ARTICLE
Perda 5/2000 on The Implementation of Islamic Shari’a requires everyone to respect the implementation of Sharia Law in Aceh.
Qanun 14/2003 on [The prohibition of] Khalwat (usually defined as close proximity between a male and female who have no marriage or kin relationship, in a place or situation where intimate contact is possible) prohibits everyone from committing Khalwat.
PUNISHMENT
To commit Khalwat: Caning between 3-9 lashes, and/or a fine of 2.5 to 10 million rupiah.
ARTICLE 22(1)
Prohibits everyone, community group, government apparatus and business/enterprise from provide facilities to people committing Khalwat or protecting people committing Khalwat.
ARTICLE 6
To provide facilities or to protect people committing Khalwat.
PUNISHMENT
Imprisonment between 2-6 months and/or a fine of 5 to 15 million rupiah.
Community Khalwat Raids:
Community raids on Khalwaters are frequent across Aceh... These are rarely initiated by WH but public spirited 'neighbours' who often beat and humiliate alleged offenders before handing them over to WH. Think it won't happen to you? Think again:
1. In the last 7 day period 2 BRR (govt construction authority) partner organisations have reported incidents of raids by communities on suspected 'khalwaters' in our community. Neither of these incidents made the press - many others have done in the past 6 or so incidents of 'khalwat' motivated raids by communities on the staff of BRR partner organisations have been logged over the last 2 years - doubtless there are many more which aren't reported by staff members. Each incident has the potential to become violent and may lead to legal proceedings against muslim staff. At the very least 'raided' staff members will be traumatised and your community acceptance strategy in tatters (not to mention that any incident wil have a global effect on province wide acceptance).
The recent incidents were:
a. A national male staff member was suspected of co-habiting with a female national and was beaten by the community.
b. 3 international male staff members and a national female were hauled out of their house and subjected to an unpleasant ordeal by over a hundred aggrieved neighbours. The 4 had overnighted once in a communal guesthouse in an entirely innocent (to them) fashion. In this incident the female national staff member was a Christian and therefore, technically, not subject to Sharia law. But note that once a community's interest in your living arrangements has been aroused it is too late to point this out as they will fall back on the fact that the law enjoins all to 'respect and honour' the implementation of Sharia law - as they did on this occasion.
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