CIRCUMCISION INFORMATION NETWORK
Volume 3, Number 15, 15 April 1996
E-mail: CircInfoNe@aol.com
The purpose of this weekly 1000-word bulletin is to educate the public about
and to protect children and other non-consenting persons from genital
mutilation. Readers are encouraged to copy and redistribute it, and to
contribute written material. --Rich Angell, Editor.
FELLOW HUMAN BEING IN DISTRESS
Contributed by Erik.Vanlennep@dartmouth.edu (Erik Vanlennep)
I have read about the case of Fauzia Kasinga, a 19 year old women from Togo
seeking asylum in the United States. She left home over a year ago because,
after her father's death, she was being forced into an arranged polygamous
marriage in the tribal custom that required her to submit to genital
mutilation. This practice was opposed by her father who, during his
lifetime, was able to protect his older daughters from becoming victims of
this practice. With his death, tribal leaders took over his household and
arranged for the marriage of Ms. Kasinga.
Ms. Kasinga fled Togo to protect herself against the practice of genital
mutilation. Her case went before U.S. immigration judge, Donald Ferlise, who
said "he found [her] case inconceivable, nonsensical and irrational" (WP,
3/17/96). He ordered her to be deported back to Togo because he didn't think
she proved that she had any well-founded fear of persecution.
Ms. Kasinga has been detained in a Pennsylvania prison, where she has
reportedly been treated in an abominable fashion, until her case is resolved.
The INS district director does have the authority to determine that it is in
the public interest for an asylum seeker to be released from detention.
However, despite such a request from the INS general counsel, INS district
director Scott Blackman refused to release Ms. Kasinga. Attorneys from the
International Human Rights Law Clinic at American University are challenging
Mr. Blackman's decision. A hearing is scheduled for April, 1996. At that
time the attorneys will argue for her release and that she be granted
permanent asylum in the U.S. She does have family in the U.S. with whom she
plans to reside. If Ms. Kasinga loses her case, she will be forcibly
returned to Togo where she will have no choice regarding her future.
If this scenario disturbs you as much as it did me, there are some actions
you can take:
1. Please tell others about this case. Go ahead and forward this e-mail to
others who would be interested.
2. Contact the Equality Now in NYC @ 212-586-0906. They are organizing a
public letter writing campaign and could use everyone's help.
3. Call Senators Arlen Specter @ 202-224-4254 and Orin Hatch @ 202-224-5251
requesting that they remove the summary exclusion provision of the
immigration legislation. If the legislation goes into effect with this
provision, cases like Ms. Kasinga's would never have the opportunity for a
fair hearing.
4. Write Ms. Kasinga to let her know that you are interested in her and her
situation. She can be reached c/o York County Prison 340 Concord R. York, PA
17402.
"THE FORESKIN IS NECESSARY"
An article by Paul M. Fleiss. MD, MPH, and Frederick Hodges
Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, April 1996.
Contributed by typist DYKS96A@prodigy.com ( GEORGE HILL)
Third of a multi-part series.
CARE OF THE FORESKIN
The natural penis requires no special hygienic care. The internal structures
of the penis, like the vagina, are self-cleansing. In infancy and childhood
the penis should never be tampered with by parents, physicians, or other care
givers. The child's foreskin should never be retracted. Smegma is not dirt.
It is beneficial and necessary. It should not be washed away in childhood.
The adult male may gently rinse the exposed glans with warm water according
to his self-determined needs. At any age, soaps of any kind should be
avoided as these will dry out the mucosa. Dermatological infections of the
foreskin such as balanoposthitis are commonly caused by forced retraction and
soap.(3) The retrospective studies alleging a 1.26 percentage point
increased rate of urinary tract infections among intact boys has been largely
invalidated because of selection bias and a 16% rate of false positive
diagnosis. (4-6) It has been proven that retraction and washing of the
infant foreskin can cause urinary tract infections by irritating the mucous
membranes and destroying the naturally occurring beneficial flora which
protects against pathogens.(7)
References:
3. Birley HDL, Walker MM, Luzzie GA, et al. Clinical features and management
of recurrent balanitis; association with atopy and genital washing.
Genitourinary Medicine 1993; 69:400:3
4. Wiswell TE, Smith FR Bass JW. Decreased incidence of urinary tract
infection in circumcised male infants. Pediatrics 1985; 75:901-3
5. Schlager TA, Hendley JO, Dudley S et al. Explanation for false positive
cultures obtained by bag technique. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent
Medicine 1995; 149:170-3
6. Fleiss PM. Explanation for false positive cultures obtained by bag
technique. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 1995;
149:1041-1042
7. Naouri A. Ne touchez plus au prepuce de l'enfant. Le Generaliste 1986;
868:10-13
SCREAM OF THE WEEK
(Statements Documenting Infant Circumcision Pain)
Submitted by Johnny4444@aol.com
"They told me there would be no pain...a tremendous flash of blinding white
pain surged through my entire body...I thought I had been electrocuted and
was dead...The pain was the worst I have ever had...I cannot imagine any pain
possibly being worse." (From a letter to Rosemary Romberg from a man in
Florida, circumcised at age 25 *under local anesthesia*.)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION call NOCIRC, the National Organization of
Circumcision Information Resource Centers at (415) 488-9883, fax (415)
488-9660. Ask about the resource provider nearest you. For written
information, write NOCIRC, PO Box 2512, San Anselmo, CA 94979, with SASE
and/or donation if possible.