22nd
Somali Women Subjected to Breast Inspection: Bras Become Offensive to Islam
I should title this post “Flogging News”.
Lubna expressed concern that there were no diplomats in the courtroom, as appeared in her trial. Did she invite them?
As a journalist personally involved in Lubna’s case, I’ve seen little organization coming out of Sudan on the flogging issue, after her release from prison. Stories die quickly, if the flame isn’t fueled continuously.
In an even more disturbing action out of Somalia, the insurgent, ultra-Islamist group Al Shabaab has sent gunmen into the streets of Mogadishu, demanding that women stand for a “bust inspection”.
One can only assume that men are doing the inspecting, to see if the firmness is natural, or the result of wearing a bra.
If the woman is found wearing a bra, she’s ordered to remove it and shake her breasts loose.
‘Al Shabaab forced us to wear their type of full veil and now they order us to shake our breasts,’ a resident, Halima, told Reuters, adding that her daughters had been whipped on Thursday.
‘They are now saying that breasts should be firm naturally, or just flat.’
Men in Somalia are also subject to flogging Al Shabaab if found not wearing a beard.
Back to the women’s rights issues, we have much to sort out regarding US foreign policy in Sudan and Secy of State Clinton’s prioritization of international women’s rights. Does relaxing our policy in Sudan help or hinder women? I’m all for talking but terrorism concerns will always take precedent over women’s rights, even though even the US military now sees the advancement of women as a top priority in the fight against terrorism.
Nicole Kidman testified before Congress yesterday, in favor of Foreign Affairs subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversightchairman Bill Delahunt’s International Violence Against Women Act.
Anne
