The Indonesian province of Aceh has become increasingly brutal in its application of Sharia. Several weeks ago, a group of Muslims dumped sewage on the heads of couple for violating the Sharia. Their “crime” was being alone together in a room. From the raid of university campuses in search of gays to floggings for playing entertainment games that have been deemed haram, Aceh province’s brutal Sharia patrols are out in force to punish any action deemed to be a violation of Islamic law.
But now comes a new twist:
Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province will no longer allow canings for violations of Shariah law to be carried out in public, its governor said Thursday, apparently in response to international condemnation of the caning last year of two men for gay sex that damaged Indonesia’s moderate image.
“Moderate”? Aceh is governed by the brutal supremacist Sharia, no matter how its leaders try to portray it. Why are Aceh’s leaders now resorting to the deceit of hiding its enforcement of Sharia from public view? Are they ashamed of Islamic law, even as they consider it to be the perfect law of Allah?
“Indonesia’s Aceh to take caning indoors after backlash,” Associated Press, April 13, 2018:
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province will no longer allow canings for violations of Shariah law to be carried out in public, its governor said Thursday, apparently in response to international condemnation of the caning last year of two men for gay sex that damaged Indonesia’s moderate image.
A memorandum of understanding signed by Aceh Gov. Irwandi Yusuf and Yuspahruddin, head of the provincial Law and Human Rights office, stipulates that caning can only take place inside prisons or other places of detention.
It says adults can still witness the punishment but recording won’t be allowed. The numbers of people will be much smaller than the hundreds who regularly cheered the outdoor proceedings.
“The aim of holding the caning inside prison is to prevent it from being watched by children, without cameras and hand phones,” Yusuf said after signing the memorandum, witnessed by Indonesian Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly….
Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY) says
I am puzzled by the above photograph of a man(?) being caned. His arms seem to be immobilized, but his feet are not hobbled, so he is free to walk. Why doesn’t the canee walk toward the caner, and maybe kiss him? Why are the caner and his two companions wearing burqa headgear?
J D S says
Cunning???….Now how stupid is that? Well stupid Is as stupid does and Islam and it’s adherents have plenty of stupidity.
J D S says
Not cunning but Caning!!!
PRCS says
Odd, when you consider how proudly they’ve conducted these events in public.
Of course, by taking it indoors, they can sell tickets to that voyeuristic mob.
Axolotl says
Banda Aceh – isn’t that the place that was obliterated by a tsunami, then rebuilt with millions of dollars worth of cash, manpower and materials donated by well-meaning Westerners? Maybe even the buildings and stage in the photo of the caning. A great result there then…
Yet another reason (for me) to brush-off the plague of ‘chuggers’ and tin-rattlers
Rarely says
Indonesia is not likely to make it into the list of top 10 tourist destinations any time soon.
Abu taleb says
Muslims want to build a shariah village in Bali as a tourist destination for muslims (of course denied by the Balinese, what an outrageous islamophobia). They should have in Aceh. But now they should find another place.
MFritz says
These ACEH-criminals know very well why they don’t show their faces in public when they commit their acts of violence. There may always be a muslim mob cheering them on but there are (still) others paying attention to their crimes.
Jay says
Aceh if anything is pretty moderate when it comes to the implementation of Sharia. Because men caught having homosexual sex are just caned not throw off buildings.
Kitman or whole-truth? says
Yes Axolotl, Aceh was devastated by the tsunami, and the regional leaders (who had been waging a brutal war against the central government for years) came to the conclusion that the reason they had been targeted was because they were not following Allah closely enough! Makes sense doesn’t it. This explains the return to the core aspects of islam, that of 7th century arabian punishments, including punishing other religions for transgressing islamic law. They get great joy from public beatings of christians. They are still working their way towards full implementation, and have petitioned the government to allow chopping off heads. The rest of the world waits to see if Aceh can join the esteemed ranks of Saudi Arabia for brutality.
Baucent says
I would expect this change has come after pressure from Jakarta. The government there will be more sensitive to international criticism. Window dressing of course.
Baucent says
Yes and window dressing will get you 40 lashes under Shariah law.
peter says
The muslims are not ashamed to adopt to modernity when it commes to material benefits and technology ,they claim their moral superiority by sticking to barbarian culture and worshipping a most evil and brutal dictator in the history of the world .
gerard says
“backlash” a pun?