by Damozel | Over protests of locals and one politician, the Pakistani government has begun an inquiry into the deaths of five women buried alive in "honor killings." (NYT) The women were buried alive. (NYT).
[T]he victims were three young women who had planned to marry men of their choice — a blot on family honor — and two older female relatives.
All were kidnapped by several men on July 13 from their village, Baba Kot, in the department of Jafferabad, and taken to a deserted area in a vehicle bearing provincial government plates, according to the group, the International Federation for Human Rights. The young women were beaten and shot, and, still breathing, covered with earth and stones. The two older women tried to intervene and were buried alive as well (NYT)
The area in which the killings occurred is described as a "remote, tribal area." (SFGate)
Pakistani Senator Yasmeen Shah accused the government of looking the other way, even while another politician defended this barbaric and heinous act as their culture's "norms."(NYT) The government has arrested three people, but expresses doubts that the killings were "honor" killings, as opposed to the consequence over a dispute over land.(NYT)
Kawthar at he website Stop!Honour Killings writes:
Hundreds of women die each year in Pakistan as a result of honour killings. Many of the killings go unreported and in almost all cases the perpetrators, who are often close family members, go unpunished. These so-called ‘honour’ killings are based on ignorance and disregard of morals and laws. If a lawmaker of this country thinks that these cruel acts should not be highlighted ‘negatively’ in public and are justified, the future of this country indeed is bleak. Senator Zehri’s statement bears testimony to the fact that ours is a patriarchal system where ‘customs’ and ‘rules’ are based on male chauvinism and there is a complete disregard for humanitarianism.
Some phrase considerably more trenchant than "male chauvinism" is needed to describe the barbaric impulses driving these killings. But of course, as the writer says, the problem is deeper and more pervasive:
Pakistan is still a male-dominated society where women are treated like a non-entity. Over here, violence against women takes a dismaying variety of forms, from domestic abuse and rape to child marriages and honour killings. All are violations of the most fundamental human rights. This is because Pakistani women face systematic discrimination from entrenched power relations that perpetuate the almost universal subordination of females. This leaves them highly vulnerable to being harmed physically, sexually or psychologically by the men in their families and communities.
They live in fear of torture and violence, their basic human rights ignored. Our women have long fought for their rights. Despite this, violence against women usually goes unpunished. The situation about status of women in Pakistan is very bleak despite the allocation of 33 percent seats to women in parliament. Despite the presence of a law and the Women’s Protection Act, the incidents of violence against women have not decreased. The patriarchal mindset of society is full of refusal to recognise women as equal human beings deserving of equality, human rights and justice.(Stop!Honour Killings)
A report in April of this year by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said that the number of honor killings in Pakistan is on the rise.
Conservative social practices and religious extremism are identified as the main cause of gender inequalities...
The report from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) says 4,276 cases of women's rights abuses during the year have been recorded.
The HRCP Secretary Iqbal Haider, who launched the report, called 2007 "a brutal year for women".
In 2006, the Commission had recorded 1,821 cases of women's rights abuses - itself an increase over 2005.
But the report calls these statistics "a gross understatement", saying "many cases go unreported or are hushed up".
It says it is also difficult to gather follow-up information on reported incidents, such as whether the perpetrators of violence were arrested, or how their court trials went.
The report says 636 women became victims of honour killing, 731 were raped and 736 kidnapped.
Many more women were killed for reasons other than honour - burnt by their in-laws, sexually harrassed at their homes or work places, or subjected to domestic violence.(BBC 4-15-2008)
Shockingly, it seems that quite a number of young British men of Pakistani origins back honor killings and hold similar attitudes towards women. (BBC Asia) Earlier this year, a think tank (the Centre for Social Cohesion) tank reported that the number of such killings is underestimated.
Based on some 80 interviews, its report says forced marriage, imprisonment and "honour" killings are not restricted to first generation immigrant families.
Report author Salam Hafez said this was "being perpetuated within second and third immigrant generations"...
The report, entitled Crimes of the Community, is based on interviews with women's groups, community activists and victims of "honour"-based violence.
It argues that the extent of such violence against men and women is underestimated by the government, police and local services, and political correctness is preventing the authorities from tackling the issue....
A Home Office spokesman said the government welcomed the report, is "determined to tackle honour based violence" and would be "taking action to ensure that any gaps in services can be filled".
He said: "We are developing a cross-government action plan to tackle honour based violence which includes, forced marriage, honour killings and female genital mutilation. [BBC News 2-4-2008]
Meanwhile in Pakistan, a large number of citizens have taken a strong stand on the deaths of the five women in a remote area of their country. "After widespread public uproar, the government moved to support a Senate resolution condemning the killings." (Minneapolis StarTrib)
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Posted by: Raqeal Lawer of Human Rights Comission | March 22, 2009 at 01:26 PM