Libyan Victim of Abuse Iman al-Obeidi – Release Requirement from Captivity

March 27, 2011

By Padmini Arhant

The horrific crimes against people pleading for democracy is widespread anywhere.

In Middle East as peaceful protesters gain momentum the government violence disproportionately escalating to quell dissent.

Libyan people having endured forty-two years of tyranny are now subject to medieval times brutality known for inhumane practices commonly including captivity in unknown locations.

The young victim from Benghazi – Iman al-Obeidi’s horrendous plight deserves international condemnation and swift action against the perpetrators.

Even in the new millennium, women are deprived of basic rights and often treated as inferior gender denying due respect as well as dignity.

The lack of progress on women’s rights in the society is largely attributed to greater inequality in political representation.

Some political systems have either token member or none at all to address women’s issues.

Whenever a woman is abused, mocked and vilified in the manner witnessed in Iman al-Obeidi’s situation, it brings the worst of human character to surface.

These individuals both men and sadly women taking part in silencing the voice literally by using life threatening means from bread knife to shot gun pointed at the victim and as though that was not enough –

The suffocation method adopted with a bag over Iman al-Obeidi’s face to display their vehement loyalty to a tyrant and the forces behind the despotic leadership only confirms their cowardice and corroded human element devoid of empathy towards fellow being.

Again if these members were to pause and reflect on the fact that committing a crime to appease authority in power does not necessarily guarantee immunity from similar harm to them or their loved ones by the belligerent powers.

Besides a woman being someone’s daughter, sister, spouse and mother ridiculed and her honor violated in public reveals the actual status of women in the offenders’ life with truth being far from reality.

Regardless of the moral principle – ‘Treat others as you want to be treated,’

Women targeted for settling political scores through slander and physical assaults might appear to be vulnerable when to a large extent the deplorable act depicts the deterioration within overwhelmed with irrationality leading to misguided conduct.

Muammar Gaddafi and loyalists too were given birth by a woman not different from the captive Iman al-Obeidi in the entitlement to fairness as the natural right unlike the status granted presumptuously on gender magnanimity or state determined factor in honoring womanhood.

Iman al-Obeidi is innocent and a courageous heroine for coming forward to expose the atrocities under the republic deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi whose capture with arrest warrant ironically not a priority in the international mission.

The heinous crime by the enslaved government workers having lost their self-esteem fail to recognize that Iman al-Obeidi in sharing the excruciating experience with the world proved her integrity and selflessness to protect other women from falling prey to social injustice.

Iman al-Obeidi must be released unconditionally and the violators brought to justice to exemplify the civil society’s non-complacency to abduction, persecution and torture routinely carried out flexing political muscle.

Further, judgment through natural course is imminent for Muammar Gaddafi and league responsible in the dishonor brought upon Libya’s daughter and sister Iman al-Obeidi.

Perhaps those in power with the ability to empower the powerless could heed to brave Libyans like Iman al-Obeidi and others sacrifice in expediting the instant release of Iman al-Obeidi held in the regime’s custody to demonstrate their commitment to human rights.

It is incumbent upon the world powers to respond and rescue the oppressed victim Iman al-Obeidi by demanding the Libyan leadership to free the political hostage kept in violation of international law.

If these events were not convincing to the global leaderships in removing Muammar Gaddafi then economic benefits and political dominance in the region would be the compelling reasons behind such reluctance and inaction.

Hopefully there will be no procrastination in saving the life of Iman al-Obeidi – again the honorable Libyan patriot commended for extraordinary valor exhibited in national interest.

Wishing Iman al-Obeidi peace and speedy recovery from the trauma.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Written by Padmini Arhant · Filed Under Featured, International Politics 

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