On mixed marriage<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post's coverage on Legal consequences of mixed
\nmarriage (Oct. 20) was an eye-opener and certainly serves as a
\nlighthouse. However, the hard-to-cope with legal pitfalls
\nconnected with mixed marriages deserve to be addressed.<\/p>\n
The most painful problem in the event that a mixed marriage
\nbreaks up is child custody and support, complicated by the
\nnationality of the child or children.<\/p>\n
Law cannot resolve all problems arising out of failed
\nmarriages. But it can mitigate the traumatic fallout. A simple
\nway to soften a situation, where an Indonesian woman has to take
\non all the odds at present, is to enact a law which could confer
\non all children born in Indonesia, inside of wedlock, Indonesian
\ncitizenship. In conjunction with this, if the law allows for the
\nalien husband to become an Indonesian citizen -- say, after one
\nyear of registering the marriage -- this would add further to the
\nsecurity and durability of the marriage.<\/p>\n
Lastly, the existing law on this subject is not sexist.
\nPerhaps the law does not want Indonesian women to marry aliens,
\nwithout actually prohibiting it. This intended but indirect
\npurpose has faltered and has created serious situations, which
\nwould not be the case if mixed marriages were forbidden, in the
\ncontext of Indonesia trying to integrate its economy with that of
\nthe world at a fairly fast clip.<\/p>\n
Thus law, never a fixity, needs to be changed in this case,
\nnot challenged. Here is where The Jakarta Post can help out,
\nkindling public sympathy and support.<\/p>\n
G.S. EDWIN<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-mixed-marriage-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }