Indonesia bans mandatory hijab scarves for schoolgirls
Indonesia has banned schools from forcing girls to wear hijab headscarves after the case of a Christian pupil pressured to cover up sparked outrage in the world's most populous Muslim nation. AFP pic.
JAKARTA: Indonesia has banned schools from forcing girls to wear Islamic "hijab" headscarves after the case of a Christian pupil pressured to cover up sparked outrage in the world's most populous Muslim nation.
The move was applauded on Friday by rights activists, who say non-Muslim girls have been forced for years to wear a hijab in conservative parts of the country.
State schools across the Southeast Asian archipelago of nearly 270 million will face sanctions if they fail to comply with the edict from education minister Nadiem Makarim.
On Wednesday, he said religious attire was an individual choice, and said schools "cannot make it compulsory."
Schools that violate the rules could see their government funding cut, he added.
"The decree is a positive step to protect women's rights in Indonesia," said Andreas Harsono, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch in Jakarta.
He said public schools had forced millions of girls and women teachers to wear a hijab, prompting "bullying, intimidation, social pressures – and in some cases, expulsion and forced resignation" if they didn't.
The move was applauded on Friday by rights activists, who say non-Muslim girls have been forced for years to wear a hijab in conservative parts of the country.
State schools across the Southeast Asian archipelago of nearly 270 million will face sanctions if they fail to comply with the edict from education minister Nadiem Makarim.
On Wednesday, he said religious attire was an individual choice, and said schools "cannot make it compulsory."
Schools that violate the rules could see their government funding cut, he added.
"The decree is a positive step to protect women's rights in Indonesia," said Andreas Harsono, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch in Jakarta.
He said public schools had forced millions of girls and women teachers to wear a hijab, prompting "bullying, intimidation, social pressures – and in some cases, expulsion and forced resignation" if they didn't.
There have been concerns about growing religious intolerance in a nation where nearly 90 per cent of the population follows Islam.
The headscarf issue grabbed headlines after a Christian student in West Sumatra's Padang City was pressured to wear a hijab.
She refused, and her parents later secretly recorded a meeting with an official who insisted that school rules required all girls to wear a hijab, regardless of their religion.
The school later issued an apology after the video went viral.
Religious affairs minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas described the Sumatra case as the "tip of the iceberg."
"Religion is not supposed to be a reason for conflict or a justification to act unfairly towards those with different beliefs," he said.
The new regulations will not apply to conservative Aceh province, which follows religious law under a longstanding autonomy deal. - AFP
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Unfortunately, it will be a question of time when an Erdogan emerges in Indonesia.
ReplyDeleteOne realises that despite the bombastic "No compulsion in Islam", it is mostly the muslims who try to impose their religion on others.
Here, in malaysia, look at the latest Buddhist woman who had to fight 5 years to be declared a non muslim.
If islam is so atractive, why the fear of losing adherents? I don't understand why muslims don't let the religion speak for itself?
Indonesia balu lantik Ketua Polis Kristian, sini di Malaysia olang Islam tak tahan FM bangsa Cina, AG dan CJ Kiristian dsb.
ReplyDeleteDPM bukan Melayu pun tak boleh jadi. KT Boh Lam Phar setuju.
60 tahun bawah gomen BN (UMNO-MCA-MIC-Gerakan-PBB-dsb) punca problem ini. Parti-parti bukan Islam Boh Lam Phar, bagi jalan sampai UMNO kelapa terlalu besar. Sekarang 1 kerusi Cina Menteri Jaga Kereta dalam cabinet cukup lah, asalkan kerusi itu bagi MCA.
QUOTE
A Christian to head the Indonesian National Police. After more than 40 years, a Christian has been appointed as head of the Indonesian National Police. General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who was sworn in today at a ceremony led by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, replaces General Idham Azis, who has retired.
Jan 30, 2021
UNQUOTE
In Indon the office holders were/are pribumi (= Malaysian bumiputra). When the rare Chinese Indon took office as in the sad case of Ah Hok what happened to him? Therefore in Indon the Christians, Hindus, Buddhists are mainly pribumis
DeleteMaka my dear 'TS', jangan bodoh sombong lah, tahu sedikit komposisi kaum2 di Indon
Dirgahayu Pengetahuan wakakaka
Ah Hock polis boleh tangkap. Siapa boleh tangkap Ketua Polis?
DeleteKalau MCA, MIC buat kerja baik-baik sejak tahun 50, 60 puluhan, policy bumiputra tak wujud. Semua satu kaum, kaum Malaysia, Mana perlembagaan sebut “bumiputra”? Mana sebut PM mesti Melayu atau Islam? Tapi MCA dan MIC boh lam phar, ikut saja UMNO dan PAS..... Hari ini policy ketuanan sudah masuk DNA, terima saja, macam KT. Nak gostan susah sikit.
DeleteThe reason why Chinese and Indians are third and fourth class citizens today is because the parties (MCA and MIC) that claimed to represent and protect their interests failed to do their job, since the 50s and 60s, despite receiving votes from their communities. But the leaders never listened, that is why today he bumiputra policy is entrenched in our politics, cannot be removed easily.
Deletewow, i didnt know indonesia oso got communist.
ReplyDeleteIndonesia's institutionalised bigotry is more Racial than Religious.
ReplyDeleteOfficially , they can accept all religions, but Race is still a Bogey in Indonesia.
Most Government posts are strictly limited to "Pribumi". Ethnic Chinese are often discriminated against and mistreated in dealings with officialdom, I have seen it myself many times. Even though Ethnic Chinese adopted Indonesian names decades ago, and most cannot speak any Chinese.
It is stll easy to see who is Pribumi and who is Ethnic Chinese, and the difference in treatment is obvious.