In Itan Wali, Pakistan, 45-year-old Asia Bibi is being sentenced to death by the Pakistani church. Not because she had killed, injured, or stole from someone, but due to something she said. Prosecutors say Bibi, who is a Christian, broke Pakistan's strict blasphemy law by insulting Islam and the prophet Muhammad, a crime punishable by death or life imprisonment according to Pakistan's penal code. As stated in what we would call a constitution they have a distinct code 295-C, which states whoever defiles the sacred name of the Hole Prophet Muhammad shall be punished by death.
The alleged incident happened in June 2009 when Bibi, a field worker, was picking fruit in a village two hours west of Lahore. Prosecutors say when Bibi dipped her cup into a bucket of drinking water during a lunch break; her co-workers complained the water had been contaminated by a non-Muslim. They were not going to accept her ways and were definitely not willing to assimilate her into the community. In spite of her outrage, according to CNN "She said your Muhammad had worms in his mouth before he died," Satar told CNN, a crude way of saying Muhammad was no prophet. The town cleric, Qari Muhammad Salim, reported the incident to police who arrested Bibi. After nearly 15 months in prison came her conviction to the death sentence. Bibi, has appealed her conviction but it can take months before they receive a decision.
Asia, a loving mother and wife, is being sentenced due to her belief in another god and for disrespecting the Muslim religion. But, was she wrong for the statements she had said. Pakistan has never executed someone convicted of blasphemy but in Bibi's village public opinion was unanimous. Human rights groups have long blamed Pakistan's blasphemy laws for persecution and violence against religious minorities. There is no unity or acceptance for anything other. The town cleric, who made the initial complaint against Bibi, called her death sentence one of the happiest moments of his life. This is unnecessary and outraging, this reminds me of stony in Nigeria, as well as honor killings. Countries outside of America do things differently and we can respect that but when does it become too far? At what point do people say we need to do something about this? This is a story of discrimination and social alienation.
Deleted and reposted to fix typos. There are probably more that I'm missing...
ReplyDeleteAnd amazingly, Pakistan is actually one of the more progressive of the surrounding countries (there are more women in their parliament than any other predominately Muslim* country).
Actually, it isn't even a matter of worshiping a different god, since Muslims and Christians worship the same one. And the reason I bother to mention it isn't that I'm nitpicking, it's that she'd be even worse off if she were Hindu. Anti-Hindu extremism in Pakistan and anti-Muslim extremism in India haven't died down since Gandhi, it's just severely underreported. Iran is responsible for the murder of many Baha'i and the threat of straight-up genocide is considered high.
I can't help but think of "The Crucible." Obviously capital punishment is ridiculous for this situation, but how do we even know she blasphemed anyway, if we already know the whole village already wanted her out?
Pakistan has a recent history of being out of their minds. They took money the US sent them for fighting Taliban, since the Taliban were constantly claiming more and more of Pakistan, and instead used it to prep for war against India (btw they have since signed a truce with the Taliban).
I honestly don't know what will happen with this poor woman but I pray that her sentence will be reduced. I think political exile would be best - not because she deserves a punishment at all, but because if they drop the case she will probably be murdered and her killer will be hailed as a hero.
Though Pakistan is not an Islamist country (as in it isn't a true theocracy) it is still under the influence of the belief that government and religion are two words for the same thing (see also: Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc). Blasphemy in Islamist countries is the same as treason. Which means the government is infallible. Pakistan isn't one of those countries and I'm hopeful for them continuing to get away from that, but unfortunately it's gonna be a while. Other countries allowing this to happen without a reaction would be the worst thing they could possibly do to a country with so much corruption. Frankly, they need to US's financial support (hah, as if we have any finances). We should send Hilary to bitch slap them like she did after the "You were using our anti-terrorism support for WHAT?!" thing.
I do confess, however, that their fear of backlash actually is legitimate. It's just that there are more important things.
*Not to knock on Islam - I hold very strongly that it isn't Islam that causes problems in the middle east, but a deadly combination of low education and theocracy. It's happened with pretty much every religion and in non-religious countries as well.
Update: Pakistan pulled through! They pardoned her!
ReplyDelete