News and Views by Region
SRI LANKA: An Appeal to the women’s movement against inhuman treatment of a young woman on religious grounds
A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission
SRI LANKA: An Appeal to the women’s movement against inhuman treatment of a young woman on religious grounds
This is a narrative of the husband of the victim, a 17 year old woman with a two month old child, who was subjected to the horrible experience of being beaten about 100 times with the hard centre stem from a coconut frond in the presence of the committee members of the mosque situated in Gokarella in the district of Kurunagalle. This woman had given a birth to a child as a result of an extra marital relationship. She has since married and has been living peacefully.
One day the husband of the woman was asked to come to the mosque with his wife by the committee members. He was forced by them to sign a document consenting to the punishment of his wife. The man did not agree and argued against the punishment. He also pointed out that his wife was sick. Regardless, she was beaten in the presence of other men of the village in front of the mosque.
Sri Lanka has been a multi cultural, multi linguistic secular society for a thousand years. Emerging social trends shows the tendencies of more extreme forms of horrible social practices which are threatening the inherent civil political rights and individual liberties. Many societies in Asia and Africa struggle with these most horrible forms of extreme practices of human suffering in the name of religion like the adoption of Sharia law or implementation of the decisions of Jirgas. The following story is an eye opener to what is happen is happening in Sri Lankan society.
Afghan Women's Movements Deserve More From the West
Time magazine's is a tribute to their heroism and silent suffering. However, the poignant images and story fail to reflect the determined achievements of a women's movement that has battled cultural and Islamist misogyny. They deserve more from the West.
Ironically, women in Afghanistan had greater opportunities for education and employment under colonial rule, including that of the Soviets. Tribal traditions and a male-dominated reading of Islam have produced a deeply rooted ideology of women as temptresses, who must be kept under control to avoid "fitna" or social strife, thereby safeguarding the "peace of Islam." In this patriarchal society, a man's honor, bound by the behavior of his female relatives, may be defended with violence. Girls are traded to settle family disputes, and rural tribal courts dispense summary justice that can overrule central authority.
South Sulawesi, Indonesia: General Statement on Socialization of Indonesia's Porn Law
GENERAL STATEMENT ON SOCIALIZATION OF INDONESIA’S PORN LAW
BY: WOMEN’S ACTIVISTS COALITION OF SOUTH SULAWESI
Since the enactment of Indonesia's pornography law No. 44 year 2008, therefore we, from Women’s activists coalition of South Sulawesi rejected the bill and urged the government to withdraw the law. Our legal effort that we have done by doing a judicial review of this pornography act was rejected by the constitutional court. There are some basic consideration why we reject this pornography law, they are:
- That this act does not take side to the society, especially women, and the tendency of the act is to blame women.
- That by the enactment of the act, so diversity and pluralism in Indonesia is not recognized.
- That the tendency of the act is about criminalization towards the victims, especially female victims.
- That by the enactment of this act, the people will also get the role (perpetrator of violence) from the police or other officials to capture or raided both suspects and victims who allegedly conduct pornography action.
- That the point is, it is not giving any human rights protection to the people, especially women and it does not respect art creativity in the society, and the fact is that this act kills the scientific world especially those dealing with human anatomy.
Up to this moment, we still reject this act and in the socialization forum of pornography law No. 44/2008, we declare to deny this act and choose to walkout. This concludes the statement of rejection, thank you.
Makassar, 1 September 2010
SP Anging Mammiri, KPI Sulsel, LBH Apik Makassar dan FPMP Sulsel.
Supporting syariah, advancing women
The life and work of an Islamic teacher in Aceh shows that the struggle for gender equality is about much more than syariah.
In Aceh, a special formulation of Islamic law, the qanun, was implemented in 2003, and ever since, national and international media covering Aceh have been obsessed with it. Although this interest is perhaps understandable, it also results in distorted, incomplete, and sometimes false portrayals of local dynamics.
The issue of gender equality is a case in point. Media claiming to present a balanced view of current events in Aceh often concentrate on the public debate between fierce defenders of Islamic law on the one hand, and Aceh’s critical, visible and eloquent women’s rights movement on the other. While locating and portraying this debate is itself laudable (most media reports do not even reach this degree of sensitivity), what also happens is that the broader struggle for gender equality is equated with the debate about syariah. But in reality, this struggle takes multiple forms.
Bangladesh - High Court Rules that Burqa Cannot Be Forced
Dhaka, Aug 22 (bdnews24.com)—The High Court has ruled that no women can be forced to wear burqa at work and educational institutions.
The court also ordered the government to ensure that the cultural activities and sports in the educational institutions are not restricted.
Shariah in Aceh: Eroding Indonesia’s Secular Freedoms
A woman is caned and shamed in Aceh’s Pidie Jaya district for breaking Shariah bylaws. It is unclear who was actually behind the implementation of Shariah and resistance to the controversial code is growing. (Antara Photo/Rahmad)
PAKISTAN: Rapes of Christian girls reflects tactic
FAROOQABAD, Pakistan, August 16 (CDN) — The vulnerability of Christian girls to sexual assault in Pakistani society emerged again last month as a Muslim landowner allegedly targeted a 16-year-old and a gang of madrassa (Islamic school) students allegedly abused a 12-year-old in Punjab Province.
PAKISTAN: Women's Trauma of Floods & Conflict Displacement
Pakistan’s most severe monsoon floods in 80 years have more than four million people in north-western and central Pakistan, including 1.6 million in Punjab. Many people already displaced by conflict in the region have been forced to flee again. The floods now threaten Balochistan and Sindh, where more than 500,000 people have been evacuated to safer areas. The flooding has caused food prices to , while 39 per cent of houses have been destroyed or .
Pakistani couple face death by stoning threat after conviction for adultery
A couple have been sentenced to be stoned to death for alleged adultery by a tribal court in north-west , with the woman's life now considered in grave danger.
'Honour killing' suspected in murder of British couple in Pakistan
A British couple have been murdered in in a suspected "honour killing" after calling off their daughter's marriage.
A man and his wife from the Alum Rock area of Birmingham, named locally as taxi driver Gul Wazir and wife Bagum, had reportedly visited the country to resolve a dispute over a wedding.
West Midlands police confirmed the deaths. A spokeswoman said: "We have been informed of the murder of two people from Birmingham in Pakistan. The murder inquiry is being carried out by the authorities in Pakistan and we will support their investigation as and when required."