By Ezekiel Nabieu
The Safe Abortion Act 2015 has evoked such national controversy as has not been known in recent times. After being referred to the president he returned it to parliament and it has again been returned to him without amendment. The imbroglio deepens.
The Act came to the attention of the public in a big way only after it was passed by parliament and sent to the president for his assent. Not unexpectedly many citizens have sentimentally been against the Act because President sent it back to parliament buoyed by religious leaders. They have regarded the Act wrongly as a carte blanched for killing fetuses at random.
Many women have child birth as one of their main goals in life but let us find out some of the reasons why others would take the unnatural step of abortion. The latter seek abortions for a variety of reasons ranging from financial problems to a failed, perhaps abusive relationship that results in their not wanting any further ties with the man. Or the pregnancy may simply not fit into plans of the woman or the couple. At times abortion is chosen to protect a reputation or to prevent a stigma like having a baby out of wedlock.
Since guilt is such a pervasive problem – even among those who do not consider themselves religious – why do so many young women still have abortions? They often come under intense pressure to have abortion. Parents a mate, or well-meaning friends may encourage abortion as a lesser of two evils.
Regardless of the situation, usually the decision to terminate a pregnancy deliberately is not an easy one. It is often intensely painful. But what is the truth? Does an abortion merely remove some tissue from a pregnant woman’s body? Is an unborn child actually a living person while in the womb?
A person inside the womb?
From the time of conception in the womb the child is not just another part of the mother’s tissue but a separate person. Her body views it as a foreign object. It would be quickly rejected were it not for the protected world created in the mother’s womb. This new human life – separated from the mother by protective housing – is a person with a unique DNA fingerprint.
Some argue that a woman’s body spontaneously aborts many fertilized eggs because of abnormalities so why shouldn’t a doctor be able to abort a pregnancy? Yet there is a big difference between spontaneous death and deliberate homicide.
Please note also that the Bible does not say that a woman conceives a piece of tissue. Instead it states an able-bodied man has been conceived (Job 3:1). This too indicates that according to the Bible a child exists as a person from time of his conception. Yes that is when human life begins. And so what? Our religious leaders are simply being over much righteous. Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over wise: why should thou destroy thyself? (Ecclesiastes 7:16). Our religious leaders have been going against this edict and have been playing to the gallery to impress their congregations. These are the people who stay mum on injustices and misgovernance as long as it has to do with criticism of government. They are in contra-distinction from southern Africa clerics like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Bishop Musorewa etc. They are insincere and hypocritical. They argue as if the taking of human life even for the most justifiable reasons like saving another life is the worst of sins. They lose sight of the fact that there are diabolical sins that are far worse than life saving abortion.
Part two of the Bill has sufficient safeguards as not to make it an act to be undertaken at the whims and caprices of women and girls. These include the risk of injury to the females’ health or the risk of fetal abnormality or pregnancy resulting from rape, incest or other felonious intercourse. And the Bill provides for qualified personnel to carry out the act and health care facilities. What more do these chorus-singing opponents of the Bill want?
Why not read the Act enacted by the President and members of parliament to clear all doubts about wanton killing and what not?
(C) Politico 17/03/16
