| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Fred Stone" |
| Date: |
19 Sep 2005 08:06:53 PM |
| Object: |
Sex Abuse Allegations at Pakistani Madrassas |
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/09/18/islamic.school.abuse.ap/
SLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- The accounts are disturbing: beatings, forced
sex and imprisonment with shackles and leg irons. Abuse accusations from
hundreds of children sent to study at Islamic schools are prompting
growing calls from parents and rights groups for a full-scale
investigation.
But officials have moved slowly and cautiously in probing the charges of
mistreatment in Quranic schools, or madrassas -- pointing to a paradox
across much of the Muslim world. It's often easier to tackle Islamic
militants than to confront the cultural taboo on publicly airing alleged
sex crimes and challenging influential clerics.
Still, if Islamic institutions ever face a reckoning over sexual abuse
-- such as the Roman Catholic upheavals in recent years -- it could
begin in Pakistan where institutions already are under unprecedented
scrutiny by anti-terrorism agents.
"We are forcing people to look this problem in the eye," said Zia Ahmed
Awan, whose group Madadgaar, or Helper, compiles reports of sexual abuse
of children in Pakistan. "It is not anti-Muslim. It is not anti-cleric.
We are looking out for the most vulnerable in society."
Last year, a Pakistani official stunned his nation by officially
disclosing more than 500 complaints of sexual assaults against young
boys studying in madrassas. Children's rights advocates were elated,
feeling their long-standing claims had been validated. They also hoped
Pakistan's actions would open related inquiries in other Muslim nations
-- similar to the domino effect through parishes after the Catholic
abuse scandals broke in the 1980s.
But there's been little progress since.
There have been no significant arrests or prosecutions involving alleged
sex abuse in madrassas. Also, the official who made the revelations --
Amir Liaquat Hussain, the deputy minister for religious affairs -- now
refuses to discuss the issue after reported death threats and harsh
criticism from Islamic leaders. He turned down repeated interview
requests by The Associated Press.
Every discussion about Pakistan's madrassas leads eventually in an
uncomfortable direction for authorities: the potential problems of
leaning too hard on Islamic schools...
--
Fred Stone
aa# 1369
"This city, for the first time that I can remember,
is drug-free and violence-free.
And we plan to keep it that way." - Mayor Ray Nagin
.
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