Frank Portelli, St Paul's Bay
Female circumcision is no slap in the face
Claire Bonello in her column (The Sunday Times, May 24) trivialised such a serious subject as female genital mutilation (FGM). I have come to expect no better from her writing.
Her attempt to ridicule me as a "valiant warrior and defender of female genitalia" is a manifestation of her superficiality and lack of understanding on this physical abuse on women.
Contrary to what she states, it was not me who chose to "defend female genitalia" as she so coarsely put it .
It was actually the United Nations, which declared February 6 as the International Day against female genital mutilation.
The UN did this when faced with more than two million young girls who are still being mutilated every year in African countries like Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia.
FGM is abuse by women on women - it is the removal of the external female genitalia, including the labia and the clitoris.
When performed it is hardly likely to be advertised in The Sunday Times nor in the five-star environment where sometimes slaps in the face have been dispensed.
FGM is no slap in the face - it is sexual mutilation and is widespread in African countries where most of our illegal immigrants come from.
Needless to say there is no consent to this barbaric "surgery".
Babies and young girls are being mutilated - in the belief that all females are evil and that women are temptresses to men - so it follows that women should not be allowed any form of sexual pleasure so as not to tempt men.
This is in the name of religion or culture - beliefs which are completely alien to us.
We are coming into contact with these beliefs through our contact with immigrants from these African countries.
Both the UK and the US have granted refugee status to immigrant women on the grounds that these women were at risk of FGM. So FGM is related directly to the problem of illegal immigration.
FGM has been defended legally, in other countries, on the grounds of sunna - i.e. as a religious belief and requirement.
Therefore some countries have felt the need to outlaw FGM by enacting specific laws. In the UK, the law banning female 'circumcision' was passed after more than 75,000 immigrant girls were found to have been mutilated.
Many Africans coming to Malta hold this belief - a belief which needs to be outlawed because it is not in conformity with our laws, nor with our understanding of human rights.
We need a specific law against FGM in Malta - hence the relevance of my answer to Herman Grech in his searching questions in the Times online interview .
I believe that we must face the challenges which illegal immigration is bringing to our country and I personally do this with strong, sound and humane arguments.
Frivolous comments such as those made by Dr Bonello demean women and make no substantial contribution to our society.
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Margaret Richards
Jun 1st 2009, 19:56
I THINK THAT YOURS IS QUITE A STUPID QUESTION. DO YOU THINK THAT ANY SOMALI WOMAN WILL COME UP AND TELL YOU THAT SHE HAS UNDERGONE FGM - IN ANY COUNTRY? THE FACT STILL REMAINS THAT DR. CLAIRE BONELLO EXCELS AT MAKING FUN OF PEOPLE, AND I HOPE SOME DAY SHE'LL REALIZE THAT WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. SHE IS SO SELF CENTRED THAT SHE DOES NOT COMPREHEND THE SERIOUSNESS OF FGM - OTHERWISE SHE'LL STOP WRITING SUCH.
Leo Said
Jun 1st 2009, 08:47
@ Robert Callus
Thank you for enlightening me. I am however not aware that I opined that FGM is a non-issue.
Robert Callus
May 31st 2009, 21:58
We have had opinions on these comments from people like you and me that can just give an opinion.
However in this case I would like some form of reply from someone in authority, be it politician or from the army.
Is FGM taking place in Malta or not?
If not, state it on black on white and come out clean.
If yes: What is being done about it.
@Leo Said
FGM is not a non-issue (if it is occurring obviously). 15% of the women/girls who undergo it die, it is usually done without anasthetic, and makes sex unpleasurable as well as extremely painful for the rest of their lives.
Leo Said
May 31st 2009, 20:39
Part 2
If Claire Bonello's contention, namely that the issue is already covered by Malta's Legal Codex, is correct, then it should be a political party duty and obligation for Dr.Tonio Borg and for Dr.Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici to issue an urgent clarifying statement.
Illegal/irregular immigration is a current rampant problem for Malta but I cannot understand how/why FGM is now in the foreground.
Moreover, I cannot understand how five (six) Maltese MEP's can influence Brussels to adopt new sanctions towards Libya. Sadly enough, I am inclined to compare the issue with the story of Don Quixote.
As is custom in Malta, a legion of experts crops up publicly with regard to any "hot" issue and the winners of the skirmishes were/are only the media.
Frank Portelli, with whom I am befriended since many, many years, will show grandeur by condoning my frank remarks.
Leo Said
May 31st 2009, 20:37
Part 1
The 6 min video interviews with the EP contestants were respectively too short for one to win a proper impression of the respective political aspirants. Such interviews may mislead.
Still, I wonder why Gonzi's government party now opines that the (illegal, irregular) immigration issue was hijacked by the extreme right. Fact is that any long term observer of the political scene in Malta could never win the impression that the major political parties in Malta were politically adequately conscious of the problem, let alone be willing and able to cope with the problem.
I burdened myself with the trouble to re-watch the interview, which led to Claire Bonello's satirical remarks. Thereupon, I ask myself whether FGM and general female discrimination are, or can be, the only eminent hall-marks of Islam. If FGM is indeed a main problem for the party in power in Malta, then Dr.Gonzi's government, and the ministers concerned, have failed miserably considering that they have not deemed it necessary to bill, and to pass, respective legislation. It would also interest me to know how many FGM's have already been performed in Malta, and if any have been performed, at which location.
A. Muscat
May 31st 2009, 20:18
First the head scarf and now clitoris! Why worry?
Are our laws, EU or UN laws observed enough to cove rights of Somali women living in Europe?
‘This is in the name of religion or culture-beliefs which are completely alien to us.’
This is more a culture-related issue not religion. As a matter of fact no single word in the Muslim Holy book (Quran) says that women should be subject to genital mutilation.
Any body interested to read about what Islam says about female genital mutilation, please hit the following link:
Quran and modern science-compatible or incompatible? By Dr. Zakir Naik
http://www.islamhouse.com/p/51902
Could Dr. Frank Portelli answer the following question please?
Why women got hymen? And why men should be circumcised?
Mary Anne Zammit
May 31st 2009, 19:14
Female genital mutilation is already harrowing and I appreciate Dr. Portelli s' favourable comments. What is shocking is Claire Bonello s' comments as if attempting to raise a political issue out of it.
It is more shocking to me, that as far as I know Ms Bonello supports the Green Party and I am fully aware that the European Greens are in favour of women s' rights, let alone abortion.
I am certain that if they were to read her comments, they won't be pleased.
A. Mizzi
May 31st 2009, 18:22
Put local issues first on your agenda Dr. Portelli, that is what is of interest to the locals.
Pronounceyourself NOW on the whistle blower act which used to be top of your agenda before submitting his candidature for the MEP elections under the Gonzipn ticket.
His silence on the whistleblower's act seems to be a bit deafening especially after he went public on alleged goings on at Mater Dei.
carmel pule
May 31st 2009, 17:19
Every part of our body has perfectly evolved through the ages for a particular emotional of engineering reason.
A woman's body is brilliantly designed for all her natural needs throughout all he life phases. All parts are so necessary when one understands the concepts behind the design. Her body is optimised in its design. To cut off parts and mutilate it even tatoo it, is not unlike failing to develop one's brain to its full extent , where we all fail on occassions, one way or another even when we put pen to paper or is it electronic writing these days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Margaret Richards
May 31st 2009, 14:12
Wow, finally someone is taking up this issue. Well done Frank Portelli. I'm not amazed that dear Clair Bonello trivialised the subject as she tries to make fun of everything else. But returning to FGM, i would like to point out to Ms. Claire Bonello that FGM is a very serious and real daily torture to women in Sub saharan africa, in Read the book of Waris Dirie a somali woman who has undergone this torture and how she became a UN ambassador for the fight against FGM. The name of the book is Desert Flower. Read it carefully Ms. Bonello - I'm sure you would retrace your steps and ask forgiveness to all women who have undergone this torture.
Bill Khan
May 31st 2009, 13:39
FGM is definitely horrendous act. But far worse than FGM is the murder i.e 'Abortion' being legal in many countries. In UK alone since it being legal, more than 6 million little ones been killed in the very womb meant to protect them.
Robert Callus
May 31st 2009, 12:59
While I do agree that fleeing from FGM is a valid reason for seeking asylum, and also that a law specific on FGM should be drafted, I still think it's not enough.
In Malta we have no problem with making laws, but in enforcing them.
While Frank Portelli may have negligible say on what happens in Africa, in Malta it's different. Rather than just propose a law, I would insist on clear research and transparency on how much FGM is practiced in Malta.
What authorities have said by now is 'there are FGM victims in Malta but it has not taken place here'. If this is the truth, I'd say Malta has a clean record.
If people like Frank Portelli think it's not true, may I suggest that he indicates on it's occurence, why does he beleives so and what can we do about it (apart from introducing a law)?
I think the electorate would be very appreciative
Nick Mamo
May 31st 2009, 12:27
Without aiming to cause shock, I thought I'd quote a recent census on FGM, and its prevalence in African countries:
Egypt - 97%
Eritrea - 89%
Kenya - 32%
There's another 25 African countries where this problem is significant.
Joanne Micallef
May 31st 2009, 12:23
In Italy various clandestine clinics were found that hold such inhumane practices. Since these interventions are done illegally by African ‘doctors’ and from what transpired in Italy, in anything but a sterile environment, is a clear indication that just cause we don’t see any in our health sector does not mean that they do not occur.