UN Guilty of Cultural Genocide?

Alice C. Linsley

Is the United Nations guilty of cultural genocide in Africa? It certainly appears to be the case.

The U.N. has targeted two African religious customs with a view to eradicating them. One wonders what motivates this effort: racism or antagonism to traditional religions?

Consider the case of female circumcision, called Female Genital Mutilation by the U.N.

Female circumcision is wide spread practice in Africa and deeply rooted in the African religious worldview. Contrary to U.N. and Feminist propaganda, it doesn’t lessen sexual arousal or pleasure, and it is no more dangerous than male circumcision is to the male. In fact, the 2 types of circumcision are comparable, yet the U.N. has not taken on male circumcision with an eye to eradicating it.

To read about female circumcision in context, go here.

Consider also the practice of indentured girls at local shrines. The U.N. refers to this as the "trokosi system" and fails to look at this custom in its proper historical and cultural context. The U.N. literature stresses only the negative aspects of the practice, stressing the need to liberate the shrine girls. However, those involved with the shrines have repeatedly denied the UN’s claims of wrong doing on the part of the shrine priests and have pledged to preserve the ancient custom.

To read about indentured shrine girls in context, go here.

So what motivates the United Nations attack on traditional religions in Africa?

A U.N. spokesman would likely respond that the motivation is human rights and the liberation of abused and oppressed African women. The U.N is always able to find witnesses to support its agenda. But the majority of African women and their families would probably prefer that the U.N. direct its efforts to the eradication of polio and malaria rather than to the eradication of traditional African religion.