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The Persona of Muktharn Bibi in the Name of Honour JAC : A JOURNAL OF COMPOSITION THEORY ISSN : 0731-6755 FINDING VOICE IN NOISE : THE PERSONA OF MUKTHARN BIBI IN THE NAME OF HONOUR Deepthi C P Guest Lecturer Bishop Jesudasan CSI Arts & Science College Email- [email protected] Abstract- In June 2002, Mukhtar Mai, a Pakistani woman from the impoverished village of Meerwala, was gang-raped by a local clan known as the Mastoi — punishment for indiscretions allegedly committed by the woman's brother. While certainly not the first account of a female body being negotiated for honor in a family, this time the survivor had bravely chosen to fight back. In doing so, Mai single-handedly changed the feminist movement in Pakistan, one of the world's most adverse climates for women. By July 2002, the Pakistani government awarded her the equivalent of 8,500 U.S. dollars in compensation money and sentenced her attackers to death — and Mukhtar Mai went on to open a school for girls so that future generations would not suffer, as she had, from illiteracy.In this rousing account, Mai describes her experience and how she has since become an agent for change and a beacon of hope for oppressed women around the world. Timely and topical, "In the Name of Honor" is the remarkable and inspirational memoir of a woman who fought and triumphed against exceptional odds. Keywords – feminity, voice, honour In the Name of Honour: A Memoir is not just a tale to read and entertain. It is not a gamut of events full of suspense and adventure. But, it tells the real life of a Pakistani Muslim peasant Gujar woman who turns to be the voice, consciousness and inspiration to thousands of women who craves to find their voice. The harrowing life of Mukhtar Mai touches everyone who reads it. The excruciating pain she suffered tugged the courage and confidence out of her. In June 2002, journalists throughout the world began to hear of the gang rape of a Pakistani woman from the impoverished village of Meerwala.The whole trail of incidents begins with the most nauseous and gruesome event happened in her life. On the night of 22 June, 2002, Mukhtaran Bibi, an illiterate peasant Gujar woman was gang raped by four men of the Mastoi clan in front of the whole village and with the permission of jirga or the village council to save the honour of the Mastoi caste. While she pleaded for mercy, hundreds of jeering villagers stood outside the hut. The young woman was forced to walk home naked after the horrifying ordeal. A Mastoi tribal council allegedly ordered the rape to punish a transgression supposedly committed by her brother; he was accused of having sexual relations with a woman of the higher Mastoi tribe. Deciding that the boy had impugned the honor of the tribe by engaging in sexual relations with its female member, the tribal council ordered that Mai be raped in order to restore its honor. It was later discovered that the accusation against Mai’s brother was fabricated by members of the Mastoi tribe in order to cover up their own sodomization of the boy. While certainly not the first account of a female body is being negotiated for honor in a family, this time the survivor, Mukhtar Mai, bravely chose to fight back. In doing so, Mai single-handedly changed the feminist movement in Pakistan, one of the world's most adverse climates for women. By July 2002, the Pakistani government awarded her the equivalent of 8,500 U.S. dollars in compensation money and sentenced her attackers to death and Mukhtar Mai went on to open a school for girls so that future generations would not suffer, as she had, from illiteracy. Volume XIII, Issue VI, JUNE 2020 Page No: 49 JAC : A JOURNAL OF COMPOSITION THEORY ISSN : 0731-6755 In this rousing account, Mai describes her experience and how she has since become an agent for change and a beacon of hope for oppressed women around the world.The life of a woman was crushed to nothingness and her honour, so insignificant to others, was smothered. The whole community gazed at her pitiless and scornful, not any does seem to have the courage to be sympathetic. She ‘drifted like a ghost’, petrified and shunned to the world, back to her home naked heading instinctively through the now unfamiliar paths of the Punjab province, the so- called Land of the Pure. Scorching in her humiliation like the chick that was burnt in the kitchen fire for none of its fault, she realised that prayer is impossible and even the streams of tears have already drained. “Rape kills her. Rape is the ultimate weapon: it shames the other clan forever” (11), how easily ‘rape’ turns to be a means of ‘honour justice’? Woman is an object of exchange, given to save honour or to take revenge. Mukhtaran Bibi was asked to beg pardon before the jirga for a crime falsely accused to her twelve year old brother Shakur. The Mastoi clan alleged Shakur of committing zina or adultery with a Mastoi woman Salma of more than twenty years old. The powerful and authoritative Mastoi men had beaten and sodomised Shakur for an allegiance they themselves have cooked up. Mukhtar Mai, just like any other woman wanted to kill herself by swallowing acid. The watchful eyes of her mother prevented her to do so. She was there devastated, drowning in the besieging meaninglessness and enveloped by a world of lies where gossips scudded as black crows or white pigeons. News spread to the village that she thwarted the reconciliation and was not ready to marry a Mastoi man and so she welcomed her destiny. Time gave her to realise the inner strength that slumbered hitherto without her knowledge. The decision to take revenge upon them by fighting back was her outrage, a relentless rebellion. With the support of her father, she files charge against the four men. The policemen also took advantage of her illiteracy and made her to put her thumbprint in a blank sheet of paper which they filled up with another story. They were in fact, steered by the Mastoi clan. Meanwhile, the incident was published in a local newspaper and was known to the whole world. Reporters gathered in front of her house as well as men and women from various human rights organisations. The tribal system, her status as a woman and the religion forbade her from claiming justice. But, she was a completely different woman now, determined to keep seeking justice and truth in spite of the police pressure and the ‘tradition’ that silenced women so far. Mukhtar Mai turned to be a symbol within no time. She became a public face of a story that actually concerns thousands of Pakistani women. The policemen discarded her story as insane and lie. But she was carefully questioned by a judge, who was considerate and sympathetic towards her. Mukhtar Mai reckons him as polite and distinguished with a wish to seek the truth. Finally, after days of interrogation and trial, she grabbed success in her fight. On 31 August, 2002 the antiterrorism tribunal condemned the six men including the four rapists to death. The horrible incident had such an impact to change her perspective. The Meerwala village was her world before. As a child, she enjoyed the life with her siblings. She was a perfect woman as per the tribal standards. Her marriage was not a success. She could easily get a divorce from her good- for- nothing husband with the help of her father. Later on her life was confined in her home teaching village children the Holy Koran from memory and recitation. Of course, she has earned a respectable position among her villagers. But she was weak because she was a woman and a woman of low caste. Volume XIII, Issue VI, JUNE 2020 Page No: 50 JAC : A JOURNAL OF COMPOSITION THEORY ISSN : 0731-6755 For the first time she became aware of her rights. She says in a reproachful and regrettable way that “no one ever told me Pakistan had a constitution, laws and rights written down in a book” (28). Crippled in her own illiteracy, she thinks it as a great shame on her part not being able to make up her own mind to important things rather blindly following others. To begin a school for the girls was thus her dream and the yearning to treat both men and women equally existed deep within her. With the money offered by the president of the general council, her school began ‘beneath the trees’. The illiterate daughter of peasant farmers turned to be revered as ‘respected big sister’. This was the result of her brave action to speak up even though she had been taught to be silent. The school admitted even the boys from the Mastoi clan. The life of Mukhtar Mai is the life of other women also. To many other women she is an inspiration. To some she is a foil. Mukhtar Mai establishes a sisterly affection with Naseem, an independent journalist. Mukhtar Mai speaks of her: “She’s the complete opposite of me: active, vivacious, clearheaded, articulate, not afraid of people- or of saying what she thinks” (83). Mukhtar discloses her heart to her confides her fears and regains her self- confidence through that channel. The deplorable story of Dr. Shazia and the woeful tale of Kausar relive the saga of Mukhtar Mai. The condition of women and the way they are treated do not change, however they are educated or respectable.
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