Comments on: Woman Stoned For Adultery in Somalia

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:04:02 +0000

I was telling a friend just the other day about Aisha and her story and how it just tore my heart open thinking about her. I told her that while there are so many injustices in the world towards humanity-her story has changed me for life. I will never be the same. My friend’s response (paraphrased) was that she must be a saint. I say that while she faced a horendous death, let’s keep her story alive in the hopes that this stupid practice can be seen for what it really is-violence towards women and their sexuality. I am rather tired of it all and plan to tell Aisha’s story through my art and whenever I can.

By: clasire

clasire — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:47:37 +0000

The story of Ashas murder will not leave me since I read it yesterday in El Pais. feel so angry and heartsick. According to El Pais a thousand ‘people’ (sic) turned up to watch fifty men stoning a ‘;thirty four year old prostitute’ etc etc to death. Only when they saw it was a fourteen year old girl did a couple try to intervene and were shot at. The first poster is right – it;s irrelevent the supposed reasons used to justify it. Asha was member of a less powerful clan which may have been a factor but she was killed for being a woman in a world where often that’s enough of a reason. Please mail me if you know of any forum or if we can set up tribute, something to raise awareness.
Rst in peace Asha and condolences fo her family

By: Morningstar

Morningstar — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:33:51 +0000

cara, the reports i read said the girl was 13 years old:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/01/AR2008110102052.html?hpid=sec-world

unbelievable.

By: Emma

Emma — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:57:09 +0000

I read in the news today that Asha was not 23 years old, as previously said, but rather fourteen.

There are no words, honestly. There are no words.

By: Outraged Somali

Outraged Somali — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:49:01 +0000

Like every decent human being and as a typical Somali, I am also outraged, shocked and condemning the cowards who executed Aisha in the name of a religion they know nothing of. They followed not what all religions and human thinking demands, but their sick and twisted minds. All Somalis have condemned this heinous act and have recorded their outrage in the hundreds of Somali internet sites and blogs. We pray for the girl whose name is Aisha and whose father in a subsequent interview with VOA stated she was a 14 year old kid. One day the culprits will be brought to justice. See a typical reaction in this blog Somalia Recorder – http://somaliarecorder.wordpress.com/

By: TD

TD — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:38:14 +0000

Isn’t this why ISAF efforts in Afghanistan should be supported? The Taliban did the same thing to their women. The ISAF forces, especially those in the South have actively attempted to improve the lives of women and to protect them against this sort of thing from the Taliban.

I don’t think that the monsters who did this are going to respond to condemnation from the EU, the US or anyone else, they’re already an international pariah. When people are this far gone what response is there but direct military intervention? The world might not want to intervene in Somalia again considering past experience, but the threat in Afghanistan of the Taliban regaining control and once again making these atrocities commonplace is quite real. While there are very real problems with the mission its goal to prevent a resurgence of the Taliban is necessary.

We might not be able to change anything in Somalia yet but we can help Afghanistan which faces the same threat.

By: S

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:15:07 +0000

I just wanted to echo what Renee said: that violence against women wherever it happens affects us all.

I was rather disappointed too by the EU’s statement which brushed over the important fact that the victim was a woman. Stoning is a form of murder predominantly against women and the EU refer to it as a form of execution when it was used not as legitimite punishment for a crime (as if it could ever be anyway) but as a form of violent control.

By: Ruth W

Ruth W — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 03:19:00 +0000

Try Women Living Under Muslim Law at http://www.wluml.org/english/index.shtml

Their article about this incident is at http://www.wluml.org/english/newsfulltxt.shtml?cmd%5B157%5D=x-157-562798

It provides a link to another organization, Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women! at http://www.stop-stoning.org

By: Renee

Renee — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:49:44 +0000

When I read about this late last night I simply did not have the words to articulate how this made me feel. It seems that we have never left the burning times. Even though this happened in Somalia, violence against women is a global phenomenon. There is not a single one of us daily that does not live with the threat of it impacting our lives. Today I am wearing red, in solidarity with all woc of color who live with and or have experienced violence but I am also thinking of all of us who have been fortunate to have a survivors story to tell because so many, women just like Asha have been permanently silenced. It is up to those of us who have the voice and strength to do it, to tell our individual stories and let the world know that the earth is filled with the blood of woman and it is time for a cessation. It is time for a healing.