Author: Biju Govind
Publication: The Hindu
Date: June 19, 2002
At the tender age of 17, Raheena
was too young to realise that her marriage with a 67-year-old foreigner
would be shortlived.
Of course, she knew that her aged
husband was not a sultan from Arabia who would carry her off to a land
of prosperity and grandeur. All that was in her fragile mind a year ago
was that her `nikah' with Khalif Yusuf Hussein from Abu Dhabi would help
her family come out of the dungeons of poverty.
And in her heart of hearts, she
hoped her marriage would not abruptly end as it had happened to her legion
of unknown companions married off to ``the saviours'' from the foreign
lands and now roaming in the streets. But her fears came true. After a
month-long honeymoon in Kozhikode, Khalif Yusuf Hussein flew back to his
native place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Now exactly a year later, Raheena
was shocked to find that her husband wanted to divorce her. On his arrival
in Kozhikode, Hussein sent a letter to Raheena seeking a divorce from her.
That was an official `talaq', meaning divorce in the Shariat Law.
Raheena refused to accept the `talaq'
on the grounds that she had done no wrong. She began to receive threatening
calls from the same people who had earlier arranged her `nikah'. She went
to see him at a hotel. ``But I was ill-treated and sexually abused... I
was threatened with dire consequences, '' she said. Raheena also alleged
that Hussein had returned to marry another girl. Hussein alleged that Raheena
``was having a child out of wedlock. That is why I used the talaq.'' But
Raheena said the child he saw with her was her sister's and not hers.
Raheena mustered enough courage
to file a petition at a police station in Kozhikode. She also had the support
of V.P. Zuhara, an activist of Nisa (Woman), a voluntary organisation working
for the upliftment of women. Police arrested Hussein on the charges of
cheating and sexual assault against his teenaged spouse.
The Kozhikode District Magistrate
remanded Hussein to judicial custody for six days. Later, he got himself
admitted to the Government General Hospital. Records show that Hussein
had married Saudhali from Naduvattom here in 1999 and divorced her.
Raheena is the latest victim of
`Arabikaliyanam' which was once a regular feature in erstwhile Malabar.
But this is the first incident in which a foreigner has been arrested.
Raheena's is not an isolated case.
Several instances of ill-treatment and cheating still remain under covers,
thanks to legal loopholes and religious obscurantism despite the high-pitched
campaign against the exploitation of women. Raheena now stands on the edge
of uncertainty.
``It is poverty alone that compels
the parents to hand over their daughter to a foreigner through a local
agent,'' said Ms. Zuhara, saying that `Arabikaliyanam' was extensively
practised some 30 years in various parts of Kozhikode and its suburbs.
She said that last year when Raheena's
marriage took place four other Arabs were staying in the same hotel. ``They
were with their newly-weds from the Arabikaliyanams. These Arabs promise
to give financial protection to the family and contribute a substantial
amount to construct a house. But mostly they turn out to be fly-by-night
operators,'' she said.
On the other hand, the Kerala Sahitya
Academy chairman, N.P. Mohammed, said that some of the poor families had
prospered because of these alliances. ``Normally the bride is not sent
with the husband. In traditional homes, the husband comes to the bride's
place,'' said Mr. Mohammed, who has described these marriages in his novel
`Ennapadam'.
Ashraf Padanna, journalist of a
Gulf-based newspaper, says that since the marriage takes place strictly
under the Muslim Personal Law the girls have little or no role in their
marriage. The marriage is based on the mutual agreement between the girl's
father and the bridegroom.
Of late `Arabikaliyanams' have rampantly
increased child-marriages although most of the parents are aware that these
are illegal and they would land in prison.
Ms. Zuhara says that several lives
have been shattered on account of these marriages. Some of the victims
earn money doing household jobs, others have no other option but to turn
to the flesh trade.
Senior police officials say that
many agents are involved in this business and prostitution. An officer
said most Arabs come for cheap medical treatment here. They are not-so-rich
as considered to be but small-time traders and farmers. The modus operandi
of the touts is to approach the Arab once he arrives and present the details
of a teenage girl and her family background.
A large number of Arabs arrive in
the city every month on various types of visas. ``We monitor their activities
but it is difficult to check their private affairs. Even otherwise we can't
prevent the marriage because it is conducted in a legal and religious manner.
In the case of Hussein we booked him not on the charges of a fictitious
marriage but on complaints of harassment,'' according to N.M. Thomas, Assistant
Police Commissioner.
The police usually collect details
of nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka within 24 hours of
their arrival. ``We have instructed all the hotels to furnish details about
the foreigners, '' said the Kozhikode Police Commissioner, Sanjeev Kumar
Patjoshi, who is also the Foreign Registration Officer.
Only through awareness campaigns
could such evils be eradicated from the society. ``Strict vigil is needed
to curtail the functioning of agents. Parents should be educated on the
social problem, '' Ms. Zuhara said.
And more importantly, political
parties which harp on the welfare of the minorities should come to help
the poor people instead of protecting only the interests of the business
class and self-styled spiritual czars.
Mr. Mohammed also feels that reforms
are the only way to cure the social malady. ``But it is a challenge to
bring in any legislation. So the best way is to sort out the problem with
the active participation of religious leaders,'' he said.
