Savages

Two stories of remote places where "tribal" leaders use their power to rape powerless women and children. Practices that are rationalized on the basis of "tradition". Places where the silence of the victims is more "honorable" than bringing the guilty to justice.

The first story involves names like Mukhtaran and Bibi. It involves the rape of an innocent girl and how this victim became the guilty one because of local ideas of "tradition" and "family honor".

The second story involves people with names like Christian and Brown. The second story is noteworthy to most because of its historical connection to the Mutiny on the Bounty. Pitcairn Island, an often idealized location because of its claim as the most far-flung part of the British Empire, also turns out to be a haven of rapists.

If you read carefully the two stories are closer than you may have first thought. A man in power who uses his position to take advantage of the girls of his "village". Kinsmen are his accomplices. The girls are honorbound to remain forever silent about their despoilment.

Be honest - when reading the first story - did you feel more compassion for the girls and wish more vengeance upon the guilty men? Did you want to see the Pakistani men go to trial or just want them to meet the business end of an M-16?

In the second - were you glad that these men were finally being brought to justice? Did you want them to go to court or did you want for them to also be lined up against a wall?

My initial reaction was to believe that the men in both stories should just be lined up and shot. But then the men with the M-16's can easily replace the "tribal elders" and become just as bad as the original perpetrators (for examples of this see any French "Peacekeeping" mission in Africa). After reflection I believe what is needed in both places is the rule of law and the justice that it brings. To establish this requires mainly three things - the promise of liberty, stout men (and women) to stand a post and eternal vigilance.

Establishing and maintaining these three things is not easy and it is often not popular (it is easier and more popular to just call them savages and believe that they will never be civilized).

These two stories are examples of why we have to fight for the weak and why we have to stay vigilant. It is also an explanation of why the leaders of villages such as Mukhtaran's hate us for our spread of freedom and why local leaders like Mr. Christian wish to keep the "government" out of "local matters."

You can also boil these stories down to those who believe raping young girls is wrong and those who can rationalize such behavior. Which side of the argument do you want to be on?