“We are going to choose a specific town, specific date, specific time and informed all those that have a girl child and are afraid to perform circumcision on them, to meet at the appointed location to circumcise all of them collectively. All of them! And we would see what they could do about it.” Imam Fatty, at the Press Conference after the Suspension of the FGM/C Gibba Bill.
This is incitement in direct contravention of the existing FGM law which states that ‘a person who requests, incites or promotes female circumcision by providing tools or by any other means commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of three years or a fine of fifty thousand Dalasis or both.’ In addition, a fine of ten thousand dalasis as provided in section 32B(2) of the Act is levied against anyone knowing about the practice and failing to report.
Section 32A makes it an offence for any person to engage in female circumcision and whoever contravenes it is liable on conviction to an imprisonment for a term of three years or a fine of fifty thousand dalasis or both. The Act also stipulates a life sentence in prison when the circumcision results in death.
We are calling on the Inspector General of The Gambia Police Force to intervene!!
Network Against Gender Based Violence, the Gambia
National Human Rights Commission, The Gambia
#NotoFGM
#NOtoREPEAL
#notogibbasbill