Saturday, November 24, 2007
Honor and tribal law
Yesterday I went to the movie theatre with some friends. We saw a documentary about honor killings in Palestine.
A pregnant woman was stabbed several times by her brother. She survived. He is very ashamed of what he did, he was under extreme pressure, as some friends and other told him to act as a man and to reinstate the family honor.
In the village of Taybeh (where the very tasty beer with the same name is produced) a pregnant woman was forced by her own family to take an agricultural pesticide, she died and with her the fetus (8th month). Six flats of the suspected father and of his family were burnt. Although DNA proved his innocence, he was kept at a police station for six months, as the police could not guarantee his safety.
With a hidden camera the tribal court was filmed. Representatives from both sides spoke to settle the matter.
Another tribal judge was shown, talking about the punishment of violation/rape: Pushing a woman to the ground will cost 100000 Jordanian Dinar, taking off her veil another 100000 JD, taking off her shoes another 100000 JD and so on.
Women were interviewed who got beaten up by their husbands, stabbed or beaten with an iron rod.
A girl told about watching a woman being beaten to death by her husband on the street.
And an old woman said that women should not fail their family by being unfaithful and that the family has to protect its honor.
Someone told me that the tribal law became stronger during the civil war among Palestinians (Hamas and Fateh), as the Police was not able/willing to enforce the civil law.
A pregnant woman was stabbed several times by her brother. She survived. He is very ashamed of what he did, he was under extreme pressure, as some friends and other told him to act as a man and to reinstate the family honor.
In the village of Taybeh (where the very tasty beer with the same name is produced) a pregnant woman was forced by her own family to take an agricultural pesticide, she died and with her the fetus (8th month). Six flats of the suspected father and of his family were burnt. Although DNA proved his innocence, he was kept at a police station for six months, as the police could not guarantee his safety.
With a hidden camera the tribal court was filmed. Representatives from both sides spoke to settle the matter.
Another tribal judge was shown, talking about the punishment of violation/rape: Pushing a woman to the ground will cost 100000 Jordanian Dinar, taking off her veil another 100000 JD, taking off her shoes another 100000 JD and so on.
Women were interviewed who got beaten up by their husbands, stabbed or beaten with an iron rod.
A girl told about watching a woman being beaten to death by her husband on the street.
And an old woman said that women should not fail their family by being unfaithful and that the family has to protect its honor.
Someone told me that the tribal law became stronger during the civil war among Palestinians (Hamas and Fateh), as the Police was not able/willing to enforce the civil law.
