US embassy cable - 05DJIBOUTI148

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000148 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/E AND DRL; PARIS, LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, KISL, KWMN, SCUL, SOCI, PGOV, DJ, SO 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI HOSTS SUB-REGIONAL FGM CONFERENCE, 
RATIFIES MAPUTO PROTOCOL 
 
REF: DJIBOUTI 122 
 
1. (U) Summary: Djibouti hosted a sub-regional conference on 
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) February 2-3 with aims of 
raising awareness, discussing Islam's view on FGM, and the 
legal and political implications of the Maputo Protocol. The 
event was organized as a cooperation between the Government 
of Djibouti and No Peace Without Justice, along with 
financing from USAID and Djibouti-based UN agencies. The 
First Lady of Djibouti and President of the Djiboutian 
National Women's Union (UNFD), Kadra Mahamoud Haid, Country 
Representative for the UN Development Program (UNDP), 
Mbaranga Gasarabwe, and  European Union Parliamentarian and 
founder of No Peace without Justice, Emma Bonino, opened the 
conference with pleas for zero tolerance of FGM and calls for 
an end to impunity and ignorance. The First Lady's speech 
also described FGM as contrary to Islam and asked for a push 
to promote the improvement of life without distinction 
between men and women. The conference was attended by 
high-ranking Islamic authorities from the Horn of Africa and 
Red Sea region and a large number of the Imams of Djibouti. 
Government representatives from ten African countries were 
present: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Sudan, Yemen, 
Somalia, Somaliland, Mali, and Senegal. Delegations from 
Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and the United States were 
also in attendance. Djibouti ended the conference with the 
announcement of its ratification of the Maputo Protocol. End 
Summary. 
 
2. (U) The sub-regional conference on Female Genital 
Mutilation (FGM) held in Djibouti, February 2-3, consisted of 
two simultaneous sessions: a debate on Islam's position 
regarding FGM, and the political and legal implementation of 
the Maputo Protocol. Organizers of the conference chose Islam 
as a focus due to the frequent use of religion as 
justification for FGM. In a 2002 study from the Pan Arab 
Project for Family Health (PAPFAM), it was proved that the 
majority of women raise religious arguments to perpetuate the 
tradition of FGM. Djibouti and other Horn of Africa countries 
practice the most severe form of FGM known as infibulation. A 
Djiboutian Ministry of Health survey of 1000 women who gave 
birth at a hospital in Djibouti found that 98 percent of them 
had suffered FGM. Health experts say this practice is a major 
contributor to deaths in childbirth and lead to a greater 
risk to women for HIV infection. 
 
3. (U) The session on Islam's view of FGM was led by 
Djibouti's Minister of Wafqs and Muslim Affairs, Mogueh Dirir 
Samatar, and Senior Advisor to the Regional Director of the 
East Mediterranean Office of the World Health Organization 
(WHO), Dr Khayat. The session was also facilitated by Dr. 
Darwish, Consultant at the Azhar University of Cairo. During 
the first day of the session, participants came to the 
conclusion that no solid sources exist to enforce female 
circumcision after reviewing religious texts. Religious 
leaders and conference organizers agreed that Pharaonic 
circumcision, or infibulation, should be banned. However, the 
idea of banning all circumcision was heavily protested by the 
nearly 100 Imams in attendance. The religious leaders 
struggled to keep Sunna circumcision, or the cutting of a 
small portion of the clitoris. An agreement the second day of 
the session concluded that Infibulation would be banned and 
those practicing it imprisoned, but Sunna circumcision would 
not be prohibited, providing it was done in a hospital by a 
qualified surgeon. During the conference's second day, an 
Italian surgeon resident in the Balbala hospital in Djibouti 
City showed graphic photographs of women who had suffered 
FGM, in order to show the religious leaders the consequences 
of the practice. This action is not something that would 
normally be shown to religious leaders, a fact that was 
evident in the averse reaction and refusal to look at the 
photos by many of the Imams. 
 
4. (U) During the session on Islam, the religious leaders 
were divided into two camps, those in favor of banning all 
forms of FGM and those that were unwilling to consider 
banning any form of FGM. Egypt and Sudan were among those 
pushing for bans on all forms of FGM, while countries like 
Djibouti and Ethiopia were adamantly opposed. The Ethiopian 
representative's speech to the group criticized the western 
world as trying "to impose its choices on us so that we put 
aside our values, beliefs and religion. Why don't they stop 
homosexuality, lesbianism and HIV/AIDS?" The coordinator 
called for participants to discuss the topic at hand and not 
make it a venue for political speeches. However, an Imam from 
Djibouti continued with the same critiques, urging Islamic 
countries not to give way to western bad intentions. 
 
5. (U) In a printed statement included in programs handed out 
to participants, President Guelleh made a firm stand against 
FGM and called for the abandonment of the practice. He 
stated: "Concerning what we call Pharaonic circumcision, I 
want to emphasize that we no longer want it practiced by 
Arabs, nor by Somalis, nor by Afars, nor in any other form. 
When we declare: Stop this form of circumcision (pharaonic), 
this implicitly suggests that we accept the perpetuation of 
other forms; no female circumcision is justifiable. In truth, 
we, as men, consider female circumcision as a women's affairs 
and moreover, the women encourage us in this respect by 
saying it is an issue exclusively reserved for women. But 
despite this, we can no longer turn our backs on our 
responsibility in this specific case. If we accept being kept 
out of the issue, that says that we condone this act. If you 
(women) practice this act in ignorance, or continue the 
tradition, it has been proven that circumcision is not 
recommended by either the Quran, or the Hadith. Furthermore, 
our Creator has clearly stated that the Human Being is the 
most perfect of his creations. We cannot perfect what is 
already done, so let us abandon this practice." 
 
6. (SBU) Comment: The Government of Djibouti, led by 
President Guelleh and his wife, has shown a great deal of 
political will to end FGM practices through this conference 
and the ratification of the Maputo Protocol. However, for any 
real change to occur, the Government must educate the general 
population and be willing to enforce their new commitment 
through rigorous laws against FGM and stiff penalties for 
violations. End Comment. 
RAGSDALE