'Syariah in Aceh silencing women's voices'<\/p>\n
There are fears that the official implementation of syariah,
\nor Islamic Law, in Aceh since March 15 has compromised demands
\nfor bringing human rights violators to trial. There have been
\nalso been incidents of violence involving syariah. The Jakarta
\nPost's Ati Nurbaiti spoke with Suraiya Kamaruzzaman, director of
\nthe Banda Aceh-based Flower Aceh women's organization, and a co-
\nrecipient of last year's Yap Thiam Hien Award for human rights.<\/p>\n
Question: Are people content now that you have the syariah?<\/p>\n
Answer: That the official implementation of syariah was the
\n\"desire\" of the Acehnese has been politicized.<\/p>\n
But male and female victims have said that they want human
\nrights violators put on trial, and that victims be rehabilitated.<\/p>\n
Over time this issue disappeared -- while anywhere between two
\nto five people are still being abducted and killed on a daily
\nbasis. There have been many interpretations regarding syariah,
\nbut there is no credible institution to interpret it and, hence,
\nthere has been violence among the people.<\/p>\n
Hardly anything else has changed. The main issue now is that
\nof women whose dress is not in accordance with what the
\n(dominant) idea of what Muslim dress is.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh there was a huge billboard with the picture of a
\nyoung woman without a jilbab (headscarf) cowering in fear with an
\nimage of a scissor near her, next to a smiling woman in a jilbab.<\/p>\n
The syariah in Aceh is a means to silence womens' voices.<\/p>\n
How did you come to that conclusion?<\/p>\n
Without belittling all the parties which strived to end the
\nperiods of heavy military operations (1989-1998) in Aceh, it was
\nthe testimony of two women victims in Jakarta that began to
\nreveal the atrocities, through their description of how they were
\namong thousands of widows.<\/p>\n
That led to the special investigation team on Aceh.<\/p>\n
Now if women, when they are about to leave their homes, are so
\nbusy attending to themselves, of whether a single strand of hair
\nis exposed, whether they are wearing anything tight or brightly
\ncolored, they might contemplate little else (other than how to
\navoid being victims of violence).<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, one young woman on the street screamed as a
\ngroup of men cut her jeans open -- saying that women shouldn't
\nwear men's clothing, including jeans -- and no one came to her
\naid (she cites many similar cases). By cutting the jeans, they
\ninstead exposed what was earlier covered.<\/p>\n
Don't they know that men in the Middle East wear gowns?<\/p>\n
So why aren't you wearing your jilbab as you have for years?<\/p>\n
I still wear it when I teach (chemistry) and at official
\noccasions. But I became so mad when I heard cases of women being
\nchased and pelted with eggs and tomatoes for not wearing the
\njilbab. Women in Lhokseumawe (North Aceh) were angry and chased
\nmen who did not go to Friday prayers. A woman on a bus to
\nTakengon was so angry with a group of young men who harassed her
\nfor wearing a loose shawl that she threatened them with her
\nsickle. I've concluded that the issue of women's dress can be
\nused to domesticate women for many purposes.<\/p>\n
No one used to fuss about women wearing shirts and jeans.<\/p>\n
Any man, from school boys up to old men, now think that
\nthey're the morality police.<\/p>\n
Interpretation of Islam varies around the world. A friend,
\nvisiting Egypt, thought a woman was crazy when she didn't cover
\nher head when praying, before realizing that many others also did
\nso. We are mostly of the Syafi'i school, while some others are
\nfrom the Maliki school. Must we punish others who are different?<\/p>\n
Aehnese have been said to be used to dialog regarding
\nreligion. Why did the start of the syariah go through despite
\nprotests following incidents of violence?<\/p>\n
For many, the label of being anti-Islamic would be very
\ndangerous. The reactions to our protests alone were that we were
\nsecular women against the syariah.<\/p>\n
What we had said was that we protested the violence caused by
\ninterpretation of religion and that by the state; that people
\nmust be careful against being provoked into actions which cause
\nconflicts among ourselves; and that these issues have become
\nblurred those of human rights violations.<\/p>\n
We are worried that these conditions will continue without
\nanyone daring to challenge the dominant interpretations.<\/p>\n
Now people must pay more for new uniforms; and even though one
\nuniversity applied a grace period, the mobs didn't care and would
\nchase female students not wearing the \"proper\" dress ... The
\ndrawing up of rules on special autonomy in Aceh has hardly
\ninvolved any women. Even ulema and some women condone the
\nimposing of the dress code saying it's a necessary process.<\/p>\n
Offices must put up in Arabic name plates. I suppose cars will
\nbe exchanged with camels. The province secretary even said that
\nthe military and police have been asked to help draw up
\nimplementation rules.<\/p>\n
We reject the implementation of syariah based only on symbols.<\/p>\n
What should the issues be?<\/p>\n
Why is there no rule on the protection of women and children
\nbased on Islam? Rehabilitation of victims of violence based on
\nIslam should also be discussed. Rules are needed on collusion,
\ncorruption and nepotism (KKN) involving the administration.<\/p>\n
It's easy to provide Rp 1 billion for free jilbabs; what about
\nproviding sanitation facilities all over Aceh to ensure that we
\nhave clean water for wudhu (washing before prayers)?<\/p>\n
There's a plan to fine Muslims Rp 2 million or a sentence of
\ntwo months in prison for not adhering to dress code. No one will
\nbe able to pay so prisons should be expanded.<\/p>\n
So while public space has narrowed, imposing the dress code on
\nwomen is the only area where men can still show they are macho.<\/p>\n
Authorities have now changed tack through \"persuasion\" of
\nreligious teachings (syiar) through the distribution of free
\njilbabs from the Governor's wife, policewomen, and others.<\/p>\n
Why don't they also spread the syiar that arbitrary killings
\nand abduction are not allowed in Islam?<\/p>\n
Very recently, 15 entertainment workers were arrested in Banda
\nAceh and their pictures were so big in the media. We support
\nefforts to stop vice -- but a presumption of innocence must be
\nupheld. The women were only performing karaoke at a hotel.<\/p>\n
None of the male customers was arrested. Neither were those
\nproviding protection for such business, who have weapons. And
\nwith so few opportunities to gain income, some women may indeed
\nhave been desperate (to become prostitutes). Many lack capital
\nand still don't feel secure. Aceh has some 350,000 single-mother
\nhouseholds. An approach based on morality will not work.<\/p>\n
The syariah so far only enforces Aceh's patriarchal culture.<\/p>\n
This started since ulema, who were encouraged by the last of
\nAceh's queens (in the 17th century) to study in Cairo. Upon their
\nreturn, they issued a fatwa (or religious edict) that women were
\nnot supposed to lead.<\/p>",
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