April 28, 2007...6:50 am
Moral Policing
I am a 19-year-old average girl with hopes and aspirations like any other girl in the world.
I live in Tehran. I never realized that this fact made me so different from the rest of the world’s young girls… till I went shopping one fateful evening. I was very decently dressed even by Iranian standards. Then the unbelievable happened: two policewomen came, screamed at me and started pushing me towards a Police Van. I protested, begged and screamed but it was of no avail. I begged to understand the reason for their behavior; and I was told that my hair was not fully covered. My headscarf was a few inches away on my head from where it was supposed to be…
The biggest shock was yet to come. Nobody came to my rescue. Where were my brothers, sisters, friends and family? Where were my brothers in faith who claimed to be there to protect every small thing remotely connected to my faith? Why do I have to look at the Western world to highlight my plight? I belong to one of the richest cultures of the world. I am told that my faith guarantees equality to men and women. I am a pawn in the hands of powerful and extremist elements. My worries are not for myself alone. I am worried about my country. How can a country progress, where half of the population is treated like this and the other half remains a mute spectator? Nuclear power can save the country from the external aggressors, but who will save us from the internal tyrants?
16 Comments
April 28, 2007 at 8:17 am
im sorry but i found this tale nothing but a propaganda story. Iran is different from other Islamic coutries where strict discipline is follwed.
April 28, 2007 at 10:21 am
You are sad to witness such a scene even if it is on TV. when you think as a teenage girl and not as a Hindu, Muslm Jew or Christian you can feel the pain. It would be same if you are Iranian, Indian or Pakistani. Do you think men in Iran are made to follow the same discipline, I have seen Iranian men in Western dresses. There are atrocities on women in India and other developing countries as well but we don’t have to wait for the western world to tell us.There are women groups who highlight their cause. You have your Asma Jahangir ( I am not sure how popular she is in Pakistan). You can’t brush everything under the carpet in the name of propaganda. We saw images on TV, and they were disgusting.
April 28, 2007 at 10:38 am
Well i dunno abt you but ive been to Iran on a couple of occassions. Their rules are very strict no doubt, im not use to this kind of stricness even here in Pakistan. There are even rules for Men there; one cant wear short sleeves and always have to wear socks even if you are in a mosque.
But thats not the point, the fact is the school of thought that Iran follows has a very traditional and logical background. We value logic more on anything unlike the talibans or their supposrters. For example stealing is a crime in every society but in a society where Islam is strictly followed teh penalty for this crime is cutting of hands. But our teachings teaches ur that find out whether the thief was hungry or not or what made him commt such crime now this is just an example.
For christians you have your popes that are highly respectable for those who are catholic and follow the orders of the vatican. For Shia muslims we have our respected Ayutllahs. Every disciplinary rule followed by the Iranian Govt and thousands of the muslims around the world is prescribed by the great Ayatullah Khamenei himself and there is a very little chance that he will go wrong. for further detail you can always go on his website:
http://www.leader.ir/langs/EN/index.php
April 28, 2007 at 10:46 am
I respect your point of view and agree that both men and women should be given equal amount of respect. the respect that they deserve not on the basis of their class, religion, creed or cast. The other day i read taht soem high cast hindu purified one of his students taht was a dilit(untouchable) with cow urine so that he could be a better student. So the point its not only the women that need protection or respect but every human in this world.
thnkyou
i hope ma comments have not offended anyone and i would like to knw where didya get the story from.
April 28, 2007 at 11:05 am
i support ammar….
no brother/family/friend could be cruel enough to witness such a even and not react
April 28, 2007 at 2:19 pm
This story is on BBC news. Girls are being put behind bars for tight clothes and for showing hair. No offence Ammar, I love to hear views from the other side of the fence and on this we are on the same side. The word untouchable speaks volumes about their plight and injustice should not be tolerated in a civilized society.
Pegasus, people who react on trivial affairs and are ready to give and take life don’t even whisper when this sort of injustice is meted out to fellow humans. I purposely avoided using the word women.
April 28, 2007 at 4:10 pm
I know of such stories. I read this book: Not without my daughter, I don’t remember which country now. But the woman was treated in this same way.
Actually is most eastern societies women are treated worse than the men. So whatever the rules, the women are treated worse, whether india, pakistan or japan. the problem is when people deny it. The countries where the people deny it ( I am talking of ordinary people like you and me not hard line political parties) are the countries which will take longest to change.
April 28, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Ammar, I have never been to Iran although I would love too. The law you talked about theft is about both men and women. It is not discriminatory.
April 29, 2007 at 7:45 am
Its a real pity, Prerna. I have seen little girls fumbling with their head-wear and moving away when a man enters the room.
What a pain it shd be to face this suppression .
I hope a change comes about soon.
April 29, 2007 at 8:05 am
// Pegasus, people who react on trivial affairs and are ready to give and take life don’t even whisper when this sort of injustice is meted out to fellow humans.//
then the problem is that the females in living amongst Eunuchs. trust me she would be safer at a strip-club.
April 29, 2007 at 9:33 am
Thanks Sree for understanding my point of view. It is very difficult to understand it as an outsider. I loved to see my mother covering her head when my grandfather was around. She symbolised the beauty of Indian womanhood. A few times when I had to cover my head I hated it. It is all very easy to appreciate such practices in the name of culture and religion but I would like to see the response of the same people who enforce it on women when they have to do it themselves.
April 29, 2007 at 10:00 am
Pegasus, the problem is not with men alone. Even if women come out to protest against such incidents it will make a difference. It was Sabrina Lal who fought against the well connected Sharmas. Nitish Katara’s mom is fighting for her son. Male, female or eunuch, physical strength doesn’t matter.
It is just a story for us as long as the victim is not somebody close to us.
April 29, 2007 at 11:22 am
i agree…
a loner cannot fight the alone.. and his determination will soon wane away….
but what i am saying is the family should support you no matter what…. sometimes even when you are wrong… because that is what the family is for….
i have this simple criteria for selecting friends…. as a result i do not have many… but whoever is my friend is a jewel… almost like a brother.
May 5, 2007 at 10:06 am
Today, when a male friend and a colleague of mine came to pick me from my rented accommodation, an ex-minister of Punjab in India, who lives in the next house told us that we were not allowed to stand there. We told him that in a democratic country everybody has a right to stand anywhere. He said it’s an area where families stay and that we do not stand there. He asked where were we working. We told him we were journalists (we work in a reputed English daily of India). We told him that we were responsible citizens and we knew what’s wrong and right. What’s acceptable to our culture and what not. And there wasn’t anything wrong in standing by the bike and waiting for a friend to come. We told him to stop us when we stand in his veranda. The road belongs to people.
May 5, 2007 at 10:13 am
Today, when a male friend and a colleague of mine came to pick me from my rented accommodation, an ex-minister of Punjab in India, who lives in the next house told us that we were not allowed to stand there. We told him that in a democratic country everybody has a right to stand anywhere. He said it’s an area where families stay and that we do not stand there. He asked where were we working. We told him we were journalists (we work in a reputed English daily of India). We told him that we were responsible citizens and we knew what’s wrong and right. What’s acceptable to our culture and what not. And there wasn’t anything wrong in standing by the bike and waiting for a friend to come. We told him to stop us when we stand in his veranda. The road belongs to people. Being in such a profession, we are think we’re considered reasonably responsible. Wonder how they talk to school and college students?
May 5, 2007 at 5:59 pm
You are right Sarika these men in power think that they have a right to preach morality to anybody anywhere. Their moral values are no secret these days thanks to journalists like you. Thanks a lot for the visit.
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