The treatment of women in some eastern nations shocks and disgusts me. How can a society with any sense of honor permit such horror, I wonder. How can the males of such a society dare to call themselves men, while condoning unspeakable atrocities against women. Sometimes criminal punishment prescribed by law in those countries is also shocking. Then at times the two meet, in a way that doesn't seem all bad. Take what some fiends in Pakistan did recently to a young woman in revenge for a marriage proposal rejection.
Fazeelat Bibi, 22, was a pretty, fun-loving girl, whose cousin, Sher Mohammed, wanted to marry her. He came with relatives to ask her family's permission. But Fazeelat's sister was unhappily married into their family, and her mother thought they were bad people, so they were turned down. They made threats, and Fazeelat was frightened they would harm her brothers, but what actually happened could hardly have been worse.
The young woman, her elderly father, and her brother, were ambushed by Sher and four others at gunpoint. As the father and brother watched helplessly, they tried to strangle the victim, and finally, the man who had wanted her for his wife cut off her nose and sliced her ear. They then taunted her, saying that no one would want her now. When she regained consciousness in a hospital, she believed she was still under attack, and begged to be left alone. She was so badly maimed that her mother died of shock.
Predictably, Fazeelat believes her life is ruined, that she has no hope of having her own home and family, and she says she wishes she had died. One hopes that she is mistaken, that somehow she receives the reconstructive surgery that could restore most of her natural beauty, and that her zest for life will prevail over the tragedy she's been through.
But what about the attackers? Two are still at large. Three have been captured, and two of them have been tried and sentenced. They will spend the rest of their lives in prison and pay a fine of about $8,300. Here's the kicker: They will also be mutilated in the same way they mutilated Fazeelat.
An eye for an eye. Or in this case, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear.
The sentence will have to be confirmed by the High Court. Meanwhile, the prosecutor stated "they committed the offense and they are rightly punished."
A local official commented, "In our society women are weak, we all agree on that. So it's up to the government to make sure that women are able to get justice and revenge."
Another man commented to a reporter that he supports the court's decision. "I have four daughters. They need to be protected."
Of course, in our society, we don't let the worst criminals drag us down to their level. The worst sentence we impose is the death penalty, by humane means, and our constitution forbids cruel and unusual punishment.
This is how it should be, of course, in an advanced, civilized nation.
Still . . .
PKF