Again on circumcision<\/p>\n
I am writing in reply to Melly R's response to my earlier
\nletter regarding female circumcision.<\/p>\n
Melly R, please accept my apologies for disturbing your senses
\nwith my supposed arrogance in daring to criticize the plight of
\nchildren. Firstly, I am not an Australian as you have wrongly
\nguessed, so your anti-Australian historical lecture fell on deaf
\nears.<\/p>\n
I was also not criticizing the entire Indonesian nationality
\nas you stated, only defending the rights of Indonesian children
\nto be able to make their own choices regarding their own bodies.<\/p>\n
My letter stating opposition to female circumcision as a
\nbarbaric and outdated practice is well-supported throughout the
\nworld by thousands of women who are fighting to have this
\npractice abolished.<\/p>\n
The woman who recently single-handedly had this practice
\noutlawed in Egypt was herself a famous Sudanese international
\nmodel who had been circumcised at the age of eight (without her
\nconsent) and wrote a book describing the horror of it and the
\nlifelong effects to her body. The practice of female circumcision
\nis banned in numerous countries as it is a violation of the
\nindividual's human rights.<\/p>\n
My criticism was in actual fact directed at The Jakarta Post
\nfor putting this article on a travel page, advertising to people
\nthat it was a tourist attraction. My worry was that this could be
\nread by the wrong sort of people such as pedophiles or sadists,
\nwho might rush to indulge their perversions with this new
\ninformation. After all, if this \"ritual\" is so sacred, why
\nwouldn't it also be kept private? So the point is -- you missed
\nthe point!<\/p>\n
Yes, Melly, I have discussed this matter with many
\nIndonesians, both male and female, and so far I have yet to find
\none who agrees with this practice. In fact, many of these people
\nwere shocked to hear that this is still done in Indonesia. If my
\nconcern for children is seen by you as \"western arrogance\" then
\nso be it, but believe me, the world can only change by open
\ndiscussion on subjects of this nature--no matter how it effects
\npeople's sensibilities.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's new era of reform is giving new freedom to the
\nunderprivileged and I would hope to think that defenseless
\nchildren were to be included in these changes.<\/p>\n
Slavery and persecution were all accepted as normal one
\nhundred years ago, even by arrogant westerners. Those colonial
\ncountries fought to retain outdated and inhumane practices,
\nstanding on their \"high horse\" preaching that it was their right
\nto do whatever they wanted, even though other people suffered.
\nThese practices are now abolished much to the relief of those
\nformally oppressed minorities. If I am arrogant Melly, please re-
\nread your own letter, or is arrogance reserved only for
\n\"foreigners\" who dare to have an opinion that differs to yours?<\/p>\n
NIGEL MASON<\/p>\n
Legian, Bali<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/again-on-circumcision-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }