Many divorce in Cilacap, Banyumas

SEMARANG: Banyumas and Cilacap had the highest divorce rate of all Central Java regencies in 2001, said a local official.

Marsudi Sukarno, chief of Islamic affairs at the local religious affairs office, said here on Saturday that of a total of 8,183 divorce cases in the province in 2001, 1,412 had occurred in Cilacap and 1,067 in Banyumas.

He said most wives filed for divorce in the religious court because they felt ignored and their husbands did not fulfill their responsibilities as family heads.

"Most women are aware of their rights and will no longer tolerate abuse from their husbands," he said, adding that with the emancipation campaign, most women dared to speak out about their husbands' irresponsible behavior. --Antara