The Words of Mukhtaran Mai, Part I

Shame is a documentary about Mukhtaran Mai, a Pakistani woman who was gang-raped as punishment for her brother's relations with a woman of an upper caste in a remote village. The upper-caste family is named Mastoi, who happens to be the most powerful clan in the village. The Mastoi, who made up the "tribal council", called forth Mukhtaran to publicly apologize for her younger brother. However, when she arrived, the Mastoi decided that she should be gang-raped to dishonour her family, to pay for the Mastoi's loss of honour. She was forced at gunpoint, and her father and brother begged the Mastoi to spare her, but they went ahead and raped her.

Although portrayed as a passive victim by the Western media, Mukhtaran Mai is an exceptional, strong feminist. The only reason why the story surfaced in the Pakistani and international media was because of Mukhtaran Mai's unbelievable perseverance.

Mukhtaran Mai and her family were so ashamed of the rape that for a few days, they stopped eating and didn't come out of their house. Mukhtaran tried to commit suicide by drinking acid because of the intense shame she felt. In the end, Mukhtaran resolved to punish her aggressors through legal means. As her village had no electricity or phone or police station, she had to convince the local imam to take up her cause during the next service in the mosque. Eventually, she acquired transportation to the city and filed a report with the police.

Here is a partial transcript of Mukhtaran Mai's first recorded interview with a reporter. ('M' is Mukhtaran Mai and 'R' is the reporter.)

R: What is your name?
M: Mukhtaran Mai.
R: One more time?
M: Mukhtaran Mai.
R: What is your age?
M: Thirty years old.
R: Are you educated?
M: Yes, I've learned the Quran.
R: When did you learn it?
M: Eight or nine years ago.
R: How much of the Quran have you read?
M: I have learned it by heart.
R: Why didn't you go to school?
M: There is no school here.
R: If there was a school here, what would you do?
M: I would study.
R: Are you fond of studying?
M: I am still very much fond of studying. If I get the chance, I'll definitely study.
R: How did all of this happen?

Against her family's wishes, Mukhtaran gave an account of her attack to a reporter.

R: What punishment should they get?
M: Death. Only with the death sentence will these men realize the worth of a woman. I hope my actions against these four men can save other women. Women will become more aware.
R: How can we raise awareness amongst the women of this area?
M: First with education. Then with this. Women should realize that they are also human beings, and that no one can get away with abusing us. Only then will they realize.

Mukhtaran Mai's family members did not want her to report the rape because it would bring more attention to their perceived dishonour. None of her family members wanted to testify to the police to corroborate her story. In addition, their family received numerous death threats from the Mastoi clan. Despite all this, Mukhtaran went against the grain and made a path for future women who may be sexually assaulted.

Although I oppose the death penalty on principle, I am awed by and greatly admire Mukhtaran's courage and selflessness. How many high-profile women in the West are as brave and thick-skinned as her?

Moreover, this woman was educated only on the Quran, yet her insight into women's rights surpasses that of the average female Westerner. It's a shame that her inspirational story is not as well-known in the West.

More Mukhtaran Mai quotes will posted in Part II of this series.