[thechat] [ugh]

dave mclean dave at members.evolt.org
Sat Jul 6 13:35:13 CDT 2002


On 2002.07.05 08:33, Syed Zeeshan Haider wrote:

> The tribal court had yet to give a decision when the four evil men did this.
> At the time of rape, the court was on its way to the decision. Please refer to
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/.

I didn't find any information regarding the fact that this wasn't a result
of the tribal court on the BBC Web site, but I did find the following story.

Friday, 5 July, 2002, 16:22 GMT 17:22 UK
Police attacked in Pakistan rape case

The Pakistan Supreme Court has strongly criticised the local police in the
case of the gang rape of a woman on the orders of a tribal gathering.

"It is not possible to believe that it [the crime] was not known to the
police" Chief Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmed

The court asked the provincial police chief and other officers to appear
before them to explain what action they had taken.

The incident has also been condemned in strong terms by the Pakistani
Government.

Human rights groups have expressed outrage at the rape of the woman, which
took place in the remote village of Mirwali, near the city of Muzaffargarh
in Punjab province.

Tribal assembly

The woman herself, Mukhtar Bibi, told Reuters that hundreds of people had
gathered round as four men dragged her off to a room to rape her, but no-one
dared to intervene.

Victim of gang rape Mukhtar Bibi: Ordered to be raped as a punishment "They
raped me for one hour and afterwards I was unable to move," she said.

The court heard that the tribal assembly made the ruling to rape her in
order punish the victim's family, after allegations that her brother had
been involved with a woman from a higher-status tribe.

The police only registered the rape case a week later.

The chief justice presiding over the court strongly criticised the police.

"It is not possible to believe that it [the crime] was not known to the
police," Chief Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmed commented.

Law Minister Khalid Ranjha told the BBC that the crime was being considered
"an act of terrorism" and those responsible would be tried before an
anti-terrorist court.

One of the four men accused has now been arrested, but the other three are
still at large.

Eight others have already been detained for backing the tribal assembly's
decision.

Earlier reports that the woman was a teenager have now been contradicted by
the police, who say that after a medical examination, it was revealed the
woman was 30 years old.

Rights concerns

The human rights group Amnesty International has asked the Pakistani
authorities to ensure that justice is done in the case.

It also says the authorities should take action to stop tribal councils
assuming unlawful powers.

Human rights groups say the informal system of justice in Pakistan, based on
illegal tribal assemblies, tends to be biased against women and poor people,
and thrives on the collusion of local police forces.

Activists say that while rape is all too common in Pakistan, this is the
first known instance when it has been used as a punishment by a tribal
council.

Government officials have promised a full investigation into the case.

Attiya Inayatullah, Pakistan's Women's Affairs Minister, visited the family
of the girl on Thursday and handed over a cheque for $8,000.

____
damclean 403.708.6215
dave at members.evolt.org
evolt.org member since: 1998




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