Public canings to start in Aceh for gamblers

Public canings to start in Aceh for gamblers

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Muhammad Ali, a convicted gambler facing a public caning, gave a
weary look when asked about his punishment. The man in his 40s
confessed that he had left his fate to God.

"If they insist on punishing me in this way, then they can go
ahead. But they have should have punished the (big-time) graft
convicts first," Ali said.

Ali, a construction worker, was arrested on April 30 this year
when police found him and his six of his friends involved in
illegal gambling in Pulo Kitca, Bireuen.

After being jailed for 15 days, he was freed by the police,
but now he has to answer to the province's Islamic court, which
will punish him under a new bylaw inspired by sharia law.

Shortly after his release, Ali was summoned by the Bireuen
Sharia Office, which passed his sentence -- 10 strokes of the
rattan cane to be delivered in public.

Ali, and 25 other gamblers, are scheduled to be caned on
Friday in an open field in Bireuen regency, some 200 kilometers
east of Banda Aceh. The Bireuen regental government has even
prepared a stage where the caning takes place, presumably so
interested members of the public can get a better view.

The caning sentence, the first such corporal punishment
verdict in Aceh's modern history, is a product of the autonomy
law, which gives the traditional and conservative province the
right to enact its own bylaws. Its announcement caused
controversy on Wednesday when it was made public.

While some have opposed the caning, others questioned why the
painful and humiliating punishment did not apply to the big-time
theives, the politicians and public officials convicted of
stealing billions of rupiah in public money.

"Why is the caning sentence only targeting the gamblers,
drinkers and those who have committed adultery? It should apply
also to the graft convicts," said Maisarah, 45, a resident of
Jambo Tape, Banda Aceh.

But if the provincial leaders have their way, those found
guilty of graft offences could face a much tougher punishment
than caning.

In Aceh, there are currently only three bylaws passed that
relate to sharia law -- those that prohibit gambling, adultery,
and the consumption of alcohol drinks. Corruption, meanwhile, is
being included in a new law encompassing theft.

"The bylaw on theft, including corruption offences, is being
deliberated by the Sharia Office," said Raihan Iskandar, the
deputy speaker of the Aceh provincial council.

Once the office completes its work, the new law will be
proposed to the Aceh provincial council for approval.

According to Raihan, the office was proposing convicted
theives would have their hands amputated, a tradition still
practiced in Saudi Arabia.

This tough punishment would help establish order in the
province and be an effective deterrent, he said.