Postmodern Critic
Morgan Bell
Jeff MusallSomalian Rape Victim, 13, Stoned To Death
November 5th 2008 16:52
By Chris McGreal
Africa correspondent
The Guardian
Monday November 3 2008
An Islamist rebel administration in Somalia had a 13-year-old girl stoned to death for adultery after the child's father reported that three men had raped her.
Amnesty International said the al-Shabab militia, which controls the southern port city of Kismayo, arranged for a group of 50 men to stone Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow in front of a crowd of about 1,000 spectators. A lorryload of stones was brought to the stadium for the killing.
Amnesty said that Duhulow struggled with her captors and had to be forcibly carried into the stadium.
"At one point during the stoning, Amnesty International has been told by numerous eyewitnesses that nurses were instructed to check whether Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was still alive when buried in the ground. They removed her from the ground, declared that she was, and she was replaced in the hole where she had been buried for the stoning to continue," the human rights group said.
"Inside the stadium, militia members opened fire when some of the witnesses to the killing attempted to save her life, and shot dead a boy who was a bystander."
Amnesty said witnesses originally reported that Duhulow was 23-years-old, based on her appearance. But the human rights group found out from her father that she was a child.
Duhulow's father told Amnesty that when they tried to report her rape to the militia, the child was accused of adultery and detained. None of the men Duhulow accused was arrested.
"This was not justice, nor was it an execution," said Amnesty's Somalia campaigner, David Copeman. "This child suffered an horrendous death at the behest of the armed opposition groups who currently control Kismayo.
"This killing is yet another human rights abuse committed by the combatants to the conflict in Somalia, and again demonstrates the importance of international action to investigate and document such abuses, through an international commission of inquiry."
Amnesty said al-Shabab had created a climate of fear in which government officials, journalists and human rights activists faced death threats and killing if they spoke against the militia.
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Africa correspondent
The Guardian
Monday November 3 2008
An Islamist rebel administration in Somalia had a 13-year-old girl stoned to death for adultery after the child's father reported that three men had raped her.
Amnesty International said the al-Shabab militia, which controls the southern port city of Kismayo, arranged for a group of 50 men to stone Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow in front of a crowd of about 1,000 spectators. A lorryload of stones was brought to the stadium for the killing.
Amnesty said that Duhulow struggled with her captors and had to be forcibly carried into the stadium.
"At one point during the stoning, Amnesty International has been told by numerous eyewitnesses that nurses were instructed to check whether Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was still alive when buried in the ground. They removed her from the ground, declared that she was, and she was replaced in the hole where she had been buried for the stoning to continue," the human rights group said.
"Inside the stadium, militia members opened fire when some of the witnesses to the killing attempted to save her life, and shot dead a boy who was a bystander."
Amnesty said witnesses originally reported that Duhulow was 23-years-old, based on her appearance. But the human rights group found out from her father that she was a child.
Duhulow's father told Amnesty that when they tried to report her rape to the militia, the child was accused of adultery and detained. None of the men Duhulow accused was arrested.
"This was not justice, nor was it an execution," said Amnesty's Somalia campaigner, David Copeman. "This child suffered an horrendous death at the behest of the armed opposition groups who currently control Kismayo.
"This killing is yet another human rights abuse committed by the combatants to the conflict in Somalia, and again demonstrates the importance of international action to investigate and document such abuses, through an international commission of inquiry."
Amnesty said al-Shabab had created a climate of fear in which government officials, journalists and human rights activists faced death threats and killing if they spoke against the militia.
Source: Really Long Link
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everything about this story is shocking: the brutality, the age of the victim, the whole town participating . . . im just disgusted!
we can only hope Amnesty will be able to help prevent human rights violations like this in future through diplomacy, education, and funsraising
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i saw some working-class Kenyans interviewed recently saying that when Obama gets in their first wish would be "trade not aid" . . . i think the sentiment is they want to learn to fish (and have their products fairly treated on the market) rather than being stuck in the rut of being given fish that only feeds them for a day . . . i think alot of those countries could be self-sufficient if trade agreements were designed for them to prosper, as opposed to keeping them down
Comment by Someone
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I think Africa has to sort out it's violence and corruption before any really meaningful gains can be made. Opening up trade is a necessary condition, but not a sufficient one
Then again, I only know 2 things in this world, and they are Jack and Shit, and Jack just left the building.
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Comment by KC Hill
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The reality is that Africa has a lot of raw materials available for large mining companies and manufacturers. These companies do not necessarily want the benefits shared among the people of the country.
As long as Africa remains relatively unsophisticated, the large companies can continue to exploit the continent. Just have a look at how much Alan Bond has made there since he got out of jail. Reports are well over a billion dollars, in a few short years.
As long as the attitudes portrayed in this story are maintained, the continents vulnerability to exploitation is assured. The underlying feature is the historical lack of regard for human life in Africa, by the Africans. The barbaric reality is that this has not changed in the past because it is not in the best interests of the large companies to improve the situation. Or for corrupt African leaders.
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yes radical leadership and archaic traditions are never a good mix.
hi KC,
barbaric is a good word for it . . . i cant believe people are still being stoned to death in this day and age
the regime in power in Somalia certainly doesnt speak for the whole continent, but i think their a quite a few countries in the region that are oppressed by dictators and are governed by inhumane laws
hi Norm,
i will have to ask Arnie about that . . .
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it would be great if the money was used to protect human dignity
hi Kylie,
i had the same reaction - she was just a little girl and she was basically tortured to death
thanks so much for your comment
hi Jeff,
appalling yes - how could so many people gather, cheer on , and participate in such an "event"
being stoned to death for "adultary" should be something for the history books, not modern day instruction
thanks for sharing your point of view
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its true, all humans have to potential for cruelty, its only the cultures and social standards in which we are raised which alter our perception of what is acceptable
Comment by Cheryl J
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And what did this poor child do to deserve being a victim of such cruelty, violence and brutality? Be a victim of cruelty, violence and brutality. What a short and tragic life.
Man's inhumanity to man. Is there anything worse?
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you are a true humanitarian . . . if only everyone had such empathy maybe such atrocities would cease to occur . . . thanks for your thoughtful comment
Comment by KC Hill
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I was living in China, in 2003, and my girlfriend (PR Manager for a major national magazine) came home excited that she had tickets on the half way line at the sport stadium on Saturday night.
I was excited as well at the prospect of watching an evening soccer match, only to have my senses sent reeling when she matter-of-factly said "Not soccer. It is public executions"
She could not understand why I was so shocked at it, and I could not understand why she wasn't. I decided not to go, and still feel quite horrified by the thought. I slept with one eye open when she got home that night, as I had seen a different side of her, and China in general. It scared me a little, until I realised that it is just their way. I have never fully come to terms with it.
I suppose it's just the differences in cultures, and it seems to be the norm in a lot of countries. But it's a bloody big culture difference, though.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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hey thanks for sharing that story!
i would have reacted much the same way you did!
i dont agree with the death penalty for any crime, and i just cant wrap my mind around people using it as entertainment!
i think your assessment is accurate though: "differences in cultures"
doesnt make it any less sickening though does it . . .
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thats an interesting theory: "crowd control"
i guess the mentality is that public executions may act as a deterant towards people who defy authority or the law?
which just makes this case in Somalia all the more senseless! what is the lesson here? dont get raped? dont report rape? it just a terrible message and a terrible waste of life . . . so violent and cruel
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how did you manage to get a picture of the girl?
Comment by Morgan Bell
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it is very shocking . . . and sad
thats not a picture of the actual girl, its a picture of a Somalian girl of a similar age (i put that in the pic title, but i think i was too lazy to put it as a caption)
thanks for the comment
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that is the disturbing (and depressing) question . . . thanks for stopping in and sharing your thoughts
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Obviously i'm not condoning it, I'm just offering an explanation for anyone struggling to understand. It's pretty typical, this kind of thing has been going on since the beginning of civilisation.
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animals . . . i agree
must be esp awful to be a woman in that part of the world
hi Louie,
vile . . . yep i agree again
makes you ashamed to be part of the same species sometimes
hi Luke,
hey thanks for your analysis of the situation
you make an excellent point about power, corruption, and control . . . i wonder if we will ever evolve beyond the era of "arsehole" that we seem to have been stuck in for the last few thousand years?
i think your explanation was pretty accurate, doesnt make it any more palatable though
Comment by Mountain Fog
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it just does not compute for me... neither what they do, or the fact that we largely ignore the fate of the oppressed there.
these military people pretend to observe the tenets of their religion, but they are just loathsome monsters who cynically use a perverted form of Islam in order to exact dominance, while quenching their disgustingly perverted bloodlust.
Everyone of these bastards should be brought to trial. And I would not object if they were condemned to a stoning themselves. How could the family of that unfortunate child ever recover from this? We should bring her family here to live, at least that might make some sense and atone for our lack of caring.
I can only hope Barack Obama deals with this, with the same gusto as those other loathsome criminals, the Bush gang, did in Iraq.. well, hopefully more effectively with a re-build plan ready to go after ridding the place of these disgusting, putrescent abominations in the eyes of all Gods!
fog
Comment by Cheryl J
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This is truly tragic and I cannot imagine how her father will ever forgive himself for bringing the rape to the attention of the authorities. It seems by reporting it, he unwittingly signed her death warrant.
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yes loathsome monsters . . . and not in the spirit of true Islam . . . they are a disgrace
i wish we had an active international court that had the authority to rule on human rights violations, and the power to charge and convict individuals seperate to the national laws
do you reckon they could get Bush on war crimes?
oh and Norm,
Fritzl . . . ahhhhh
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As for Cheryl's comment about the west not doing anything - so many celebrities have put their name behind the cause thus far, including huge names like George Clooney. I am sure they will have a bit of better luck talking to Obama then they had the Bush administration. Especially since we all know Obama has all those celebrity connections. Seriously though, I think the cause will be helped along in some way with Obama in charge now, mixed with the star power already behind some things - and some progress might actually be made.
Gene
Comment by Mountain Fog
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Interestingly, one never hears from Nelson Mandela, maybe he does speak out against these atrocities, but no one reports him...dunno... maybe we should ask AVAAZ to set up a protest about it? I'll check with them tomorrow and see, maybe they already have, they are usually abreast of things.
fog
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i cant even imagine the fathers pain and guilt - im sure he will never be the same
hi Gene,
you make a good point about the continued humiliation and shunning . . . i had not heard about marks being carved before, that is just terrible
thanks for sharing the information
i hope we are headed for a new era of international politics where some progress actually gets made
hi Fog,
oh is that why nothing has been done about Mugabe?
thats the first time ive heard anyone explain it as simply as that . . . you would make a great foreign diplomat, you have a really useful way of putting things in laymans terms
thanks for helping educate people
(and yeah where is Mandela when these things happen - not that hes a god or a superpower, but i think he commands respect and his opinions could help)
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I read the words and am flooded with the image of this henious crime and cannot believe humanity can allow this patriarchal imblance. Thank God for 2013 and the balancing of the feminine light is all I can think of to not scream my rage at the injustice of it all!
That poor little girl, (and her mother watching?) good God have mercy on us all. Then the stoning? How awfult o ahve to consider that it was probably better than having to live with her lot under this regime.
Totally sickening.
Lilla ...
Comment by Morgan Bell
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a heinous result of a patriarchal imbalance . . . that is a great description of a terrible act
one day women will be empowered all over the world . . . maybe . . . hopefully
thanks for your comment
Comment by Dianna G
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Depressing news-but not surprising. Even here, though, most rape goes unpunished. About seventy percent of it or maybe more, I can't remember, goes unreported; and most of it gets let off if it is taken to court. The world is corrupt everywhere-it's just in more quiet, civilized ways in more 'civilized' countries.
As much as we try to say we're better, we're not; we're just less obvious.
~Dianna
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The story is an example of the how blaming the victim can be taken to its logical extreme. Before we feel too superior here in the West, let's take a minute to reflect on how many people still attempt to to lay the blame on female rape victims, what was she doing out late at night? Why was she wearing a mini-skirt? Why did she get drunk? Was she asking for it?
The patriarchal, tribal culture that still exists in Africa takes it a few steps further and actively punishes the woman for "asking for it". I do want to point out that these "executions" and the demonising of women who have been raped or had sex are older than Islam. It's a cultural practice, not a religious one.
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That's where I disagree. I think, like Female Genital Mutilation, this would still carry on, with or without the cloak of religion as an excuse. My fear is that, if we are to point the finger simply at Islam, then it will demonise all Muslims without actually addressing the issue- how to encourage the people of Africa to move beyond this ancient, tribal mindset?
Like the subjucation of women in general, this problem goes deeper than religion. It is rooted in their tribal psyche and preceeds Islam by thousands of years.
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Oh you won't get any argument from me on that point! It's just having grown up in a Muslim family, I know first hand that there are many practices that westerners put down to do religion which are actually cultural constraints, eg the treatment of women. My mother is not religious, my father was deeply religious. Of the two, my mother was far, far stricter on the girl than my dad was. It's a cultural thing- she didn't want our reputations to be ruined.
But yes, ultimately I agree, it may just be two sides of the same coin. All I'm saying is, even if Islam disappeared tomorrow, women in that part of the world will still be oppressed.
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you make an excellent point, rape is still a big issue in many "civilised" countries, it just manifests itself as domestic violence
thanks for providing a new perspective on the issue
hi Ruby,
PoMo and I are part of the same Facebook group that reports on violence towards women - when i saw this article in their notifications i felt obliged to bring some attention to it here on Orble, even though i found it difficult to read myself
i believe (perhaps naively) if this kind of violence and degradation is discussed openly it can lead to more people taking a global interest in womens issues
i personally dont feel supierior, i just think these kind of stories tend to get swept under the rug because people find it difficult to deal with
(i know you werent having a go, i just felt like explaining)
that being said, yes this is just a tiny piece in a global problem that stems from hostile attitudes towards women . . . rape, and blaming the victim happens everyday (with less severe consequences) right here in Australia and the USA
thanks for sharing your views on the difference between culture and religion
hi Johnny,
tragic . . . no better word could sum it up
Comment by Dianna G
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It's very true. And I hope that someday that will change, but I can't see it happening; humanity is just a very flawed race, and we are disgusted by our own imperfections but powerless to truly change them.
~Dianna
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