Call for female circumcision to be medicalised

During early September, a number of Sri Lankan Muslim groups called on the Government to medicalise female circumcision. In representations made to the Parliamentary Committee on Women and Gender, members of the All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ulama, All Ceylon YMMA Conference, Centre for Islamic Studies and United Religions Initiative urged the Ministry of Health to withdraw a recent circular prohibiting medical professionals from carrying out female circumcision.

In their submission, the joint Muslim groups stated that the Muslim community is very concerned about moves to ban this obligatory Islamic duty on the grounds that it is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). They said that the practice of female circumcision is an obligatory Islamic duty which confers a number of health benefits and that it is not FGM.

Hence they condemned the move to ban the practice of female circumcision by legislation and/or Government bodies. They further urged that no moves should be made in this regard in which case they would consider it as an unwarranted intrusion and an infringement of their religious duties guaranteed by the law and constitution of Sri Lanka.

The group further stated that although Muslims wholeheartedly support the abolition of traditional practices harmful to women and children such as FGM, in case it is shown to exist in Sri Lanka, the Islamic practice of female circumcision is vastly different.

As such religious obligation practiced by the Muslims of the country for centuries in keeping with the requirements of the Islamic faith is not FGM.

The submission further stated that since this is a religious obligation, almost all Muslim Women and girls would have to undergo the procedure by hiring the services of traditional female circumcisers known as Ostha Mamis in case doctors refuse to perform this procedure citing the above mentioned circular. This could lead to serious medical complications which would amount to FGM.