semiotic_pirate | Nightcap Nightmare Inducer (Reply)

Abortion ban closer in Nicaragua

A Nicaraguan parliamentary committee has approved draft legislation to ban all abortions, including in cases where the mother's life is at risk.

The legislation will now be debated at a national assembly hearing before a final vote next week.

If the law is passed, doctors carrying out abortions could face up to 30 years in prison.

At present, abortion is only permitted in Nicaragua in instances where the life of the mother is in danger.

The call for a complete ban has mainly come from the Roman Catholic and evangelical churches.

Church support

The bill - which is widely expected to be approved - has come amid campaigning for the country's presidential election in November.

The leader of the judicial committee which returned the decision is against changing the law. He argues that the process has happened too quickly, and without proper consultation.

However, BBC Americas editor Will Grant says it appears that the much of the assembly, and indeed much of Nicaragua, which is estimated to be 85% Roman Catholic, disagrees with him.

Orlando Tardencilla, one of the members of the sub-committee which proposed the bill, said: "Unless abortion is made a crime, then people can simply come out and say: 'I have the right to an abortion, this is my body and I can decide.' *See below for retort

"That's like saying: 'I'm allowed to commit murder because these hands are mine, this gun is mine.'"

But rights group The Women's Autonomous Movement said it would file an injunction if the bill was approved.

"It's not possible that a woman's life be considered secondary," the Associated Press news agency quoted group co-ordinator Azahalea Solis as saying.

No... then WOMEN can simply say, this is MY BODY and I can make decisions regarding MY BODY because I am an autonomous being with an existence separate from yours. Unless you can figure out a way for YOU to carry the child to term without my womb, I make decisions regarding said womb. And using a gun to murder another person, that person exists independently from my body. Is there going to be an orphanage set up specifically to deal with children who killed their mothers by being born? Who would want to deal with that knowledge? And don't just claim you wouldn't tell the kid because anyone with enough brains can add one with the other... Hmm, my mother died when I was born, after this law was passed - I KILLED MY MOTHER! Yeah, that's wonderful, the catholics (crucifictionists that is) love that built in sin & guilt.