From Diana Nammi, Director of the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation, a demand for action and a plea to support their campaign, in the light of the stoning to death of Kurdistan Aziz last month:
Since the murder of Du'a Khalil Aswad, a little over a year ago, there can be few people who are unaware that in Kurdistan, even the stones on the ground carry the evidence of brutality and violence against women. Under the Kurdish and Iraqi government, power is ultimately ceded to the tribes, with their barbaric culture of 'honour' killing, despite the international attention given to these constant and repeated acts of terrorism against women.
Few are punished for murdering a woman in Kurdistan, or for aiding and abetting the murder of a woman. Dozens of other girls and women are killed every month because the Kurdish government and politicians in power do not care about the lives and deaths of girls and women, perpetuating the culture of 'honour' killings and failing to protect the most vulnerable members of society.
In the latest killing, or at least the latest to come to public attention, Kurdistan Aziz was 16 years old when she escaped her family with a man she knew they would not accept, and courageously following the ancient tradition of radu kauten they eloped together to Arbil, the capital city of Iraqi Kurdistan. They planned to start a life together. But her father had other ideas for her; not of love, happiness or choice but that she must die for this rebellion against the patriarchal order.
The girl was well aware of the risk so she asked the police for help in the KDP controlled city. They referred her to the Department to End Domestic Violence. This Department, pledged to protect girls like Kurdistan proved themselves corrupt in accepting a bribe from her father and turned her over to him knowing the consequences. No Kurd could claim to be unaware of the dangers of returning a young woman to her father in this situation, particularly not a professional within a Department of this nature. The person who accepted this bribe is an accessory to murder since that is what ‘honour’ killing is, controlled murder.
Kurdistan Aziz was taken back to her family; they chose to kill her by the method of stoning her to death on the Hawre Mountain....
Addresses for writing to at the link.
I wish the U.N. would do its job and enforce all the international human rights agreements and covenants some of the worst dishonor killings countries have signed with us. Jordan is in violation of 17 of them, just on dishonor killings alone.
Ellen R. Sheeley, Author
"Reclaiming Honor in Jordan"
http://www.redroom.com/author/ellen-r-sheeley
Posted by: ERS | June 08, 2008 at 10:26 PM