UK never cease to amuse me!:)Immigrants 'should sign FGM declaration before entering UK'

Campaigners called for immigrants to be required to sign a declaration promising not to subject their daughters to genital mutilation before being allowed into Britain. Leading figures in the fight against FGM called for a special pledge to be brought in to ensure everybody is clear that the practice is against the law. London MEP Marina Yannakoudakis said she will raise the issue with the government and called for more research to identify other countries that have introduced declarations. The idea of an FGM declaration was raised at a meeting of prominent London campaigners, organised by Ms Yannakoudakis to give their views on various anti-FGM initiatives. She said: “As people choose to move to Britain or elsewhere in Europe, it seems relevant to remind them of the social standards that apply here. “That should include an acceptance that certain practices are not only unacceptable but illegal. This proposal will form part of a package of recommendations which I plan to send to the UK Government and EU Commission.” GREAT IDEA ,ACTUALLY AWESOME.I SUPPORT IT 100% Ambassador Lucy S. Mashua, President of Mashua Voice for the Voiceless, International Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rights Global Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Support in lobbying for HR 2221: The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. http://twitter.com/Mashua http://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

FGM BLOOD ON THE FLOOR AND RAPE IN BED, THE PRICE OF FGM AND CHILD BRIDE.At 13 ,mutilated,married,pregnant and lost the baby due to Fistula caused by FGM and 5 reconstructive surgeries By Ambassador Lucy Mashua Sharp ,courtesy of Daily nation Kenya.

YES THIS CHILD BY THE TIME SHE WAS 13 YEARS OLD,SHE HAD BEEN MUTILATED, BECAME PREGNANT,LOST THE BABY DUE TO FISTULA(STILL BIRTH,DIVORCED.SHE SAYS SHE COULD NOT HOLD OR CONTROL URINE OR BOWEL MOVEMENT AND HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS FGM COMPLICATION, THE HUSBAND FORCED HER TO BE MUTILATED. FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION have been labelled “culture” and “tradition” by its proponents, dressed up to look and sound nice — sort of like painting the walls of a prison — but deep within it remains, at least to me, the lowest that a people can stoop. Hello dear reader. My name is Irene Chelegat. I am aged 20 and the story I want to tell you is based on my personal experiences, first, as a woman and, second, as a wife. It is a story that I hope will change the lives of my peers for the better, a story that I have been yearning to tell for a long time. I come from Kapenguria, a timid dusty town 430 kilometres to the north-west of Nairobi. I call the town timid because, over the years, I have watched it cow into submission as the scorching sun battles for supremacy with dry winds that lick life out of anything that stands in their way. And the hills that surround my little town have for centuries stood and watched in disturbing muteness, like witnesses to a crime, as the place loses the battle with the elements. Beneath that timidity, however, lies something more sinister and heart-wrenching. And I am the very personification of the effects of that sinister monster. It has been labelled “culture” and “tradition” by its proponents, dressed up to look and sound nice — sort of like painting the walls of a prison — but deep within it remains, at least to me, the lowest that a people can stoop. My reasons for that evaluation are four: One, I was 13 when I got married; two, I was 13 when I was mutilated; three, I was 13 when I lost my baby through obstructed labour; and, four, I was 13 when I was divorced. Yes, by the time the average Kenyan girl of my age was preparing for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination, I had been married and divorced, and left with scars that I have struggled with ever since. It is easy, then, to see why I may sound a little bitter about the timidity of Kapenguria. It all began in 2007, when I was a Standard Four pupil at Chepararia Primary School. I had just entered teenage and was beginning to notice changes in my body when a 24-year-old man asked me to be his girlfriend. He had pursued me for a while, but since I was in school most of the time, we could only meet during the holidays, when he would visit and bring me gifts. After a short while, I was hooked. When we eventually got intimate, I thought it was part of the normal friendship between boys and girls. After all, other girls reported having similar experiences during the holidays. After some time, however, I noticed I was growing round and plump, but I did not think much of it. It was only after I heard my boyfriend telling his friends that I was pregnant that I realised what was happening. Then aged 13, I had no idea what being pregnant was, but at least I now understood why my skin was dry, why I felt sleepy in the afternoons and had bouts of nausea. Most importantly, I understood that I was not sick, but that a baby was growing inside me. Consequently, I dropped out of school and moved in with my boyfriend. He did not have a steady job but managed to provide for us. I did not go for any antenatal visits, but towards the eighth month, he took me to a clinic in a place called Seger. The doctor insisted that I visit the clinic daily for check-ups, but I never went back. My boyfriend, now pressured by the turn of events, said he would marry me, but on condition that I agreed to be mutilated. You see, my community considers un-mutilated girls children, and therefore does allow children to give birth to children. So, to be a woman and a mother, I had to undergo FGM. I had been told about the pain involved, but my boyfriend insisted it was the only ticket to marriage. Since I did not want to shame my husband-to-be or my family, I agreed to undergo the procedure. Turns out the man had done his homework well and knew not only who would mutilate me, but how much we would have to pay for the procedure as well. Mutilation is a two-day affair here. The first day is marked by traditional dances and rituals. In the early morning cold, we sang traditional folk songs as red ochre was applied on our faces. There were older women around to take us through the steps of becoming a woman. Then the 81 of us made a timid file into a hut. From the mood and the terse talks, you could tell that it was a solemn occasion. Most of my fellow initiates were between 18 and 19 years. I was among the youngest, but that did not matter since we would all walk out as women. Two of the initiates were as heavily pregnant as I was. I had the privilege, or so I thought, of being the first under the knife. The circumciser, an old woman, had a razor in one hand and a spear in the other. The spear, we had been warned, was to stab anyone who showed any fear during the procedure. She charged Sh500 for the honour. She came up to me, her eyes glistening with excitement, pulled my face close to hers and asked if I had willingly chosen this path. Of course I had not, I wanted to tell her, but there was no backing out now. My marriage, honour and respect were at stake, and so I nodded my response. I knew what was expected of me at this point, so I immediately lay on my back and arched my legs. She smeared some warm ash on me and the next minute... I felt as if ants were clawing and sawing and pinching their way up my back. Chop. Chop. Slice. Each mutilation accompanied by such searing pain that I can’t put it into words. Rivulets of blood dripped down my thighs to the ground, but at least I was inching closer to being a woman. This was worth every drop of blood, right? When she was done, she bound my legs at the ankles and thighs with a sisal rope. As I continued bleeding, some women lifted me and placed me on the dewy grass outside the hut. I was numb from the pain, but that was just day one. The next day she would work on what was left of my “childish” parts. I could not move or walk or go to the toilet as the pain wracked my body. The second mutilation was even worse. The pain felt like a thousand daggers on my flesh. She cut everything out and stitched it all up again. I looked and felt like — how do I put this — a knee. All flat. No bumps. Nothing there. It was all gone. Unlike others, my wound took time to heal and when it did three weeks later, there was barely any opening, making urinating extremely painful for me. Then, as fate would have it, I went into labour shortly after the wound healed. The labour brought with it a fresh bout of pain that was beyond what I had imagined. My waters just broke unexpectedly, and for hours I did not go to the hospital. Eventually, my husband took me back to the clinic in Seger, where they said there was no passage for the baby, so I had to undergo an emergency operation. I was transferred to Ortum Mission hospital, north of Kitale, where they could save my life and, hopefully, that of my child. I was tired and weak, and each contraction took a little life out of me. By the time doctors performed a Caesarian Section on me, the baby had already died, possibly from the exhaustion. To make matters worse, when I came to, I realised I could not contain my urine or stool. I panicked and asked the doctor what was happening: “You are torn,” he replied, meaning I had developed a condition known as fistula. I was in hospital for six months. My husband one day came to visit me with a flask of tea. He offered me a cup and when I drank it, I wet my bed almost immediately. Ignorant of what fistula is, he said I was cursed and broke the news that he was leaving me for greener pastures. He accused me of being unfaithful and called some old men who told me that I would recover if I named the men I had cheated on my husband with. HUSBAND REMARRIED And so, while I was still aged 13, my husband remarried. He now has two wives, both of them my age mates. And, most importantly, mutilated. I was alone and destitute when my maternal aunt, who had been taking care of me since my mum died in 2004, came for me — here is where I get to tell you that I do not know my biological father. At home, I could not leave the house because of the stench I was releasing. I was scared of eating or drinking anything. For six years I endured shame, and my self-esteem hit rock bottom. Then one day I went back to Ortum Hospital for assistance and was referred to Moi Referral and Teaching Hospital in Eldoret. It was here that I met officers of the Sentinelles, a programme in West Pokot that intervenes in matters of FGM and early marriages, and which later introduced me to the African Medical and Research Foundation (Amref). During my stay at Moi Referral I discovered that my case was not unique. I saw hundreds of women with fistula. In fact, some cases were worse than mine. I was not cursed, after all! I underwent five reconstructive surgeries to repair the damage. It is now six months since my last operation in October last year and I am healed. My life is repaired, literally. But many other girls follow in my footsteps. My people should know that by subjecting their daughters and sisters to mutilation, they are not making them full women, but instead churning out broken women who believe they are cursed and useless. Female Genital Mutilation gives women a life of pain, misery and fistula, and I hope the government, through the Anti-FGM board led by Linah Jebii Kilimo, will go to the heart of timid Kapenguria and stop mutilation. Ambassador Lucy S. Mashua, President of Mashua Voice for the Voiceless, International Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rights Global Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Support in lobbying for HR 2221: The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. http://twitter.com/Mashua http://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

One of the many saddest flashback From one FGM Survivor as she narrates to a blogger.. "How My Mother mutilated Me Then Married Me Off To a 60 Year Old" !

HERE IS THE STORY FROM ONE BRAVE SURVIVOR OF FGM AND CHILD MARRIAGE.(GRAB YOUR TISSUES). As you read this remember the FGM season is on in East Africa and come January many girls will be married off and kiss their childhood,and education goodbye:(. My name is Peris Lomurut. I am 20 Years old. I am from the tiny Rendille community. And I am a mother. To 4 children. I was born in January 16th 1993 in a tiny village, to the extreme north of Kenya. I attended Karare Primary School. But just briefly. Because in 2003,when I was in class 3,I was forcefully woken up by my mother and a team of some other three old,haggard women. It was 3am in the morning. Confused,they grabbed me. Shook me to consciousness and under the thick cover of darkness,whisked me off to some secluded location. I was confused. And unaware of what was going on. I tried to scream,but Mum held my mouth hard. And asked me to cooperate. I tried to free myself and run to safety,but I was too tiny. They easily overpowered me. After what seemed like an eternal journey,full of anguish and turmoil,I was pushed into a poorly-lit scraggly hut. And then I was dumped infront of a deathly-looking old woman. She grinned like a witch. And her eyes were cold. And hands were rough. Flipping me around,she ordered that the other women hold me down. And strip me NAKED. I was too young to comprehend the magnitude of this madness. And right there,other old women held me down,MY MOTHER INCLUDED. They stripped me naked. And ordered that I spread my legs. I refused. And started screaming and wailing. It was ALL in vain. A dirty piece of cloth was stuffed into my mouth. And I was firmly held down. And my legs forcefully pulled apart. I heard a blunt thing attempt to cut through my genitals. I heard it again. And by the third time,I think I passed out. I came to my senses HOURS later. It was daytime already. And Mum had hidden me at the back of our crumbling hut. I had been initiated to Womanhood. My genitals had been mutilated. And sown up. With a thorn. Yes,a sharp hard thorn. I had bled profusely. And now Mum and other wicked women were busy forcing me to swallow bitter concoctions of local herbs to alleviate my burning pain. It was Hell. My genitals were sewed up. Like a piece of torn cloth. I couldnt even pass urine. And anytime I attempted to do that, the pain would send me to the ground,writhing and cursing. After what seemed like forever,the wound healed. I was now the latest victim of Female Genital Mutilation. Following Year,in November 2004,My parents planned a forced marriage for me! Dad was there. Mum was there. My elder sisters were part of it. And one evening,an old man,well over 60 Years was introduced to me as my new groom. I almost collapsed. In shock. I excused myself. And pretended to have gone for a call of nature. But once I was outside,I fled. I ran away. And ended up at the Chief's camp. I met the chief. And,tearfully,narrated my ordeal to him. I was WRONG. Dead wrong. What happened is that,the chief pretended to pity me. And after I finished my story,he locked me up in a dark room. And told me he was hiding me. What a traitor! 30 minutes later,my parents and our whole clan showed up at the Chiefs camp. Plus the 60-Year old man. It later turned out that the Chief had sold me away. And alerted our people. Needless to say,a dozen sheep and goats were exchanged. As my bride price. And at the tender age of 11 Years,I became a wife. Sex began IMMEDIATELY. From the first night! And Ladies and Gentlemen,allow me to say that it was the MOST PAINFUL sexual experience ever! Remember my genitals had been mutilated earlier. And tied up with bush strings and tiny thorns. In the MOST gory,inhuman and unprofessional manner. It wasnt just PAIN. It was HELL. I went numb. And almost passed out. I tried to protest and reason with this behemoth of a man. But my husband couldnt hear NONE of it. He subjected me to NOTHING but pure torture. For his OWN pleasure. For many,many cold nights. And from late 2004 to 2009,I was in a cold,disastrous,painful,loveless and forced marriage. And I was his FOURTH WIFE. To him,I wasnt a human being. Or an equal married partner. I was a sex toy. A baby-making machine. And sure enough,I DID MAKE Babies. Endlessly. I painfully gave birth to a string of 5 babies. Two of whom died. Due to ill health. And malnutrition. In 2009,I fled my marital home. And with the help of the St Augustine Catholic Church,I was whisked to Nairobi for safety. And mental rehabilitation. And for 4 Years now,I havent seen or heard from my parents. Or children. As I speak now,thousands of Rendille girls,Borana Girls and Samburu Girls and going through what I went through. As we speak now,some girl's tiny genitals are getting mutilated. If we dont ACT NOW. We will NEVER save the situation. There is a difference between CULTURE. And MADNESS. What I went through wasn't CULTURAL. That was DEMONIC. Pray for our sisters. Ambassador Lucy S. Mashua, President of Mashua Voice for the Voiceless, International Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rights Global Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Leading in lobbying for HR 2221: The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. http://twitter.com/Mashua http://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

THE REALITY OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION UNSPEAKABLE ACT THAT IT HAS CONTINUED TO BE IGNORED! UN ,WHO AND OTHER BIG ORGANISATIONS CONTINUE TO DECORATE THE TRUTH. BY AMBASSADOR LUCY MASHUA SHARP

WARNING CONTAINS GRAPHIC DISTURBING REAL PICTURES OF FGM AFTERMATH CLICK VIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK. FGM complications during birth where thousands die and millions reopened during birth:-(, seriously we are letting "CULTURE" AND "RELIGION' BE AN EXCUSE?) INFIBULATION MOST COMMON IN EAST AFRICA PHARONIC FGM.AGAIN THEY GET AWAY AND IT'S ACCEPTED AS CULTURE OR RELIGION, THIS EVIL IS ACTUALLY TOLERATED WHERE ARE THE BIG GUNS?!! VAGINA KELOIDS AFTER FGM!! THIS IS SO UPSETTING AND JUST INHUMAN! HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE IGNORING THE FACTS! AFRICAN ACTIVISITS RISK THEIR LIVES EVERYDAY ONLY TO BE OVERLOOKED,USED AND NOT TO BE HEARD! FGM CONTINUES AND THE REAL VICTIMS ARE NOT VISIBLE THEY ARE INVISIBLE, JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IMAGINE THE INVISIBLE COMPLICATIONS INSIDE A YOUNG GIRL OR WOMAN'S BODY. THAT IS WHY IT GETS SO PERSONAL TO ME BECAUSE I KNOW ,SEEN,LIVED THE REALITY OF FGM AND SURVIVED IT ALL TO BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS. IF YOU CONTINUE AFTER SEEING THIS PICTURES CALLING IT "CUTTING"OR "FEMALE CIRCUMCISION" I WILL CALL YOU IGNORANT AND HEARTLESS! Ambassador Lucy Mashua sharp, President of Mashua Voice for the Voiceless, International Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rights Global Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Leading in lobbying for HR 2221: The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. http://twitter.com/Mashua http://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

GIRLS HAVE STARTED RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME, THIS FGM SEASON IN EAST AFRICA:(,WHILE WE CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS HERE HELPLESS GIRLS ARE RUNNING SCARED:( FORWARD UK IS HELPING CDF WITH TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN TANZANIA..AMB LUCY MASHUA

In Tanzania girls are fleeing home away from the knife, Mara — SOME girls have started fleeing their homes fearing that they might be forced to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) this season, in the Northern Tarime District of Mara Region. Children Dignity Forum (CDF), a local NGO that has been on the forefront of anti-FGM awareness campaigns in Tarime in recent years, confirmed the reports yesterday. "Last week, there were three girls who fled from Masurura and Kitaguti villages about 60 km to Tarime town and they spent two days on the way," the CDF Mobilizing Actions to Safeguard Girls Rights Coordinator, Mr Joram Wimmo, said.

"We are making arrangements to send the girls to Masanga where there is a rescue centre," the official added. There is fear that about hundreds of girls mostly school children are line-up for mutilation in the entire Tarime District of Mara Region. FGM is illegal, according to the law. The organization strives to cut the number of girls lined-up for mutilation this season (November and December) in the area. Mr Wimmo also said the NGO is getting support from the police gender desk at the Tarime Special Regional Police Zone. A few weeks ago the NGO conducted an anti-FGM public dialogue that brought together key stakeholders such as girls, mutilators, parents, local, religious and traditional leaders. They are also going through Tarime rural villages conducting meetings to deliver anti-FGM messages in the area, according to Mr Wimmo. Under the project, CDF is also creating awareness campaigns against child marriages and early pregnancies in various parts of Mara Region. The NGO is getting technical support from Forward (UK) and sponsored by COMIC Relief also from the UK. Thank you to this two forward UK and COMIC relief organisations supporting CDF.

Ambassador Lucy S. Mashua, President of Mashua Voice for the Voiceless, International Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rights Global Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Leading in lobbying for HR 2221: The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. http://twitter.com/Mashua http://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

FGM IS A GENDER DISCRIMINATION BY CULTURE AND RELIGION.

Njoro Division Officer (DISTRICT OFFICER), Peter Kariuki, has warned that any parent who will be found carrying out Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) during the coming December holiday will be arrested and taken to the court. Speaking during an academic day at Kongongeri Primary School, Kariuki said that those parents who still practise FGM are going against the new Constitution, adding that traditional mutilation method on women has been buried. "Mutilation among our girls is a kind of discrimination, and has both physically and mentally problems and therefore it should not be practised,” he noted. He told the area chiefs to be more serious on this issue to ensure that the girls are no longer subjected to discrimination by the culture or religion!.

Ambassador Lucy S. Mashua, President of Mashua Voice for the Voiceless, International Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rights Global Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Chairperson of the Worldwide Campaign Against FGM Leading in lobbying for HR 2221: The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. http://twitter.com/Mashua http://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

PERTH MUTILATING COUPLES ARRESTED FOR TRANSPORTING THEIR ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER FOR MUTILATION! Amen:). Story by Amanda Tionisio and Melisa Wamae for Mashua Against FGM Australia chapter Perth.

POLICE have charged a Perth couple with subjecting their baby girl to female mutilation in Bali. Child Abuse Squad detectives have investigated the allegations against the 44-year-old father and 42-year-old mother and charged them under Section 306(4) of the Criminal Code. It will be alleged the couple arranged for female genital mutilation to be performed on their one-year-old daughter and took her overseas for the procedure.(Holiday loop hole) The couple will appear in the Joondalup Magistrates Court on October 4. Child Protection Minister Robyn McSweeney said: "While I can’t comment specifically on this case, female genital mutilation is an abhorrent practice and one which is illegal in Western Australia. It is mutilation and should be stamped out worldwide''. Way to go Perth thank you may you give the baby girl a home that will accept her as a human being and send a message we will put all the bloody thirsty mutilators in jail! Thank you to Herald sun for publishing the story, My ausie sisters Amanda and Melissa Mashua Against FGM Australian chapter.

Ambassador Lucy Mashua Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rightsGlobal Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)Leading the Worldwide Campaign Against FGMLobbying for HR 2221:The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. and S 1919 introduced by Senator Harry Reid,http://twitter.com/Mashuahttp://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

Police in Kenya rescue five girls FGM Survivors from bleeding to death after they were mutilated,They also arrested the parents and the mutilators! by Ambassador Lucy Mashua

Five teenage girls are admitted at Kyuso District Hospital in Kitui after they were forcefully multilated by their parents. The five, aged between 13 and 18 years, were rescued by Administration Police after they received information about the incident. Mumoni AP commander who ordered the operation to rescue the girls and arrest the perpetrators said two of the girls were found in their homes while three were found hidden in a bush where they had been taken for the mutilation. He said four women were arrested among them a traditional mutilator and the parents of the girls. “When we got the report from the area chief, I immediately dispatched officers who arrested the four women and rescued the girls. Unfortunately the girls had already been mutilated and we rushed them to hospital because they had lost a lot of blood and were walking with difficulty,” said Mohamed. The women are held at Kyuso police station. Female genital mutilation is illegal in the country. Mohamed said the practice is still rampant in the area inhabited by the Tharaka community but warned that stern action will be taken against parents found subjecting their children to the FGM. “We are sending a very strong warning to the community in that area that FGM is outlawed and it will not be tolerated at all. Those who still practice it will face severe punishment as per the law. They should know that such act amounts to abuse of children rights,” he said. It is believed that parents in the area take advantage of the holiday season to subject female children to FGM, majority of whom are married off after the brutal practice.

Ambassador Lucy Mashua Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rightsGlobal Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)Leading the Worldwide Campaign Against FGMLobbying for HR 2221:The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. and S 1919 introduced by Senator Harry Reid,http://twitter.com/Mashuahttp://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

SWEDISH CULTURE MINISTER APOLOGIZES ABOUT THE RACIST FGM CAKE I HAVE THE LETTER ADDRESSED TO ME FROM HER DESK:)

On May 15th My UK sister Helen Marshal and I Lucy Mashua one month exactly after (FGM RACIST CAKE) the public humiliation to FGM survivors and Activists who work night and day to see the end of FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION and total insensitive to the victims who have died as a resutlt of it. We send by post a letter to the Swedish culture minister demanding an apology for her perticipation in the hurtful scenario April 15th

This morning I received this apology letter in my desk from her desk and I am content with the apology and ready to focus on my fight against FGM which is more important, Swedish minister of culture Lena Adelsohn it takes a bigger person to say "AM SORRY" , Apologies accepted.

Dear Ms Lucy. S. Mashua and Ms Helen Marshall, Thank you for your letter to the Minister for Culture regarding the events at the Museum of Modern Art on the 15th of April. It has been delegated upon me to answer. The Minister for Culture sincerely understands your concern in this matter, therefore it is important for her to explain her view on this issue. On the 15th of August of April the Minister for Culture was invited to the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm where the World Art Day took place and the Swedish Artists’ National Organization celebrated its 75th anniversary. The theme for the event was freedom of expression, the struggle against censorship and art´s freedom to challenge and provoke. Amongst other artists Makode Linde was invited to create a work of art in the form of a cake. As the opening speaker, the Minister for Culture was asked to cut a piece of Makode Linde’s creation. The actual purpose of World Art Day was to discuss and highlight the role of art in society. The Swedish national cultural policy assumes that culture shall be an independent force based on the freedom of expression. Art must therefore be allowed room to provoke and pose uncomfortable questions. As the Minister for Culture emphasised in her speech on World Art Day, it is therefore imperative that we defend freedom of expression and freedom of art – even when it causes offence. The Minister for Culture is the first to agree that Makode Linde’s piece is highly provocative since it deliberately reflects a racist stereotype and a deliberately grotesque caricature of genital mutilation. But the actual intent of the piece – and Makode Linde’s artistry – is to challenge the traditional image of racism, abuse and oppression through provocation. While the symbolism in the piece is despicable, it is unfortunate and highly regrettable that the presentation has been interpreted as an expression of racism. The artistic intent was the exact opposite. As Minister for Culture it is Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth’s responsibility to safeguard the conditions for and independence of art and culture. At the same time, it is also her job to uphold the democratic values that counter racism, gender inequality and intolerance. The Minister for Culture chose to open World Art Day to turn the spotlight on art and freedom of expression. The Swedish Artist’s National Organization chose in turn to highlight Makode Linde to bring attention to his anti-racist artistry. Through the ceremony, however, the Minister for Culture became personally involved in Makode Lindes highly provocative form of expression. It is perfectly obvious that her role as minister differs from that of the artist. Provocation cannot or should not be an expression for those who have the trust and responsibility of Government representative. She therefore feels it is her responsibility to clarify that she is sincerely sorry if anyone has misinterpreted her participation. The 18th of April 2012, a written apology was published in a nationwide newspaper as well as on the Swedish Government website. Yours sincerely, Emy Widén Desk Officer Ministry of Culture Emy Widén Departementssekreterare Enheten för konstarterna Kulturdepartementet SE-103 33 Stockholm Besöksadress: Drottninggatan 16 This is very encouraging people let us all move on and fight the real fight against FGM and not one another

,

Ambassador Lucy Mashua Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rightsGlobal Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)Leading the Worldwide Campaign Against FGMLobbying for HR 2221:The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. and S 1919 introduced by Senator Harry Reid,http://twitter.com/Mashuahttp://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415

FGM RACIST CAKE.ALL SURVIVORS OF FGM WANT IS A TRUE APOLGY ,THAT IS ALL WE ASK.SIGN OUR PETITION AT CHANGE.ORG IN SOLIDARITY.

Dear Minister for Swedish Culture, This letter is written on behalf of everyone who has either died, survived or is advocating an end to the harmful cultural practice of female genital mutilation. Before writing this letter, a honest attempt has been made to unravel the exact events of what actually happened and why at the Moderna Museet concerning the Swedish Artists organisation cultural event that took place within this last week. In the research undertaken for the writing of this letter, it is of the understanding that you are a supposed supporter of anti-FGM campaigns and that Sweden takes a serious stance against this extreme gender –based violence. This subject based on long cultural traditions but is widely recognised as being very harmful and causing deaths to many girls and women. In fact, to date, it is not completely known how many women and girls have actually died, given that deaths are under reported and in rural Africa true figures are not known. What we do know is that injury and complications are serious and a life-time of health complications results. Facts that you should be well aware of given your interest in the subject. So, it is with astonishment that you took part in this dreadful and de-based spectacle. In your defence, journalists have argued that you walked into something in which you were unaware the full ramifications of. That once in the room, you had to go along with it. This is no defence. You must have known how much insult you would cause and what a media disaster this would be for you and the party you represent. You should have known exactly what you were attending and what you would be expected to do. There is no reason that can be seen as to how this was ever going to ever help the anti-FGM cause and make a point of its abhorrence. It was a theatrical spectacle where the whole issue was made into a joke, something to be laughed at. This may very well had been the last thing you wanted but this is the result. And the result is mortifying to those directly affected. Therefore, this letter is asking for a full public apology not only from yourself but from the artist Makode Linde for the extremely misguided actions and the subsequent hurt and potential humiliation you have caused to its victims. We do hope you have the comparison, the moral fibre and the dignity to reply, Yours sincerely, Ambassador Lucy Mashua Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rightsGlobal Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)Leading the Worldwide Campaign Against FGMLobbying for HR 2221:The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. and S 1919 introduced by Senator Harry Reid,http://twitter.com/Mashuahttp://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415 AND Helen Marshall, Norfolk UK. Activist against FGM and supporter of the African NGO Tareto Maa, Kilgoris, Kenya, refuge for girls fleeing FGM and early enforced marriage.