HIV positive Women Are Being "Sterilized"

There is lawsuit launched against the government of Namibia by 20 women accusing the government of having them "sterilized" without their consent. It appears that women who were HIV positive and went to the hospital to deliver their babies by cesarean section were also rendered infertile by a procedure known as BTL (Bilateral Tubal Litigation).

The government claims these women signed consent forms. Many of the women, most of illiterate, say they were never explained what they were signing and that they were drugged at the time, half naked on the bed, about to deliver a baby.

Regardless of people's opinion in regards to women with HIV choosing to get pregnant and have children, one can't deny that what was done to these women was a violation of their rights and total offense to their dignity as human beings .

In the Globe and Mail, Aziza Ahmed a legal expert is quoted as havnig said:
“A lot of this stems from really strange and rudimentary fears about HIV-positive women, I think people want HIV-positive women to be punished in a way. There's that attitude that blames women for the spread of the virus.”

Another woman, one of the "sterilized" ones, explains how her "consent" was obtained:
“I said, ‘What am I signing for?'“ she recalls. “They just said, ‘Just sign this and get on the bed. Shut up and sign.' So I signed.”

In a place like Namibia women who are infertile are often seen as witches who eat their children and are shunned. Women who are rendered infertile by their doctors are usually abandoned by their husbands and left to take care of their family on their own. HIV positive women are now afraid to seek medical treatment for their illness or seek medical help in delivering babies because they are afraid that they will also be "sterilized".

This practice must stop. You can't perform surgery on someone, unless it is to save their lives, without their consent. Whether you are in Africa or in Canada, it should make no difference. These women have been butchered and are now completely set apart from their communities because of their inability to have children.

Are programs like these (the ones that violate human rights) where our Africa Aid money goes to? If so, I say we ask for audit reports and follow ups, because I do not want a single dollar of my taxes going to help those who violate the body, the soul, the existence and the rights of the poorest of the poor, the HIV positive women of Africa.

Mucahcho Enfermo

Opinions from Kenya

Just for kicks, I decided to follow up on yesterday's post about Kenyan women withholding sex from their husbands in order to push for political change, an initiative backed up by the country's first lady and by Kenya's own G10 (the group of 10 women's group that pushed for this action).

I've received a few emails, and a couple of comments about this and so far the women I've heard from where all in support of the Kenyan women's action. You'd think that other people in Kenya would take notice, they'd say something along the lines of: "Hmmmm maybe we should listen to these women..." Apparently that's not the kind of thing that happens in Kenya... According to a few articles and posts I've read from there today, people have completely missed the boat, for them it's all about the fact that sex is in the bedroom and not in parliament.

Here's some quotes with the links to the original sources:
"Insecurity, inflation and poverty only affect the ordinary mwananchi and now the hapless guy has been told that the only source of solace shall be denied. It’s highly unlikely that your average male politician can go for two days’ leave alone a week, without intimacy. Their wives won’t deny them and even if they did, these guys have a retinue of young girls waiting to unleash just for a song. Will they now accuse the men of viewing the women as nothing but sex objects?" (source)

Muslim Women in Kenya "said denying men sex would encourage them to be promiscuous, leading to rise in sexually transmitted diseases."
and
"The decisions we make could affect us for the rest of our lives and we don’t want to leave our children in orphanages or streets"
(source)

Click HERE for more.

After the last Kenyan elections "hundreds of Kenyan women have reported being raped during ethnic clashes that left more than 1300 people dead over the course of two months. The actual number of rapes committed likely totals over 3000..." So is it really surprising that women's bodies are once again at the center of a political battle? The difference is that this time the women aren't going to be victims...

Muchacho Enfermo

It Worked in Ancient Greece Right?

The women of Kenya have decided to withhold sex from their husband as part of a desperate plea to the government to work in a more unified manner towards the common good.

Women's groups on the ground estimate 40% of Kenyan are participating, everyone from prostitutes to the first lady who has voiced her support of the initiative. Kenya was in Chaos following the last election and this initiative aims at raising awareness and forcing the government and the opposition to work together in a more cohesive manner, with the future of the country and its people at the forefront of their actions.

The reactions from within Kenya are mixed:

"If my wife refuses to have sex with me, he says, she goes back to her mother. That is my right." Said a 23 year old man.

"People are really reacting to it, whether they are for it or not. We have been heard. That's the voice of women power." Rukia Subow, chairwoman of Kenya's oldest women's NGO,

“It might make a difference, but it's not right,” Says a female hairdresser. “According to God, according to the law, women should submit their bodies to their husbands. It's a rule.”

“They (men) have to be told something. They are so involved in themselves, especially the politicians. They're not thinking about other Kenyans.” Said a student named Olive.

This reminds my of an occidental history course I took like 10 years ago where we discussed at length how Greek women stopped the Peloponnesian Wars by withholding sex from their husbands. I remember being impressed by the whole business and not entirely unconvinced that it would probably work, although back then it was probably just the hormones talking.


If it's good enough for mythology then it must be good enough for Kenya. I raise my hat and my pint glass to these courageous women who decided to take public political matters into their own hands by making sure that their husbands must now take their "private matters" into theirs for the next week or so.

I hope there's a follow up story in some paper on this because I'm really curious to see if it actually does change something for them and for their country.

Muchacho Enfermo

Pope: No condoms for you Africa!

In another surprising flash of genius Pope Benedict told reporters who were flying with him on his private plane: “You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms,” speaking of the spread of HIV in Africa “On the contrary, it increases the problem.”

This surprisingly illuminated statement comes right after the Pope saw fit to reinstate a holocaust denying bishop and less than a year after issuing the Ten Commandments of Driving. I am honestly impressed at the stones on this guy making one bad call after another and flying around in his private jet. Here is a man who runs an organization so rich that it could probably treat every single aids patient and Africa, feed the poor and have every single corrupt dictator removed, but Benedict takes the time to talk about condoms.

I understand the churches stand among its followers that abstinence would be a better way to prevent the spread of this killer disease. The Pope however needs to understand, the harsh realities of Africa, where women are raped, sold and bought, where sex is often the only way to feed your children and where life expectancy is about the same as that of a decent stove.

I really hope that the Pope will meditate on what he says before he opens his mouth again. The Catholic church is gaining steam in Africa, it is growing faster there than anywhere else in the world, this message from Benedict is probably sentencing hundreds to death as they believe his word to be that of God. If they place their faith in this man, they might well stop using whatever condoms they have and hope that the Pope can save them.

I hope the Vatican invested in biotech and aids reaserch because at the rate of infection in Africa their new followers are dying faster than their "recruiters" can convert them.

(source for quotes Globe and Mail)

Muchacho Enfermo

ICC arrest warrant prompts more Crimes against Humanity

That's right folks, it's true! Following an arrest warrant being issued against Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir; he has ordered the expulsion of 10 international aid agencies that operate in Darfur.

Almost 3 million people depend on these agencies for a mere chance at survival. Darfur and its people have been victims of rebel, government and militia attacks that have been well publicized across the world. It is one of the poorest areas in the world. The current administration has been widely criticized by the media, the UN and, in particular, the aid agencies.

Just to clear things up for anyone still wondering... President Omar al-Bashir is wanted for crimes against humanity, so what does he do in response? He starts a whole other humanitarian crisis.

I feel horrible for the people of Darfur, I feel angry at the president's supporters in Khartoum and I feel like the international community should really step in and do something instead of waiting any longer. We (the world) needs to step in and defend the powerless instead of sitting idly by while they get slaughtered.

It'll be Rwanda all over again and ten years from now we'll make movies about it and say "Sorry we f^cked up." I thought we had learned our lesson, I thought that we had said all these things like "never again"...

I guess my grasp of the English language isn't what it used to be because it seems that I misunderstood. What they really meant was "Go ahead, they're only Africans."

Muchacho Enfermo

30 shot by police in Madagascar

Supporters of opposition leader Andry Rajoelina were mowed down as they advanced on the presidential palace in Antananarivo on Saturday. On top of the dead over 83 injuries were reported.

68 people died in the same city last month after a riot took place following one of the anti-government protests. The president of Madagascar Marc Ravalomanana has been accused of wanting to turn the country's recent democratic government into a dictatorship.

The opposition is being led by the mayor of Antananarivo. Who has launched legal inquiries into the current government's right to rule the people of Madagascar.
The country's highest courts have already stated they are not qualified to make a ruling on the matter.

So the people have decided to make their voices heard. The voice of the president however is loud and clear as his voice come from the mouths of his semi-automatics.

Muchacho Enfermo

"There is no cholera"

"There is no cholera" is what Robert Mugabe was saying late this week at a three conference he holds weekly outside of Zimbabwe's capital. This comes on the tail of a declaration of a "cholera disaster zone" in a neighboring region of South Africa.

Mugabe was also quoted at this same meeting as having said: "Zimbabwe is mine". He also went on to say that among growing pressure from the rest of the African Union and the world, the only people who could remove him from power were the people of Zimbabwe.

All I have to say is this: They did Mr Mugabe, they told you to leave last time you held an election. You just refused to go anywhere.

Muchacho Enfermo