Friday, May 17, 2002

And This Is Our Ally?

Before another US aid dollar is sent to Pakistan, we must insist it begin fixing this:

In Pakistan, Rape Victims Are the 'Criminals'

In the above NY Times article, one "criminal" in particular is profiled. With her husband in jail for murder, she became a plaything for his brothers. When she became pregnant, her "crime" was evident and she was sentenced to death by stoning.

Although there has been outcry in Pakistan about the case and she will probably not be killed, the alternatives are still a bizarre parody of justice:

She is likely to spend 10 to 15 years in prison as the result of her rape, said Rukhshanda Naz, who heads the local branch of a women's rights group called Aurat. As many as 80 percent of all women in Pakistani jails have been convicted under laws that ban extramarital sex, according to Aurat.

Rape isn't the only problem for women there:

Human rights groups say abuse of women is endemic in Pakistan. Often, they are locked inside their homes where they are subjected to beatings, acid attacks, burning and rape. Every year there are hundreds of "honor killings," in which a woman is murdered for perceived breaches of modesty.

America wields a mighty club of foreign aid dollars. It is time we started using it.

Ignoring the abuse of women in Afghanistan helped put us in the position we're in today.

Let's not repeat it with their neighbor.

Post 9/11, the aid package for Pakistan was estimated to be worth "billions," placing the country third after Israel and Egypt as recipients of our largesse.

Giving money to a country that treats half its population like crap is counter productive -- irregardless of its perceived strategic value.

I 'm writing my congressman on this one.

Click here, to write yours.

posted by Bohica at 11:06 AM