15 of 53 African Health Ministers Vote to Approve Protocol to Legalize Abortion Throughout the Continent / Letter Sent to G8 Summit Leaders and Heads of States in Africa / NEW! Gauteng Declaration
New Jersey Abortion Business Problems Detailed in Health Report
Missouri Abortion Regulation Law
Unborn May Experience Emotional Stress
30 Bags of Baby Body Parts Found in Eastern India
First Female President of India Calls for the End to Female Abortions
Pro-Life Group Names New Planned Parenthood Boycott Targets
NEW! Kansas Abortionist Tiller's Claims without Merit, AUL Amicus Brief Notes
NEW! Americans Urged to Join Nationwide 40 Days For Life…
AFRICAN HEALTH MINISTERS VOTE TO APPROVE PROTOCOL TO LEGALIZE ABORTION THROUGHOUT CONTINENT. African Health Ministers adopted a new proposal Friday that will increase legal abortion throughout the continent, under the policies of the controversial Maputo Protocol on the rights of women, according to a report published yesterday by the Ethiopian Herald online.
Meeting on Easter Monday, April 9, health ministers from more than 40 African countries participated in a weeklong conference discussing health strategies for the continent under the Maputo Protocol that was "approved" by the ministers last October–ratified by just 15 of the 53-member states of the African Union, the protocol calls for all member states to implement abortion legislation.
The official strategy approved by the health ministers on Friday included the increased promotion of abortion services.
"A wider women's health programme should be institutionalised including broad coverage of family planning (repositioned into wider reproductive health programmes),"the document states. "Amongst other factors, …safe abortion services should be included, as far as the law allows."
"I am sure that with our partners, both local communities as well as our development partners we shall do all we can to ensure the full implementation of the Strategy," South African Acting Health Minister and Conference Chairman Jeff Radebe said in a statement.
Nigeria and Uganda have voiced strong opposition to the push for legalized abortion. Dr. Philip Njemanze, chairman of the Nigerian African Anti-Abortion Coalition, has accused some international organizations of violating the Nigerian Constitution in promoting abortion. The Uganda Joint Christian Council has sought protection from Ugandan president Yoweri Mueveni and other political leaders for the country's current laws against abortion.
"We request President Museveni and the delegation that will represent Uganda at the upcoming meeting of the African Union in Addis Abba to reject any policy that would expose Uganda in particular, and Africa as a whole, to mass murder through the legalisation of abortion," said Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) Deputy Secretary for Finance and Administration, Sylvester Arinaitwe.
"We would like to draw the attention of the political leaders of Africa our strong reservations concerning some aspects of Article 14 of the Maputo Protocol that is The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women," Pengo of Tanzania said on behalf of his colleagues.
"Much as we admire the efforts of some of the United Nations Committees…in promoting human rights issues and development in Africa, we equally denounce the unchallenged pressure they are exerting on Countries in Africa," Pengo said. "We observe that the rights of Women to protect and promote their sexual and reproductive health in this article exclude the rights of the couple, the family and the larger Society including civil, traditional, cultural and religious from playing a part in promoting precisely the women's rights to their health care."
Even the World Health Organization has admitted that abstinence programs are most effective at preventing HIV/AIDS infections, while condom use is unreliable.
"We respectfully request all the Governments of Africa to remove from the Protocol Article 14 # 1, e and 2, c and so defend our African cultural and religious values with regard to the sacredness of life, before the final ratification of the Protocol," the Bishops said.
Read the Africa Health Strategy: 2007-2015:
http://www.africa-union.org/root/UA/Conferences/2007/avril/SA/9-13%20avr/doc/en/Health_Strategy_MIN_DRAFT.pdf
Read the Maputo Protocol:
http://www.pambazuka.org/en/petition/1/protocol.pdf
Coverage:
African Health Ministers Meeting April 9 to Discuss Legalizing Abortion Throughout Africa
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/apr/07040508.html [17April07, Gudrun Schultz, JOHANNESBURG, LifeSiteNews.com]
Letter Sent to G8 Summit Leaders and Heads of States in Africa
AFRICAN ANTI-ABORTION COALITION
Chidicon Medical Center, No 1 Uratta Road, P. O. Box 302, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria 460242,
Phone 083-231183; 046-660021, email:[email protected] www.chidicon.com
27th July, 2007.
Presidency of the G8 Summit 2007
Bundeskanzleramt
Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel
Willy-Brandt-Strasse 1
10557 Berlin, Germany
Her Excellency,
2nd Anniversary of the 2005 Declaration of G8 Africa Action Plan
The G8 Africa Action Plan, charged African governments to show leadership in promoting Women’s and Men’s rights to sexual and reproductive health. Governments were held accountable for ending the stigma and gender discrimination associated with sexual and reproductive services.
There is no doubt that this document is a further extension of the MAPUTO PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE OPERATIONALISATION OF THE CONTINENTAL POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS 2007-2010 – Sections #3.3, #4.1-4.3; and THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA – Articles #14 (1a, 2c), #26. The agenda is simply, to muscle Africa into legalization of “abortion on demand”.
The definition of the term REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH to mean ‘abortion on demand’ has been authoritatively given by Andras Vamos-Goldman (Canadian Representative at World Summit on Children 2001).
Regardless of the international outrage elicited by this definition, it still stands out in all subsequent international documents on Africa. Even though it is known that, humans do not reproduce but procreate, the appropriate terminology of PROCREATIVE HEALTH has not been adopted in subsequent international documents on Africa, including the G8 Africa Action Plan.
Leading experts in Africa addressed these issues at a Pro-Life conference on the theme “African Children Under Extinction”, where U.S. Congressman Christopher Smith was the guest speaker, held at the Pan-African University Lagos on February 23rd, 2007. The experts noted that Western countries have imposed very strict ethical guidelines for use of both embryonic and fetal stem cells in EU countries, but have not demanded that same apply in Africa, before endorsing legalization of abortions.
This double standard, calls to suspect the intention of the donor countries. The experts urged African governments to reject all aids tied to abortion. The participants called for a full US congressional investigation of the matter, even though it involves foreign governments.
The paper delivered by Congressman Christopher Smith on Critic of the MAPUTO PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE OPERATIONALISATION OF THE CONTINENTAL POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS 2007-2010 – Sections #3.3, #4.1-4.3; and THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA – Articles #14 (1a, 2c), #26; were responded to by leading legal and medical experts from Nigeria and other African countries.
The experts concluded that, the pro-abortion advocates like IPPF, crafted the draft in such broad and vague language to achieve the interpretation of ‘free abortion on demand’. For example, article #14.2c states that:
c) to protect the reproductive rights of women by authorizing medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother or the fetus.
All legal and medical experts agreed that, the underlined text could be interpreted to mean that, even simple headache, if perceived by the mother as a sign of mental or physical distress, is enough reason to seek an abortion.
Furthermore, article #26.2 which states that:
2. States Parties undertake to adopt all necessary measures and in particular shall provide budgetary and other resources for the full and effective implementation of the rights herein recognized. Experts also agreed that this means State funding of abortion clinics with taxpayer’s money.
Any informed observer of international relations would agree that, no international protocol has included abortion rights to the extent recognized in this protocol. The protocol’s article #28 provided for signature, ratification and accession of the document, in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures.
However, investigations have revealed that, in no African country were the proper constitutional procedures followed. The latter led experts to conclude that, the document said to have been signed and ratified, failed to meet the appropriate constitutional due process, and therefore, must be null and void, and would not enter into force. All African governments were advised to register their protest with the Chairperson of the Commission of the AU. The participants went further to urge, African governments to expel Ipas, IPPF and UNFPA from their respective countries, since these organizations acted against the statues of right-to-life, enshrined in their constitutions.
The participants decried the unsupported false propaganda of pro-abortion advocates that, 4 million unsafe abortions occur in Africa, and was linked to high maternal mortality rate. This is factually wrong.
Regrettably, close to 40 million abortions are performed each year in private and public clinics in Africa by trained medical personnel including doctors, nurses, nursing assistants and birth attendants. The number of abortions performed by untrained personnel continues to fall, though there is a threat that this decline may stall, with introduction of Ipas Manual Vacuum Aspirators (MVAs), which makes it easier for untrained personnel to perform ‘backstreet abortions’ with a big syringe, rather than the elaborate medical procedure of D&C.
The medical reason for the high maternal mortality rate (the number of maternal deaths related to childbearing divided by the number of live births) is in most part due to poor access to adequate antenatal care.
Deaths from unsafe abortions are not even part of the maternal mortality rate, by medical definition anywhere in the World. Hospital surveys and periodic reviews reported by medical experts, show that deaths related directly to the medical procedure of abortion in Africa is now rare. Even when complications result from interventions by untrained personnel, mortality remains low.
There are no safe-abortions; abortion like any other medical intervention has an associated risk.
The so-called ‘safe abortions’ which implies the use of Ipas Manual Vacuum Aspirators (MVA), propagated b
y pro-abortion advocates- the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF, IPAS, and UNFPA) and others, is fast becoming No.1 means, of iatrogenic (related to medical procedure) spread of HIV in Africa. As has earlier been warned by practitioners, MVA use and re-use, poses a great danger, with the potential of complicating Africa’s AIDS crisis.
The AIDS pandemic, mixed in the milieu of abortions with MVA, would assume catastrophic levels of spread. Even the introduction of safety methods with MVAs, such as those used to prevent syringe-reuse, would be countered by ‘local construction’ that would make reuse possible.
There is a rising rate of the triad – HIV, Hepatitis B and C, in clinics in Africa, particularly among young women, who have had recent abortions. This is a dangerous pointer to the looming public health disaster. Simply put, the use of Ipas MVA Plus, has removed abortions from the business of some medical practitioners to the domain of ‘quarks’, and has only but increased the disaster associated with this death business. Doctors and nurse practitioners in South Africa have made known their objection to this, by staging strike actions.
Ipas MVA Plus should be banned in Africa, because it will complicate the African AIDS crisis.
The conference participants examined the motives of the pro-abortion advocates in promoting legalization of abortions in Africa, when they know that their so-called ‘safe abortion’ option is every other thing but safe. It was concluded that the promotion of ‘safe abortion’ option with Ipas MVA Plus has nothing to do with improved reproductive health for African women, however, it has everything to do with the projected trillion dollars in commerce from stem cell fetal tissue trafficking for transplantation. It has been alleged by a number of leading African experts, published in Nigerian newspapers that, pro-abortion advocates act as proxies for the international biotechnology conglomerates. Both are seeking to enthrone a culture of abortion in Africa, especially in the first few weeks of pregnancy.
The use of Ipas MVA Plus is to simplify collection of aborted fetal tissues, for further harvesting of stem cells for transplantation in Western countries. They do not care whether it is safe or not for African women, as far as it is simple, that any ‘quark’ can do it, and get them their cells for money.
A Trans-Atlantic Fetal Tissue Trafficking market would grow, to displace oil and natural product exports in revenue that goes directly to the people. African governments would be placed in a dilemma having to fight the trade in death or choose poverty, as the G8 document already prescribed. For now, it is just the donor money that has been threatened.
As the trade grows and small remunerations are given to patients, to encourage more abortion tissue sales from collection centers, a new dynamics is set in place. In not too distant future, it would be an economic fight for survival, with families relying on food from abortions of their eleven year old daughter.
Moreover, the 20 African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Djibouti, Gambia, Libya, Lesotho, Mali, Mozambique, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, and Zambia) who signed and ratified THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA – Articles #14 (1a, 2c), #26, are among the poorest in the World, and ‘abortion for food’ is not too far away an option.
The consequences of this G8 Africa Action Plan document and others like it, that force abortions on Africa, aims at a total moral and ethical bankruptcy of the African society, and final extermination of the people in spiraling social decadence. The donor countries’ insistence on ‘aid for abortion’ implied in the G8 African Action Plan document has tinted all goodwill. The REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH project is a dead end for Africa. We the people of Africa will choose poverty over death.
It was noted by a number of observers that, biotechnology companies are not even waiting for the legalization of abortion to commence their trade. At present, large-scale unethical open clinical trials, using stem cell derived eye tissue grafts are taking place in Nigeria and other countries in Africa, by some companies. Under the disguise of ‘free eye surgery’, stem cell derived tissue cell lines are being implanted with the uninformed endorsement by local officials.
Fertility clinics have been established by Western companies in Africa’s largest cities, and having no ethical restrictions, they routinely harvest embryos for their stem cells, from uninformed, non-consenting women, seeking children, even though they are charged exorbitantly, for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure.
The Western biotechnology firms, and more importantly their investors, would want a full legal protection to operate within Africa. These companies have in recent times become the financial backbone for pro-abortion advocates. They fund other make-belief charities and foundations that support abortion culture in Africa.
Even the education curriculum in Africa has not been spared. There are awards of so-called educational grants, given for support of sex-education only, aimed at catching them young in the abortion-psycho.
Speakers decried the unholy alliance of the pro-abortion advocates and biotechnology firms. The very highly placed directors, who are very active members of the cartel, move within the pro-abortion organizations as regional heads and on retirement end-up on the boards of biotechnology firms or their business associates.
The warning on the potential conflict of interest, and the need for adequate ethical guidelines in Africa was given by the World Medical Association (WMA). The conference mandated a subcommittee to recommend measures to prevent the pro-abortion advocates and their trading partners from profiting from the death business.
The subcommittee report recommended that: 1) all African countries enact ethical guidelines for stem cell use for research and transplantation, similar to that of the United States of America; 2) there should be a total ban on export or import of embryonic and fetal stem cells (but not adult stem cells) in all African countries; 3) the AU countries should push within the UN, for a mandatory UN monitoring system that, will require all users of stem cells, to provide country of origin of the cell lines in publications and all official documentations; 4) there should be a fine of two hundred and fifty million US dollars ($250 million) for Embryonic or Fetal Tissue Trafficking trade and long jail terms for offenders. The revenue should be given to the country of origin of these embryonic and fetal stem cells.
Population experts at the conference charged that the UNFPA has long advocated the depopulation of Africa, through forcing abortion polices on African governments.
It does this, against all rational arguments and is out of sync with its own recommendations, elsewhere in Europe and America.
It is an established fact that population density is the main factor for economic development. African countries have very low population densities of 2 persons per sq km (e.g. in Gabon), up to 110 persons per sq km in Nigeria. Europe has between 350-450 persons per sq km, America (east coast) has 400-450 per sq km, Japan has 400-450 per sq km, China/India 300-400 per sq km. etc.
One might ask, where would Africa get the human capital she needs to develop, if most people will die from abortions?
The depopulation policy of the UNFPA in Africa is suspect, and may have other motives.
The conference urged African governments to follow the lead of the United States, who have declared that, the actions of UNFPA constitutes ‘crimes against humanity’ and have rightfully so, suspended all cooperation including contribution of over $34 million US dollars.
The guest lecturer noted that African governments are being blackmailed and cited for human rights violations, if they do not authorize free abortion on demand. Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have included abortion on demand as a human rights issue.
The conference participants asked for a financial disclosure by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, to preclude the suspicion that, this unethical shift in policy was financially motivated by contributions from biotechnology companies.
All at the conference rose in affirmation that, sooner rather than later, ‘Justice for the Death of African Children’ must be served. The conference adopted February 14th every year, as a day of Peaceful Millions’ People March against Abortion in Africa. They affirmed the success of the first march held on February 14th, 2007.
Our purpose of writing, on this second anniversary of this most unfortunate document issued by the G8, is to request that heads of governments and donors reverse their decision to ‘tie aid to abortion’.
We applaud the efforts of the G8 countries to promote good governance and economic development in Africa.
We hope that the G8 leaders will continue to put the goodwill of their people, who have made their tax dollars available, into projects like provision of potable water, fight against Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV, support for ecologically friendly solar energy use, and human capacity development. The G8 in collaboration with African governments could establish international centers of excellence in education from primary to university levels in Africa. We hope that the G8 African Action Plan would include a technical apprenticeship program, with ‘Skilled Master’ volunteers from Europe, Japan, Russia and America, to teach in Africa, towards a real technology transfer program in this Digital Age, styled like the ‘German Apprenticeship Program’ and the Marshall Plan for Europe. The health benefits and socio-economic transformation of Africa would be a good return on investment, which by the way, is the highest in the World even today.
We are appealing to you and President Bush, to provide leadership, and have G8 countries reverse course on the issue of ‘aid for abortion’. We hope the United Kingdom, who conceived the G8 Africa Action Plan with all good intentions, will continue to pursue all the other worthy goals of the plan, as was originally intended.
We thank you in anticipation,
Yours truly,
Prince Dr Philip C. Njemanze MD.
Chairman, African Anti-Abortion Coalition (AAAC). Chairman, International Institutes of Advanced Research and Training
Copies sent to: Leaders of G8 countries, African Leaders, Pope Benedict XVI, UN Secretary General, WHO Director, and International Press.
Gauteng Declaration Declares War on African Population Growth
The African Population Commission, met in Johannesburg on July 16th and 17th, and issued the ‘Gauteng Declaration’ committing African Union states ‘to Increase investment in expanding and repositioning family planning as an integral part of sexual and reproductive health and socio-economic development in line with the Maputo Plan of Action on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the ICPD (Cairo) Plan of Action’.
The declaration also commits countries ‘to Integrate population variables in development planning in order to accelerate progress towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals’.
These expressions may be interpreted as committing African Union countries to the introduction of abortion and other oppressive population reduction methods throughout the continent of Africa.
Chillingly, the declaration also calls on member states to become signatories of a Sino-Africa Cooperation agreement in the areas of population and sexual and reproductive health. Bearing in mind China’s infamous one child policy, any Chinese influence on African population could be particularly ominous.
Africa with a total fertility rate of 5.1 children per woman has the highest fertility rate in the world and population controllers insist that population growth must be reduced. It is estimated that at the current growth rate population will reach 1.99billion by 2050 surpassing both China and India whose populations are expected to reach 1.44billion and 1.63billion, respectively, by 2050.
One of the main documents considered during the session “The State of African Population 2006” says,
‘African countries need to substantially reduce the current demographic trends including the high fertility rates, high population growth rates, and high infant and maternal mortality rates as part of the agenda for eradicating poverty from the continent. In this respect family planning needs to be repositioned in order to keep population growth in tandem with socio-economic
development’.
Population controllers, including ‘The Economic Commission for Africa’ (ECA), ‘The UN Fund for Population Activities’ (UNFPA) and ‘International Planned Parenthood Federation’ (IPPF) are relentless in their attempts to reduce African population growth and have been carefully putting structures in place to convince leaders to reduce population growth, which they falsely claim will reduce poverty.
The first strategy was to put in place ‘The Maputo Plan of Action for the Continental Policy Framework for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights 2007-2010’ which has been quickly followed by the ‘Gauteng Declaration’.
[Patrick Buckley, Ireland, 14 August 2007]
NEW JERSEY ABORTION BUSINESSES’ PROBLEMS DETAILED IN NEW HEALTH REPORT. A new report released on Monday by the state health department detail the problems at an abortion business in Atlantic City. The report talks about blood stained operating tables ad expired drugs — just two of the many violations state health authorities discovered at the Alternatives abortion center last month before they shut it down.
Alternatives closed on June 22 after the violations the 116-page report detailed after officials conducted the first inspection there in six years. Current state requirements call for inspections every other year. According to the new report, physicians did not scrub in for abortion procedures and instead used the sanitary area for storage and an unnamed employee defended the violation, according to the Press newspaper and told health authorities, “Abortions aren't really surgery, they aren't sterile procedures.”
The report did not contain any information about a corrective action plan which medical facilities are required to give to the state 10 business days after getting the inspection report and it has been 14 days since abortion center owner Alan Kline received the report from the state. Health Department spokesman Tom Slater told the newspaper that he didn't expect the abortion center to be punished for its late response. “They're working with us in good faith. It's a huge report and we do realize that,” Slater said. “They have called with questions and there has been some back and forth.”
Once Alternatives submits the corrective action plan and the state approves it, it can reopen. Steven Chase Brigham, who owns six abortion businesses in New Jersey and has had his medical license revoked in two states for botched abortions, is in the process of buying Alternatives. He has paid employees and did abortions there on June 8 and 15 and the report indicates he already violating state laws there as the abortions were done without registered nurses working on the days as required by law. [26July07, Atlantic City, NJ (LifeNews.com]
MISSOURI ABORTION REGS LAW COULD FACE BATTLE IF ABORTION INDUSTRY SUES. The state of Missouri could be headed back to court as it has numerous times before if the abortion industry decides to file a lawsuit over a new pro-life law there to limit abortions. Taking effect late next month, the law puts forward new health and safety regulations for abortion facilities and requires them to meet the same sort of standards legitimate surgical clinics are expected to follow. As a result of the new law, abortion businesses may have to spend large sums of money to get their facilities in compliance. For example, the Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri says I may have to spend as much as $2 million on repairs to its abortion center to comply with the law and improve health standards for the women who get abortions there. That could put the abortion center out of business and Planned Parenthood may consider filing a lawsuit seeking to prevent the law from going into effect by claiming it is unconstitutional. Should the Columbia abortion center close, Planned Parenthood's only abortion business in Missouri would be in St. Louis, although other abortion businesses operate in the state and Planned Parenthood runs a third in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, located in Kansas. Missouri Right to Life director Susan Klein told AP about the situation that Missouri is not the first state to put abortion facility regulations in place but has done it in a unique way that hasn't thoroughly been tested in court. “Just because no other state has done it does not mean this is not good legislation. We believe it's excellent legislation,” Klein said. “Abortion has risks with it, and the Department of Health should be able to come in and have a say so in how women are taken care of.” [26July07, Jefferson City, MO LifeNews.com]
UNBORN BABIES FACE EMOTIONAL STRESS DURING PREGNANCY RESEARCH SHOWS. New research conducted by doctors in England shows that unborn children can face emotional stress during a pregnancy as the baby's mother faces stress herself. Pro-life advocates say the study has implications for abortion as society learns more about the amazing development of children before birth.
The British Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists released the results of the study on 31May and says that unborn babies as early as 17 weeks into pregnancy suffer from stress.
The stress results when hormones transferred from anxious mothers reach the baby through the placenta.
Researchers measure the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone in 267 pregnant women and took blood tests and amniotic fluid samples from the babies. The fluid is a good indicator of what's happening because it's mostly produced by the baby during the pregnancy.
The doctors found that when the cortisol levels rose in women a corresponding increase the in the levels in the amniotic fluid were found. The link grew stronger as the pregnancy advanced, the physicians said.
Pampa Sarkar, an OBGYN who was involved in the study, discussed the results with the Metro newspaper in the UK. "We now need to carry out further work to unravel the mechanisms by which maternal stress affects the fetus, both during fetal life and through into childhood," she said.
Sarkar suggested that [pregnant] mothers avoid stress and have a healthy and carefree lifestyle during the pregnancy and that her partner and family encourage her and be supportive during the nine months.
Michaela Aston, spokeswoman for the pro-life charity Life, told the Metro that the study had an impact on the abortion debate because the stress levels were found at 17 weeks into pregnancy.
She said that meant that babies were likely experiencing negative mental health effects
of worried or anxious mothers who had abortions up to 24 weeks, the legal limit in Britain. [31May07, Ertelt, LifeNews.com, London, England]
30 BAGS OF BABY BODY PARTS FOUND IN EASTERN INDIA May be Products of Illegal "Female Foeticide". The BBC reports that police have found 30 bags full of baby body parts outside an abortion facility in the eastern Indian state of Orissa. Local forensic experts suggest the remains are the product of illegal sex-selective abortions. The owners of the abortion facility have been taken into custody. Police have said there is no way of knowing how many bodies were found in the bags recovered from a waste dump near the town of Nayagarh.
Abortion, sonograms and the traditional cultural preference for boys have combined to cause a lopsided sex demographic in India that has left the country facing a massive demographic crisis.
With the population shifting towards the abortion-generated gender imbalance of 927 females born for every 1,000 males, the country is beginning to experience the social ills associated with sex-selective abortion.
Trafficking of women in India has become common in the Northern region of Haryana, where there are about 861 women for every 1,000 men due to sex-selection. Trafficking in women is a problem also experienced in China where a similar gender imbalance was created by the communist one-child policy.
While sex-selective abortions and the use of sonograms to detect the sex of a child are technically illegal, enforcement has proved difficult. A case last year in which an abortionist and his assistant were sentenced to two years in prison and fined Rs 5000 by the court in Palwal, Haryana, was the first time an abortionist was sentenced under the law since it was passed in 1994.
Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Indian "Genocide" of Girls by Abortion Exposed in New Book "Disappearing Daughters"
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07072309.html
Abortion Doctor in India Jailed Under Female Foeticide Law
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/mar/06032906.html
Trafficking of Women Rampant In Northern India: 8 Women for Every 10 Men
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/apr/06040602.html [24July07, Hilary White, NAYAGARH, India, LifeSiteNews.com]
FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF INDIA CALLS FOR AN END TO FEMALE ABORTIONS. During her inaugural speech on Wednesday, the newly elected and controversial first female President of India called for an end to the murder of unborn babies based on sex-preference.
As she replaced former President Abdul Kalam, DailyIndia.com reports, 72 year old Pratibha Patil announced, "Empowerment of women is particularly important to me as I believe this leads to the empowerment of the nation."
She continued, "We must banish malnutrition, social evils, infant mortality and female foeticide."
Only shortly before Patil's speech, police discovered 30 bags full of dismembered babies outside an abortion clinic in Eastern India. Specialists believe that the remains were of baby girls, killed because of the preferrence for male children in India. Despite the fact that sonograms and sex-selective abortion are illegal, the law is rarely enforced (see http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07072409.html).
In 2006 researchers found that approximately 500,000 unborn female babies were aborted each year in India. They stated that if this number has remained consistent since the advent of ultrasound, then an estimated that 10 million female babies have been murdered in the past 20 years.
Abortion of females has led to a severe demographic imbalace in the ratio between males and females in India. According to the 2001 census, there were only 927 women for every 1,000 men. The increase in the number of male children has led to a heightened level of the trafficking of women within the country, especially in Northern India.
In addition, women are often less educated, receive lower quality health care and undergo sexual harassment as well. Females can be considered more of a burden to their families because of the large dowry that is required by the groom when he receives a girl in marriage.
Addressing some of these issues, Patil also called for "universal education". Research has shown in the past, however, that women who receive higher education are also more than twice as likely to abort their female babies (see http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jan/06010909.html). Thus, while education cannot be underestimated, the specific type of education that women will receive, especially as regards reproduction, is also of vital importance.
Prior to her election, Patil generated a storm of controversy by calling on women to discard the traditional headscarf. According to the Washington Post, however, the leader of the ruling Congress Party, Sonia Gandhi, who pushed for the election of Patil, called the presidential inauguration "a special moment for women across the country." She added, "It shows India is committed to women."
Some women's rights activists remain dubious, however, that Patil will be able to make a significant change. The post of President has been described as "largely ceremonial." Nevertheless, the Ireland Independent reports that other women believe that Patil is a public face of hope for women in India.
Read previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Indian "Genocide" of Girls by Abortion Exposed in New Book "Disappearing Daughters"
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07072309.html
Abortion Doctor in India Jailed Under Female Foeticide Law
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/mar/06032906.html
Trafficking of Women Rampant In Northern India: 8 Women for Every 10 Men
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/apr/06040602.html
[26July07, New Dehli, Elizabeth O'Brien, LifeSiteNews.com]
PRO-LIFE GROUP NAMES NEW PLANNED PARENTHOOD BOYCOTT TARGETS. A pro-life group that monitors corporations that give contributions to Planned Parenthood has released a new boycott list. Life Decisions International hopes pro-life advocates will consult the list before making purchases at some of the leading companies in the United States because they support the number one abortion business. Doug Scott, the president of LDI, tells LifeNews.com that the boycott list has proven effective over the 15 years the group has targeted corporate Planned Parenthood sponsors. "As a direct result of the commitment, action and prayers of pro-family people, at least 153 corporations have stopped funding Planned Parenthood," he said. Scott estimates that the boycott has cost Planned Parenthood more than $35 million over the period after corporations targeted by the boycott relented. He added: "This should be a testament to those who believe it is impossible to change corporate philanthropic behavior."
Several well-known companies are appearing on the LDI boycott list for the first time, including the Allstate insurance company, CCA Global (the parent of Carpet One and other flooring stores), Chevron, Texaco, Comcast, DuPont, eBay and PayPal, the Four Seasons Hotels, GlaxoSmithKline, Marriott, OSI Restaurants (which includes Outback Steakhouse), Sears and Kmart, Sonic, and Wawa convenience stores.
Some of the companies that remain on the boycott list include Abode software, Wachovia, Nike, Time Warner, Bank of America, CIGNA, Walt Disney, Johnson & Johnson, Wells Fargo, Whole Foods, Nationwide insurance, and others.
The new Boycott List includes a revised section identifying charitable organizations associated with Planned Parenthood.
That includes the Audubon Society, Alzheimer's Association, AARP, American Diabetes Association, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, MDA, NEA, MS Society, and the Sierra Club, among others.
"The Pro-Life Movement will succeed only to the extent that pro-life people are willing to be inconvenienced," Scott said. "The very lives of children are worth that much effort and a whole lot more." [26July07, DC LifeNews.com]
KS ABORTIONIST TILLER'S CLAIMS WITHOUT MERIT, AMICUS BRIEF NOTES
Americans United for Life (AUL) 7 August 2007 filed an amicus curiae brief in the case Kansas v. Tiller on behalf of twenty Kansas senators and representatives.
The case involves a challenge by late term abortionist George Tiller to a 1998 Kansas law requiring two doctors to sign off on some late-term abortion procedures (that is procedures after the fetus has reached the point of viability and can survive outside of the womb). Having been cited with 19 violations of the law, Tiller now claims that the law is unconstitutional.
However, as the AUL amicus brief demonstrates, U.S. Supreme Court (USSC) precedent — particularly in Casey (1992) and Gonzales (2007) — supports the Kansas statute. According to AUL attorney Mailee R. Smith, lead counsel on the brief, "States have a substantial interest in unborn children once those children reach viability — and any increased cost, delay, or difficulty in obtaining an abortion under the Kansas statute is not an undue burden."
Not only that, but according to Smith, "Kansas is not alone in requiring some form of physician concurrence for late term abortions: at least 11 other states require it in the abortion context."
Any claim that precedent does not support the Kansas statute is inappropriate, misapplied, and out of date according to Smith. "From all accounts," says Smith, "Tiller is focusing on outdated cases and is ignoring that states have substantial interests in the unborn once those children reach viability."
Smith adds, "A second physician requirement ensures that a woman receives an accurate medical evaluation from a physician other than the one who stands to benefit financially from her abortion. Tiller has been evading the law for years. Now that he has been brought up on criminal charges, he is still trying to evade the law. Fortunately, the law is not on his side."
Full text of the brief (PDF): http://www.aul.org/pdfs/AUL_Amicus_StatevTiller.pdf
Americans United for Life (AUL) is the first national pro-life organization in America, AUL has been committed to defending human life through vigorous judicial, legislative, and educational efforts at both the federal and state levels since 1971. [Chicago, IL – August 7, 2007 http://www.AUL.org]
Nation's Abortion Capital Is Currently Abortion Free:
Tiller facing 19 years in jail
Wichita, KS – August 2, 2007 – The nation's most notorious late-term abortion mill is currently turning away all patients. Women's Health Care Services, operated by abortionist George R. Tiller of Wichita, Kansas, is closed this week and will not accept appointments for next week, when Tiller is scheduled to be arraigned on 19 criminal counts <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=5mhlbdcab.0.kjek4ccab.zjzzpde6.64546&ts=S0263&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.operationrescue.org%2F%3Fp%3D684> of committing illegal abortions without obtaining the signature of a doctor who was not financially or legally affiliated with him. Women's Health Care Services is referring patients to abortionists
in Kansas City and Oklahoma.
"We are rejoicing that for two straight weeks, Wichita, Kansas, the nation's abortion capital, will be abortion free for the first time since abortions began here. Even during the 1991 Summer of Mercy, Tiller was not closed that long," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. Tiller's business was also was closed to abortion patients the first week in July. Last month over 500 people prayed for its closure during the Wichita Awakening event hosted by Operation Rescue. It is unclear when and if abortions will resume.
"Because of public pressure brought by Operation Rescue, over a dozen workers have quit their jobs with Tiller and dozens of companies will no long do business with him," said Newman. "We have exposed numerous botched abortions that have landed women in the hospital, uncovered an abortion death, and exposed his illegal business relationship with abortionist Kristin Neuhaus, for which he is now facing criminal charges."
Tiller was charged on June 28 with 19 counts of committing illegal abortions without obtaining the signature of a doctor who was financially or legally affiliated with him. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, August 7, 2007.
AMERICANS URGED TO JOIN NATIONWIDE 40 DAYS FOR LIFE. A groundbreaking, grassroots campaign has taken hold of communities throughout the United States. The mission is to storm Heaven with 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion.
David Bereit, a noted pro-life speaker from Texas who pioneered this campaign, stated in a press conference that the movement was born out of the "prayer and frustration" of pro-life activists. He said that increasingly many people have felt worn out with the pro-life battle and discouraged by the apathetic silence of their local churches. In 2004, however, a small group of volunteers banded together in College Station Texas, calling out to God to re-energize the pro-life movement. Less than three weeks later the first 40 Days for Life (40 DFL) Campaign began.
The 40 DFL are an intense time during which people pray, fast and spread the pro-life message throughout their community. The movement is a wake-up call, said Bereit, restoring a sense of urgency in the fight against the industry that claims the lives of 4000 unborn babies each day in America.
The components of the campaign are very simple, but not easy. In fact, Bereit claimed that it might be the "single probably most challenging activity I have ever participated in during my time involved in pro-life efforts." First, it starts with prayer and fasting. This means starting with God and begging him to allow the nation to repent. There is an "incredible spiritual power" in fasting, says Bereit, which not only includes food, but anything people decide to sacrifice. Throughout the entire effort, underlined Bereit, "you have to be willing to do more than you are asking anyone else to do."
Secondly, the campaign entails a 24-hour vigil. This will take place around the clock for a total of 960 hours in front of the local abortion clinic or Planned Parenthood office. It brings public attention to what is going on, sends a message to clinic employees, and helps any young women who might be considering an abortion.
Finally, a grassroots outreach movement is necessary to reach every corner of the community. Door-to-door and word of mouth invitations to join people in prayer have gained the movement tremendous media coverage, first locally, then state-wide and internationally.
Shawn Carney, host and executive producer of the new EWTN show "beingHUMAN," described the overwhelmingly positive results. After the 2004 campaign in College Station, over 1000 people in the local community got involved in the pro-life movement, and pregnancy centers saw a huge increase in visitations. Participants reached out to 25,000 homes in the area to spread the pro-life message. Most importantly, he added, abortion numbers went down by 28% that year. "Lives were saved at the end of the day," and hope was restored in the community. Other communities throughout the States joined in and reported a miraculous birth of fresh spirit and increased numbers joining the pro-life movement.
Since then, 40 DFL has proposed a nationwide Campaign that will take place this fall. Countless communities and thousands of people will join in solidarity across the United States as they pray and fast together.
From August 7-15th communities will be able to register for the National 40 Days for Life Campaign. Communities don't need big numbers; the event is tailor-made to the needs and resources of each. The bottom line requirement is that the effort must remain "peaceful, prayerful and legal" at all times.
From August 16 to 25 will be a period of training during which communities will receive weekly conference calls, planning guidelines, flyers, and other literature. Communities will also be able to set up an interactive web presence on the 40 DFL website to start networking with others. Finally, from September 26 through November 4 the actually Prayer and Fasting Campaign will take place.
Dave Bereit challenged people to join in, saying, "This is the time to make a decision to do something. I believe that this fall people of faith across our country are going to transform our nation and are going to shape history and are going to mark the beginning of the end of abortion."
He continued, "And you have a decision to make. Are you going to be on the front line being able to tell your children and your grandchildren, 'I was right there when history was being shaped.' Or are you going to sit on the sidelines and just watch as history is shaped and passes you by."
Already 400 communities in 45 states have expressed interest in the campaign, and 1600 people have downloaded the planning instructions manual. In Wisconsin alone, 40 DFL is scheduled to take place in front of every single abortion clinic in the state this fall.
Downloadable 40 Days for Life Report:
http://www.40daysforlife.com/about.cfm
40 Days for Life Sign-Up:
http://www.40daysforlife.com/splash.cfm
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
'40 Days for Life' Vigil outside Houston Planned Parenthood Center
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/oct/06100207.html
40 Days for Life – Praying and Fasting Outside Planned Parenthood
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/mar/07030604.html
[26July07, College Station, TX, Elizabeth O'Brien, LifeSiteNews.com]