Rights activists call for stringent laws to stop premature marriages

[webfact]

Rights activists call for stringent laws to stop premature marriages

By KORNRAWEE PANYASUPPAKUN 
THE NATION

 

 

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS defenders are calling for legal actions and a legal amendment to tackle the increasing number of “premature” marriages throughout the country. Such marriages harm the children involved, say the activists.

 

Many Thais were shocked to hear of a marriage ceremony held in Thailand in mid-June between a 41-year-old Malaysian imam and an 11-year-old Thai girl.

 

“This isn’t just a marriage, but may be child abuse,” Angkhana Neelapaijit, Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, said yesterday. 

 

An unofficial medical examination report from Malaysia suggested signs of sexual intercourse had taken place “several years” before the marriage, she said. 

 

Angkhana Neelapaijit

 

“Child abuse is a criminal offence. Authorities, along with religious leaders, must come forward to protect the child,” she said, and added that Narathiwat’s governor as well as police investigators must also intervene. 

 

“Thailand has promised the world it will stop child brides,” Angkhana said.

 

Thailand is bound by Article 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women to outlaw child marriage. 

 

Collecting fees

 

“All Malaysian men crossing the border to have their marriages held in Thailand must pay marriage fees,” Angkhana said. 

 

But the problem is much wider than this one case. Thailand has one of the highest rates of youth marriages in the region, with Unicef figures showing one of every seven Thai teen aged 15 to 19 being married. 

 

Premature marriage in Thailand occurs for many reasons, including cultural and economic. While the legal age of marriage is 18, the Thai Civil Code allows parents to approve marriage at age 17, and younger with a court’s permission. 

 

An exception is made for the four predominantly Muslim provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Satun where girls can get married after menstruation – which usually occurs at around 12 – under Islamic law.

 

“While some progressive Muslim communities want to set a clear standard [for a minimum marriage age], some religious leaders who benefit from organising these marriages don’t want to change and they use religious faith as their explanation,” Sanphasit said. 

 

“This has led to many Malaysian men exploiting the loopholes to marry children,” he said. In Malaysia, a religious court must approve a marriage involving a Muslim girl under age 16. 

 

Gary Risser, chief of child protection for Unicef Thailand, said he wanted to see the government set a clear standard. He encouraged religious leaders to engage with the issue.

 

“Evidence around the world shows that child marriage is harmful to children in the long run. We need to work together towards finding solutions,” he said.

 

Risser said Thailand had the second-highest rate of premature marriage in Southeast Asia, after Laos. He noted that some countries, including Malaysia, do not report marriage data.

 

Also, one in seven (14.1 per cent) of Thai females aged 15-19 were married or in a union, according to Unicef’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey for 2015-16. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30350592

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-23

[Bob12345]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

An exception is made for the four predominantly Muslim provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Satun where girls can get married after menstruation – which usually occurs at around 12 – under Islamic law.

There is yiur problem, now decide if you want to start changing Islamic laws in the 4 most volatile provinces.

 

My take: <deleted> islamic law

[Lupatria]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

An unofficial medical examination report from Malaysia suggested signs of sexual intercourse had taken place “several years” before the marriage, she said. 

Throw these perverts and the girls parents in jail!

[klauskunkel]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

he wanted to see the government set a clear standard.

good luck

Edited July 23, 2018 by klauskunkel

[connda]

Call them what they really are: pedophile marriages.  And the state needs to get involved to regulate the marriage of underage girls to pedophiles, i.e., if religions can't police themselves then it's time to police religions. 

 

If governments start to say that it's OK for pedophiles to wed and bed underaged girls on religious grounds, then it's time for civil society to become outraged and start demanding changes to this archaic nonsense.  "But it's sunna."  Give me a break and get with 21st century morality.

Edited July 23, 2018 by connda

[biggles45]

"An unofficial medical examination report from Malaysia suggested signs of sexual intercourse had taken place “several years” before the marriage"

 

If a christan/jewish etc foreigner came to Thailand and had sex with an 11 year old girl, would the Thai authorities turn a blind eye to it? There are foreigners jailed in Thailand for having sex with 16-17 year olds so why two rules for Muslims? 

[seajae]

this religion came about so that these ugly males could do as they pleased, have sex with who they pleased and rape as well as kill who they pleased. One man wrote the religion then married a 9 year old girl, do people really believe this was not created to appease these men and no one else, this religion is responsible for that many deaths etc it isnt funny. While there are those that have tried to tone it down others are using it as their excuse to do what they want as can be seen from this op, they are pathetic

 

[tifino]

'premature' marriage is a misleading use of the word, by NatMult

 

 

it is either 'early' or 'child' marriage

[ratcatcher]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS defenders are calling for legal actions and a legal amendment to tackle the increasing number of “premature” marriages throughout the country. Such marriages harm the children involved, say the activists.

More like "..in the southern provinces where the majority of the population are followers of Islam and observe Sharia law." This is not just in Thailand, it happens in many Muslim countries. Pakistani and  Afghan men are often in marriages with children. If you attack child marriages, you are seen to be attacking Islam. 

[kingstonkid]

The problem is that as long as the south has Sharia Law there is absolutely no way to stop it.

 

If the world says no then they simply go underground.  

 

I am not advocating for it but I do understand part of it after living in Pakistan for a few years.    

 

Islam states that a man can have s many wives as he wants as long as he cares for them equally and shares himself with them equally.  

 

Where this gets tricky is the man that owes someone money or is servile to a person.  Then it becomes a way for a family to ensure that their daughter is going to have a better life.  One other thing that should be remembered is that daughters are only good for cleaning, doing housework and bringing in a good dowry.

 

Islam has been around a long time and trying to change the belief of a true Muslim or one that likes to abide by the rules that please him ( yes I am a good Muslim I worship Allah and am true to him so I want your daughter for my wife but when they are out the drink OJ and gin) is not going to change their minds.

 

The only way to slow this down is with education, not allowing them to be recognized, a check at the border both coming in and out.  They may be able thru Malaysian and Thai law to classify it as trafficking or endangering a minor not sure.  BUT YOU WILL NEVER STOP IT.

 

Remember not that many centuries ago Christians did the same thing and marriage to family members was common.  

 

Brits can think back to history when there were just the small villages.

[4MyEgo]

Looks like some religions can get away with Phedephila, off with their heads I say

[4MyEgo]

18 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

More like "..in the southern provinces where the majority of the population are followers of Islam and observe Sharia law." This is not just in Thailand, it happens in many Muslim countries. Pakistani and  Afghan men are often in marriages with children. If you attack child marriages, you are seen to be attacking Islam. 

So lets attack Islam, in the name of the children, I'm in !!!!

[Loaded]

Islam hates you because you don't believe in their morality.

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