Indonesian Christians whipped over sharia-banned child’s play

BANDA ACEH – Agence France-Presse

Two Indonesian Christians were publicly flogged in conservative Aceh province Feb. 27 for playing a children’s entertainment game seen as violating Islamic law, as hundreds of onlookers ridiculed them and took pictures.

The pair was among five people -- including a couple whipped two dozen times each for showing affection in public -- who were lashed with a rattan stick.

Aceh is the only province in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country that imposes sharia law and people can be flogged for a range of offenses -- from gambling, to drinking alcohol to having gay sex or relations outside of marriage.

On Feb. 27, Dahlan Silitonga, 61, and Tjia Nyuk Hwa, 45, were flogged six and seven times respectively after being arrested for playing a long-standing game at a children’s entertainment complex that lets users exchange coins for prizes or vouchers, including cash.

The pair was accused of gambling while another man Ridwan MR got 19 lashes for being involved in the game.

“This is to create a deterrent effect, in order for people not to repeat violations of Islamic sharia law,” Banda Aceh’s mayor Aminullah Usman said.

“We purposely do it in front of the public... so it won’t happen again.”

About 300 spectators, including some two dozen tourists from neighboring Malaysia, jeered the gambling-accused trio as they were whipped on a makeshift stage outside a mosque.

“You are old, show remorse,” the crowd screamed.

Non-Muslim Tjia Nyuk Hwa tried to hide her face in a specially provided white cloak with head-covering hijab.

The two Christians are among just a handful of non-Muslims to be punished under Aceh’s strict religious law since it was adopted in 2001 as part of a deal with the central government to end a long-running insurgency.

In January, an Indonesian Christian was flogged for selling alcohol in the province at the tip of Sumatra island, which made headlines recently after local police publicly humiliated a group of transgender women.

About 98 percent of Aceh’s five million residents are Muslims subject to religious law.

Non-Muslims who have committed an offense that violates both national and religious laws can choose to be prosecuted under either system.

Christians and other non-Muslims sometimes choose a flogging to avoid a lengthy court process and jail term.