On May 5, North Aceh in Indonesia imposed a strict legislation between both sexes in educational institutions, including middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities. The separation is expected to be implemented in both classrooms and extracurricular activities within educational institutions from 2016.
Fauzan Hamzah, president of North Aceh Province, said that this latest measure is part of the administration’s effort to implement Sharia Law completely.
Drawing inspiration from the Islamic Sharia law, this new measure mandates the banning of mixed classes in the entire province. The new qanun, enacted beginning in May would require a significant reorganization of educational practices in Indonesia. While the regency would still allow coeducational classes to take place in elementary schools, it mandates a complete separation between both sexes from seventh to twelfth standards. According to the new law, universities are highly recommended to carry out lessons in single-sex classes.
Among other requirements included within the same qanun is a prohibition against males and females traveling on the same motorbike, unless the two are known to one another in the capacity of husband and wife. However, the ban does allow one exception where such a transport can be carried out in an emergency situation.
“Unmarried people sitting closely together on a motorcycle is clearly against Islamic Sharia as it could lead to sinful acts,” Hamzah said.
Hamzah also explained how the laws are aimed at reducing the number of cases related to adultery, which include extra-marital relationships and underground prostitution. The school provisions also apparently aim at improving young adults’ attention to their academics. While young students would be required to attend sessions of Islamic prayer after school hours, older students would have to display their devotions outside school premises at the appropriate houses of worship.
Another requirement under the new law prohibits retailers from exposing mannequins inside shops or figurines that call to mind the animal kingdom.
Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim country and often the place for acts or attacks of intolerance against religious minorities, including Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and people of other faiths. Aceh Province, which was one of the first centers of Islam in the whole of Southeast Asia, employs some of the most stringent applications of Sharia Law, following an agreement between the central government and the Free Aceh Movement, with the regency progressively adopting more extreme provisions within its local law.
The decision to harden laws, norms, regulations and conduct has obviously met with opposition from a large section of the local population. Among some of the decisions that have been challenged by the locals of Aceh are bans against women wearing tight-fitting skirts, jeans, dancing in public and observing Valentine’s Day.
“There are some clauses banning women from dancing in front of men because doing so could incite negative perceptions and sometimes trigger sexual arousal,” said Hamzah.
On April 24, an unmarried couple was caned by order of Bener Meriah Regency after they were found guilty of having sexual relations. Their caning was conducted in public after Friday prayers at the grand mosque in Al Amin Pante Raya in Bukit District, in keeping with Sharia Law.
Photo Credits: DW.com
