Aceh braces for new challenges

BANDA ACEH (JP): Since the 17th century, Indonesia's westernmost province of Aceh has enjoyed a reputation as one of the most prosperous Moslem areas in Southeast Asia.

The region is often lauded as a place where Moslems have successfully blended tradition and religion. For the Acehnese, both elements are inseparable from their lives, what they term in the local language Adat ngon hukom lagee ngon sifeuet.

But modern influences have begun to shake the established core of tradition. The Jakarta Post met several experts in the city last week to determine their views on the changing face of Acehnese society.

Muslim Ibrahim, director of Post-Graduate School of the Islamic Institute IAIN Ar-Raniry in Banda Aceh, observed that changes were already present.

"It is a natural process in this globalization era," he said. "Religiosity and secularism stand side-by-side in Aceh today."

Acehnese society in general holds tightly to both religious and traditional codes, but he conceded that a shift had occurred. "In the past, all community members, regardless of class, held to the views. Today, some groups of people are starting to compromise with values outside the existing codes."

He said there were positive and negative aspects to societal changes among youths.

"I see that in urban areas, young people are now conducting more religious practices," said the doctorate holder in Islamic law philosophy from Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. "If we visit a mosque in Banda Aceh or other cities in the province, we may see a lot of teenagers praying, reading the Koran and doing other constructive activities. It is very encouraging."

At the same time, some youths had embraced a "modern" lifestyle often at odds with tradition.

"They have inappropriate perceptions of modernism, as they only adopt physical aspects rather than its way of thinking," said Ibrahim, also one of the chairmans of the province's Ulemas Council (MUI).

He said he haven't entered any movie theater or other entertainment centers here, but he feels really concerned to learn that more and more young people visit such places.

He also believed that television programs, both local and foreign produced, were bad influences.

"What we need now is to build strong shields to curb any development excesses which will affect the society," said Ibrahim.

One preventive action would be to censor entertainment programs broadcast in Aceh, he said, adding this was an issue which needed more attention.

He said the province's censorship board, composed of government officials, business representatives, scholars and ulemas, was still ineffective.

Nurjanah, a teenager counselor, said the media could play a great role in spreading information about teenage problems.

"When we had our own local newspaper, people began to read news on youth problems," she said.

Some of the cases received coverage in the national media, she said.

Family values in Aceh were undergoing marked changes, she said. The urban middle class is growing, and the lifestyle of this group is shaping their offsprings' physical and emotional development.

Many middle-class parents, usually well-educated and aged between 40 and 50 years, are more permissive in rearing their children than their own parents, Nurjanah said.

"Sometimes they are too lenient in disciplining their children," she said. "For instance, they often let their kids stay out of the house until midnight."

They also tend to spoil their children with material goods, often neglecting emotional needs.

This contrasted with villages where parents tend to be overly strict and rigid in enforcing moral tenets, creating a perpetual state of tension for their ofspring.

"Many juvenile delinquencies involve teenagers from rural areas who come to the city to continue their education," she added.

Freed from parental strictures, the youths indulge themselves in taboo activities.

Ahmad Humam, a sociologist at the University of Syiah Kuala in Banda Aceh, said youth problems were common to developed and developing nation.

In developed countries, problems are more serious but there are also well-designed programs to deal with it, he said.

"I keep wondering how a liberal country like the United States consistently enforces minimum age restrictions for smoking, purchasing alcohol and watching adult movies," Humam said. "But in Indonesia, young people are often seen watching adult movies at movie theaters. Some of them are also found hanging around in discos, dancing and drinking alcohol.

"We may have regulations prohibiting young people from these activities, but there is no strict enforcement from local authorities."

The problems are seldom discussed seriously and systematically by members of the House of Representatives. "It requires a strong political will to deal with the youth issue. I hope that the newly-elected House members will be more active and responsive to youth issues."

He warned that the youth problems now emerging were likely to increase in the future unless concerted schemes were implemented.

This does not mean that development should be rejected, he said. "Historically, we were adaptable to any foreign influence. It was the Acehnese who easily mixed with foreign visitors and their traditions." (raw)