Honour Killings

Reality With Bite

HONOUR KILLINGS

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

The UN estimates that at least 5,000 women become victims of honour killings each year and that many murders go unreported. The vast majority of honour killings occur in Muslim countries. In many countries conservative Islamists and tribal leaders have consistently opposed moves by various governments to introduce tougher sentences for honour killers. In Jordan, the Islamic Action Front has stated that tougher punishments for honour killings would be detrimental to the family and will contribute to the abandonment of morals in society. The Jordanian parliament failed to approve the amendment to the penal code which allows honour killers to be treated leniently. In a recent case three brothers hacked to death their two sisters with axes to “cleanse the family honour”. A female member of parliament Adab Saoud had this to say: “It’s also a question of culture and identity…obviously these killings are wrong and against our religion. But the notion of honour is a very important in our society. And we need to accept that.” I wonder if Ms Adab Saoud will volunteer to be slaughtered by her male relatives if she happened to be raped.

Islam does not specifically mandate honour killings, however, it’s emphasis on female chastity, male superiority and the extreme segregation of the sexes has been abating (abetting) the continuation of the slaughter of women and girls. In some cultures men are esteemed by how thoroughly they exercise control over their female relatives, particularly in regards to sexuality. Such cultures rest upon male power and female chastity, honour killings serve as a means for the men to retain total control of women’s lives. Women can be killed for refusing an arranged marriage, choosing their own husband, sex outside of marriage, not being a virgin on the wedding night and disobeying the family. Even if a woman has been raped she can still be killed by her male relatives. The concept of ‘family honour resting on female chastity’ is so deeply ingrained that even some of the women defend it. The male killer does not need proof that any sexual transgression has been committed, rumour and suspicion are often enough to seal the fate of the unfortunate woman.

Here are some cases:

1. On April 15, Ismail Peltek slay his wife Hatice Peltek and daughters after learning that his brother had molested his wife and 22-year old daughter. Peltek said that he attacked his 4-year-old daughter because she had been “sullied” by a gynecological exam. His wife died after being stabbed repeatedly and bludgeoned on the head with a hammer. His daughter suffered a fractured skull from hammer blows. When asked by the police officer if he had the opportunity to kill the family again would he do it? He replied: “My female family, yes. My male family, no.” Source: Rochester, NY, April 24, 2004. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/news/04244241FCB_news.shtml

Turkey, a candidate for European Union membership, is under pressure from Brussels and from human rights groups, to crack down harder on “honour killings”. Nuran Halitogullari was taken captive and raped late last month by a man while she was going to a market in Istanbul. He kept her prisoner in his home for four days, the papers said. Police then arrested him and returned Nuran to her parents, but the family decided she must die for “soiling” their name. Her father and 17-year old brother strangled her with a wire. They buried her body in a forest and also tried to kill her rapist but he was already in police custody. Experts estimate up to 70 women are murdered annually in honour killings in Turkey, mostly in the conservative [i.e., firmly Islamic], mainly ethnic Kurdish southeast region. Scores of other women take their own lives under pressure or fear of attack. Turkey’s parliament is preparing to strike from the penal code clauses used to reduce sentences for murders committed in the name of honour. It is part of a wider drive to clean up Turkey’s human rights record and promote its EU bid. In another recent case which drew strong Turkish media interest, a 22-year-old woman was shot dead by her two brothers as she lay in a hospital in Istanbul recovering from an earlier assassination bid. Guldunya Toren was killed for having a child outside wedlock, after being raped by a cousin in south-eastern Turkey. Some of Turkey’s Muslim preachers recently condemned honour killings and said all forms of murder were a sin in Islam and were forbidden. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3149030.stm

Victims of Burning

LINKS:

Kurdish women against honour killings http://www.kwahk.org/

Azam Kamguian on honour killings http://www.secularislam.org/women.honor.htm

http://www.saxakali.com/southasia/honor.htm

The murder of Samia sarwar

http://middleeastinfo.org/article3325.html

Honour killings in Jordan

http://www.webspawner.com/users/JordanWomen/

More honour killings in Jordan

I utterly refuse to grant respect to a culture and religion which promotes such cruelty and barbarity. I am well aware that some will brand me a racist. If I were a racist why would I bother with what happens to women and girls on the other side of the world? In fact, the racists are those Western governments and individuals who, under the banner of multiculturalism and “respecting other cultures and religions” are keen to deliver women and girls to be butchered, raped, mutilated, burned, stoned to death and enslaved. As the Iranian human rights activist, Maryam Namazie put it: “Human beings are worthy of the highest respect but not all opinions and beliefs are worthy of respect and tolerance. There are some who believe in fascism, white supremacy, the inferiority of women. Must those beliefs be respected?”

Voula Papas