Mukhtar Mai

In the 24 hour news cycle, it is hard to keep up with so many stories flying past us at dizzying speeds. Important stories by necessity get pushed aside to make room for the more current story. Sometimes, however, it is worthwhile to step back and remind ourselves of lives that have not stopped living as the spotlight of the news has faded. Some of these stories, and the lives that live those stories, tell us larger truths about the world we live in. One such important life is that of Mukhtar Mai.

Nicholas Kristof propelled her story into our world in his column through the pages of the New York Times. You can read them here and here  (The first link will get you to Times Select; pay to read at your own risk; the second link is still free). She is a woman from a small village in Pakistan who was gang raped as punishment for a crime her younger brother allegedly committed. The villagers who raped her expected her to commit suicide in humiliation (far too many women are forced to take that escape). Instead, with help of the local Imam from the mosque, she filed a criminal case against her attackers. Her attackers were convicted, and then acquitted on appeal. Under immense international pressure, the Pakistani Supreme Court ruled that five of the six attackers would be retried.

Mukhtar Mai received a financial settlement of $8000 from the Pakistani government. She used this money to open two schools in her village. She was invited to travel to the United States to speak about her experiences. However, the Pakistani government refused to let her leave the country and confiscated her passport by order of our friendly neighborhood dictator, Pervez Musharraf. He was concerned that her visit would tarnish the image of Pakistan. Apparently allowing local tribal leaders to gang rape a village woman did not do the requisite amount of tarnishing. Musharraf was forced to reverse himself after yet another international outcry.However, the Pakistani government has continued to harrass her periodically since then.

Why do you suppose the maximum leader felt there would be further harm to the image of Pakistan by letting Ms. Mai leave the country? Musharraf gave an interview to The Washington Post where he asserted that no one in Pakistan does more to advance the cause of women than him; and that women in Pakistan like to get raped so that they can make money and become famous. He later denied that he made those statements until The Washington Post produced a tape recording of the interview. I urge you to listen to the audio yourself. I cannot decide if Musharraf is just arrogant or if he is a chauvinist or both (ok, both). If you ever want to hear what absolute power sounds like, this tape is for you. I am comforted at night when I reflect on our strong alliance with this man. I am, however, certain that in the judgment of history the grace of Mukhtar Mai will overcome the wretched stench from this dictator’s bowels.

The story of Mukhtar Mai, though extra-ordinary, sadly is not uncommon. Untold numbers of women and girls in the under-developed world are subjected to unspeakable brutality. These women are poor, illiterate and at the mercy of their captors, i.e., their husbands or other unscrupulous men. Poverty and illiteracy has not stripped these women of their dignity and beauty. For those who have any doubt, come with me to where I was born (Bangladesh), walk with me in an impoverished slum or village, and see with me into the eyes of a mother, sister or daughter.

Mukhtar Mai puts a human face to an otherwise hidden tragedy. I urge all who read this post to raise awareness and keep this issue in the collective consciousness of our world. Our Government lately is in the business of reshaping the world; democracy, liberty, freedom, capitalism and other high ideals are merely words until the true evils of ignorance are addressed. Mr. President, if you want to change the world, you can start by clicking this link.