The abuse of women in the Islamic world is well known but no where it does it approach the level found in Pakistan. The above women had their faces burnt with acid or kerosene oil. Often the assailant is a spouse or a family member, sometimes a jilted male. Generally they involve some perceived slight of honour. The number of annual cases in Pakistan (and to a lesser extent in Afghanistan) runs over 3,000. Smile Again is a non-profit based in Lahore dedicated to help female survivors of acid and kerosene oil burns in Pakistan by providing them essential first-aid treatment, appropriate medical attention and reconstructive surgery, psychological/ psychiatric support, shelter and vocational training as well as to create social awareness and sensitivity, working towards the complete eradication of this heinous crime.
But in Pakistan women are not just disfigured over “honour,” they can be killed. Stoning women alive is not uncommon nor burying them alive. But it is rare to have the practice defended by members of the Pakistani government. From Pakistan’s Daily Times:
The killing of women for honour is a demand of the tribal traditions, Balochistan Senator Israrullah Zehri informed the Senate on Friday.
Zehri was responding to Senator Yasmeen Shah’s statement in which she had drawn the House’s attention towards reports that five women had been buried alive in Balochistan in the name of honour. She called it a sheer violation of human rights.
Zehri asked the members not to politicise the issue, as it was a matter of safeguarding the tribal traditions.
Leader of the Opposition in Senate Kamil Ali Agha condemned the killing of women in the name of honour and demanded the issue should be referred to the Human Rights Standing Committee of the House.
Here’s Governor Sarah Palin in her own words from her latest State of the State address from January 15, 2008. From Alaska Reports:
State of the State Address Governor Sarah Palin PRESENTED TO THE 25th Alaska Legislature Second Regular Session January 15, 2008.
Lieutenant Governor, members of the 25th Alaska State Legislature and all Alaskans, thank you for this opportunity to speak before you tonight. To our Commissioners, thank you for being here and for serving for all the right reasons. Todd and our girls, Bristol, Willow, and Piper, and our son Track who is proudly serving in the U.S. Army, thank you for your service. Let us pay tribute to all our men and women in uniform, and their families, and those who’ve previously served our great nation. Their fight for freedom allows us to assemble tonight – with liberty and security! Because of their sacrifices we are free to do our jobs here. And we thank them.
Out of respect for the greatest country on earth, I would like to talk about what Alaska can do to contribute and help secure these United States.
Addressing you on the first day of a 90-day session shows our administration’s commitment to help this Legislature carry out Alaska’s will. There is a lot of work to do – only about 1,000 days left in our term – so let’s get started.
The Kosi River in Bihar, India has spilled its banks, stranding more than two million people. Soldiers and air force helicopters are providing relief to those who are trapped. So far, more than 2,000 people have died during India’s monsoon season. The Indian government has declared a state of disaster and called in the military to perform rescue operations. The floods are the most devasting to hit the region in over 50 years. Bihar is one of India’s poorest regions. This tragedy is unspeakable. Hundreds of thousands are cut off in their villages clinging to roof tops and trees awaiting rescue. While the waters are a problem now, the problem in the coming days is likely to be hunger, safe drinking water and the rise of water-bourne diseases.
Two thousand people are now feared dead in the floods caused after a river changed course, submerging hundreds of villages in northern India and sparking claims that the Indian government is playing down the scale of the tragedy.
Although the official death toll in India’s Bihar state is just 65, aid agencies claim thousands are missing in the flooded area. The Kosi river breached its banks 11 days ago on the border with Nepal, flowing through a channel 75 miles (120km) east of its natural route.
The Nader campaign has released a new ad attacking Senator Joe Biden for his close relationship with the credit card industry and his role in the bankruptcy legislation that eroded consumer rights. Indeed, Senator Biden has been called the Senator from MBNA. The ad highlights the hypocrisy of Obama’s remarks last night about the need to change the bankruptcy laws, laws that were written by the credit card industry and then sponsored by Senator Biden. The ad is a 60 second spot and is Internet-only.
In Alaska, Carrie Hollier, a 27-year-old resident and supporter of Mr. Obama, said she would feel some wistfulness about not voting for the governor she admires.
“It definitely makes it difficult, because you can’t help but love Sarah Palin,” she said.
If you hate old school politics, you will love Sarah Palin. She took on the political machine that has dominated Alaskan politics and won. She’s a tireless crusader against corruption in one of the nation’s most corrupt states and has cleaned up Juneau. She’s a hockey mom who chose to get involved in politics to make a difference and she has done just that. I don’t always agree with her politics but I like her style. Three stories.
John McCain tapped Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a conservative who shares his maverick streak, to be the Republican vice presidential running mate on Friday in a startling selection on the eve of the Republican National Convention.
In an announcement, McCain’s campaign said that Palin, who has been governor less than two years, “has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of.”
“Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today,” the announcement said.
McCain and Palin were appearing together in swing-state Ohio later in the day.
So much for the rumour mill that had Senator McCain picking Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty or former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Instead, Senator McCain surprised us all by choosing the popular Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. While Alaskan politics has long been dominated by the Ted Stevens machine, Sarah Palin is the one who broke Stevens’ hold on Juneau. She’s a reformer with nonsense conservative credentials. She has been Governor of Alaska for just two years and at 44, is a generation younger than Senator Biden. Governor Palin is the first woman to lead the “Last Frontier” and best known for aggressively pushing for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a key part of Mr McCain’s energy policy. She’s quite popular in Alaska for tackling corruption in Juneau. I’ve written on her once before critcizing her for pursuing a law suit to keep polar bears off the endangered species list.
Here’s what I like about her since I have followed Alaskan politics closely for about a year. She’s a citizen turned politician out of concern for local issues. She first ran for the Wasilla City Council in 1992 and became Mayor four years later. After a near-miss run in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor in 2002, Palin set her sights on the state’s top office four years later. She knocked off the GOP incumbent Governor Frank Murkowksi who was part of the vaunted Stevens-Young-Murkowski troika party machine that has dominated Alaskan politics since the late 1960s. And she did so by waging a reformist campaign and abetted by the just breaking Veco scandal that help to topple the political machine. In Juneau, she has aggressively gone after corruption and she is the nation’s most popular governor with an approval rating over 70% if unknown in the lower 48. Her nickname since high school is Sarah Barracuda earned on the basketball court. She’s also a former beauty queen. Married and the mother of five including an infant with Downs Syndrome, she is a tireless advocate for education. She’s just not keen on polar bears. Here’s my earlier post on Governor Palin. She is a housewife who chose to make a difference and is doing so even if I don’t agree always with her politics, I admire her for cleaning up Juneau and her zeal.
From the Washington Post. I will also say this unlike Obama, McCain managed this process infinitely better. No leaks, no hoopla nor drama. Perhaps that is a portend of things to come.
Al Jazeera’s Avi Lewis talked to a Green Party activist who says the Democratic leadership needs to be more in touch with the majority of Americans. I am sure her views of Senator McCain aren’t any better.
This 30 second spot was released yesterday by the AFL-CIO “welcoming” Senator McCain to Dayton, Ohio where he will announce his Vice Presidential running mate today. The ad features Ohioans talking about how John McCain is just more of the same. The ad is running in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Here is the Friday, August 29th, 2008 edition of what’s making news and interesting reads from around the world.
Indian Nuclear Deal Stalled
Delhi seriously underestimated the opposition the United States-India nuclear deal would arouse in the international Nuclear Suppliers’ Group, which must grant India a waiver from its tough rules on nuclear trade. The frantic scramble for a compromise US-drafted waiver motion leaves Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a lose-lose position. More from the Asia Times
A Baltic Summit
The European Union has called a special summit to discuss the Russia-Georgia situation on Monday. But in the Baltic region, thepresidents of Poland, Estonia and Latvia have been meeting to thrash out a common position ahead of the summit. They believe it is vital the EU is united in its response to Moscow’s actions.More including a video report from Euro News. Meanwhile Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin leveled charges against the United States alledging that the Georgian crisis was manufactured by the US to to help a candidate in the American election.
“The suspicion arises that someone in the United States deliberately created this conflict with the aim of making the situation more tense, and thereby creating a competitive advantage for one of the candidates fighting for the post of President,” Putin said.
Mexico City Abortion Law Upheld
A Mexico City law that requires health services to provide free terminations to anyone up to 12 weeks pregnant was upheld by judge. More from the UK Guardian.
Japan’s Inflation Rate at a Ten Year High
Japan said Friday core inflation hit a fresh decade high in July while consumers spent less for a fifth straight month as the country’s longest post-war expansion grinds to a halt. More from Agence France Presse.
North Korean Threatens to Restart Its Nuclear Programme
North Korea, demanding that the US first lift is economic sanctions, has declared it has stopped dismantling its nuclear weapons facilities in violation of the agreement with Washington in October last year to proceed with the so-called second-phase denuclearization process for “disabling” the Yongbyon nuclear facilities. More from the Asia Sentinel.
“A maturely written drama… marbled with both touching and funny moments.” — Derik Elley, Variety
“A powerful and emotionally rewarding gay romance…assuring direction and intense performances help make “No Regret” one of the best gay dramas to come out of Asia.” — LMFDean9, Love HK Film.com
Grade: A- “A true breakthrough in Korean cinema.” — Padraic Maroney, EDGE Philadelphia
Set in Seoul, South Korea, “No Regret” centers on Sumin (Lee Young-Hoon), who leaves the orphanage where he grew up and heads to the city to study art design. After losing his job at a factory due to layoffs, he finds himself working as a prostitute in a gay bar. Initially Sumin resists the advances of Jaemin (Lee Han), who comes from a rich and conservative family that doesn’t accept his sexual identity. Eventually Sumin succumbs to Jaemin’s advances, after they briefly experience happiness as passionate lovers, Sumin and Jaemin’s relationship falls into heartache and tragedy. The film opens tonight here in San Francisco at the Landmark Lumiere Theater, 1572 California Street at Polk. Please call (415) 267-4893 for showtimes.
