WOMEN IN INDIA: EGALITARIANISM FROM A BOHRA WOMEN'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 MUMBAI 000112 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KWMN KDEM IN SUBJECT: WOMEN IN INDIA: EGALITARIANISM FROM A BOHRA WOMEN'S PERSPECTIVE MUMBAI 00000112 001.2 OF 004 ¶1. (U) Summary: In the spirit of International Women's Day, Consulate Mumbai met with six women from the Dawoodi Bohra community, a small, prosperous, highly-visible Shi'a Muslim sect based in Western India. The women described their sect as egalitarian in its treatment of men and women in education, marriage and basic freedoms. Though they acknowledged the Bohras have conservative, male-dominated traditions, the women were proud of the measure of independence they had achieved. The women acknowledged that the practice of female circumcision is still a Bohra religious obligation, but viewed it as a practice undertaken by both men and women. Though holding fast to certain ancient traditions, their sense of independence is noticeable in their dress, their approach to elections, and even in standing up to domestic violence. End Summary. Bohra Basics -------------- ¶2. (U) In conjunction with International Women's Day, Congenoff met with six women from the Dawoodi Bohra religious community, a small, Ismaili Shi'a Muslim sect known for its unusual cohesion, business acumen, and extreme devotion to its hereditary leader, Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. In Mumbai, a city of approximately 16 million people, 17 percent of whom are Muslims, the Bohras are a small, prosperous and highly-visible minority. The sect began in Egypt, and eventually came to India as missionaries, finding converts among Indian traders, largely in Gujarat. There are now approximately one million adherents in India and across parts of eastern Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. According to scholars, the sect today is largely comprised of traders, business owners and professionals. The Bohra world headquarters is in Mumbai where the Syedna resides. ¶3. (U) The sect requires strict adherence to the precepts handed down by the 96 year old Syedna, and those critical of his leadership face excommunication and ostracism from the community. Adherents are called upon to support a wealthy trust closely controlled by the Syedna and his family. The Syedna has used some of those funds collected from the community to construct and equip the Saifee hospital in Mumbai which serves all Mumbai residents and boasts seven state-of-the-art operating suites. The fund also sustains the luxurious lifestyle of Syedna and his extensive family. Those Bohras who have questioned the Syedna on the transparency and use of these funds, such as noted Bohra scholar Asghar Ali Engineer, have been excommunicated. Perceptions of Equality -------------- ¶4. (U) The six Bohra women were all university-educated, as are most Bohra women: three of the women work in fields from sociology to fashion, while the others are stay at home mothers. The women told Congenoff the community's emphasis on education for both males and females gives women a sense of being equals with their husbands. They said that each woman has the choice to work or stay home, but most choose to stay home when they have children. (Note: Some scholars have attributed the sect's ban of dowry as a key factor in higher education rates among women, as more family funds are available to pay for the daughter's education. End note.) Bohra women are recognizable for their white burqas, which are often embroidered with colorful designs and floral patterns. The burqa is still widely worn in the community, though two of the women wore a more MUMBAI 00000112 002.2 OF 004 casual tunic known as a salwar chamiz. The older women saw the burqa as a requirement and an outward expression of faith, which the younger women disputed. ¶5. (U) In discussing their perception of relative equality, the women felt that Bohra marriages are equal partnerships, as both men and women are urged by the Syedna to make compromises to make the marriage work. One of the older women acknowledged, however, that wives are obliged to compromise 70 percent of the time, and husbands 30 percent of the time. While accepting this reality, the women laughed at ways they maintain their independence despite the call to be subservient: one of the younger women admitted that she "compromises" by waiting until her husband is at work to view the television shows that he does not want her to watch. The other women laughed in recognition at this form of "compromise." ¶6. (U) The women were proud that they could attend prayers at the mosque with their husbands. Although restricted to an upper balcony while the men pray on the ground floor, the women can hear the preaching and be in the mosque just like their husbands. (Note: Their concept of equality between the sexes is measured against those Muslim sects where women are not permitted in the Mosques and must pray at home, as opposed to Hindu or Christian practices where women may pray next to men. End Note.) The women celebrated their freedom to move about without being accompanied by their husbands or another male relative, which would be forbidden for some Muslims. It is not uncommon to see a Bohra woman in her colorful frock and head cover driving down the busy city streets of Mumbai on a scooter. While Progressive, at Least One Medieval Tradition Remains -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) In the discussion, the Bohra women affirmed that female circumcision was practiced in their community, ordained and supported by the Syedna's decrees. They argued this practice is part of the egalitarian nature of their religion, as both men and women are circumcised. Boys are circumcised at birth, and girls, they said, undergo the procedure at age seven. They acknowledged that for males, the circumcision is for health reasons and that for women the procedure is to curb sexual desire and prevent wives from straying from their husbands. While conceding that the mind controls sexual desire, they all supported the practice. (Note: Indian law does not ban this practice. According to the 2007 Human Rights Report, the practice continued within the Bohra community in Pakistan, despite the procedure being illegal, though it was reportedly declining. End Note.) ¶8. (SBU) The extent of the practice, also referred to as female genital mutilation, among Bohras is difficult to determine. One woman described the procedure as just a small snip of flesh done without anesthesia; another described it as removal of the clitoris performed under anesthesia at a private clinic. Engineer, the Bohra scholar excommunicated from the sect, told Congenoffs the procedure is done under medical supervision in cities, but in rural areas it is sometimes done up to age 12 without anesthesia or medical supervision. Dr. Neelam Ghore, a gynecologist and women's rights advocate, said she had seen cases where the clitoris had been completely removed, but did not note any health complications impairing reproductive ability. Another gynecologist, Dr. Duru Shah, told Congenoff she has not seen female genital mutilation among her Bohra patients, concluding that if the procedure is truly universal, for her patients, it must have been a very minor excision. Marriage and Family Rights -------------- MUMBAI 00000112 003.2 OF 004 ¶9. (U) All six interlocutors had arranged marriages, as do most Bohras, but the women spoke positively about love marriages in their community as well. (Note: Arranged marriages are common across Indian society regardless of religion. In very traditional families, love marriages are rare, and in some cases are seen as an affront to the parents or as bringing dishonor to the family. End note.) The interlocutors said that within the Bohra community, education is highly valued and that while couples may become engaged at age 15 or 16, they are asked to wait until they complete their education before getting married, sometimes waiting an additional 3-5 years. The Syedna recommends that girls not marry before age 18 and that boys not marry until age 21, according to our interlocutors. They claimed that within the Bohra community there is no dishonor if an engaged couple breaks off the engagement because they find they are incompatible. (Note: If true, this would be a significant distinction from most conservative Muslims and Hindus in India. End note.) ¶10. (U) In line with mainstream Islamic law, Bohra practices allow a man to have up to four wives. However, the women told Congenoff that this right is rarely exercised and is to be used only when the first wife is unable to bear children, or, in some cases, to provide support and shelter for women who need it. (Note: In India, both polygamy and inheritance rights, among other areas, are governed by the personal laws of the respective religions. For Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs, polygamy is banned by the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, but Borhas remain governed by Islamic law which permits the practice. End Note.) Similarly, inheritance laws leave Borha women at a disadvantage: sons inherit the majority of the parent's estate. Nonetheless, the women were proud that daughters in the Bohra community inherit 25 percent of the parents' estate. ¶11. (U) The women said that Bohra families now generally have only two or three children, while their parents' generation came from much larger families. The women rely on modern medical practices to control the size of their families, most often by tubal ligation. The women said birth control pills and abortion are discouraged within the community and they laughed at the thought of men having a vasectomy, saying that would never happen. [Note: Dr. Shah explained that many men in India believe that a vasectomy will render the male impotent. End note.] They claimed there is no particular preference for male children and that feticide or infanticide is not an issue within the community. Separately, A.L. Sharada of Population First, an organization working to combat female feticide, confirmed that while male children are preferred throughout India because of their ability to help support the family, Muslims generally do not have abortions, nor do they share the Hindu religious tradition in which a son is prized and needed to light the father's funeral pyre. Engaging with Society as Independent Women -------------- ¶12. (U) Though the women denied domestic abuse occurs within the Bohra community, they are increasingly conscious of its prevalence in India society. For example, they recounted standing up to protect a non-Bohra neighbor from abuse by ringing the doorbell to let the husband know they knew what was going on and to interrupt his abuse. This idea, they said, came from a television public service campaign urging neighbors intervene in cases of domestic abuse by ringing the doorbell to interrupt the abuser. [Comment: Whether or not these women are aware of any cases of domestic abuse within the Bohra community, scholars have generally agreed that domestic violence knows no bounds of religion or socio-economic status. The directors of "Bapnu Ghar", Mumbai's oldest walk-in shelter for battered women, run by the Maharashtra State Women's Council, told Congenoffs that reuniting women with their abusive husbands is considered the best option in most cases because few women in MUMBAI 00000112 004.2 OF 004 India have the means to support themselves. As the media campaign points out, bringing attention to the abuse by ringing the doorbell is a small but expedient way women can help curb domestic abuse. End comment.] ¶13. (U) Likewise, the women hold fast to their independence in exercising their right to vote, refusing to even discuss politics with their husbands to avoid being told how to vote. They recounted being targeted by anti-Muslim violence in the past and said they would never vote for a pro-Hindutva candidate. In this election, however, the women argued that all politicians were corrupt and inept, and said they were unlikely to support any candidate. ¶14. (SBU) Comment: As highly educated women, the Bohras who met with Congenoff enjoy freedom, economic status and a degree of equality superior to most women in India. While by western standards they may not appear equal to men, they see the cup as more full than empty. As is true for many other Indians, modern medicine, technology, mass communication and even fashion are making inroads into their lives, creating a bridge between centuries old traditions and the 21st century. Intellectually, they accepted that the rationale given for female circumcision does not stand up to scrutiny, but they nonetheless accept it as part of the requirements of their faith that they share equally with men They are conscious of, and claim a right to, equality with their husbands and are proud of the freedom they have achieved. End Comment. FOLMSBEE