Imam Sex Abuse Trial Stirs Tensions in Bosnia

[Haakon]

The trial of an Imam (local Islamic priest) on charges of sexually abusing an underage girl in a Bosnian village has stirred up tensions between local media organizations and the country’s influential Islamic Community. The family of the girl pressed charges against the Imam last year, accusing him of sexually abusing their underage daughter during religion classes. The lawsuit, Bosnia's first public case of alleged sexual abuse by a religious figure in recent history, was widely reported by local media.
Some TV stations, newspaper and magazines went further and investigated the case, reporting on a further four cases of girls allegedly were abused by the same Imam in the past four years. They carried disturbing testimony from some of these girls and other witnesses, including even one of the Imam’s best friends, who said the Imam had admitted his wrongdoing to him.

The reports triggered strong criticism from Bosnia’s Islamic Community. Last Friday, a three-person TV crew from one of the most popular local programs, Federal Television’s “60 Minutes”, was assaulted by what they said was a group of conservative Muslims. Two days later, a local villager due to testify for the prosecution in the trial, received threats.

Despite the growing public criticism and media pressure, Bosnia's Islamic Community refused to comment on the trial before the court’s decision, which is expected on Friday.

“Noone has the right to take over the role of the judge, before and above the court, and declare somebody guilty,” the Islamic Community said in a terse press statement on Sunday. However, local media also carried out the comments of Grand Mufti Mustafa Ceric, the leader of the Islamic Community, in one his sermons, in which he reportedly defended the conservative Muslim group and their actions.
Outraged at the lack of any condemnation of the beating, FTV in its evening bulletin said that Ceric “is protecting pedophiles in the Islamic Community as well as hostile Wahabbis, and is openly calling for the lynch of unsuitable journalists.”
This statement angered the Islamic Community, which then demanded a public apology from FTV. Adding fuel to the fire Ceric, visited the village on Tuesday, telling journalists “I have come here to testify that the villagers of Gluha Bukovica are not beasts.”

With increased tensions between villagers, the Islamic community and media, some analysts say that the sex abuse case had become something much bigger, reopening old debates about religious radicalization and the role of religious communities and their leaders in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The village of Gluha Bukovica had previously gained notoriety from being mentioned in several trials of the International War Crimes Tribunal for former Yugoslavia, ICTY, against Bosniak military commanders. During the war, the village was a base for groups of foreign Islamic fighters who came to Bosnia during the war to fight alongside the Bosniak-dominated Bosnian Army.


http://balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/16605

Not just the Catholics then?

[Ahlerich]

catholics enjoy it more

[The Fishman]

This seems to be the one type of shock story about Muslims that doesn't get very much attention.

There will be paedos in every society and profession, it is a common human mental disorder. Where children and adults are together, there will be paedos, and the more they trust each other the more the paedos will take advantage of that trust. Paedophilia cannot be prevented, we can only catch the perpetrators, unfortunately.

[Haakon]

This seems to be the one type of shock story about Muslims that doesn't get very much attention.

There will be paedos in every society and profession, it is a common human mental disorder. Where children and adults are together, there will be paedos, and the more they trust each other the more the paedos will take advantage of that trust. Paedophilia cannot be prevented, we can only catch the perpetrators, unfortunately.

Good post.

[Thanatos]

Not just the Catholics then?

catholics enjoy it more

Yes, because one or two bad priests makes everyone else the same, right?

[Maverick]

This seems to be the one type of shock story about Muslims that doesn't get very much attention.

There will be paedos in every society and profession, it is a common human mental disorder. Where children and adults are together, there will be paedos, and the more they trust each other the more the paedos will take advantage of that trust. Paedophilia cannot be prevented, we can only catch the perpetrators, unfortunately.

Except we don't execute the victims.

Yes, because one or two bad priests makes everyone else the same, right?

One or two? Roll eyes.

[Haakon]

Yes, because one or two bad priests makes everyone else the same, right?

There has been *many* bad priests. But the worst part has been the catholic churches policy of defending paedos and just sending them elsewhere, letting them be free to molest children again.


When the Rev. James Porter abuse cases became public in the early 1990s, and again in January 2002 when the Globe revealed the extent of Rev. John Geoghan's abusive behavior, Cardinal Bernard F. Law characterized these as isolated incidents. But as documents started flowing from the church in 2002 and more alleged victims came forward, it soon became clear that clergy abuse was, in fact, a systemic problem in the Boston Archdiocese, involving scores of priests and hundreds of victims across the metropolitan area.

For decades church leaders kept horrific tales of abuse out of the public eye through an elaborate culture of secrecy, decepetion, and intimidation. Victims who came forward with abuse claims were ignored or paid off, while accused priests were quietly transferred from parish to parish or sent for brief periods of psychological counseling.
Far from being unaware of abusive behavior, Cardinal Law and his deputies had detailed information on many of the archdiocese's most serious molesters. Yet it was not until decades of allegations had accumulated against them that many abusive clergymen were removed from parish ministry. Despite reports of child rape and other criminal behavior by clergymen, church leaders made no apparent effort to inform law enforcement authorities. The scandal began brewing in Boston, but it was not isolated here. As public furor grew, other dioceses began confronting abusive clergy in their ranks. By the end of 2002, some 1,200 priests had been accused of abuse nationwide, according to a study by The New York Times. Over the course of the year, five US prelates resigned in connection with sex scandals, including Boston's Cardinal Law -- joining four others who had resigned in previous years. The crisis was also felt worldwide, with accusations of abuse or the mishandling of scandals forcing the resignation of bishops in Argentina, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Wales, Scotland, Canada, Switzerland, and Austria.

[Marie Louise von Preussen]

Funny thing is that this sort of protection doesn't exist in the majority of the Islamic world. Women are sometimes nothing but slaves with the right to remain silent, even more when dealing with religious figures; that's why this case is so exceptional.

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

Funny thing is that this sort of protection doesn't exist in the majority of the Islamic world. Women are sometimes nothing but slaves with the right to remain silent, even more when dealing with religious figures; that's why this case is so exceptional.

Is it just me or is there really a bit of over over-generalization in there? I live in a country with a 97% Muslim population and I can tell you that your statement is simply not true. In fact, most of the attacks on women here are done so in the name of family feuds, tribal jealousy, etc and Islam has nothing to do with them.

Only a few weeks ago, one of (secular) Asif Zardari's henchmen said that it was "part of their culture" when quizzed by reporters and human rights activists about the extra-judicial execution and improper burial of three tribal girls. Those actions were undertaken by an ignorant and backward people but their motivation was not religious and their actions were not santified by Shari'ah. Here's a link to the story. According to Shari'ah, it's mandatory for the husband and wife to marry of their own will but the tribals "customs" of some override those rules.

Even then, such cases are very rare. Yes, they do occur from time to time and when they do, there's so much outcry in the media and in our civil society that they get news coverage for weeks.

[Dr. Croccer]

Second the Fishman opinion's. Pedophiles aren't a special case unique to Western societies.

[Central Asian Qaghan]

What a shame. As I have mentioned before, there needs to be a proper school and education that these Imam's must go through to become an imam.

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Not just the Catholics then?

catholics enjoy it more

This seems to be the one type of shock story about Muslims that doesn't get very much attention.

I love it when people smoothly slip from one case to an overgeneralized judgement.

A catholic priest was charged of sexual abuse, so we should condemn the "catholics".

Now an Islamic priest gets charged of sexual abuse, so people will condemn the "Muslims".

So ignorant and narrow-minded.

For the love of god, folks, have you heard of individual responsibility?

Seconding Thanatos btw:

Yes, because one or two bad priests makes everyone else the same, right?

[jankren]

Trivial regional issue that doesnt deserve to be on the Mudpit.

This seems to be the one type of shock story about Muslims that doesn't get very much attention.

Where this kind of story doesnt get much attention? In USA and Europe? You wanna know why because most Americans and Europeans are Christians and there are more priests than imams there.

In Indonesia we hear about sexual scandals involving imams all the ing time and we rarely hear about sexual scandals involving priests. You know why? Because most of us Indonesians are Muslims and there are way more imams than priests in Indonesia.

This is as idiotic as saying "How come never heard about sex abuses by Zoroastrian priests in America?" Well, how many Zoroastrian priests are there in America?!?

Funny thing is that this sort of protection doesn't exist in the majority of the Islamic world.

What constitutes the Islamic World?

I really really hate it when people say 'the Islamic world' when they are actually talking about the 'Arab world' or 'the Middle East'.

[danzig]

Trivial regional issue that doesnt deserve to be on the Mudpit.

Well then 90% of thread in the forum should be closed then....

[Paul d]

Yeah, seeing as this is in Bosnia, which has a diverse mixture of many religious and cultural backgrounds. Doesn't quite constitute "Islamic World" does it?

[John McCain 2008]

This is what happens when religions impose non-marriage laws for their priesthood. Every priest/imam should marry if they feel the need to, marriage, in many ways, can prevent sinning lustfully over other women.

[Barry Goldwater]

This is what happens when religions impose non-marriage laws for their priesthood. Every priest/imam should marry if they feel the need to, marriage, in many ways, can prevent sinning lustfully over other women.

You mean like in the Orthodox Church (I think?)? :hmmm:

[John McCain 2008]

You mean like in the Orthodox Church (I think?)? :hmmm:

Yes, like the Orthodox and Protestants. They allow their priests (I don't think Protestants often use the term priest to describe their ministers) to marry if they feel they need to.

[Central Asian Qaghan]

This is what happens when religions impose non-marriage laws for their priesthood. Every priest/imam should marry if they feel the need to, marriage, in many ways, can prevent sinning lustfully over other women.

Imams are allowed to marry, do marry and marry all 4 wives like are accepted into doing. Mind you this makes one single line of Imam's and their ideology pretty strong.

Thats why, I would like them to take tests on various levels so that they can be educated much more than they are now, but still be within Islam's borders.

[Quadratus]