Heeding Pakistani Protest, U.N. Blocks Talk by Rape Victim

[Rose Siding]

Mukhtar Mai, the Pakistani woman whose defiant response to being gang-raped by order of a tribal court brought her worldwide attention, was denied a chance to speak at the United Nations on Friday after Pakistan protested that it was the same day the country's prime minister was visiting.

Ms. Mai had long been scheduled to make an appearance called "An Interview With Mukhtar Mai: The Bravest Woman on Earth" in the United Nations television studios, sponsored by the office for nongovernmental organizations, the Virtue Foundation and the Asian-American Network Against Abuse of Human Rights.

But on Thursday night the organizers were informed that the program would have to be postponed because of Pakistan's objections.
....
On a previous visit to New York in November, Ms. Mai, also known as Mukhtaran Bibi, was hailed in a video tribute by Laura Bush at a Lincoln Center banquet as a person who "proves that one woman really can change the world."
....
In an interview, Ms. Mai said: "I feel disappointed. I was not going to say anything bad about Pakistan. I was just going to talk about my work and what people are doing."

http://nytimes.com/2006/01/21/international/asia/21nations.html?hp&ex=1137906000&en=54f1e8fb5d8c9e31&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[SillyGoose]

1. OMG - a village council sentenced her to be gang raped.

I had to read the article twice because I thought I was reading it wrong. That poor woman.

Its not right that she was prevented from speaking at the UN. If Pakistan doesn't want to be **embarrassed** about this they should get off the stick and stop this kind of thing.

[ret5hd]

2. you quit talking about our righteous allys like that!

(you know i agree with you, right?)

[SillyGoose]

3. Yep, no sarcasm tag needed.

:-)

The hypocrisy is unbelievable...the US avert its eyes from so many human rights abuses from our so-called allies. This story makes me ill.

[ismnotwasm]

4. And Ms. Bush?

Has she made any worthwhile protests to this travesty? Or is she still mulling over the meaning of "plantation" and it's appropriate use?

I always want to say "I can't believe this" but sadly, I no longer feel that way about anything. Digusting. The Pakistani Minister should have invited her as guest speaker.
The more rocks we overturn, the more crimes come to light, the more we're aware, the more we can a least attempt to change. This women overturned a big old rock. And put herself at risk doing it. And isn't going to stop.


Assholes.

[thefool_wa]

5. Amen! (nt)

[seriousstan]

8. Mrs. Bush has talked about her......here is what I found.....

First lady Laura Bush said "she proves that one woman really can change the world."
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/03/btsc.koppel/

As Laura Bush said at a banquet honoring Mukhtaran, she "proves that one woman really can change the world."
http://www.sp-r.org/sermons/sermonview.cfm?sermonid=140

[Copperred]

6. U.S. Foreign Policy of Ethnic Supremecy in Pakistan: 50 years and counting

U.S. Foreign Policy of Ethnic Supremacy in Pakistan: 50 years and counting
December 26, 2005 - Robert R. Khan

The United States continued policy of support for Pakistan is now viewed by the majority of average and poor Pakistanies as a policy of ethnic supremacy. That the majority of these same peoples would like to dissolve the country into its natural democratic secular nationalist intentions seems to be lost on the one great power whom would gain the most from such unities.

For 50 years the US, intentionally or unintentionally, has supported the Punjabi military and economic elite of Pakistan in suppressing the overwhelming majority of the rest of the countries ethno-religious groups. The minority elites, usually of the military persuasion, of the other three noteworthy ethno-religious groups of Pakistan that the Punjabies buy into their camp is a mockery of the reality of this regressive state. That in and of itself would not be so bad, except for our hand in its longevity.

As long as the US continues to have its intentions backwards in Pakistan the majority of its people will hold the US responsible for its duplicity in their present sufferings and the US will in fact create a more dangerous world for its own interests.

Whether the anti-American sentiments of the Pakistani public are based in credible grievances is mute as it relates to the fertile ground our policies are creating for such sentiment. How any of this serves long-term US interests in Central and South Asia a prudent National Security Advisor should ask.

Conversely to our present policy, if the US were to implement strategies that led to the natural break up of Pakistan under the democratic nationalist forces within it, or at a minimum withheld military and economic support from Islamabad in oppressing our would be allies, the US would find itself the legitimate protector and instigator of self determined liberty once more and its credibility on the ascendancy. Furthermore, the odds for achieving critical US national security goals in the region would undoubtedly rise substantially. At current, Russia, Iran and China are having a field day in playing us like fools. If you do not believe Pakistan is at the center of this war, youre missing the Achilles heel.

At what point does the United States stop supporting cultural and religious genocide inside Pakistan?

END

[Odin2005]

9. The Punjabis are basically Muslim Indians

Most of the rest are ethnically closer to the Iranians, and the Pashtos of southern Afganistan. Pakistan is like most African states, blatently artificial.

[rodeodance]

7. it is an effort to disrupt and guests, ceremonies, etc. terrible.