Chirping Crickets

The Australian relays a report from a Pakistani newspaper:

The News International said a mother and daughter in a rural area had been abducted and gang-raped for 12 days because the daughter continued her schooling in defiance of villagers in her home near Multan.

The newspaper said the daughter had recently attained a masters degree in education at the Bahauddin Zahariya University. Precise details of what happened are sketchy, but it appears that the girl's father was also attacked by the assailants and that police took 12 days to act and save the women.

Reports of the rape claimed involvement by "a minister of state" but did not name him.

The case recalls that of Mukhtaran Mai, a woman who was imprisoned after she was raped in June 2002. She was freed only after intervention by the Pakistan Supreme Court.

Her case caused a global outcry at the time and highlighted the injustice of Pakistan's Islamic Hudood Ordinances, which criminalise all sex outside marriage.

Under the ordinances, unless the complainant in a rape case produces four male witnesses to support her claims, she will herself face punishment.

We will keep you informed when we learn of outraged citizens pouring into the streets throughout the Muslim world to condemn these crimes, and the apparent official nonchalance with respect to them.

When CAIR, prominent Palestinians, or the Turkish Religious Affairs director issue statements calling for a prompt investigation and arrest of the perpetrators, and amendment of such barbaric statutes, we'll let you know. Indeed: If any Muslim stands up and says "That's not us," we'll pass it on.