Is this 2009?
22 September 2009 by Stardust
I found this article via American Atheists. In response to the article, one commenter wrote: “this law was passed in extreme haste by the outgoing administration right before the far more moderate leaders who were voted in earlier this year take over.” But will Sharia Law be overturned with the new administration? It’s mind-blowing that these sorts of things can even be considered in today’s world, and once again based on ancient superstitious beliefs and religion-fueled bigotry and prejudice.
Indonesia: Stoning for adultery – Aceh passes Sharia law
Aceh, a province of Indonesia, passed a new law making adultery punishable by stoning to death. The law, an ominous sign of creeping Sharia, also imposes severe sentences (up to 400 lashes) for homosexuality, alcohol consumption and gambling. Married people convicted of adultery can be sentenced to death by stoning. Unmarried people can be sentenced to 100 lashes with a cane. Human rights activists are condemning the new law as being cruel and degrading.
I did more research on this story and found dozens of links.
September 14, 2009 BBC News reports:
The legislation was passed unanimously by Aceh’s regional legislature, said assembly member Bahrom Rasjid.
“This law will be effective in 30 days with or without the approval of Aceh’s governor,” he said.
The governor of Aceh, a former rebel with the Free Aceh Movement, is opposed to strict Sharia law. He had urged more debate over the bill.
*snip*
Previously, Aceh’s partially-adopted Sharia law enforced Muslim dress codes and mandatory prayers.
“This law is a preventive measure for Acehnese people so that they will avoid moral degradation,” said Moharriyadia, a spokesman for the Prosperous Justice Party.
A new parliament will be sworn in next month, after local polls saw the moderate Aceh Party win the most seats in the provincial assembly.
The Aceh Party has said it will review the law once the new parliament is sitting.
“It needs more public consultation. We need to involve the ulemas – the Islamic clerics – in drafting the law,” said Adnan Beuransah, a spokesperson for the Aceh Party.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out, especially since the new government will be “consulting” with the Islamic clerics.
22 September 2009, on 5:05 pm
“Human rights activists are condemning the new law as being cruel and degrading.”
WTF? They should, IMO, be condemning it as totally fucking asinine and insane.
If anyone should be “stoned” (pass the Bong?), it should be the fucktard Islamic clerics.
Did the whole fucking World, completely unnoticed, suddenly slip into some strange technologically advanced, parallel dimension of time…corresponding to an alternate version of the “Middle Ages”.
Ala “String Theory”, perhaps?…
Wait!…make that “(Flying) Spaghetti Theory”!
22 September 2009, on 11:24 pm
“If anyone of you is without sin let him be the first to throw the stone.” Somewhere along the way these unreasoning, insane animals never got this message.
It would be interesting to know whether this punishment significantly lowered the adultery rate. My guess is that it didn’t, like our death penalty for murder.
22 September 2009, on 11:40 pm
“This law is a preventive measure for Acehnese people so that they will avoid moral degradation,” said Moharriyadia, a spokesman for the Prosperous Justice Party.”
Well, I guess it is difficult to morally degrade when you’re fucking dead. So score one for the Acehnese government in the area of effective prevention.
Chuck, I’m with you. The label of “cruel and degrading” by human rights activists for this legislation is kind of like calling Shakespeare “a guy who wrote some stuff.” It’s no wonder, using this kind of tepid language, that human rights groups seem to have so much difficulty bringing attention to these kinds of abuses.
25 September 2009, on 2:56 am
I currently live in Indonesia. The President has made it perfectly clear that this law will not stand. He said that the federal government will overturn it shortly.
Ache is almost a law unto itself. What most people outside of here don’t realise is that it is run by some very very conservative muslims who want to set up a South East Asian Mecca. They fought a civil war against the federal government to do so and in the end peace was only achieved by giving in to some of their demands. These crazies only represent a small portion of the provence, but they rule through fear. The government doesn’t want to drag out a bloody and unpopular war against them (civil wars are never popular).
I live in Jakarta and I have to say that for the most part it is very moderate. The people here are very nice and will usually go out of their way to help you. Most are very open and friendly, a lot friendlier than the majority of Christians anywhere else in the world I have ever lived and worked.
25 September 2009, on 9:50 am
I currently live in Indonesia. The President has made it perfectly clear that this law will not stand. He said that the federal government will overturn it shortly.
I certainly hope so! This is horrific!
Thanks for the info Free Thinker. Good to hear from someone who lives where this stuff is going on instead of via news sources and rumors.