For Afghan Wives, a Desperate, Fiery Way Out (self-immolation)

New York Times ^ | November 7, 2010 | ALISSA J. RUBIN

[reaganaut1]

HERAT, Afghanistan — Even the poorest families in Afghanistan have matches and cooking fuel. The combination usually sustains life. But it also can be the makings of a horrifying escape: from poverty, from forced marriages, from the abuse and despondency that can be the fate of Afghan women.

The night before she burned herself, Gul Zada took her children to her sister’s for a family party. All seemed well. Later it emerged that she had not brought a present, and a relative had chided her for it, said her son Juma Gul.

This small thing apparently broke her. Ms. Zada, who was 45, the mother of six children and who earned pitiably little cleaning houses, ended up with burns on nearly 60 percent of her body at the Herat burn hospital. Survival is difficult even at 40 percent.

“She was burned from head to toe,” her son remembers.

The hospital here is the only medical center in Afghanistan that specifically treats victims of burning, a common form of suicide in this region, partly because the tools to do it are so readily available. Through early October, 75 women arrived with burns — most self-inflicted, others only made to look that way. That is up nearly 30 percent from last year.

But the numbers say less than the stories of the patients.

It is shameful here to admit to troubles at home, and mental illness often goes undiagnosed or untreated. Ms. Zada, the hospital staff said, probably suffered from depression. The choices for Afghan women are extraordinarily restricted: Their family is their fate. There is little chance for education, little choice about whom a woman marries, no choice at all about her role in her own house. Her primary job is to serve her husband’s family.

[reaganaut1]

I am sorry to read of such suffering, but what makes us think we can reform Afghanistan? What we can and should do is restrict Muslim immigration to the U.S., so that such horrors don't happen here.

[x_plus_one]

but what makes us think we can reform Afghanistan

They don't need our pity. Ann Coulter said it best...eliminate the leaders and offer conversion to the rest....

The umbrella of christian civilization is the only thing that keeps us (the entire planet) from self-destruction.

[knarf]

A thought process is the reason and a different thought process is the answer.

We in America have been blessed with a Christian thought process and the freedom to excersize it.

[GeronL]

Notice the author doesn’t blame Islam.

[Bean Counter]

Under Mullah Hussein, we are not out to reform anything. We are pursuing an exit strategery, and that is all.

[catbertz]

Tragic stories. Burning is so horrible. I would rather hang myself, if seeking a way out. I grieve for the life so many on earth have to suffer through. We can’t save them, but I wish they had a better existence.

[Marty62]

It is shameful here to admit to troubles at home, and

“mental illness often goes undiagnosed or untreated. Ms. Zada, the hospital staff said, probably suffered from depression. The choices for Afghan women are extraordinarily restricted: Their family is their fate. There is little chance for education, little choice about whom a woman marries, no choice at all about her role in her own house. Her primary job is to serve her husband’s family.”
..................
oh yes the mental illness canard. Amy women in Afganistan that doesn’t respond well to being treated like a breeder cow for a bunch of miniac Tali is ofcourse MI. BS.
And our troops are dying for this kind of society..Bring our troops home NOW

[Londo Molari]

“We in America have been blessed with a Christian thought process and the freedom to excersize it.”

Christianity had its dark past, too during a little thing called the Dark Ages. We are very fortunate and blessed that we live in a better time where real Christianity can florish. Islam is 700-1000 years behind culturally — medieval people with modern weapons.

[combat_boots]

“Epidemic of acid-attacks on Islamic women”
Posted on July 25, 2010 by freemenow

http://freemenow.wordpress.com/2010/07/25/epidemic-of-acid-attacks-on-islamic-women/

[ScottinVA]

Whatever happened to the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA)? Are they still at work in the country? I say make those damned burkas work for something good and arm the women. And BTW, they should be burning their vermin “husbands” and not themselves.

[ClearCase_guy]

In India, widows were once expected (forced) to throw themselves on the funeral pyres of their husbands. The British stopped the practice of suttee. It still occurs occasionally, but it now extremely rare. Things can change.

Which nation is trying to end barbaric practices in modern day Afghanistan? The United States.
Which news organization has consistently sabotaged such efforts? The New York Times.

[knarf]

Catholicism and the papacy caused the Dark Ages and it was Christianity with the revelation of salvation by Grace alone and not by works and/or the church that enlightened man .... and THAT turmoil still exists.

[A_perfect_lady]

What a grotesque culture.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

It’s a horrible, disgusting “society.” None should be allowed into the USA.

[BlueLancer]

"In India, widows were once expected (forced) to throw themselves on the funeral pyres of their husbands. The British stopped the practice of suttee."

"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."

General Sir Charles James Napier

[Blood of Tyrants]

What we should do is to wipe Islam from the face of the earth because it has brought nothing but pain and death the everyone t has touched.

[annelizly]

Amen! And then the war is over and life can resume!

[marychesnutfan]

I was in Pakistan for 2 weeks in 1986 and one thing was pointed out to me. There were regular reports of young wives being burned to death in “kitchen accidents”. It was well known that they were burned by their husbands.

I don’t believe that even one of these Afghan women burned themselves, their husbands (or fathers) did. If it was so common in Pakistan in 1986 that it was not even remarked on and occurred virtually daily, it is no doubt the same in Afghanistan which is just north and virtually the same society and religion.

I wish they’d get it right, these women don’t burn themselves, someone is doing it TO them.

[Karliner]

Why don’t we educate the women how to use cyanide caps, and potassium chloride, get their mean old men drunk and do some good instead of taking the pain upon themselves? This is just another nasty, terrible story of Islamic submission. Another nail in their coffin on their raod to hell.

[TalonDJ]

Catholicism and the papacy caused the Dark Ages and it was Christianity with the revelation of salvation by Grace alone and not by works and/or the church that enlightened man .... and THAT turmoil still exists.

The so called dark ages were not nearly so 'dark' as the leftists and protestants like to think. They really were not all that bad. And they were mostly caused by Roman liberal social policies collapsing. The only reason the Protestant counties had a chance to flourish was because the Catholic ones were fighting off the invasions of Islamists for hundreds of years.