal procedures against them.
In a related context, the security authorities said that 100 Ethiopian citizens have arrived to Thubab coat of Taiz in the first week of September.
The authorities voiced high concerns of the incessant flow of the Ethiopians to the Yemeni coasts.
On the other hand, about 138 Somali refugees have arrived in Taiz coasts. The refugees included 47 women and three children.
The necessary procedures have been taken to send them to the main camp of Kharaz in Lahj governorate.
Deteriorating the security situation in Somalia makes thousands of Somalis are ready to risk their lives on a perilous journey via Gulf of Aden to be smuggled into Yemen.
Yemen is considered to be a gateway for Somalis to the Middle East. It recognizes all Somalis as refugees on a “prima facie basis,” meaning they are automatically granted the right to stay. But many of those who cross the Gulf of Aden move on to Yemen’s neighbours Saudi Arabia and Oman in pursuit of jobs.
The escalating numbers of refugees place increasing strain on Yemen’s limited resources and pose more challenges to the government’s efforts to balance its obligations under international law with the need to protect the country from illegal entry.
JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Ethiopian woman was shot and at least 14 people were arrested in Egypt while trying to enter Israel illegally.
The Egyptian guards fired warning shots in the air early Sunday morning, but then shot a woman in the arm when she did not stop, according to reports. The migrants were from Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The incident comes less than a week after Egyptian police shot dead four African migrants trying to infiltrate into Israel at its border with Egypt’s Sinai Desert.
The migrants usually are looking for work or asylum in Israel. Egypt has been under pressure to prevent the migrants from slipping into Israel, Reuters reported.
SOLON — Seven men have been arrested in connection with the armed robbery of $75,000 in cash and property from a private high-stakes poker game in Solon, officials said.
Randall Barnes, 25, of Euclid, Solomon Berhane, 31, of Cleveland who immigrated from Ethiopia, Andres Arzola, 18, and William Masters, 37, both of Lorain, will be arraigned Sept. 15 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on charges including kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
The men — who were part of a seven-man crew — helped rob a dozen card players who organized the poker game April 17 at the Allied Lighting warehouse in the 5300 block of Naiman Parkway, said Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office spokesman Ryan Miday.
The three other men involved in the incident have already been arraigned by Judge Brian J. Corrigan.
They are Jose Arzola-Torres, 20, of Lorain, the older brother of Andres Arzola; Dominic Berlingeri, 24, also of Lorain; and Wayne Bunkin, 31, of Cleveland. All seven men were in the Cuyahoga County Jail.
Miday said Barnes, Berlingeri and the Arzola brothers wore masks when they approached a card player smoking a cigarette outside of the warehouse. The men then entered the room with an AK-47 assault rifle, an SKS rifle, a pistol grip shotgun and an automatic pistol and demanded money from the players.
Miday said the men took $50,000 in cash and $25,000 in jewelry and other property, then fled. He said Bunkin, Berhane and Masters helped set up the robbery.
“The defendants knew this was a high-stakes poker game where there was going to be a lot of money on the table,” Miday said.
About a week after the incident, Berlingeri, who served four years for a 2003 aggravated robbery, was arrested in Sheffield after a traffic stop.
Authorities said he purchased the car he was driving with the stolen money. Police also found credit cards and other items that belonged to the victims.
Miday said police contacted Solon police detectives, who conducted the investigation.
If convicted, the men face up to 20 years in prison.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Usain needs to meet Kenenisa half way, such as 1500 meters. Be fair!!
Thessaloniki, Greece (DPA/CNN) – Usain Bolt concluded what has been a phenomenal season with another breathtaking display over his favourite 200 meters distance at the World Athletics Final in Thessalonika.
Bolt said tiredness towards the end of the race, which has prompted him to call his memorable year to an immediate halt, slowed him, although he still roared to another fantastic time of 19.68 seconds at the Greek venue.
Bolt, 23, won a world title treble last month in Berlin and bettered his world records in the 100m (9.58 seconds) and 200m (19.19) there.
On Friday, he participated in a street event for local children and allowed the five-year-old boy finish first. “It was really fun with the kids,” said Bolt.
While Bolt can’t wait for his post-season break, he did look ahead when he suggested a race over 600m or longer against Ethiopia’s track star Kenenisa Bekele in 2010.
“To me running a 600 would be really interesting. It’s been a while since I have done it but I think it would be fun. So if my coach decides to let me do it, then I would definitely do it,” said Bolt.
“It would be really interesting. I think a lot of people would definitely want to see that.”
Bekele is the world and Olympic champion and world record holder in the 5,000m and 10,000m, Bolt has the same merits in the sprints.
Bolt and Bekele are two top names among 28 world champions from Berlin to compete in Thessaloniki Saturday and Sunday. Each win is worth 30,000 dollars and a world record 100,000 dollars.
Russian Yelena Isinbayeva, who flopped at the worlds when she cleared no heights, could further raise the pole vault record bar to 5.07m.
Aregash Agegnehu, shown here with her daughter, is a former practitioner of female genital mutilation/cutting who has renounced it. [© UNICEF Ethiopia/2009/Zeleman]
Hon. Anab Abdulkadir, Pan-African Parliament Acting Chairperson and a member of the Ethiopian Parliament, underwent FGM/C as a child. She is now an outspoken opponent of the practice. [© UNICEF Ethiopia/2009/Zeleman]