Swat flogging

Friday, April 10, 2009

Please allow me to share my perturbation over the (reported) flogging of a 17-year-old girl. The final straw for me turned to be the disappointing remarks widely circulating among the journalists' forums. In short, their remarks toe the line the Taliban, and their apologists i.e. the ANP, have adopted on the deplorable episode. Regrettably, some of these journalists work for your paper. After reading their comments my conscious didn't allow me stay quite anymore. At the risk of inviting wrath of many, I would like to state the following:
Please don't label capitulation to the oppressors as the so-called 'national interests'; as if allowing a state within a state merits to be called a state to begin with. Please don't take refuge behind 'national interests' when it comes to chauvinism. Bravery doesn't mean locking women (mothers, daughters, sisters or wives) behind seven doors. A real man gouges the eyes out of a pervert who even dares to look at them with malice. A man of his salt defends the weak and not incarcerates them.
Shoot the message and not the messenger. I was hoping to see a healthy debate on the subject from highly educated and esteemed journalists, but not personal attacks on Ms Minallah. Flagrant abuse of women's rights at the hands of the self-righteous Taliban isn't actually a secret in an age of camera-equipped cell phones. I am old enough to remember how the Taliban slowly tightened their noose around women's rights in Afghanistan. At the height of their rule, birthing mothers were allowed to die, by barring them from going to hospital without a 'mehram'/male-escort. Others died because they were forbidden to seek medical help from male physicians. And lady doctors were not allowed to work altogether under the pretext that they couldn't work in the same facilities where male counterparts worked too; and allegedly, there was no money to build or run schools and hospitals, exclusively for women. Bravo, what a justice system!
As for Muslim Khan and the NWFP minister for information, both men first said that the woman was punished for having an illicit relationship with her father-in-law. They even had the nerve to suggest that she should have been thankful that she wasn't stoned to death. Then they launched attacks on Ms Minallah and also questioned the authenticity of the tape. How shameful.
If it was my daughter, starting with the man delivering lashes, I would have put a bullet through everyone's eyes gathered there. I can't stress enough my disappointment with those defending the most deplorable, shameless, barbaric and un-Islamic actions of these self-righteous barbarians.

Adnan Gill
Los Angeles

*****

It is not with a heavy heart that I write this, nor am I concerned about the patriotic sensibilities I may offend. I write to state a very clear and undeniable fact. Pakistan is not a failing state. It has already failed. The writ of the government is evaporating and there is growing resentment in all ranks. The disparity between the poor and the elite is too blatant and shameless. VIP movements have become the bane of the common man and there is only so much that the oppressed can take before giving a little back.
I was born here, I love this land, but I do not blame those that leave this country seeking greener pastures abroad. One has to think of his family, and patriotism is a luxury afforded only by those that have a choice. What, however, will become of those that don't have one? Shame on all of us, most of all on our leaders. I used to be idealistic and hopeful, but no more. No wonder we're referred to as the scum of the world. We've become it.

Usman Ahmed
Lahore

*****

It is all a big conspiracy against the Taliban. They do not beat up women, humiliate them and treat them badly. This is all lies spread by the enemies of Islam, Pakistan, the Pakistan army and the ISI. To show solidarity with the Taliban, I suggest that you move to Swat and expose the lies and propaganda against these peace-loving and modern people (who all have hearts of gold).
But be careful. In this process, some 'liberal extremist' may physically hold your daughter(s)/wife/sister(s) down in the bazaar, whip her back and videotape the act. Damn these anti-Pakistan liberals.

Muhammed Idris
Stockholm

*****

Women's Action Forum has consistently fought against human rights violations in the name of religion and culture. In view of the flogging of a girl in Swat as shown in the media, WAF calls upon the state to provide immediate security and protection for women who are suffering the Taliban takeover of the NWFP. We demand the government must not renege on its writ in any part of the country and welcome the chief justice's suo motu notice of the flogging case. We request that the court ensure protection of all women from coercion and threats when such violations are exposed, particularly from local authorities. WAF intends to investigate this and other cases of violations against women. Meanwhile the government must ensure that the victim of this flogging is safely brought to Islamabad so her case may receive due legal process.

WAF
Karachi

*****

If we assume for a moment that the flogging video was cooked up to malign the Taliban, what about the numerous public beheadings and floggings in the past that they carried out in both Afghanistan and Pakistan? The Taliban don't need any detractors – they are the worst enemies of themselves.

Tooba Alam
Karachi

*****

A particularly sad aspect of the flogging incident is a denial by some people that it ever happened in Swat. Some say that the video was filmed before the agreement and then there are others who say that the event was fabricated to derail the peace agreement. Some religious leaders have tried to defend the incident by conflating the incident with US drone attacks. In my opinion the actual incident is highly immoral on its own merit.
It is encouraging to see the reaction of many people who are silent in most matters. Could this event give civil society the impetus to be proactive and take this as a window of opportunity to fight against violation of human rights and dignity anywhere?

Dr Nausheen
Karachi