VZCZCXRO3698
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0077/01 3270946
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230946Z NOV 07
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0112
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0047
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0102
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0114
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0045

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000077 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, IRN/EAP, DRL/PHD, INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KISL ID
SUBJECT: SOUTH SULAWESI: BULUKUMBA'S SYARIAH LAW A "CRASH PROGRAM IN 
RELIGION" 
 
REF: SURABAYA 39, SURABAYA 72, SURABAYA 74 
 
SURABAYA 00000077  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On November 6, Pol/Econ Officer and Pol/Econ 
Assistant traveled to Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi to 
discuss the practical implementation of Syariah law in the 
regency.  Located on the southern most tip of South Sulawesi, 
Bulukumba has implemented local regulations that mirror Syariah 
Islam.  Proponents insist that the regulations are necessary to 
promote morality and do not apply to the regency's minuscule 
non-Muslim population.  NGOs familiar with the Regent and local 
regulations based on Syariah Islam tell us that they are 
misapplied and fundamentally illegal according to Indonesian 
Law. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) A mosque-shaped facade greeted ConGen Surabaya officers 
entering Bulukumba Regency, the South Sulawesi Kabupaten which 
has begun issuing and enforcing Syariah law despite opposition 
from NGOs and others.  A sign in the middle of the two-storey 
structure proclaims, under the English-language heading "Crash 
Course," a list of local regulations grounded in Syariah Islam. 
They are: 1) Prohibition, oversight, and control over the sale 
of alcoholic beverages; 2) Management of zakat (tithes) paid by 
the professions and the giving of alms to the poor; 3)  Muslim 
clothing for men and women; 4) Proficiency in reading the Qur'an 
for all prospective marriage partners. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Regent explained that the regulations simply 
enshrine already strongly-held religious beliefs.  When we asked 
about implementation and enforcement, the Regent said the 
regulations were not being actively enforced.  He noted that 
prospective marriage partners, for example, are not prevented 
from marrying if they cannot recite the Qur'an. They are simply 
given assistance in learning it.  The Regent added that the 
regulations do not apply to the 2% of the regency's non-Muslims. 
 
Local Moral Crisis Prompted Regulations 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Mr. Saipuddin, chairman of the Crescent Star Party 
(PBB), spoke with us at his home in Bulukumba regarding Syariah 
law.  Echoing the regent, he noted that the local regulations 
apply to Muslims alone and in any case are neither compulsory 
nor binding -- it is only a form of moral guidance. There are no 
legal sanctions if someone is found in violation.  He explained 
that the genesis of local regulations based on Syariah law 
actually started in 2000. At that time there were many cafes at 
a beach near his house that employed girls from outside 
Bulukumba. After receiving many complaints and reports about 
family disputes from housewives who were abandoned by their 
husbands because of the existence of these cafes, the local 
government closed and moved them to the tourist area at Bira 
beach some 42 km east of Bulukumba Regency's capital.  The local 
government then issued regulations based on Syariah and, 
Saipuddin concluded, the situation is now back to normal. 
Currently, the government only allows cafes to sell liquor to 
foreign tourists. 
 
On the Other Hand 
---------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Syamsurijal Ad'han of Association of Advocacy for 
Education for Children of the People or (LAPAR, Lembaga Advokasi 
dan Pendidikan Anak Rakyat), painted a different picture of the 
implementation of Syariah in Bulukumba during a November 5 
meeting. Ad'han told us that these Syariah regulations are not 
simply suggestions.  He said that LAPAR "takes risks opposing 
Syariah law.  For example, when we held a seminar to discuss 
Syariah law in Bulukumba in 2006; a gang of people from The 
Youth Upholders of Islamic Syariah (Pemuda Penegak Syariah 
Islam) forced their way into the meeting and broke up the 
gathering."  The group later drove LAPAR out of Bulukumba 
altogether.  Ad'an mentioned that in one village in Bulukumba 
regency there is a notice board prohibiting provision of public 
services to people not dressed in Muslim clothing.  Although we 
did not see these particular signs during our visit the 
following day, we did see signs in Bulukumba that described the 
Syariah-based local regulations (Perda) in force in the Regency. 
 
¶6. (SBU) According to a report in HalaQah, a magazine published 
by LAPAR the headman in the village of Padang, Bulukumba, issued 
a "whipping law" to punish a man accused of having an affair 
with his cousin.  The man was apparently accused of immoral 
activity because of letters he wrote advising his cousin not to 
 
SURABAYA 00000077  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
argue with her husband.  He was accused of having an affair with 
the woman and given the option of being whipped or submitting to 
unspecified "police action".  The man chose neither option and 
was driven out of the village, but was whipped anyway at the 
urging of the headman. 
 
Syariah Islam as an Election Tool 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Ad'han also highlighted early attempts to use Syariah 
as a tool during the recent gubernatorial elections (Surabaya 
39).  Recent election results suggest that demands for the 
implementation of Syariah law throughout the province are 
limited, however. (Surabaya 72).  Third-place gubernatorial 
candidate, Azis Kahar Muzakar, was a champion of Syariah Islam 
while chairman of the "The Preparatory Committee for the 
Application of Islamic Laws" (KPPSI or Komite Persiapan 
Penegakan Syariah Islam).  Similarly, defeated incumbent Amin 
Syam's running mate, Prof. Mansyur Ramly, was a founder of 
KPPSI.  Although Muzakar did not publicly emphasize Syairat 
Islam in the campaign, it could be argued that few, if any 
voters, were unclear on his desire to implement Syariah laws 
throughout the province if elected.  Instead, he used "good 
governance" as his campaign theme.  While Muzakar's third place 
finish puts a question mark over the usefulness of Syariah Islam 
as a touchstone for all Sulawesi voters, with nearly 20 percent 
of votes cast for Muzakar in the most recent election, Syariah 
regulations appear to have a core constituency. 
MCCLELLAND