Vengeance, Crime Threatening Society [Archives:2000/34/Culture]
By: Yasser M. Ahmed
Yemen Times
It is that complicated social problem in our country which appeared during olden ages and thrived during colonial rule. Then it continued as if to last for ever. It has been the product of injustice among people in addition to suppression and various kinds of fanaticism.
Vengeance in our country represents a threat to the society and heralds serious consequences. With the increase of awareness and education, this phenomenon has drastically receded but its spectre is still overshadowing some areas, particularly remote regions where ignorance is still prevailing.
All religions have denounced this crime and set the severest punishments against those committing it. And, like all other religions, Islam too has put restrictions on this crime and Holy Quran through different verses has warned against it.
Illiteracy and spread of weapons are the fuel of this crime. The Muslim people of Yemen look at vengeance as an acute behavior which can kill even an innocent.
We have talked to few citizens over means to eradicate revenge in our society. Abdulrazzack Mehdi Ali Salem, a student of Islamic studies at the faculty of arts, University of Sanaa, said:- Besides the blind tribal discrimination, revenge is generally a problem. It is an act where a person decides to be a judge without referring to the official channels such as courts. From olden days to date vengeance has created a state of unrest. If we take the reasons, we see that the perpetrator is debarred from respect to his own religion. He does not fear the Creator. He has no regard to the consequences of his crime. Bribery, injustice and slow proceedings at courts mostly lead to killings. Appointment of unqualified judges who lack knowledge of Islamic Shareea should cease and proper appointments made particularly in remote areas.
Sufyan Ahmed Ismail, a court clerk is of the opinion that pride plays a role in acts of revenge. The doer feels himself degraded to go through courts. He prefers to take the law into his own hands. Of course this is attributed to ignorance. He does not care for the serious consequences. Perhaps such criminal could have got justice done to him and in his favor; but he loses everything. Most vengeance cases are linked to dispute over land and heirship.
Nasser Muhammed said that delay of legal proceedings makes the family of the murdered feel that justice is out of reach. In some cases instead of killing one person against one person, a whole family is wiped out. The authorities concerned have not been active enough to curb this uncivilized act, we see that the citizens themselves should come together to confront this phenomenon.
Mr. Muhammed Ali Al-Iryani, Secretary of Al-Qadaeeya newspaper blamed the careless role of the media. Citizens must be told how revenge creates widows and orphans. Well-organised radio and TV programs, as well in the press, can help a lot to make people know what is fair and what is not. Drama series and touching short stories could assist; but I think continued and repeated symposia would be better.
Less than two years ago, Mr. Abdulrehman Al-Marooni founded Assallam Arbitration House which carries out mediations between individuals and tribesmen over disputes and feuds. Among its dissemination program, the house works on spreading awareness on murder, assault on sanctity and bloodshed at religious, human and cultural levels. Until this date the house has been able to solve 52 cases of feud some of which were 30-year-old.
Dr. Muhammed Awadh Ba-Obaid, Head of Psychology Section at Sanaa University sees that vengeance is a socio-cultural phenomenon. It has more than a dimension, including criminal; but the element dominating this state is socio-cultural-psychological. It all starts from the culture of violence in form of family violence, violence against women and the worse is violence among the youth which in fact generates since childhood. A child is taught to become the hero of his family by avenging. You can hear a boasting father telling people his son is a man! Unfortunately, in the eyes of unqualified judges a hungry man who steals is believed to have committed a crime more serious than killing someone on grounds of vengeance.
Another psychologist at Sanaa University, Dr. Abdulla Gassem Abu Ragheef after reviewing the historical background of revenge said that Arab families keep feeding their children since childhood that vengeance is part of ones personality. The avengers action is symbolized with courage and dignity. The child is taught since his early age that tribalism is the honor of an individual. And a right to killing is not taken but is snatched. The psychologist could not condone educational institutions for their coma. These are too far away from the social problems of our society. The same is with the media, the doctor said.
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