EASTERN CAPE:
Doctor blows whistle on botched circumcisions.
Shooting the messenger...
Outrage over graphic circumcision website by Bongani Fuzile and Zwanga Mukuthu.
*** A Website set up by a controversial Dutch doctor showing graphic images of mutilated and infected penises of Eastern Cape initiates has caused outrage among traditional leaders in the province.
Dr Dingeman Rijken, a former employee of the Eastern Cape department of health, said he set the website up “for the world to see”.
Rijken said this was a last-ditch effort to show traditional leaders and local communities that initiation was not just a ritual, but in many cases resulted in genital mutilation that had led to the death of hundreds of young boys, while thousands have had their penises amputated or disfigured.
Rijken said he had on numerous occasions requested that initiates undergo medical circumcision but “weak” traditional leaders had shown no interest.
Instead, circumcision was being carried out by traditional surgeons who were sometimes incompetent or did not use sterilised equipment.
Speaking to the Saturday Dispatch this week and referring to traditional leaders, Rijken said the “self-proclaimed custodians of the ritual” called numerous meetings to discuss the death of initiates but there were never any solutions.
“Why do we sustain a ritual that slaughters boys in their prime or physically and mentally scars many others for life?” he asked.
“Many have lost their manhood while hundreds have suffered penile amputation. These deaths were avoidable.
If the weak traditional leaders continue to do this, many innocent lives will be lost. These leaders need to wake up,” he said.
But the doctor’s website has come in for criticism from several quarters and he has been accused of exposing a sacred initiation custom to the world.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
*** Caution: The following website contains grahic, disburbing images!
These selected photographs were taken in various health institutions in Pondoland during 2012 and 2013.
They illustrate the magnitude of the problems faced by health care practitioners during the initiation seasons.
After viewing some of the pictures you will understand what is meant by ‘male genital mutilation’.
A number of photographs were too graphic for publication, however many of the photographs below are still graphic.
Please be warned.
Please be warned.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
..
No comments:
Post a Comment