Monday, March 10, 2014

Iraqi Cabinet OKs Law Allowing Child Marriage, Marital Rape

 On International Women's Day, Iraq men and women took to the streets to protest proposed changes to the personal status law which would institute sharia law in areas of marriage, divorce and child custody. (Photo: © Reuters)


From The Clarion Project.



Iraqi Cabinet OKs Law Allowing Child Marriage, Marital Rape


The new legislation, which institutes sharia law in family matters, will be sent to the legislature for approval.


Women in Iraq took to the streets on International Women’s Day to protest the recent decision by the cabinet to approve draft legislation to institute sharia law in Iraq based on Shiite jurisprudence.

The legislation would change Iraq’s current personal status law, which has been called the most progressive in the Muslim-majority Middle East countries. The current laws uphold women’s rights in the areas of marriage, child custody and inheritance.

The new legislation would permit marriage for girls as young as nine-years old. In the case of divorce, custody of any child over the age of two would automatically be given to the father. In addition, the new legislation allows marital rape, giving the man the right to sexual intercourse with his wife whenever he chooses. Overall, all marriages, divorces and inheritance cases would be legislated according to the Ja’afi interpretation of shariah law and administered by Shiite clergy members

Protesters took to the streets, shouting, "On this day of women, women of Iraq are in mourning."

Hanaa Eduar, a prominent Iraqi human rights activist, said, "We believe that this is a crime against humanity. It would deprive a girl of her right to live a normal childhood."

The bill "risks constitutionally protected rights for women and international commitment," wrote Nickolay Mladenov, the UN's representative to Iraq, on Twitter.

Moderate forces in Iraqi have been embroiled in a fight against Islamists since similar legislation was proposed in 2003.

According to Hussein al-Mura'abi, a legislator and leader of the Islamist Fadila party who is pushing the legislation forward, "This is the core of the freedom. Based on the Iraqi constitution, each component of the Iraqi people has the right to regulate its personal status in line with the instructions of its religion and doctrine."

Ja’afi Law follows the rulings of the sixth Shi'ite imam Ja'afar al-Sadiq, who instituted his own school of Islamic jurisprudence.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to install him as a puppet.

The Duhnmharu said...

Puppet or not. He is following in teh steps of the Pedphile Mohamed. Nine year old girls to be allowed to marry. How disgusting Not even our dear Col Reza Pejmar would approve of this. Sharia law is rape. Sharia law if pedophilia disguised as legal . Sharia treats women and children as non entities. m I would wager Iran, Iraqs new benefactor has pushed this. I hope teh people of Iraq have teh courage to stand up for this. It is legalized pedophilia nothing more. It is not religious requisite , but a disgusting and perverted way for older men to have sex with children.

Unknown said...

It didn't used to be like this. Could have chosen a better alternative for a puppet.

The Duhnmharu said...

Sharia law is an imposition by Iran on Iraq. Iraq did not sign the status of forces agreement which would have kept US forces in Iraq and as such provide a counter balance to irans push to get in. Would not have mattered one bit if a puppet or not. Without that agreement signed, Iraq was doomed, as her enemies are many , and in typical Arab fashion corruption is rampant.

Unknown said...

So? How would have US forces stopped a bill in Iraqi parliament?

The Duhnmharu said...

I would not have US forces stop a bill. Re read my post there was no signature for status of forces agreement. That means teh only asset in teh way that could stop teh violence and keep Iran at bay possibly preventing Iran form pushing a sharia agenda is not there. Troops defend democracy not practice it. But without Troops present , it is easier for Iran to make in roads. Iraq made its choice. The country is now turning into a sharia state which means terrorists state . America may well have to go back.

Unknown said...

How would the troops stop a political agenda?

Iran could still influence the government.

The PM was deeply involved with pro Iranian efforts against the previous government of dictator Hussein.

So if you install a government that has in the past been friendly to Iran, how can you not to expect them to be friendly again?

Troops or no troops, the parliament would not be under the jurisdiction of such troops. They'd listen to their previous benefactors, Iran.

Going back is not really an option, now is it? You have to have popular support in Iraq first. And in America of course.

People don't always learn through the barrel of a gun. Sometimes they have to figure it out themselves. No matter how painful and slow. They will appreciate it more later.


The Duhnmharu said...

IN teh grand scheme of life, Iraq is going to learn this the hard way. Most Iraqis dont want Sharia, but teh government is lying down with dogs so they get Sharia fleas. Iraq is descending back down to teh quagmire for which it once rose. Not to worry though, the Islamist have won, Sharia is a fait accompli, and frankly they get the government they vote for corruption and all. They had choices, made teh wrong ones. But the words Democracy and Islam do not mix well nor do they complement each other. Nuff said

Unknown said...

Regardless of what you have said, Iraq is not an autonomous province of America. They will sort out their own issues. It's not really up to Washington to determine what Iraq does or does not do.

That approach was tried once and it did not work. It only gave the facade of success. Attaining it was one thing, maintaining it, a whole different matter.

The Duhnmharu said...

"Regadless of what I have said"... talk about invalidating my opinion. It would appear you are the only one entitled to have a say. Talk about sanctimonious.

Maria It is a tough world out there, and it is even tougher when you are stupid .


Unknown said...

Well you sort of invalidated it yourself. You spoke of going back in as if that's as easy as a press of a button, it's not.

Of course you are entitled to what you want to say. Unfortunately what you said, does not exactly transform into any actionable choices. Just more rhetoric.

Iraq will have to figure it out on its own. As painful as that may be, it's the only way.

Regarding their current PM, well maybe America should have chosen to throw its support behind a different candidate. Instead it chose the individual taking Iraq backwards.

There were other alternatives. Iyad Allawi comes to mind. Instead you chose to disregard the incumbents' background, and supported him.

Thus you get the kind of governance you see today in Iraq.

Next time make sure your chosen puppet is not already compromised by Iran or whichever strategic opponent.

Stupidity is repeating the same process over and over again, expecting different results. You just said you wanted a repeat of going back in. Expecting different results. So what does that say?

If wisdom grew on trees, you would be a bush.

The Duhnmharu said...

pagreedy river
Well Maria I always encourage stupid people to do and say stupid things this way we know who teh stupid people are. Please do continue with your stupid so we can all have a good laugh.

Unknown said...

Only stupid people insult without substance.

My insult was refined. Maybe it went over your head. Yours was crude and revealed your intellectual shortcomings.

Why not support your points with actual information? Instead of age old rhetoric?

If you can't, that's fine. But if you pretend to be making substantial points, and only regurgitating the same political slogans then that's not really smart now is it?

If you like to laugh, well you'll only be laughing by yourself.