China and India have their eyes on Burma

Experts on Burma came to Johns Hopkins University from all over the world to reflect upon Burma's political developments. Among the panelists, were representatives of both China an India. India and China both have their eyes on Burma.

Mukhtar Mai - Pakistani Woman seeks justice after Gang Rape

I wanted to write about a special woman named Mukhtar Mai. She’s an incredible lady who has gone through so much. In 2002, under a tribal council’s orders, Mukhtar Mai was gang raped in front of 200 witnesses for an alleged sexual crime her brother had committed. Mai was then forced to walk home, through the village with torn clothes (nothing to really cover her body). Women in Pakistan after being raped are expected to commit suicide as an act of honor for the “ indecency”. Mukhtar Mai did something about it, and she says, although she has the attention of the world, she does not have her justice from the Pakistani Judicial system. She says, “ Think about the common woman in Pakistan who have gone through rape, they are shunned.”


Pakistan has a significant problem in persevering women’s rights. The government wants to protect the country’s image and yet does nothing in context to women’s issues . It has been reported that in Pakistan, women are raped by the officials who are supposed to protect them. The Pakistani police are accused of raping women in the villages and in the towns. These women feel helpless, as they cannot go to the police for help.

As the government is not budging to secure the safety of these women, rape victims are seeking the media and international organizations for help. Mukhtar Mai is seen as a hero among many women, and she encourages women to voice their cases and to remain strong.

Click on the link to see how you can help Mukhtar Mai’s MMWWO- Mukhtar Mai’s Women’s Welfare Organization.
Help Mukhtar Mai ( NY Times Columnist, Nicholas Kristof has been following her story and its developments for years.)