Girl, 2, who must marry to pay for uncle's adultery

[emad]

Telegraph
By Nasir Malick in Kutcha Chohan
(Filed: 28/02/2005)

As she emerges from her mud-walled house carried high on her elder brother's shoulder two-year-old Rabia is blissfully unaware of the life that awaits her.

In 14 years, if the ruling of the village council – or panchayat – where she lives in rural Pakistan is obeyed, she will be married to a man 33 years her senior.

The decision was taken last week as a punishment against her uncle, Mohammed Akmal, who was found to have slept with another man's wife. As part of the compensation deal he also agreed to pay 230,000 rupees (£2,175).

According to custom, a girl from an "offending" family must be offered in marriage to a man from a complainant's family.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=Z220STNQYSDD1QFIQMFCM5WAVCBQYJVC?xml=/news/2005/02/28/wed28.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/02/28/ixportal.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=46354
(pay site; put it up on google to read for free)

[redqueen]

1. So when are we going to liberate the women of Pakistan?

Not that we did that great of a job in Afghanistan, but ...

[NYC Liberal]

11. We aren't; Bush LOVES Pakistan

http://tinyurl.com/3mfcv

[Vladimir]

2. I take it she isn't part of

the 'coalition of the willing' then...

[emad]

3. Panchayat:

Snip:
Although panchayats have no official standing in law, in practice they remain a powerful instrument of justice and control in rural areas which remain under the control of feudal landlords.

Few people in the Punjab village of Kutcha Chohan, 170 miles east of the central city of Multan, dared talk openly about the panchayat. Between 20 and 25 tribal notables sat on the council which was held at the mud-plastered and thatched outhouse of a local landlord of the girl's tribe, the Bunglani Mazari.

Villagers who asked not to be named said when the wronged man learned of the affair he declared Akmal "kala" meaning "black" or "adulterer", forcing him to go on the run for several months. He only returned when his mistress's family issued a threat to kill him.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/28/wed28.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/02/28/ixworld.html

[UCLA Dem]

4. so nice that the women have to pay for the men's mistakes.

[elehhhhna]

5. she's a child--not a woman--

[Skidmore]

18. Have you ever considered why very young girls

begin wearing hejab in some Islamic countries? I'm talking about 2-3 years of age. When I was in the ME, I asked about this and was told that it was because they are considered to be potentially sexually attractive and this was for their protection. My daughter was a 3 year old at the time.

[icymist]

6. Nice way to show the world our 'family values' through the behavior

of those we befriend. Is it any wonder that we're the laughing stock of the 'civilized' nations?

[lebkuchen]

7. Why not set her on the front steps of the Pakistani government house

and give her to the first man who throws a few coins into her apron, as was customary in ancient Babylonia, 7 centuries before Christ?

Bush wouldn't object.

[Massachusetts]

8. Breaking: man's inhumanity to man continues..that is all.

[Megahurtz]

9. So they give the baby?

Woman or baby, what the fuck is wrong with these people?:wtf:

[tblue37]

10. I was even more horrified by the last paragraph in

the linked article!

Despite their unofficial status, illegal and out-dated customs still prevail in Pakistan. Four months ago in the same area, a four-year-old was killed by her tribe after being declared "kari" or defiled by rape (emphasis added).

[Megahurtz]

16. People like this have enabled the crime of rape

to continue for generations. Twisted:freak:and sick behond belief.

[Dulcinea]

12. Honor killings are still practiced in Pakistan.

A truly barbaric practice if ever there was one.

The woman is murdered, usually by a member of her own family, & what happens to the man? Nothing!

[tblue37]

13. But no matter how awful and evil

that is, and it is truly awful and evil, the idea of somehow blaming a 4-year-old girl (!) for her "defilement" by rape and killing her for it seems somehow to go even a step beyond thet evil.

[Dulcinea]

14. I agree, that is sick beyond words.

My own daughter is almost 4! <shudder>

[DELUSIONAL]

17. That was also the prevailing attitude in the US

until very recently -- any rape was blamed on the female -- no matter the age. "She brought it on herself".

I know of a case -- 1950s -- girl age 4 was molested -- man was never charged -- the girl was punished because, "she was asking for it."

We have come a long way in the last 50 years -- and bush wants to send us right back to that era.

[NYC Liberal]

15. I know, it's disgusting.

Read this from Amnesty International for more:

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/engASA330181999