By DEBORAH M. PIROCH
(Editor’s Note: Deborah M. Piroch is the PR director for Human Life International. HLI posted this article at their website, www.hli.org, on November 30. It is reprinted here with permission.)
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FRONT ROYAL, Va. — HLI is delighted that the government of Kenya has banned Marie Stopes International (MSI) from advertising or doing abortions within its borders, but stresses that the government must monitor compliance. Abortion is already illegal in Kenya except if the mother’s health is endangered, yet evidence exists that MSI has been performing illegal abortions in the country for at least 15 years.
As MSI has already defied the law for some time, Fr. Samuel Gatimu, director of Human Life International Kenya, stated: “This is just the beginning of the battle.”
Since the news broke, Niger, which has similar laws banning abortion, has now joined ranks with Kenya, accusing MSI of doing illegal abortions in its nation, as well. Health Minister Ida Illiassou has ordered closure of two MSI centers Niger accuses of doing manual vacuum aspiration abortions.
Emil Hagamu, HLI’s regional director of English-Speaking Africa based in Tanzania, was with Anne Kioko in Mauritius when the news broke; she is the principal complainant against Marie Stopes Kenya.
He stated: “What has happened to Marie Stopes in Kenya is a victory to all life-loving people in the world and more particularly Africa. And I pray the rest African governments will do the same.”
HLI supports all initiatives which protect the sanctity of human life. HLI President Fr. Shenan J. Boquet also responded to the news:
“These three decisions — by Tanzania, Kenya, and Niger — are encouraging signs that African leaders are waking up to the reality that wealthy Western governments, NGOs, and other so-called ‘nonprofits’ or ‘charitable’ organizations are waging war on African values on Life and Family. Marie Stopes International is brazen in its mission to bring abortion to Africa, flagrantly violating national laws by offering illegal abortions.
“However, Marie Stopes is just one of a vast array of NGOs, and nonprofits promoting abortion, population control, and ‘LGBT’ ideology in developing countries. My hope is that more African leaders will be emboldened by the decisions of Tanzania, Kenya, and Niger and oust all entities promoting the violence of contraception and abortion.”
HLI Tanzania launched a similar CitizenGo campaign earlier in the year, which has garnered over 2,100 signatures. Like Kenya and Niger, abortion in Tanzania is illegal except where the mother’s life is endangered. HLI knows of cases where MSI has likewise performed illegal activities in Tanzania, and the international abortion agency is under investigation there, as well.
African culture welcomes life and in fact, the law is quite clearly in favor of the unborn child also in Lesotho, Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, and others.
Emil Hagamu stated: “I urge all people in the HLI Anglophone region to unite in our pursuit to kick out Marie Stopes from our countries if they continue to kill our unborn babies, while adamantly defying country laws on life and family; if they continue to sterilize our men and women; if they continue to promote moral decadence among our young people through unlimited comprehensive sexuality education and reproductive health programs; if they continue to spread infertility supplies to our women.
“Let us condemn the Marie Stopes and its false ideology which carries the seeds of abortion. By working largely in poor countries, Marie Stopes is determined to wipe out the poor races of the world. We cannot accept this ideological colonization nor racist anti-natalist programs in our region.”
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