Cynthia D. Ritchie

Cynthia Dawn Ritchie, is an American blogger, filmmaker and "social media enthusiast" (The Indian Express, June 2020), who has lived in Pakistan for the last decade. Ritchie is known for having a keen interest in Pakistani affairs. Her opponents say she acted as a brand ambassador for the Pakistani deep state and campaigned through social media to uplift the overall image of Pakistan, portraying it as a country that needed to be viewed through a different lens. Liberal media and Pakistani feminists contested her more positive take on the country.[1][2] In June 2020, Ritchie herself made #MeToo allegations of sexual misconduct against politicians, one of previous political dispensation in Government, with majority of the women's 'movement' and human rights advocates remaining strangely silent on the matter. [3][4][5][6]

Personal background

Ritchie has been described as a global citizen:[7] and has written on a variety of topics including interfaith harmony, women and children's rights, tourism, and advocates for strong US-Pakistan relations:[8][9][10][11][12]

Ritchie has a social media following in the hundreds of thousands. A graduate of Louisiana State University, she has had additional training at the University of Houston School of Law, Pepperdine University, and George Washington University in the faculties of mass communications, criminal justice, conflict resolution, clinical and behavioral psychology and strategic public relations.[1] 2006 - 2009 she worked for The City of Houston as a community liaison, as a Guardian Ad Litem (child advocate) and court-appointed mediator.

In 2017, Ritchie also acted in the docu-drama, Angels Within, directed by Noor Naghmi.[13]

In Pakistan

In 2020 July, the Interior Ministry of Pakistan officially admitted before Islamabad High court that Cynthia D. Ritchie received clearances and facilitation to work on film projects with permission from Pakistan military's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.[14]

Ritchie's first known visit to Pakistan happened in 2010 after getting a visit visa from Pakistan's Houston consulate through familial connections of Pakistani businessman having substantial business interests in Houston USA, Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati. Swatis and other Houston based Pakistani expats including that of Association of 'Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America' reportedly helped Ritchie via socializing with Pakistan's elite Political contacts. According to Baqir Sajjad Syed Pakistani news portal Ritchie worked in Pakistan for namely Omair-Sana Foundation and Humanity Hope, the two institutions owned or managed by U.S.A. based Pakistani doctors. Ritchie also worked to improve communications in Pakistan's health sector.

In 2013, Ritchie was described by Michael Kugelman, of the Woodrow Wilson Institute in Washington, DC, as one of "Ten Americans doing great things for Pakistan." <https://www.dawn.com/news/779432?fbclid=IwAR2iq07k4D8gG2ORIBEzJp0D9jP9aCqtn9IE5H2uJT7VWgO8zfnSfTb9quo>

From about 2015 onwards, during her media and social media engagements, Ritchie began to more actively promote tourism and people to people relations.<https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/products/porsche-cayenne-s-e-hybrid-pakistan-lahore-adventure-challenge-off-road-james-davison-13888.html> <http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/48454/when-cynthia-ritchie-exposed-pakistan-exactly-as-every-pakistani-has-known-it-for-70-years/> <https://tribune.com.pk/story/1825095/6-pakistan-different-lens/>

Around 2016-2020, Ritchie began to research and analyse the Afghan-Pakistan Tribal region, Fifth-generation warfare, Kashmir conflicts, Pakistan-India relations. <https://tribune.com.pk/story/1882213/6-understanding-5th-generation-warfare> <https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/374345-crossing-the-line-of-ludicrous-lol> <https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2019/03/04/pakistan-lived-up-to-its-public-commitment-but-india-averted/>

In 2020 June, through social media platforms she claimed sexual misconduct against top leadership of Pakistan People's Party, while in power in 2011. The claim was contested by respective political dispensation and leaders.[15] When Ritchie was asked why she had not reported the rape incident earlier, she replied that several days after the event she did report the rape and theft of her laptop to a US Embassy official who worked in the political section. Months later, Ritchie also reported the theft of her identity to Federal Authorities in Washington, DC in 2012, but the "[US] Embassy's response and the USG's response was inadequate" and "besides, who in the [then] PPP administration would help me?".[16] She stated she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and, as a consequence, knew too much about US-Pak relations, especially surrounding events leading to May 1, 2011, and became a political liability - hence the lack of adequate assistance for an American in distress.

In 2020 August, a court dismissed Ritchie's rape case against Senator Malik and also dismissed Senator Malik's defamation case against the writer and film director. Ritchie stated she was prepared to take her case to Pakistan's Supreme Court if needed. She has also reached out to Congressional representatives regarding the court cases. <https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pakistan-court-rejects-us-bloggers-plea-to-register-rape-case-1.73026166>

Twitter controversies

Ritchie made contested #MeToo allegations of sexual misconduct against politicians, namely former Interior Minister, Rehman Malik: entangling one ex-President, two ex-prime ministers, including one female former Prime Minister and two ex-cabinet ministers. But many questioned why more women's liberal rights activists weren't supportive of an impartial investigation, due to some rights activists remaining silent or actively engaging in "victim blaming"- reflecting what was described, by many, as hypocrisy for Pakistani #MeToo movement activists.[17] Some Aurat (women's rights) marchers even accused Ritchie of "white privilege":[18] The Pakistan People's Party, which came under scrutiny, lodged complaints of false charges against Ritchie, whereas she came back with more accusations one after another through her Twitter handle. A social media war broke out and PPP accused Ritchie of online defamation of a deceased Prime Minister. Both the Pakistan Telecom Authority and Federal Investigative Agency, cybercrime division, said Ritchie committed no criminal offence and would, therefore, not pursue any case against her.[19] The Pakistan People's Party then launched a series of First Information Reports (FIRs) against Ritchie and even approached the Islamabad High Court to have her deported due to her making political statements on twitter. The High Court stated there was no Pakistani law forbidding foreigners to make political statements and ordered the Ministry of Interior (MoI) to let the law take its course and for the MoI to handle the matter.[20]

Media interactions

In her media interactions, Ritchie claimed that she did not choose Pakistan as an interest but Pakistanis chose her for their interests to reshape perceptions about Pakistan among the international community and has been called "The American Batting For Pakistan".[21]

See also

References
  1. "Who is Cynthia D Ritchie, the mysterious American woman who has been roiling Pak's politics and setting its social media on fire?". The Indian Express. 2020-06-08. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  2. Mohydin, Rimmel. "Womansplaining the Aurat March: Dear men, here's why Pakistan's women are asserting their rights". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  3. "US blogger who accused former Pakistan minister of rape shares details of 'that night'". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  4. "Cynthia Ritchie goes into detail about allegations against PPP leaders". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  5. "Cynthia dares Malik to face her in court". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  6. "Sex and Pakistan Politics: Why Cynthia D Ritchie has the military's ear". www.dailyo.in. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  7. Geo: March 15th, 2017: For global citizen Cynthia Pakistan is an adventurer's heaven
  8. Mvslim: Uncovering Pakistan's hidden jewels, Cynthia Ritchie's journey
  9. Mvslim: February 11th, 2016: Attacking Islam, Let us reflect on our American values
  10. Tribune: That little girl
  11. Tribune: Light a candle to curse the darkness
  12. Tribune: Reminder Pakistan's efforts in the war on terror
  13. Los Angeles Times: October 12th, 2017: Angels Within Review
  14. Asad, Malik (2020-07-18). "Cynthia working on ISPR & KP govt projects, court told". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  15. Deutsch Weld: J7ne 18th, 2020: Cynthia Ritchie on Pakistan rape allegations: 'I hope my experience helps other victims'
  16. Tribune: June 05, 2020: Cynthia Ritchie claims Rehman Malik raped her in 2011
  17. She the People: June 6th, 2020: Cynthia Ritchie accuses politicians of rape
  18. Dawn: June 16th, 2020: Rimmel Mohydin: Let me womans plain the Aurat March to you
  19. Dawn: June 14th, 2020: Malik Assad: PTA also can’t proceed against US blogger, court told
  20. The News of Islamabad: July 10th, 2020: IHC asks interior ministry to take a decision on Cynthia Ritchie deportation petition
  21. Global Village: November 17th, 2018: Cynthia Ritchie the American batting for Pakistan
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.