Izigidi Ziyahlupheka—Ingabe Zingasizwa?

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! e-Afrika

UKUBE wawunawo amandla, ingabe wawuyokuqeda ukuhlupheka kwabantu? Ngokuqinisekile wawuyokuqeda—uma wawunawo! Iqiniso liwukuthi akekho umuntu onendlela yokuqeda bonke ubuhlungu nosizi emhlabeni.

Nokho, ungase ube namandla okusiza ukunciphisa, ngisho futhi nokuvimbela, okunye kokuhlupheka okukuzungezile. Ngokwesibonelo, kulinganiselwa ukuthi emazweni ahlukahlukene, amashumi ezigidi zabesifazane ahlushwa ubuhlungu nosizi olukhulu ngenxa yesiko elidala neligxile ngokujulile. Ngokwalelisiko, abazali abanezisusa ezinhle balungiselela ukususwa kwengxenye noma ingxenye enkulu yezitho zobulili zamadodakazi abo. Kuye kwabizwa ngokuthi ukusokwa kwabesifazane.a Kodwa ochwepheshe abaningi manje bakubiza ngokuthi i-FGM ([female genital mutilation], ukucwiywa kwezitho zobulili zabesifazane), okuyigama elichaza lenqubo ngokunembe kakhulu.

I-Hosken Report ephathelene ne-FGM isazisa ukuthi ukucwiywa kwezitho zobulili kuwumkhuba owenziwa endaweni enkulu kusukela eMpumalanga Afrika kuya eNtshonalanga Afrika nakwezinye izindawo ezakhelene nayo. Lokhu kucwiywa kwezitho okubuhlungu kwabesifazane kuletha izinkinga zempilo futhi kungasongela ukuphila.

Imibono Iye Yavezwa Obala

Bekungelula ukuveza obala imibono ngokumelene nalomkhuba. Iphephandaba laseKenya i-Standard laphawula ukuthi i-FGM “ibiyimfihlo kakhulu. Kuye kwaba nzima futhi ngezinye izikhathi kwaba yingozi ngalabo besifazane noma amadoda abafuna ukuqeda lokhu kuhlinzwa, ukuveza obala imibono ngokumelene nalomkhuba. Kaningi bamangalelwa ngokuthi baphikisana nesiko, bamelene nomkhaya, bamelene nenkolo, bamelene nesizwe, noma ngokulahla abantu bakubo siqu noma izizinda zokuphila.”

Iphephandaba elifanayo lase-Afrika lichaza ukuthi i-FGM “ayiwona ‘umkhuba ongokwesiko ongalimazi’ kodwa iyimbangela eyinhloko yomonakalo ongokomzimba ohlala njalo nokufa kwabesifazane nezingane ezingamantombazane . . . Iphula ilungelo lazo zonke izingane ezingamantombazane lokukhula ngokomzimba ngendlela enempilo nevamile.”

Kulo lonke elase-Afrika nakwamanye amazwe, abanye abaningi baveza imibono yabo ngomzamo wokufundisa abantu ngalomkhuba. Uzwisa ubuhlungu futhi uletha ukukhubazeka emantombazaneni, kusukela ngisho nasebuntwaneni, futhi awunazo nakancane izinzuzo zezokwelapha.

Inani lokukhubazeka okuhlala njalo, okubuhlungu nokufa elibikwayo liye lethusa izikhulu zezempilo nohulumeni bamazwe amaningi. Kusikiselwa ngisho nokuthi i-FGM kungenzeka inengxenye ekusakazekeni kwengculaza e-Afrika. Futhi ngenxa yobuningi babantu abasuka e-Afrika naseMpumalanga Ephakathi abathuthela e-Australia, eCanada, e-United States, naseYurophu lokhu kucwiywa kwabesifazane kuba impikiswano yempilo yomphakathi kwezinye izikhungo zezempilo zaseNtshonalanga. Okungafanele kushaywe indiva izindleko zokwelashwa okuqhubekayo kwezinkinga ezingokomzimba futhi, ezimweni eziningi, umonakalo ongokwengqondo.

Kuye kwamiswa imithetho futhi isamiswa ukuze kunqandwe lomkhuba. IFrance, i-Italy, iNgilandi, neSweden angamanye amazwe aseYurophu lapho i-FGM yenqatshelwe khona ngokomthetho. I-Globe and Mail yaseCanada yabika ukuthi i-FGM “iye yanqatshelwa indikimba elawulayo eqondisa odokotela base-Ontario.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwaphawulwa: “Nakuba umthetho waseCanada ungakhulumi ngokuqondile ngokusokwa kwabesifazane noma umkhuba wokubopha amalebe, izikhulu zikahulumeni zithé imikhuba enjalo iyobhekwa njengohlobo lokuxhashazwa kwezingane noma ukuhlukumeza okwedlulele.”

Iningana lezinhlangano zamazwe onke njenge-World Health Organization liye lalwela ukuyiqeda i-FGM. Kwafinyelelwa iqophelo eliphawulekayo ngo-September 1990, lapho abaholi bomhlaba, kuhlanganise nabongameli bamazwe ase-Afrika, njengeSenegal, Uganda, neZimbabwe, behlangana eNew York ukuze basayine iSivumelwano Samalungelo Engane. Lencwajana ilahla ukusokwa kwabesifazane njengokuhlukumeza nokuxhaphaza ngokobulili.

I-Economist yaseLondon yabika: “Ukusokwa kwabesifazane—okubizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi ukucwiywa kwezitho zobulili—kusengenye yezinto ezesatshwa kakhulu ezingaphatheki ngisho nangegama zase-Afrika. Ngokombiko we-Minority Rights Group ezinze eLondon, . . . amashumi ezigidi zamantombazane ayathinteka minyaka yonke.”

Lencwadi yaqhubeka ithi: “Lenqubo iyahlukahluka kusukela ebuhlungwini obuncane kuya kobuhlasimulisa umzimba, futhi ingase ihilele ukususwa kwe-clitoris nezinye izitho ngemimese, ibhodlela eliphukile, nezinsingo—kodwa ngokuvamile ayisetshenziswa imithi yokubulala izinzwa. Ingaholela ezinkingeni ezinkulu kakhulu ngokuya esikhathini, ukuhlanganyela ubulili nokubeletha, ukuphazamiseka kwengqondo ngisho nokufa. . . . Lomkhuba uyaqhubeka ngenxa yokwesaba okungokwenkolelo-ze kobulili nemikhuba yabesifazane kanye nenkolelo eyiphutha yokuthi uhlanzekile.”

Lomkhuba Usaqhubeka

Kwelinye izwe lase-Afrika lapho iningi labesifazane liye labhekana khona nalenqubo, imithetho eyamiswa ngo-1947 inqabela uhlobo oluyingozi kakhulu lokucwiya. Kodwa lelisiko lisenziwa. Kungani? Ngoba izigidi zabantu abanezisusa ezinhle ziyaqhubeka zidukiswa futhi zikhohliswa ukuba zikholelwe ukuthi i-FGM inenzuzo. Ngokwesibonelo, abesifazane abadala basezindaweni zasemakhaya bakholelwa ukuthi ingokwenzuzo yentombazane. Yingakho, njengoba kwabikwa iphephandaba laseNigeria i-Guardian, i-Minority Rights Group yaphawula ukuthi kudingekile ukuba “kuguqulwe izingqondo zabesifazane abadala abayigqugquzelayo.”

Umagazini i-Nursing Times waveza umbono ofanayo: “Imfundo iwukuphela kwendlela ongalwa ngayo ngempela nokusokwa kwabesifazane.” Futhi kamuva, leliphephabhuku elifanayo lathi: “Yonke lenkinga ingaqedwa kuphela ngokuqaphelisa ngezingozi zayo, nokufundisa amadoda kanye nabesifazane ngokufanayo.” Kungani kufundiswa namadoda? Ngoba obaba abaningi bakhokhela ukuhlinzwa ukuze bakwazi ukwendisela amadodakazi abo emadodeni angenakubamukela abesifazane abangasokiwe.

Esinye isizathu esenza lokhu kucwiywa kuqhubeke sihilela imali. I-American Journal of Nursing ithi: “Ukusoka kuwumthombo obalulekile wenzuzo engokwezimali kulabo abahileleke ekwenziweni kwako; ngakho-ke, abantu abanjalo banamalungelo agunyaziwe ezinzuzo zobugovu ekuqhubekiseleni phambili lomkhuba.” Akubona abesifazane abadala kuphela abakhokhelwayo ukuze benze lokhu kuhlinza kodwa nababelethisi nabagundi nabo bayakhokhelwa. Abahlengikazi nodokotela kweminye imitholampilo yezokwelapha nabo bangakwenza ukuze bazame ukuvikela amantombazane kwezinye zezingozi namanxeba angapholi okubangelwa ukuhlinzwa okungahlanzekile. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ubani okwenzayo, kusewukucwiya.

Kwezinye izimo abesifazane abadala benziwa lokhu kuhlinzwa ngokuphindaphindiwe eminyakeni yabo yokubeletha. I-New York Times International yaphawula ukuthi “abesifazane abaningi babhekana nochungechunge olubuhlungu lokusokwa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngemva kokubeletha ngakunye. Izibazi ezabangelwa ukusokwa ziyasikwa zivulwe ngaphambi kokubeletha futhi zithungwe ngemva kwalokho. Lokhu kubangela ukopha okukhulu, kwenza ukubeletha kuthathe isikhathi eside futhi kwandise ingozi yokulimala kobuchopho bengane esanda kuzalwa.”

Umagazini i-New Scientist wabika ukuthi “amantombazane amaningi amancane opha aze afe ngenxa yokuthi abahlinzi abangamadlabha baye basika umthambo wegazi wezitho zokuzala zangaphandle noma umthambo ongasemuva we-clitoris. Amanye afa ngenxa yokushaqeka kwangemva kokuhlinzwa ngoba akekho okwaziyo ukuwaphaphamisa futhi isibhedlela sikude kakhulu, noma labo abahilelekile bayanqikaza ukufuna usizo ngoba benamahloni alamanxeba okuhlinzwa enziwe ngobudlabha.”

Nokho, lomkhuba usaqhubeka. Imibiko ye-FGM ivela njalo emaphephandabeni ase-Afrika naseYurophu. Muva nje elinye iphephabhuku lase-Afrika labika ukuthi “iningi lezisulu zokucwiywa kwezitho zobulili zabesifazane yizinsana namantombazane. Nakuba abazali besoka amadodakazi abo ngenkolelo yokuthi kufanele futhi kudingekile, lokhu kuhlinzwa nemiphumela yako kufana nokuhlukumeza.” Ngokwephephandaba laseLondon i-Independent (ka-July 7, 1992), ukuhlola kwamuva nje kwembula ukuthi “lomkhuba wawusakazeke kakhulu e-UK kunalokho okwakukholelwa ngaphambili.” EBrithani amantombazane angaphezu kwangu-10 000, “iningi lawo elineminyaka eyisishiyagalombili noma ngaphansi, kulinganiselwa ukuthi asengozini yokusokwa kwabesifazane.”

Isiko Elisekelwe Emangeni

Abanye bakholelwa amanga okuthi izitho zobulili zabesifazane azihlanzekile futhi kumelwe zihlanzwe ngokusikwa. Bacabanga ukuthi amadoda kuphela anelungelo lokujabulela injabulo engokobulili. Kukholelwa futhi ukuthi i-FGM ithuthukisa inzalo, iqeda ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili, futhi yandisa amathuba entombazane okuthola umshado. “Ngokuyindida,” kuphawula umagazini i-Time, “ukubanda noma ubunyumba okubangelwa yilokhu kucwiywa kubangela amadoda amaningi ukuba abalekele omkawo.”

Bengakholelwa ekutheni ukusokwa kwabesifazane kuyobavimbela ekubeni abaziphethe kabi, ababeneqhaza emhlanganweni wamuva nje we-Inter-African Committee, owawubanjelwe eLagos, eNigeria, babonisa ukuthi okuzuzisa kakhulu ukuqeqeshwa kokuziphatha kwasebuntwaneni. Izenzo ezingalungile zingavinjelwa ngemfundo, hhayi ukucwiywa kwezitho. Ngokwesibonelo: Ingabe kufanele sinqamule izingalo zezinsana ukuze sizivimbele ukuba zingakhuleli ekubeni izigebengu? Noma sinqume izindimi zazo ukuze zingalokothi zisho izinto ezimbi?

Omunye umbhangqwana waseNigeria wenqaba ukusoka indodakazi yawo. Lokhu kwathukuthelisa umama wendoda, owaba nomuzwa wokuthi ingane yayiyokhulela ekuziphatheni okuxekethile. Kodwa ngokukhuliswa okuhle kokuziphatha, lentombazane yahlala imsulwa. Ngokuphambene, ezinye izingane ezaziwa yilomkhaya, abazali bazo abangazange bazinike isikhathi sokudlulisela ukuziphatha okuhle kuzo, zagcina ziziphethe kabi kakhulu ngisho nakuba zazisokiwe. Manje ugogo useyaqiniseka ukuthi into ebalulekile akukhona ukusoka noma ukungasoki, kodwa ukugxiliswa kwemithetho kaNkulunkulu yokuziphatha ezinganeni.

Uma siwathanda amadodakazi ethu, siyocabanga ngemiphumela emibi ye-FGM ekuphileni kwawo futhi singathuthukisi noma sikhuthaze lomkhuba nganoma iyiphi indlela. Lokhu kuyodinga isibindi ngoba kwezinye izindawo kukhulu ukwesaba ukucindezela komphakathi kokuvumelana nalelisiko.

Ukuhlobana Okungokwenkolo

Ukwazi umlando wokucwiywa kwezitho zabesifazane kuyafundisa. Lomkhuba unamakhulu eminyaka ukhona futhi usobala ngisho naphakathi kwezidumbu ezomisiwe zaseGibithe lasendulo. Iphephabhuku i-Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery liyaphawula: “Ukusokwa kwabesifazane kwakwenziwa eGibithe lasendulo futhi kuhlobana nenkolelo yobuFaro ekubeni nobulili obubili konkulunkulu.” Ngisho nanamuhla, igama lohlobo olubi kakhulu lwalokucwiywa kwezitho libizwa ngokuthi ukusokwa kobuFaro.

Kwezinye izindawo, imikhosi yasendulo engokwenkolo ihlobene ne-FGM. Isiphathimandla sase-Afrika, sachaza ukuthi omunye umkhosi othile ubhekwa njengesenzo sokuxhumana nonkulunkulu wawokhokho, okunxuswa isivikelo sakhe ukuze asize amantombazane phakathi nokuhlinzwa okungokoqobo futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo ukuze awanikeze ukuhlakanipha kokhokho bawo.—Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 6:14-18.

Kulula ukuqonda ukuthi kungani amaKristu eqiniso ahlala emazweni lapho i-FGM yenziwa khona engaligcini lelisiko. Akukho lutho eBhayibhelini olubonisa ngisho nesidingo sokwenza ukuhlinza okunjalo kokucwiya izitho kwabesifazane. Kusobala ukuthi uMdali waklama owesifazane ukuze akwazi ukujabulela injabulo yobulili phakathi kwelungiselelo lomshado. Ukucwiywa kwezitho zobulili zabesifazane akuvumelani nezimiso zothando, uzwela, nokuhluzeka kwengqondo okukhuthazwa emiBhalweni Engcwele.—Efesu 5:28, 29; Filipi 4:5.

Okubaluleke kunakho konke, uNkulunkulu wothando, uJehova, kuyamdumaza lokhu kucwiywa kwezitho okungenangqondo nokuhlupheka okuwumphumela kwezigidi zabesifazane namantombazane amancane. Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi uthembisé izwe elisha lapho kungekho muntu oyohlupheka!—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 21]

Kuthiwani Ngokusokwa Kwabesilisa?

Abanye bangase baphakamise lombuzo, Ingabe ukusokwa kwabesilisa akukhona ukucwiywa komzimba nakho? IBhayibheli lithi ngesinye isikhathi uNkulunkulu wenza ukusokwa kwabesilisa kwaba yisibopho. Kamuva, lapho kumiswa ibandla lobuKristu, ukusoka kwakungaseyona imfuneko, nakuba kwakungenqatshelwe. Kuwumthwalo wemfanelo womuntu ngamunye ukunquma ukuthi yena noma amadodana akhe bayokwamukela yini ukusoka noma cha.

Namuhla, ukusokwa kwabesilisa kwenziwa ezindaweni eziningi. Yiqiniso, lokhu kuhlinzwa kuhilela ukususwa kwenyama ngokuhlinza. Kodwa lenqubo ayifani ne-FGM nganoma iyiphi indlela. Ngokuvamile, amadoda awabhekani nemiphumela engathandeki ngemva kokusokwa. Ngokuphambene, izinqubo ezivamile zabesifazane, njengokuya esikhathini, ukuhlanganyela ubulili, ukubeletha, nokukhipha umchamo, ngokuvamile zihambisana nobuhlungu obukhulu bokuphila konke ngenxa ye-FGM. Futhi, ukubeletha okuyinkimbinkimbi ngokwedlulele kuye kwabangela ukukhubazeka okungathi sína kwangesikhathi sokuzalwa ngisho futhi nokufa kwezinsana eziningi.

Mangaki amadoda angazifaka wona noma amadodana awo enqubweni ecwiya umpipi ukuze avimbele yonke injabulo phakathi nokuhlanganyela ubulili nebangela ubuhlungu obubeleselayo nezingozi ezingokwempilo kukho konke ukuphila? Ngokusobala, akukho ukuqhathaniseka phakathi kokusokwa kwabesilisa ne-FGM.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 23]

Intombazane Yase-Afrika Idalula Iqiniso

‘Ngangineminyaka eyisishiyagalombili lapho ngisokwa. Ngineminyaka engu-11 manje, kodwa ngisakukhumbula kahle lokho kuhlinzwa. Ngisho nokucabanga ngakho kuyangenyelisa, futhi ngezinye izikhathi ngiphupha kabi. Izinsuku eziningi ngingumuntu ojabulile, kodwa lapho ngicabanga ngakho, ngiqala ukuzizwa ngimunyu ngaphakathi.

‘Ngangijabule ngempela lapho ngiqala ukuzwa ngakho. Umkhaya wakithi nezihlobo babezongipha izipho eziningi. Ngangingazi ukuthi kuyini ukuhlinzwa kokusokwa, futhi angizange ngicabange ukuthi kwakuzoba buhlungu.

‘Ukujabula kwami kwanyamalala. Ngaqala ukukhala futhi ngesaba ngempela. Kwakunabesifazane abane ababebambe izingalo nemilenze yami. Omunye wesifazane wangivala umlomo ngesandla sakhe. Ngazama ukuphunyula, kodwa babenamandla kunami futhi baphinda bangicindezela phansi. Kwakubuhlungu kakhulu.

‘Lapho ummese ungena kimi, kwagcwala igazi yonke indawo. Ngangingazange ngicabange ukuthi ikhona into eyayingaba buhlungu kangako. Ngemva kwalokho bagcoba inxeba ngenhlanganisela yamaqanda noshukela. Base bebopha imilenze yami bayihlanganisa. Ngabuyiselwa emotweni. Ngakhala yonke indlela silibangise ekhaya.’—Ingcaphuno ethathwé ephephandabeni laseKenya i-Standard.

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 20]

WHO/OXFAM