Indonesian Buddhists
caned under syariah for first time
11 March 2017
AFP
JANTHO, INDONESIA: Indonesia's only province to
impose syariah law caned Buddhists for the first time Friday, after
two men accused of cockfighting opted for punishment under the
strict Islamic regulations.
Alem bin Suhadi, 57, and Amel bin Akim, 60, both
ethnic Chinese and members of the Buddhist minority, were whipped
in front of dozens of local officials and residents in the city of
Jantho, Aceh province.
The two men grimaced as they received nine and
seven lashes respectively on their backs, a sentence that was
mitigated because they had spent over a month in detention since
police nabbed them for cockfighting in Aceh Besar in
January.
"When they were arrested, two chickens and 400
thousand rupiah of betting money were confiscated by the police,"
said prosecutor Rivandi Aziz.
Caning is common in Aceh for breaking the
province’s strict Islamic laws, for offences ranging from drinking
alcohol, to gambling to gay sex.
In the past only Muslim residents could be caned
but that changed in 2015, when Aceh’s regulations were
overhauled.
Non-Muslims who violate Islamic law can either
choose to be tried under the national legal system or
syariah.
The two Buddhists would likely have faced jail
under Indonesian nation law.
"We live in Aceh, so we have to obey the
regulation in our region," Alem told AFP shortly after being
caned.
A Muslim was also lashed seven times for betting
on cockfights Friday, while another man accused of abusing three
teenagers was lashed 112 times.
Aceh, on Sumatra island, began implementing
syariah law after being granted special autonomy in 2001, an
attempt by the central government in Jakarta to quell a
long-running separatist insurgency.
Islamic laws have been strengthened since the
province struck a peace deal with Jakarta in 2005.