The Prophet RAEL just declared his support for a group of African community leaders, the Luo Council of Elders, who opposed to a governmental campaign promoting the practice of male circumcision in Kenya . Kenyan government policy started a “free circumcision” campaign based on studies that suggest that circumcision protects men from contracting HIV and keeps them from infecting women.

Wisely, the Luo Council of Elders – an advisory body with strong influence in the community – says it won’t sanction a governmental campaign promoting male circumcision, a practice they say goes against their culture. Moreover, the elders say they aren’t even convinced that the procedure actually lowers risk of infection, and that they are concerned many men might opt for circumcision and stop using condoms, thus putting themselves at even higher risk. Many experts agree with them, citing different reasons for the high infection rate.

In an official statement released yesterday, Rael said: “Circumcision for men – like clitoral excision in females – constitutes sexual mutilation and should be forbidden.”

Lamane Hebie, spokesperson of the African Raelian Movement added: “To supposedly protect the population from HIV by imposing a mutilation on individuals is pure non-sense. HIV can be contained if people are educated on how it spreads and if they are given access to condoms to protect themselves. This is what every government of our continent should organize and promote.”

“The decision of the Luo Council of Elders to not support the governmental campaign promoting male circumcision is remarkable” added Hebie. “ The wisdom of our Elders is what is needed at the highest level of our governments”.

The Prophet RAEL has called three years ago during a tour in Congo for the Traditional Chiefs to get organized and take the destiny of the continent in their hands by organizing the United Kingdoms of Kama ( the ancient name of Africa, before colonization) for that exact reason.

As you have no doubt read on our sites, Rael also launched a worldwide campaign to help women who have suffered sexual mutilation on the African continent as it is now possible to repair these circumcised women and help them regain the clitoral sensation as well as their dignity. The campaign held under the name of Clitoraid has already gathered enough to start the building of a hospital where women will be able to be operated on for free, in Burkina Faso. (see Clitoraid.org linked to this site!)