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Nightmare week

Nightmare week

  • Posted by Maryam Namazie
  • On April 11, 2012
  • 15 Comments
  • child abduction, forced marriage

This week I have been dealing with a number of really heart-wrenching cases. Apart from the asylum cases that need support, and desperate emails and calls from people living under Islamism who fear for their lives and want to flee, I am also working on a case of a young woman (under 18 and a British national) who has been sent back to North Africa by her family because she is disobedient. Her passport has been taken from her and she is in danger of forced marriage. Doesn’t it make you wonder how it is possible that her school or social services have not registered that a young girl is missing and not been heard of or seen for months!?

And just today, I was asked to help a woman whose 5 year old son has been abducted by her abusive husband and taken back to the Middle East. I just couldn’t stop thinking about how small he is, how scared he must be and how lost she must feel without her baby… She had gone to the police a number of times warning them of his intentions but did they listen?

When I say that people have to take precedence over religion and culture, it’s not just a slogan. It is about saving lives, protecting rights and treating people equally no matter what their background…

Why is that so hard to understand?

 

 

15 Comments

Simon Blake
I have a query: "Doesn’t it make you wonder how it is possible that her school or social services have not registered that a young girl is missing and not been heard of or seen for months!?" Not really. If her family know perfectly well where she is, in what sense is she "missing"? Social services haven't seen or heard of me for getting on for forty three years now, and nobody seems concerned, as well they should not be. I'd be MORE concerned if I went to (say) Australia for a month or two and returned to find that some state-employed busybody had been poking around demanding to know where I'd gone and why. Please don't mistake me - I'm not defending forced marriage, it's a horrible barbarian practice. But if a family wish to relocate themselves, and any or all of their children, to a different town, county, country or continent, then so long as they have the paperwork (you mention she has a passport) and haven't broken any laws, then are they not free to do that? To what extent and within what limits do you want to curtail my current rights to relocate my family as I choose without state interference?
    Maryam Namazie
    Social Services had a casefile open on her for abuse. The family beat her for becoming an atheist. So the case was pending when she disappeared. Also the family didn't relocate. They are still living in Britain - they just sent the 17 year old back. There has to be some lightbulbs going off somewhere that something is wrong, don't you think?
Paulo Alves Reis
You do a great work and you have a lot of courage. I hope your energy last for the good you make.
Brianne
Thank you, Maryam, for fighting for human rights. These cases sound heartbreaking. I'm glad these women and families have you on their side.
Stewie
And it just keeps getting worse and worse in terms of how much the UK is prepared to pander to such inequity and madness. Today when Cameron stated that Islam and Democracy are compatible (he's completely lost his mind) the Telegraph published this article on London Met Uni http://tinyurl.com/d7dva2e Quote Prof Gilles: Many of its female Muslim students "can only really go to university within four miles of home and have to be delivered and picked up by a close male relative", he said. Did he say that with a straight face?
    Richard Haseldine
    That quote about female Muslim students is truly depressing.... (Still, can't say I am a big fan of alcolhol, especially when it comes to some people being required to subsidise other people's consumption of the awful stuff; but this is not for religious reasons. And we are happy to accept alcohol free public transport in London, alcohol free football grounds, etc)
      Stewie
      Well nothing wrong with a bit of moderate drinking old boy. You don't want to damage the Scottish economy after all. These women/girls are victims of a Cult I'd say. Dressed in drab, only allowed 4 miles from home, delivered and collected only by male relatives. Ever more "conservative". I'd be a lot more impressed if the University announced a deprogramming strategy and opened a victims residential refuge for students.
Martyn N Hughes
'When I say that people have to take precedence over religion and culture, it’s not just a slogan. It is about saving lives, protecting rights and treating people equally no matter what their background… Why is that so hard to understand?' It isn't so hard to understand Maryam. It's a perfectly logical and legitimate position for us to take, however a combination of complacency, political correctness and strategic manoeuvers by Islamists and their apologists has made the task somewhat difficult. Here in South Wales it has been reported that there are a number of children at risk of FGM and indeed some of them have had it performed on them. I can't remember where or even when I read it, but we all know British authorities are in a tizz when it comes to dealing with it for reasons given above. Education is the key. You are doing that everytime you tell the PC brigade that it is not racist to oppose these things. Maryam, I have followed you for a couple of years now. When I first came across you, I was one of those leftists who apologised or brushed off certain issues. I had no arguments, no clear thoughts on them, so I had nowhere to go when those issues of FGM, forced marriage etc; came up. You 'taught' me that you can be a good person, oppose these things and not be racist. And still be a leftist :) Others are listening (and learning too). You will get there. Eventually. Keep up the good work.
Ralph
Thank you so much for your work Maryam. Sending good wishes your way.
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geocatherder
When I say that people have to take precedence over religion and culture, it’s not just a slogan. It is about saving lives, protecting rights and treating people equally no matter what their background… Why is that so hard to understand? It isn't hard to understand, it's hard to deal with. The non-Islamic people who don't have to deal with this sort of outrage, like me, blather on and don't really know what to do. It's not surprising then that our elected officials and their law-enforcers don't know what to do. What we need are more people (and I don't know how to get to them) to tell our elected officials not to take our citizens/residents for granted, but to fight for them with everything we've got. And if that upsets some Islamic countries, well, we'd better figure out how to do without their oil anyway -- we're rapidly consuming it -- and put people first. I know, I know, it's a pipe dream... now. It may not always be so.
Richard Haseldine
Maryam, you are doing exceptionally important work; and I think it is vital that more people in the UK become aware of the issues you are dealing with. Best wishes and much success!
slc1
In addition the the ill treatment of women in virtually all Muslim countries, the condition of gay men and lesbians is even worse. There was an article in the Jerusalem Post several years ago about a young gay man who was from the Gaza Strip and was living illegally in Israel and was being hidden by gay organizations there. He said in the interview with the paper that if he were captured by the authorities in Israel and sent back to Gaza, he would be executed forthwith, and this was before the takeover of Gaza by Hamas. Apparently, there are a number of such individuals living underground in Israel. I doubt that the West Bank is much better.
    Richard Haseldine
    Another great reason to speak up for Israel: the only country in the Middle East where individuals have real rights and are free to live as they wish!
      slc1
      Unfortunately, if the authorities in Israel found and arrested him, he almost certainly would not be granted asylum and would be sent back to Gaza. That's why he was in hiding.
Nilou Ataie
You are a treasure Maryam.

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Maryam Namazie