NT cop 'should be fired' over marriage

http://news.smh.com.au/national/nt-cop-should-be-fired-over-marriage-20080609-2ntk.html

The Northern Territory government is facing opposition demands to sack a police officer who sanctioned a marriage between his 13-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old man.

NT Opposition Leader Terry Mills said the Aboriginal Community Police Officer (ACPO) "stood by while the law was broken in his own home".

"As a consequence he has forfeited the right to serve as a territory police officer," Mr Mills said in a statement on Monday.

"It is totally unacceptable for a police officer to turn a blind eye to the commissioning of a criminal offence and keep his job."

NT Chief justice Brian Martin sentenced the husband in March this year to two years jail, suspended after six months, after he pleaded guilty to three charges of having sexual intercourse with a child under 16.

Justice Martin said the child "freely entered" into the traditional marriage and became pregnant in September 2006.

But the foetus died inside the womb and the victim had to be operated on. She also tested positive to three sexually transmitted infections.

"The consequences for this child are a graphic illustration of the dangers associated with young children having sexual intercourse with men like you," Justice Martin said.

But the relationship was approved by the couple's parents, he said, with the ACPO permitting the young man - who was born in Alice Springs - to sleep with the girl in the family house.

It's tough when they have existed like this for 50,000 years plus. The Biblical Mary was probably around 13 too. As taboo as this subject might be, go to any Sub-Saharan African country and you'll see the same thing.

I'm not condoning it, but I've seen the way that the NT government works (I could tell you a few stories - but not in public). Maybe they should be working on some of the underlying problems before simply attacking these people with the full force of the law.