Sunday 18 December 2011

The Maldives government: "What's there to discuss about flogging women"?"

The U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay has during a recent visit urged the Maldives to end the practice of flogging women found to have had sex outside marriage:

"This practice constitutes one of the most inhumane and degrading forms of violence against women, and should have no place in the legal framework of a democratic country"

"I strongly believe that a public debate is needed in Maldives on this issue of major concern"


President Mohamed Nasheed, the darling of the western liberal and leftist media - probably busy planning the luxurious new floating Royal Indian Ocean golf club or taking part in the activities of the exclusive Legacy club, of which he is a member -  delegated the flogging to his foreign minister:

The government of Maldives has rejected UN calls for debating the practice of flogging women guilty of committing adultery in the island nation.
"What's there to discuss about flogging?" Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem told Haveeru newspaper.
"There is nothing to debate about in a matter clearly stated in the religion of Islam. No one can argue with God."

Under Maldives law, women found to have committed adultery are punished with 30 lashes.
There are no estimates of how many women are flogged in the Muslim nation, but the punishment is usually done in public.
The UN rights chief's call has sparked protests in the island nation, with some protestors calling for Pillary's arrest.
Protestors surrounded the UN Building, and demanded an apology from the UN and parliamentarians.
No Debate
The Maldives government said that it will not allow any debates about penalties against female adulterers.
"Our foreign ministry will not allow that to happen," said Nassem.

Read the entire article here

PS

A suggestion to Jon Shenk, who made Nasheed a hero in the documentary "The Island President": What about making a sequel, "The Island President II" about the president´s and his government´s policy of accepting flogging of women and the poor, exploitative conditions for migrant workers in the tiny island state?

If Nasheed does not want to discuss these subjects in public, maybe he is prepared to organise an underwater interview?

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