Norwegian Marte Deborah Dalelv won't be going to jail in Dubai for the crime of being raped. Of course to those twisted bastards in Dubai the actual crime was having extra-marital sex. You see, unless you're married to your rapist, it's a crime for you to be overpowered and raped.
Marte was looking at a 16-month sentence until the decent part of the world told Dubai where to stick it. Apparently the "ruler of Dubai" intervened to pardon Dalelv.
A pardon? No, no, no - what Dubai owes Marte is a huge apology for putting a rape victim, any rape victim, through a criminal prosecution. What kind of human being can't understand that?
And what befalls an Arab woman who falls victim to the same crime? Guess what, she's going to jail for the crime of being a victim.
With all due respect to Marte, who goes to Dubai and expects justice? It seems like Westerners flock to Dubai with the promise of wealth. But it is a nation with profoundly dubious human rights record and one that is sustained by a huge number of foreign workers with no rights to speak of. And yet these same Westerners are shocked when they see injustice there. No one who has any respect for principles of justice and rights should have anything to do with Dubai.
ReplyDeleteIn fairness, Kirby, I don't think she had any expectation of being raped on her business trip.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Mound. I didn't mean to belittle the crime. I simply want to point out that simply the act of travelling to a country like Dubai (outside of going their as an activist for human rights etc) is a morally dubious act. An an act which many Westerners are regularly undertaking despite the human rights issue. As the old saying goes, if one lays down with dogs one shouldn't be surprised if you get up with fleas.
ReplyDeleteAgain, no one deserves to be raped under any conditions. But Westerners should be actively concerned about the human rights record of Dubai and instead they are actively courting the wealth that they can get from going there. And there is, be certain, an element of racism here. The Western media covers one white woman who is mistreated but ignore the systematic abuse of foreign workers there (most of whom are people of color).
I do understand, Kirby. My youngest daughter lives in London and is part of a fairly affluent crowd. She joined her friends some months ago for a holiday jaunt to Dubai. I was quite worried that one or more of them might have run afoul of Dubai's Islamist regime and was relieved when they all got back to England safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteKirby has a very valid point. Many ex-pats working in foreign countries for excellent pay and offshored taxation seem to think they are above the local laws and seem perplexed and outraged when the heavy hand comes down hard. I know the attitude because I have to admit I was totally into that "I'm here but not part of this" smugness when I worked in Asia. And really, it is a throwback to colonialism where "we" of the western world were far superior to our hosts.
ReplyDeleteBeijing York....I agree with your comment. While working in Asia, I did will due to the fact, I observed their rules and studied their traditions. Many educators wondered why they would not be offered second contracts. "They were there but not part of this" smugness was and is true. A request came just the other day to ask if I would return. That does not happen to many people especially female and at retirement age.
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