Pacific Views

Man Dead in Iraqi Honor Killing

Mosul, Iraq - Police and onlookers did nothing to help as four women beat, kicked and stoned 32 year old Mohammed Khalil to death for raping 24 year old Samira Hosseini.

"They ambushed him, knocking him down with a blow to the head. He never had a chance to regain his feet," said witness Yasmin Sistani. "They planned it well; Samira's mother had a sledgehammer and I think she broke his hip as soon as he was on the ground. He was powerless to get up or fight back."

Sistani, a cousin of Khalil's, was finishing some halva she'd purchased from a street vendor who'd been selling pistachios and other snacks to the crowd that gathered to watch. "It was only a matter of time. Our family only held off killing him ourselves out of respect for the Hosseinis. We wanted to give them a chance to restore their own names and now, both families can move on. But it's a shame, he was a good businessman and his father will have a hard time replacing his talents."

Hosseini's mother, older sister and two cousins reiterated that Khalil had to die to restore their family honor. They believed they had no choice in the matter. And in this society where men risk death merely for flirting with the wrong woman, police are unlikely to prosecute Khalil's assailants.

As one local police officer said, "Everybody knows he did it, what can we do? Her family was not going to rest until he was dead. They could not have raised their heads in public without avenging her, and no one would let their daughters marry into a family that wouldn't fight for its women."

Oh right, wait ... Silly me, it didn't happen like that at all.

Posted by natasha at May 20, 2007 02:01 PM | Women | Technorati links |