World Celebrates Forced Marriage

After much planning and organising, the happy couple could barely contain their excitement as their big day drew ever closer. Thrilled at the prospect of being brought together in holy matrimony, Prince Albert of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock were married over the weekend and are now looking forward to a blissful life together.

Except that is not what happened. Amid new revelations that Prince Albert had fathered a third illegitimate child, a desperate Charlene Wittstock made her way to the airport with a one-way ticket to South Africa, wanting nothing more to do with Prince Albert or the wedding. However, before she could board her flight, the Police, who are in effect Prince Albert’s men, arrived and seized her passport, preventing her from leaving. Prince Albert’s entourage then “persuaded her to stay” and go through with the wedding.

Unable to depart, with her passport in Police possession, there was no-one she could appeal to, no-one she could turn to. When the Prince himself had not allowed her to leave, she realised she had no choice and was forced to go through with a wedding she did not want to be a part of, just so Prince Albert may obtain a legitimate heir, born within the bonds of marriage, as only legitimate descendants are allowed to rule Monaco.

Prince Albert was resolute that this marriage was going to happen no matter what, and happen it did. Those who watched the wedding witnessed the discomfort and unease between the couple as they attempted to put on a show of unity for the worlds media.

Now just imagine if this had been a Muslim couple and the Muslim bride-to-be tried to flee the country, wanting nothing more to do with her up-coming wedding. As she arrives at the airport with her one-way ticket out of the country, the Muslim Police suddenly turn up and confiscate her passport, leaving her stranded and unable to go back home. Then her future in-laws turn up to “talk her round” and “attempt to persuade her to stay”, how, one can only wonder. In the meanwhile her Muslim fiancé is waiting at home for her having assured everyone, that there is no way this wedding is about to be called off. Right on cue, the Muslim woman turns up and reluctantly goes through with the wedding that she tried to get away from. Had this happened, the world would have been up in arms, screaming “forced marriage”.

Whereas Muslims would receive much condemnation, here there was celebration, with many politicians, royalty and celebrities in attendance, including the French President Nicholas Sarkozy. This is the same man who sees himself as a defender of womens' rights, when he banned the veil in France, so women may be liberated from oppression despite protests from Muslim women themselves. So why did he not say something? Why did no-one speak up for Charlene Wittstock? Why has no-one condemned this forced marriage? Where are all those voices that are normally so quick to speak up for the plight of women?

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