Sharia law: I'm not moving to Aceh any time soon
Todays Jakarta Post featured an article on how Sharia law is carried out in Aceh. Sharia law is traditional Islamic law, which while has its good points, just doesn't sound like a fun way to live. Sharia law was introduced to Aceh in 2003 when it was granted special autonomy.
The article says that the Sharia police rounded up local men and women for 'going out together in quiet places' (does that mean nightclubs are okay?). There are people including the former Minister of Justice, who want a Sharia state for the whole of Indonesia. I'm sorry but that's just wrong. Indonesians are open, friendly, fun-loving people. Their whole way of life and way of communicating is not geared towards a sad, scared system of beating people down with laws and forcing them into an ideology.
If I were living in Aceh I would hope the place never becomes 'free' if this is a taste of freedom.
By Nick | Permalink
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Comments
Chan,
Do you consider Sharia law to be proper law system for a functioning Islamic state?.
After all, it has functioned as THE Islamic law in many countries for centuries.
Whether Sharia is proper or not I wish it would stay were it comes from, along with a lot of western ideas.
Indonesians are their own people and don’t need outside pressures from the West or Middle East.
The whole idea of a native people living on the equator in Asia adhering to ‘tradtional law’ which came from a desert culture thousands of miles away is ludicrous. Its not culture its cultural steamrolling, the same way the Christian missionaries go into New Guinea and convert tribal members, who have no idea about the mythology they are supposedly buying into.
Barry, I don’t want to live in a state based on the psychotic rantings of a 7th Century AD desert tribesman. We saw how well women fared under the Taleban…….how do you think life for the Balinese would change?
Does that mean there is no beer or whisky? And a bit of red wine at each meal?… doctors keep saying it’s good for health!
Poor guys… the tsunami, a guerrilla war, and now this!
they can always try online dating! Please see:
Sharia is an entirely foreign influence upon Indonesia. It comes from the Arabian peninsula and its intolerance and bigotry is completely foreign to the liberal attitudes that have prevailed in this Nation for thousands of years. As such, Sharia and Wahabism should be recognized as nothing but imperialism foisted upon us from abroad, and antithetical to Pancasila.
The Acehnese did not ask for Sharia. It was imposed by Jakarta in an attempt to link Islamic radicals with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for internation media consumption. Jakarta had to bring in Sharia judges etc from Java because they were unable to find locals willing to serve.