Stop the Violence

I was interested to read your story [Breaking the Code of Silence] in November issue on domestic violence. For some reason I was not aware this issue was a problem in China (my own ignorance) but it seems to be a universal problem.

The case for most women is that they are heavily dependent on their abusers, as it is almost impossible for these women to gain financial independence.

There are studies that show a connection exists between development and how women are treated in society. Leaders in developing countries must bring about law reforms to protect women who are victims of domestic violence. The government must protect its people, plain and simple.

In Africa many legal systems are a mixture of traditional cultural laws and statutory law. This means that women are placed in a position where they are disadvantaged. In traditional laws domestic violence is not seen as a crime so it goes on unchecked.

Where laws in Africa against domestic violence are in place they are often merely symbolic as in reality those who implement the law are usually apathetic to the difficulty of these women. Research carried out by the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative in Uganda last year showed that eight of 10 women are abused by their partners, but fail to report the abuse to the police.

As your story correctly pointed out, domestic violence affects the entire family and also sets a form of reference for children who accept it as normal when they become adults and enter relationships.

We as women look forward to China getting a law that specifically targets domestic violence as well as continuing to push for the laws in our own continent to be reformed and for our police and other authorities to enforce the laws when they do exist.

Ali Timbata, Botswana

Try Him at Home

The capture of Saif al Islam Gaddafi brings to an end the saga of the Gaddafi clan and closes a chapter in this era of Libya's life. Now the question is asked whether or not Saif al Islam Gaddafi will appear at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague (a warrant for his arrest has been issued). He has already said that he does not recognize the ICC while Libya's interim prime minister has insisted that Gaddafi will get a fair trial at home.

I read that Libya's Acting Justice Minister Alagy has held talks with the ICC discussing how to deal with Saif al Islam Gaddafi. I am wondering if he will be tried at home or in the Hague? Many Libyan officials have said a trial in Libya should first address killings, repression and wholesale theft of public funds over the four decades of the elder Gaddafi's personal rule.

Once that has been dealt with, the ICC might try him for alleged orders to kill unarmed demonstrators after February's revolt, they said.

Saif al Islam Gaddafi may have looked and sounded more sophisticated than his unpredictable father, but he was nevertheless a feudal lord unable to fathom why his serfs would defy his authority.

The good news is that Saif al Islam Gaddafi has been captured and that he is alive and can answer questions. I hope that he is not killed brutally like his father. We want him to stand trial in our own country where we can see for ourselves what was behind the actions of the Gaddafis. While I appreciate that the ICC has a claim to this criminal, national governments have the right to try their own citizens for war crimes. It will be senseless for him to be charged twice for the same thing.

Abdullah al-Wazar, Libya