Xinhua News Agency, China, 14 February 2006

Six get cane punishment in Indonesia's Aceh

JAKARTA, Feb. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Six people including threewomen got up to six strokes of the cane Tuesday in Indonesia'spredominantly Muslim province of Aceh for gambling conviction.

TV footage showed the female convicts dressing in white Muslimcloak were led one by one to an open podium for their punishment.

One girl was freed from the punishment because she was tooyoung to receive the strokes, reported Metro TV news.

Audience shouted to help the executioner count the humiliatingstrokes as the convicts were grimacing in pain.

The government last June agreed the caning punishment in Acehas the implementation of sharia (Islamic) laws as part of greaterautonomy package for once rebellious province on the northern tipof Sumatra island.

The caning is applicable to those who "propagated beliefsother than Islam to Muslims in the province" and is aimed atupholding strict Islamic law.

A Muslim who skips Friday prayers three times in a row withoutan acceptable reason would get three strokes of the cane and foodstall owners who sell food, beverages or cigarettes publicly orsecretly during the Muslim fasting month would receive fivestrokes of the cane.

Aceh has adopted an Islamic tribunal system since late 2003.

Jakarta Post, 20 February 2006

Gambler gets caned in Banda Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: A convicted gambler from North Sumatra wascaned in front of hundreds of spectators Friday in Banda Aceh.

The convicted gambler, identified as Syafaruddin Nasution, 35,was lashed 10 times with a bamboo cane after Friday prayersoutside the Ateuk Pahlawan Mosque in the Baiturrahman district.

Prosecutor Hermansyah said that Syafaruddin Nasution wascaught gambling with four other cohorts Dec. 23. "ButSyafaruddin was the only one sentenced to that punishment becausethe four others were non-Muslim," he said.

It was the fifth such case since sharia law was implementedthree years ago in the province.

Also in attendance to see the man caned was Banda Aceh MayorGazali Yusuf, who called on non-governmental organization (NGO)workers and pendatang (newcomers) to respect sharia law, sayingthat only one of 18 caned convicts was born and raised in BandaAceh.

"Alhamdullilah (Praise be to Allah), it means the peopleof Banda Aceh respect the sharia," he said.

The sharia law was imposed in 2003 as part of an autonomypackage authorized by the central government in an attempt toquash separatism.

According to the law, flogging may be used to punish variouscrimes ranging from fraud, adultery and use of alcohol togambling and "intimacy" between unmarried couples. --JP