Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Saturday 7 September 2013

Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On


What Rights?
I was watching the movie "What doesn't kill you" starring Ethan Hawke and Mark Ruffalo who were beginning their  careers in theft. They are arrested, put in jail, and a child molester is also jailed. A jailer tells them what cell he is in and opens their cell door. They go into the child molester's cell and beat the living daylight out of him.  

A few days later the equivalent of the DPP's office finds out and orders a thorough investigation to be carried out. Because the child molester had rights, and they had been violated.

Child molesters should have no rights.

Rape Victim Named
How awful it must be for women who live and work in the Middle East.

Norwegian interior designer Marte Deborah Dalelv has been sentenced to 16 months in jail in Dubai for having sex outside marriage after she reported being an alleged victim of rape.

She decided to make her case public with the hope of drawing attention to the risks of getting caught up in the Islamic-influenced legal system in the wealthy Gulf city-state. This news is hitting headlines all over the world, especially in Norway.

And what makes it really bad is when she called the police an all male team of police officers arrived. There are no female police officers.


4 comments:

An Unsung Hero said...

We followed the Dubai case with close interest. For here in Fiji we have terrible tales also to tell. One, however, ended well through the efforts of a dedicated community police officer who persisted in trying to do the right thing. He had given a lift in his own vehicle four years ago to a victim of aggravated rape left bleeding in the middle of the the road at 2am by her 'date'. She had been brutally bashed and then raped after an evening out. So badly beaten, that she was unable to walk. This brave officer took her into his vehicle damaging the upholstered interior. Over the past four years he has investigated and determined why the known perpetrator was not charged by our Police Prosecutor. The Police insisted continually upon reconciliation and meddled in this themselves. Finally, the perpetrator has been charged, convicted and sentencing has taken place. Four long years for this woman and her family. Who will assist with helping the Victims of Crime in Fiji? Victims of rape are mostly (but not only) women, young girls and children. Their lives are irremediably damaged due to their treatment and shame within their own communties. Victim Assistance Programmes are urgently needed and medical and psychological help must be confidentially available to rebuild their lives and self-esteem. Bravo to this courageous and professional Police Officer! One of the unsung heroes.

Sekoula Tree said...

> Child molesters should have no rights.

Every human being has rights, and there is a good reason for it. Once we allow ourselves to classify some people as subhuman, we lower ourselves to the level of animals.

We as a society create the child molesters through our actions or lack thereof. We create the thieves, and we create the murderers. They are a product of the society they live in, therefore we share the blame.

Instead of taking away their rights and allowing the rule of the jungle to prevail, we need to see that justice is done. Revenge is not justice.

Anonymous said...

So the great Croz, the voice of reason and freedom, was too cowardly to make any comment on the arrest of 14 women for holding up signs wanting freedom and democracy. I imagine he was the kind of sensible man who said this Mr Hitler was a good fellow and if only people would follow his rules. Like those Jews.

There is No Other Way said...

It will be women and girls who will ultimately come to the salvation of Fiji. The Malala Yusufzai inspired young women who have been preyed upon, victimised through domestic violence and rape (ofen in their own homes), women who will speak through the silence that still inhibits them in the "Land of Now There are Things you may NOT say". This over-arching threat of 'snuffing' those who dare to speak up is a form of obscene violence. Only women with supportive, intelligent and smart, empathetic young men will eventually 'snuff it' from the face of Fiji. UN Women need to redouble their efforts and individual women must take a stand for an equitable future for our children and our grandchildren. For... 'There is No Other Way'.