MURDER IN THE NAME OF HONOR
for “honor crimes.” Although the US is obligated as communicates the perspective of the perpetrator, and the occupying power to protect Iraqis’ human rights, thereby carries an implicit justification. Some women’s including the prevention and prosecution of “honor rights advocates therefore prefer the terms “femicide,” crimes,” it has not done so. In fact, the US appointed “shame killings,” or “so-called honor killings.” reactionary leaders who condone “honor crimes” to “Honor crimes” are a recognized form of violence the Iraqi Governing Council in 2003. These men against women in international human rights law remain in power today. And the US has refused to probecause they violate women’s rights to life and securitect or support progressive Iraqi women working to ty of the person; freedom from torture and cruel, combat “honor crimes” (such as MADRE’s partner, inhuman, and degrading treatment; and the right to the Organization for Women’s Freedom in Iraq) equality before the law and equal protection of the law. because these women also oppose US occupation. International law obligates states to protect women Since the US bombing of Afghanistan in 2001, the from gender-based violence, including by family Bush Administration has resurrected the hackneyed members, and to disqualify “honor” as a legal defense colonial notion that Western intervention is intended for acts of violence against women. The United to “save” Muslim women from their oppressive sociNations has echoed these obligations and condemned eties. Few Muslim women believe this (the line is realstates’ use of custom, tradition, or religion to avoid ly intended for people in the obligations to eliminate violence against women. Strategies against “honor crimes” US). Women in Muslim But while international must also combat anti-Arab racism countries know that their work against “honor law calls on states to protect women, governments them- and recognize the ways that sexism crimes”—and for women’s and racism have been conscripted rights generally—has always selves are often complicit in “honor crimes.” For example, into the US “war on terror.” been undermined by European colonialism and, Iraqi law does not recognize more recently, by US intervention. That’s because for“honor killing” as murder. Instead, it offers vastly eign rulers prefer to support conservative, repressive reduced sentences for the rape, mutilation, and killing local leaders for whom “honor crimes” are a facet of of women on the grounds of “honor.” Moreover, in the status quo that maintains their power. These peomany communities, local or tribal leaders who conple have proven to be reliable junior partners in the done “honor crimes” are the true authorities, not the project of controlling colonized and occupied peoples. government. For example, in Pakistan, “honor The fact that the US has used women’s rights as a killing” has been declared illegal thanks to women’s rallying point for its wars is sometimes used to fuel advocacy efforts, but the law is rarely enforced. the claim that women’s rights is “foreign” to the “Honor crimes” are often described as an ancient Middle East and a tool of Western domination. We and unchanging facet of “culture.” Like all human hear that claim from conservatives in Muslim counbehavior, “honor crimes” do have a cultural dimentries who oppose women’s rights. We also hear it sion, but like culture itself, “honor crimes” are from some in the US who worry that advocating shaped by social factors such as poverty and migraMiddle Eastern women’s rights imposes “American tion, government policies, and institutional discoursvalues” on those countries. But that view ignores es that change—and can be changed—in ways that more than a century of Arab women’s political strugcan either help combat or promote “honor crimes.” gle, organizing, jurisprudence, and scholarship aimed Consider Iraq, where US actions have caused a at securing rights within their societies. sharp rise in “honor crimes.” The US destroyed the The assumption that women’s rights is a “Western” Iraqi state, leaving people more reliant on conservative concern is not only historically untrue, it’s also tribal authorities to settle disputes and mete out “jusoverblown. After all, the intellectual foundations of civtice,” including “honor killings.” The occupation has ilization—writing, mathematics, and science—are empowered extreme social conservatives, who exploit“Eastern.” Are these pursuits therefore “foreign” and ed both the power vacuum created by the invasion and inappropriate in the West? Human rights, feminism, lita climate of rising poverty, violence, and insecurity to erature, and science are all aspects of our common impose a reactionary social agenda, including support
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