Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Shirley Richards (left), president of Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, speaks with Dr Doreen Brady-West (centre), a member of a group of concerned Christian doctors; and Rev Donald Reece (right), Co-Adjutor Archbishop of Kingston and spokesperson for the Jamaica Council of Churches, during a press conference held yesterday at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston, in response to the report of the Abortion Policy Review Advisory Group. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

An alliance of Church and civic groups yesterday said it would declare war against the Government if it moves to legalise abortion-on-demand and has taken steps to have petitions signed, signalling its disapproval.

The group's rejection comes following the tabling of the report of the Abortion Policy Review Advisory Group in Parliament, last month.

The group was given the mandate to develop a policy for "safe abortions". The report recommended, among other things, that an authorised medical practitioner may perform abortions up to the 12th week of pregnancy in registered facilities.

Further recommended

It also recommended that abortions between 12 and 22 weeks of gestation be restricted to being performed in hospital facilities and being done or supervised by a specialist.

"We express our deep disappointment today on the abortion bill that continues to ignore the realisation that life in the womb starts long before viability," the Reverend Peter Garth, president of the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals (JAE), said during a press conference yesterday at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston.

He added, "Abortion-on-demand, or for reasons for personal convenience, social adjustments or economic advantage, is morally wrong. Therefore, the JAE will fight this present abortion bill from Negril Point to Morant Point."

Meanwhile, Bishop Everton Thomas, of the Jamaica Pentecostal Union, said he supported the position that abortion-on-demand should not be legalised.

"We support and stand in respect of the sanctity of life," said Bishop Thomas.

"I believe that every mother is faced with profound decisions to make for herself and her child, but these decisions can never include the right to kill her baby," Bishop Thomas said.

He noted that mothers who are faced with pregnancies require accurate and compassionate information about the facts of foetal development as well as the practical help that can be available to them through care centres. He urged church leaders to get involved i care by establishing care centres across the nation.

In her remarks, Dr Doreen Brady-West, a member of a group of concerned Christian doctors, said the contemplation of any legislation that permits the termination of the life of the unborn on the request of the mother is a gross distortion of the principles of natural law and justice.

Special circumstances

Currently, the law makes abortion illegal, except in some cases of medical emergency. According to Section 72 of the Offences Against the Person Act, anyone found guilty of having or facilitating an abortion could be sentenced to life in prison, with or without hard labour. However, there are between 20,000 and 30,000 abortions performed in Jamaica each year.

Archbishop Donald Reece, spokesperson for the Jamaica Council of Churches, said not only was the project to liberalise abortion in Jamaica contrary to the law of God, but it also militates against the deeply held values of this nation.

"The people of Jamaica have not asked for abortion, the churches have not asked for it nor have the vast majority civic groups or their leaders," said Archbishop Reece.

Family strengthening

Archbishop Reece urged the Government to implement obstetric care for mothers in rural areas, provide abstinence education for young people and implement programmes for family strengthening.

Shirley Richards, president of Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, said the group was ready to provide all the assistance necessary to fight against the proposals which have been made.

"We will research and do such presentations as may be necessary for presenting to the public and to the Parliament the truth about abortions," Richards said.

Zandra Levy, of Youth for Life, said abortion was an injustice against human beings.

"We the members of the Youth for Life Jamaica are standing firm in the conviction that the youth of Jamaica do not need abortion," she said.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com