New Facts on Female Genital Mutilation in the UK

the Independent has an article on FGM and looks like it may be good news...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/female-circumcision-a-tradition-steeped-in-blood-852028.html

Female circumcision: a tradition steeped in blood

Brian Brady reports on a police operation to protect more than 20,000 girls, some aged nine or younger, thought to be in danger of forced genital mutilation
Sunday, 22 June 2008
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Female genital mutilation is widely practised in Iraqi Kurdistan where around 60% of girls will have their labia and clitoris excised at a young age with the intention of reducing their interest in sex to make them more faithful.To sign a petition protesting this, please send your details to

stopfgmkurdistan@yahoo.com

Petition text:
To the esteemed Head of Kurdistan Region Parliament, Presidency of Kurdistan Region, Kurdistan Region Counsel of Ministers
We ask your esteemed assistance to issue legislation to stop female genital mutilation in Kurdistan and to establish practical procedures to end this abnormal practice. This request comes after attempts over many years to end this practice. But recent surveys suggest that female genital mutilation is still ongoing in a fair part of Kurdistan. Sixty percent of girls and women are circumcised in various parts of Kurdistan. Girls are forced to cut away a very important part of their bodies and suffer long-term physical and psychological conditions. They also become more susceptible to certain diseases. Many traditional authorities in the Muslim world justify female genital mutilation by saying it has become mandatory in Islam. But it is not rooted in Islam. The practice is a crime against women. This is why it is conducted in silence and secrecy. Science has also rejected the practice. Numerous human rights charters classify it as physical and psychological violence. At present, international organizations like the UN, WHO and various women organizations consider female genital mutilation to be a major crime against females.Thus, imposing immediately a resolution and law to stop this practice should be the principle duty in front of Kurdish authorities. Countering this problem is essential if the international community will continue to depict the Kurds as among the progressive nationalities which believe in female rights, counter violence against women and grant women the rights they deserve. The democracy which Kurdistan enjoys since the toppling of dictatorship should enable us to talk about problems freely and bring reforms. Attached is a list of the names of those individuals and groups that have signed this memorandum.

With regards