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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
E-Newsletter
Vol.1 No.9
August 9, 1999
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Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is now available online at: http://www.rghr.net
Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is a weekly e-newsletter issued by Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic and Christian Groups on Human Rights, initiated by the Asian Human Rights Commission.
Indonesia: Female Genital Mutilation
In this issue we are
bringing to your notice an extract from a report from an
Indonesian NGO on female genital mutilation.
Indonesia as a
developing country of which most of its population is living in
the rural areas, has a number of experiences with regard to
treatments affecting the health of woman. An example of a
treatment that adversely affects the health of women can be found
in South of Central Timor, East Nusa Tenggara Province. In this
region the cultural practice of Sifon traditional circumcision
that can have a detrimental effect on the health of women. The
process which is called sifon mapulu or sefmapulu or polishing or
smoothening or the strengthening of the penis, is done by a male
that has been circumcised. As part of the healing process, the
circumcised male's penis must have intercourse with a woman. This
first intercourse or sifon is considered as most important,
therefore it must be done at the latest seven to eight days after
the foreskin of the circumcised male has been removed. Although
it is often done secretively, this custom of sifon is still
practised as a social status symbol and as an appreciation of the
status of a male in South of Central Timor.
In the meantime,
circumcision of female children (genital mutilation) is up till
the present still practised in the rural areas of Indonesia. One
of these is the region of Soe, by the Dawan tribe, in the village
of Fatumnasi, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. From the report on the
results of the research carried out by Ir. Lien Ratoe Oedjoe from
the Women's Study Center of the Nusa Cendana University on six
respondents, the method of the circumcision (fon) is by cutting a
small part of the clitoris. The implement used for the
circumcision is a sharp piece of bamboo,
a knife or a razor blade. If there is
bleeding, it will be treated with the sap of the patah tulang
tree and betel leaf. After the circumcision the girl is not
allowed to leave the ume (house of the women) for seven days so
that the wound can heal quickly. Of the seven respondents, four
could directly resume their daily housework, such as cooking,
washing, collecting wood, and the like. After the initiation, the
woman is allowed to get marry with a male who has been already
circumcised.
What you may do
1. As this is a matter
of concern for the COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS - Sub-Commission on
Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities you may
write to the Sub-Commission on this issue.
2. You may write to
Indonesian Human Rights Commission to express concern.
3. Your organisation can
take appropriate action on this issue.
Addresses:
Sub-Commission on
Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
C/o Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights
Palais des Nations
8-14 avenue de la Paix
CH 1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Telephone: +(41 22) 9173456
Fax: +(41 22) 9170213
E-mail: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch
Mr. Marzuki Durusman
National Commission on Human Rights
Sekretaris Jenderal
Komisi Nasional Hak Azasi Manusia (Komnas HAM)
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B
Menteng Jakarta Pusat
Indonesia
Telephone/Fax: +(62) 21-392-5227
E-mail:
info@komnas.go.id
Parable of the
Mustard Seed - Buddhist Approach to Solidarity
(An Extract from Sir
Edwin Arnold’s famous book LIGHT OF ASIA-The Life and
Teaching of Gautama Prince of India and Founder of
Buddhism)
When they came unto the
river-side
A woman-dove-eyed,
young, with tearful face
And lifted
hands-saluted, bending low:
Lord! thou art he, she
said, who yesterday
Had pity on me in the
fig-grove here,
Where-I live lone and
reared my child;
but he Straying amid the
-blossoms found a snake,
Which twined about his
wrist, whilst he did laugh And tease the quick-forked tongue and
opened mouth Of that cold playmate. But, alas! ere long He
turned so pale and still, I could not think Why he should cease
to play, and let my breast Fall from his lips. And one
said, "He is sick Of poison;" and another, "He
will die."But I, who could not lose my precious boy, Prayed
of them physic, which might bring the light Back to his eyes; it
was so very small, That kiss-mark of the serpent, and I think It
could not hate him, gracious as he was, Nor hurt him in his
sport. And some one said," There is a holy man upon
the hill-Lord! now he passeth in the yellow robe-Ask of the Rishi
if there be a cure For that which ails thy son. "Whereon I
came Trembling to thee, whose brow is like a god's, And wept and
drew the face-cloth from my babe, Praying thee tell what simples
might be good. And thou, great sir! didst spurn me not, but gaze
With gentle eyes and touch with patient hand; Then draw the face
cloth back, saying to me, "Yea ! little sister, there is
that might heal Thee first, and him, if thou couldn't fetch the
thing; For they who seek physicians bring to them What is
ordained. Therefore, I pray thee, find Black mustard-seed,
a tola; only mark Thou take it not from any hand or house Where
father, mother, child, or slave hath died: It shall be well if
thou can't find such seed." Thus didn't thou speak, my Lord
!The Master smiled Exceeding tenderly. Yea! I spake thus,
Dear Kisagtami! But didn't thou find The seed? I went, Lord,
clasping to my breast The babe, grown colder, asking at each
hut-Here in the jungle and towards the town-"I pray you,
give me mustard, of your grace, A tola-black;" and each who
had it gave, For all the poor are piteous to the poor; But when I
asked, "In my friend's household here Hath any peradventure
ever died-Husband, or wife, or child, or slave?" they
said O Sister! what is this you ask? The dead Are very many, and
the living few! So with sad thanks I gave the mustard back, And
prayed of others; but the others said, Here is the seed, but we
have lost our slave !
Here is the seed, but
our good man is dead !
Here is some seed, but
he that sowed it died
Between the rain-time
and the harvesting !
Ah, sir 1 I could not
find a single house
Where there was
mustard-seed and none had died !
Therefore I left my
child-who would not suck
Nor smile-beneath the
wild-vines by the stream,
To seek thy face and
kiss thy feet, and pray
Where I might find this
seed and find no death,
If now, indeed, my baby
be not dead,
As I do fear, and as
they said to me.'
My sister! thou hast
found, 'the Master said,
Searching for what none
finds-that bitter balm
I had to give
thee. He thou lovedst slept
Dead on thy bosom
yesterday: to-day
Thou know'st the whole
wide world weeps with thy woe:
The grief which all
hearts share grows less for one.
Announcement: Some of
the items from the past issues of this E-Newsletter appear in the
Human Rights SOLDIARITY Volume 9. No. 8, August 1999 issue.
Posted on 1999-08-09
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