Religious Violence Flares in Indonesia as Mob Torches Aceh Church

Authorities tear down a church in Aceh Singkil, enforcing a
decree from the local Muslim-dominated religious harmony forum.

THE GUARDIAN: Muslim vigilante is shot dead as small Protestant house of worship attacked and authorities move to ‘ensure security’ – by demolishing more churches

Indonesia is struggling to live up to its national motto “unity in diversity” after a mob attack on a church left one dead and the authorities responded by demolishing more churches.

The attack took place in the conservative province of Aceh, the only region in Indonesia that has sharia law and where religious tension has been brewing for months.

A mob wielding sharp weapons torched the small Protestant church in the district of Aceh Singkil last week, saying it lacked an official permit. One Muslim vigilante was shot dead in the attack, while thousands of Christians fled to a neighbouring province.

Bishop Elson Lingga visited Aceh Singkil the day after the attack and said there was a deep sense of unease in the villages. “After the event everyone is suspicious of each other, thinking, ‘Are they the ones that reported us?’ They are afraid of their Muslim neighbours,” he said. » | Kate Lamb in Jakarta | Friday, October 23, 2015

Indonesian 'Punks' Caned for Pre-marital Sex
AFP: LANGSA, Indonesia — Sharia police in Aceh, the only Indonesian province to practise the Islamic law, caned a homeless "punk" couple nine times Friday after they were caught having pre-marital sex in public.

Around 100 people in the town of Langsa watched and cheered when sharia police in green-and-black hoods caned the 21-year-old woman and her 23-year-old boyfriend, along with 11 others convicted of gambling.

"Those kids are punks. They were caught having sex by the public and were arrested by sharia police," Langsa prosecutor's office head Putra Masduri told AFP.

Masduri said the couple were often seen loitering on the streets dressed as punks, however they dressed in traditional white Islamic clothing for their caning.

Although they were arrested for pre-marital sex, their punishment comes amid a crackdown on punks in the province, in which police have raided cafes and parks to detain youths contributing to what authorities call a "social disease". » | AFP | Friday, April 20, 2012

Indonesia Aceh Quake Triggers Indian Ocean Tsunami Alert

BBC: An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.6 has struck under the sea off Indonesia's northern Aceh province.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said a tsunami had been generated but its likely impact was not yet clear.

It advised national authorities across the Indian Ocean region to "take appropriate action".

The region is regularly hit by earthquakes. The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 killed 170,000 people in Aceh.

One official quoted by Reuters said a 17cm (6.7in) tsunami had been generated and was heading for the coast of Aceh.

The US Geological Survey (USGS), which documents quakes worldwide, said the Aceh quake was centred 33km (20 miles) under the sea about 495km from Banda Aceh, the provincial capital.

It was initially reported as 8.9 magnitude but was later revised down to 8.6 by the USGS. Strong aftershocks were also reported.

The BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Jakarta says there were reports of the ground shaking for up to five minutes. (+ video) » | Wednesday, April 11, 2012

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Indonesia Sets New Tsunami Warning as Aftershock Hits: BANGKOK — A powerful 8.6-magnitude earthquake struck more than 200 miles off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday, spreading panic among residents and reviving memories of the devastating 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the same area. » | Thomas Fuller | Wednesday, April 11, 2012

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Indian Ocean on tsunami alert after quakes: Indian Ocean tsunami warning extended after strong aftershock off northern Indonesia's coast. » | Source: Al Jazeera and agencies | Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Islamic Police Hold Sway in Indonesia's Aceh
AFP: BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — In Indonesia's only province ruled by strict Islamic law, the sight of the "morals police" prompts women to quickly adjust their headscarves and male and female companions to move apart.

In Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra island, it is the job of the 1,000-strong Wilayatul Hisbah, or Islamic police, to enforce sharia laws that mandate public modesty for women, and forbid unmarried couples from socialising.

In the capital Banda Aceh last week, a woman peeled away from her husband, reached for a scarf and quickly wrapped it around her head as a patrol approached; a petrified couple hopped on a motorcycle and fled.

But another pair hiding behind a large rock on the beach were not so lucky.

"Are you married?" roared a burly officer, wearing a khaki uniform and sporting a thick moustache, as he approached the cringing couple who shook their heads.

"This is unacceptable in Aceh, we have sharia laws here. Go along now, go home," he said, after examining their identity cards. » | Arlina Arshad (AFP) | Monday, April 09, 2012

Bashir Walks Out of Trial
Mar 21 - Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir walks out of court for a third time at witness testimonies delivered via video link. Marie-Claire Fennessy reports

Bashir in Jakarta Court
Mar 7 - Another court appearance for Abu Baka Bashir who is accused of planning to use weapons to commit acts of terror. Julie Noce, reports

En Indonésie, l'islam a sa police et ses bourreaux
Les « offenseurs de l'islam », comme cette femme accusée d'être restée seule avec son petit ami dans une maison de Bandah Aceh, en 2006, reçoivent leur châtiment en public. Photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: Dans la région d'Aceh, islamisée depuis le XIIIe siècle, le châtiment de flagellation est appliqué en cas d'atteinte supposée aux règles du Coran.

Drapée de noir, coiffée d'une cagoule frangée d'orange, un loup blanc sur les yeux, une forme à peine humaine se hisse sur l'estrade avec une infinie lenteur. La foule frissonne. Dans la province indonésienne d'Aceh où l'imaginaire vagabonde, les bourreaux de la charia à l'étrange accoutrement ont rejoint le panthéon des croquemitaines, aux côtés de Geunteut et Burong Tujoh, deux génies malfaisants.

Le ciel est bas sur Jantoh. Des nuages lourds et épais écrasent les dômes de la mosquée. Par-delà les montagnes, tout au nord de l'île de Sumatra, ce bourg perdu dans les forêts d'acacias est en effervescence. C'est jour de flagellation publique. Après la grande prière, dans un grésillement épouvantable, un haut-parleur énonce l'identité des trois «offenseurs de l'islam», des joueurs de jundibuntut, une loterie locale où l'on mise moins de 5000 roupies (40 centimes d'euros) sur trois chiffres. Avec une violence et une précision inouïes, le bourreau cingle de sa canne de rotin le dos de ses victimes. À chacun des coups portés, les coupables vêtus de blanc grimacent sous la douleur.

Aceh, quatre millions d'habitants, dont 98% de musulmans, bénéficie depuis 2001 d'une autonomie spéciale et depuis 2003 de tribunaux chariatiques où 408 condamnations ont été prononcées. À la tête de cette administration judiciaire, Armia Ibrahim vante les mérites de la flagellation qui «n'est faite que pour humilier et non pour faire souffrir». Il ne comprend pas les réserves des organisations des droits de l'homme. «En dix minutes, l'affaire est réglée. Vous n'êtes pas privé de votre liberté. C'est une justice humaniste», explique-t-il.

Première région islamisée d'Indonésie au XIIIe siècle et peut-être même de toute l'Asie du Sud-Est, Aceh a toujours revendiqué un particularisme religieux. Mais depuis que certains préceptes du Coran font loi, un millier de «policiers de la charia» traquent la consommation d'alcool, les baisers volés, les jeux d'argent et les tenues occidentales. >>> Par Florence Compain | Jeudi 22 Juillet 2010

Blonde Meets Sharia Law: When the Tourist Becomes the Attraction
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: Despite covering up, Courtney Trenwith finds herself the centre of attention in Indonesia's only province that applies sharia law.

An hour after arriving in the capital of Indonesia's only non-secular province, I stepped out of a black SUV-style taxi at the mouth of a sleepy little market. I was wearing a long grey dress and cardigan, with a white pashmina draped over my head, across my shoulders and neatly tucked under my chin. I felt confident, impenetrable and, ironically, elegant.

“Psst, lady, lady,” Achenese men called from the back of tooting motorcycles.

Were Muslim men seeking my attention?

I ignored the jeers and entered the market with my five Australian female friends, who were similarly covered up. Men and women came rushing from the rear of their stalls and emerged from side streets. Many, mostly men, enthusiastically - desperately - beckoned us into their tiny shops.

“Pretty. Beautiful,” they said.

The surprising sense of confidence I had felt since changing into this unfamiliar attire during a stop-over at Kuala Lumpur airport, quickly diminished.

It seemed my pale hands and face – the only bare parts of my body - had revealed my true origins – a place somewhere far from the inherently Muslim community of Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

Throughout Asia I have become accustomed to my light skin and blonde hair causing much fuss among the locals. I've often transformed from the tourist to the attraction, as men, women and children whip out their mobile phones to snap the strange white girl.

But I had expected to be shielded from gawkers while observing the strict sharia law dress code, including a jilbab (the Indonesian term used for a head scarf).

Furthermore, I thought being in a strict Islamic region where it is even prohibited for single, unrelated men and women to stand close together in public, would have ruled out verbal male attention. >>> Courtnet Trenwith | Monday, July 12, 2010

Courtney Trenwith travelled as a fellow in the Asia Pacific Journalism Centre's Understanding Near Neighbours tour.

Aceh Govt. Refuses to Sign Stoning By-law
THE JAKARTA POST: The Aceh provincial government will not sign the controversial Islamic bylaw allowing adulterers to be stoned to death, an official said.

Hamid Zein, the head of the legal bureau of the Aceh governor’s office, said Thursday that the administration has firmly rejected the bylaw passed by the legislative council on Monday.

“As long as the executive and legislative bodies do not settle differences in the application of [capital punishment by] stoning, the Aceh government will not sign the bylaw,” Hamid said.

In the deliberation he said government representatives had repeatedly stated objections to the inclusion of the stoning penalty for adulterers in the Islamic criminal code (jinayat). Aceh is the country’s only province with special provisions allowing it to have Islamic sharia-based laws.

However, following initial endorsement of the bylaw, Home Minister Mardiyanto said the government would file a review to the Supreme Court, saying it was “detrimental” to Acehnese and would “frighten” visitors and investors, as well as possibly not respecting the [national] constitution.

His statement signaled the first time the central government had intervened in the issuance of rules and legislation by the Aceh administration and council.

The National Commission on Violence against Women has gone further, calling for a judicial review of the 2006 law on Aceh’s governance that provided its authority to issue sharia-based laws, saying that the bylaw was contrary to human rights.

Governor Irwandi Yusuf on Thursday declined to comment. >>> Hotli Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post , Bandah Aceh | Friday, September 18, 2009