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Lame Duck Hardliners In Indonesian Province Press For Strict Sharia Criminal Code

By Howard M. Friedman

From the Brisbane Times, ABC News and the Jakarta Post this week we piece together the following story. In Indonesia's province of Aceh in 2005, separatist rebels and the government signed a peace accord after 29 years of conflict. (Background.) Four years earlier, the government had granted broad elements of autonomy to the province which proceeded to adopt a code partially enforcing Islamic law. This past April, however, the secular Partai Aceh (the former independence fighters) won elections and will take control of the legislative council in a few weeks. It wants to repeal portions of the province's Islamic code, which has been enforced with less rigor in recent years. However religious fundamentalists are attempting to get the lame duck legislature to enact a new jinayat, or strict Islamic criminal law, before they finally leave office. Apparently a vote will be held in the legislative council on Monday.

The jinayat covers consumption of alcohol, gambling and rape. However the greatest attention has been given to its punishments for adultery. Unmarried couples would receive 100 lashes with a cane, while married adulterers would be stoned to death. Now though opposition is growing to the death penalty for married adulterers from government officials. The new law would also punish those who give assistance to others violating the sharia law on adultery, such as beauty salons, motels or hotels.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on September 13, 2009 (boomark / email).