Afghan women attacked for protesting marriage law KABUL (AP) — Dozens of young women braved crowds of bearded men screaming "dogs!" on Wednesday to protest an Afghan law that lets husbands demand sex from their wives. Some of the men picked up small stones and pelted the women. "Slaves of the Christians!" chanted the 800 or so counter-demonstrators, a mix of men and women. A line of female police officers locked hands to keep the groups apart. The warring protests highlight the explosive nature of the women's rights debate in Afghanistan. Both sides are girding for battle over the legislation, which has sparked an international uproar since being quietly signed into law last month. The law says a husband can demand sex with his wife every four days, unless she is ill or would be harmed by intercourse. It also regulates when and for what reasons a wife may leave her home without a male escort. Though the law would apply only to the country's Shiites, who make up less than 20 percent of Afghanistan's 30 million people, many fear its passage marks a return to Taliban-style oppression of women. The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, required women to wear all-covering burqas and banned them from leaving home unless accompanied by a male relative. Governments and rights groups around the world have condemned the legislation, and President Barack Obama has labeled it "abhorrent." Afghan President Hamid Karzai has remanded the law to the Justice Department for review and put enforcement on hold. A host of Afghan intellectuals, politicians and even a number of Cabinet ministers have come out against the law. But those who decry the legislation face quick criticism from conservative Muslim clerics and their followers, as Wednesday's protests showed. "You are a dog! You are not a Shiite woman!" one man shouted to a young woman in a head scarf. The woman, who held a banner reading "We don't want Taliban law," replied quietly: "This is my land and my people." The demonstrators chose a risky spot to hold their protest — in front of the mosque of the legislation's main backer — and were easily outnumbered by supporters of the law. They said many women had been stopped on their way to the protest. In the end, more women demonstrated in favor of the law than against it: A few hundred Shiite women marched with banners to join the angry men. They blamed foreigners for inciting the protests. "We don't want foreigners interfering in our lives. They are the enemy of Afghanistan," said 24-year-old Mariam Sajadi. Sajadi is engaged to be married, and said she plans to ask her husband's permission to leave the house as put forth in the law. She said other articles — such as the one allowing husbands to demand sex — have been misinterpreted by Westerners prejudiced against Islam. She did not elaborate. On the other side of the shouting, Mehri Rezai, 32, urged her countrymen to reject the law. "This law treats women as if we were sheep," she said. Both sides say they're defending their constitutional rights — but Afghanistan's constitution is unclear. It defers to Islamic law as the highest authority, but also guarantees equal rights for women. Abbas Noyan, a Shiite lawmaker who opposes the law, said he is hopeful it will be changed. But others are less sure, and even the country's minister of women's affairs, who is female, has declined to comment on the law. New York-based Human Rights Watch maintains that the judicial review ordered by Karzai is unlikely to be truly independent because those leading the process come from a conservative Shiite background. source ___________________ Some people seem to believe that Islam allows them to behave in a disgusting and uncivilized manner toward women. Other Muslims are opposed to this law, but those that support it use Islam to justify it. It is a confusing issue, but one thing is clear, some people use Islam to justify their oppression of women and do so proudly. It is up to the Islamic world to either condemn these actions loudly or they are offering their tacit support - you can't have it both ways.
Its hard to get people to change there ways no matter how strange or seemingly unimportant the issue maybe. For something like this though i fear there maybe bloodshed. Its a hot topic in many countries not just Muslim nations.
Afghan law that lets husbands demand sex from their wives. The law says a husband can demand sex with his wife every four days, unless she is ill or would be harmed by intercourse. It also regulates when and for what reasons a wife may leave her home without a male escort. Though the law would apply only to the country's Shiites Please tell me what non-Muslim countries have laws like this, especially one that only applies to Shiites?
Its not the law that's the problem its the attitude that brought it about. The law can change easily just scribble over it and write something new. The attitude or belief is much harder to change. You think only Muslim men want there women ready for sex and obedient? I know a few Irish men who would agree with that law. There pricks by the way
So what other nation has a law that tells one group of women that based on their religion they have no right to go outside and must have sex with their husbands on demand? Why is it that people try to defend sick behavior by lamely pointing to others who might also be wring instead of just saying what we all know - that the men in this news story are using Islam to justify their oppression of women. It is really not that hard to do.
Who is defending sick behavior? The law is ridiculous but that doesn't change the fact its just a law. Its the attitude of the men and women who support it that needs to change. Only when you have enough people that support your beliefs can you change the law and by then your views will more than likely be commonly accepted. Idiots will use any excuse to justify there views. In this case religion or more specifically the Muslim faith. In China and India there is a problem with infanticide among other things. In the western world there's still men who truly believe that women shouldn't be aloud to vote or sometimes even have an opinion. As I said its not the law that needs changing that will come only after the people accept women are not second class citizens. The reasoning or excuses used by the sexists is nothing but self serving nonsense. Is that clearer?
Yes that is clearer. I agree the problem is two-fold. First, some backwards ass thinking that women are more like property than free thinking human beings. Second, is that the law in a Afghanistan is a blatant violation of their Consitution which says women should be treated equal, so even if the religious assholes don't agree the government should be protecting women from oppressive laws like this. Sometimes the law moves first and peoples' attitudes follow. De-segregation in the United States is a good example of the law forcing a change in attitude. What is happening is a failure on both levels, the attitudes are backwards and the government is capitulating instead of standing up for the women.
If the constitution states that women must be treated equally then how is this law not just thrown out by the courts? For the constitution to state that, there must have already been a large portion of the Afghan population who supported this view so where are they in all this. People put to much faith in governments. There nothing but over paid office clerks! You know there could be another reason for this. Maybe some other nation or nations are trying to further destabilize Afghanistan. It wouldn't be the first time this kind of tactic was used to keep the populace fighting each other and blind to the true enemy. Just a thought.
Its not the problem of Afghans if women sleeps and have sex with their husbands... Their problem is how to provide food to their families , save their families from any harm due to on going fight.. more then 70% of Afghanistan is ruled by Taliban and practically now law exists there.... As for this law its ridiculous...you can't implement laws in bedrooms...