Murdered by her own family because she fell in love...
By babykay
@babykay (2131)
Ireland
June 12, 2007 8:24am CST
Banoz Mahmod was just 20 years of age when she was murdered by her father and uncle. Her "crime" was to conduct a relationship with a man of whom her family disapproved. An earlier attempt was made on her life and her boyfriend videoed her lying injured and covered in blood in hospital, saying her family were threatening her life.
Banoz's body was found buried in the foundations of a house in Birmingham, over 100 miles from where she was murdered in Micham, Surrey. It is not clear how the police came by the information leading to the discovery of the body, three months after she was murdered in January of 2006. The only reason a missing person's investigation was launched is because her boyfriend reported her missing. She was a beautiful young woman with big dark eyes and shiny black hair, who had been unhappy in her arranged marriage and left it. she started a relationship with a man who was a longstanding family friend who regularly attended dinner with them, but for some reason her uncle and father would not agree to a marriage. As Banaz and the man continued to see each other, Banaz was strangled, put in a suitcase and buried beneath a house. Her family thought their crime would renew their "honour" among the Kurdish community and that their crime would never be uncovered but they were very wrong.
Rest in peace Banaz, and here's to the hope that honour killings will become a thing of the past, soon.
3 people like this
6 responses
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
15 Jun 07
What a shame. I am just in such shock I don't know what the heck to say. I can only pray that the insanity stops.
1 person likes this
@babykay (2131)
• Ireland
18 Jun 07
I think someday this sort of thing will stop, I really hope it does. Once there is a social revolution in societies where it goes on it will greatly diminish. After reading all the media coverage about this I am convinced that many families do this to their girls due to dishonour but few are caught.
@Graymsqtech (496)
• United States
12 Jun 07
there is no honor in this brutality.
I think brutal control needs to end worldwide.
@pramodthakur (2365)
• India
12 Jun 07
In muslim countries this is common. Even the people leaving abroad have not approved this type of love relation. They are bonded with old tradition and respect even in abroad. Muslim are so hard liner that they do not accept easily anything against their religious law. In love relation both boys and girls are engaged but girls are always punished. I do not know the logic, mentality etc of the mulsim people behind this. Why they always punish girls only. If they punish, both must be punish either not. This is heinous crime. All countries should oppose this
1 person likes this
@babykay (2131)
• Ireland
12 Jun 07
hi - while it does seem to be primarily Muslims who are engaged in this sort of behavior towards women and girls, I think it should be pointed out that it appears to be cultural beliefs that perhaps predate Islam that lead to this. Also, Muslims claim that murder such as this is forbidden in the Koran.
But a cursory glance at information seems to confirm your assertion that it is mainly Muslims who do this. Perhaps if their leaders spoke out against it, it would be less prevalent?
@urbandekay (18278)
•
12 Jun 07
They ought to be called dishonour killings, since those that commit them clearly have none.
all the best urban
1 person likes this
@babykay (2131)
• Ireland
12 Jun 07
Perhaps. But the whole concept of a man's honour being bound up in the conduct and chastity of his wife/daughters/sisters nieces points to a weak, impotent creature. The murderers should have plenty of time to reflect on this while they languish in jail. Let us hope that they are not released early or any such other injustice occurs.
@KissThis (3003)
• United States
12 Jun 07
I read this news story this morning. I have heard of honoring killings before but I still don't understand how a family member can kill another family member because of something they thought the person had done wrong. I can't understand why anyone would want to take another persons life at all but especially your own daughters life. Like you I hope that one day honor killing becomes a thing of the past. May Banaz rest in peace.
1 person likes this
@babykay (2131)
• Ireland
12 Jun 07
ha ha, no we don't have honour killings in Ireland (not yet anyway). I read this story on the news
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6744861.stm
and I thought it very sad that a community/family could conspire to murder an innocent girl just to protect their honour. Its deeply sickening and while I realise that almost every society has incidents of murder, one in which it is compulsory for the esteem in which a family is held is very sick.
1 person likes this
