Energy Turtle
04-06-2009, 10:18 AM
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has attempted to allay international fears that the rights of the country's women are being dragged back to where they were under the Taliban.
He last week signed a law which says a woman has to have sex with her husband once every four days and cannot leave home without him.
Women's groups say it sets a frightening precedent, and the new law has been condemned by US President Barack Obama, the United Nations and NATO.
Mr Karzai is reviewing the law but says its wording may have been misinterpreted outside Afghanistan.
The law only applies to Afghanistan's Shiite Muslims which make up about 10 to 15 per cent of the population, but human rights groups say it sets back the entire country.
Alexandra Gilbert is working in the capital Kabul for the group Rights and Democracy, and she says the laws are part of political play.
"It's very scary because it is somehow legalising some customary practices that have been taking place in the centre region of Afghanistan," she said.
"The Shiite community basically in central and northern Afghanistan, so they did it for sure for political strategy for the upcoming election on August 20th."
Observers say the law appeared to pass in relative secret and its wording has not been widely publicised.
News of its passing came late last week and Mr Obama immediately condemned it as abhorrent.
The Italian Government is considering removing troops from Afghanistan in protest and the Canadian Government is pressuring Afghanistan to drop the laws.
"Of course this is extremely alarming. And it's troublesome for a lot of the allies," said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon.
"I did have discussions yesterday with two of our allies on this specific issue. So we are calling, I am calling, for President Karzai in the very close, first opportunity to be able to come forward and give the explanations regarding this presumed piece of legislation."
'Marital rape'
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What does the fucking vagination say about this, huh?
He last week signed a law which says a woman has to have sex with her husband once every four days and cannot leave home without him.
Women's groups say it sets a frightening precedent, and the new law has been condemned by US President Barack Obama, the United Nations and NATO.
Mr Karzai is reviewing the law but says its wording may have been misinterpreted outside Afghanistan.
The law only applies to Afghanistan's Shiite Muslims which make up about 10 to 15 per cent of the population, but human rights groups say it sets back the entire country.
Alexandra Gilbert is working in the capital Kabul for the group Rights and Democracy, and she says the laws are part of political play.
"It's very scary because it is somehow legalising some customary practices that have been taking place in the centre region of Afghanistan," she said.
"The Shiite community basically in central and northern Afghanistan, so they did it for sure for political strategy for the upcoming election on August 20th."
Observers say the law appeared to pass in relative secret and its wording has not been widely publicised.
News of its passing came late last week and Mr Obama immediately condemned it as abhorrent.
The Italian Government is considering removing troops from Afghanistan in protest and the Canadian Government is pressuring Afghanistan to drop the laws.
"Of course this is extremely alarming. And it's troublesome for a lot of the allies," said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon.
"I did have discussions yesterday with two of our allies on this specific issue. So we are calling, I am calling, for President Karzai in the very close, first opportunity to be able to come forward and give the explanations regarding this presumed piece of legislation."
'Marital rape'
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
What does the fucking vagination say about this, huh?