By: Mustapha Jarju
A Commissioner at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Baba Leigh, has said NHRC remains in solidarity with GAMCOTRAP in the campaign for the upholding of the anti-FGM legislation.
GAMCOTRAP was in the past few months inundated by criticisms from both social media and radio platforms following the conviction this year of three women in the Central River Region (CRR) for violating the 2015 anti-FGM law.
The conviction and sentencing in August of three women from the village of Niani Bakadaji Mandinka for circumcising and aiding and abetting the circumcision of two girls aged four months and one year, respectivelymarked the first case since the law, prohibiting FGM was passed eight years ago.
In a GAMCOTRAP-organized policy dialogue on upholding the FGM law, Commissioner Leigh gave GAMCOTRAP the assurance of the NHRC to support the anti-FGM group in its endeavor to ensure adherence to the anti-FGM law.
Mr. Leigh, who is also the Imam of Kanifing Estate Mosque, disagreed with the views held by many Islamic scholars that FGM is practiced to cleanse women.
“The only thing that can purify Muslims is water but not cutting somebody’s part,” he maintained.
According to him, no demand for purification should lead to the cutting of a human part.
“The people, arguing for FGM are not arguing because of Islam,” Imam Leigh asserted.
He pointed out that Islam does not give anyone the license to cut anybody’s part for purification.