Indonesian district bans men, women from dining together

A strict Islamic district in Indonesia has banned men and women from having dinner together unless they are married or related to make women be ‘more obedient’ and ‘well behaved’. The deeply Islamic Aceh province, which operates under Sharia Law, announced on Wednesday that it would stop unmarried couples eating together in public, an official […]

A strict Islamic district in Indonesia has banned men and women from having dinner together unless they are married or related to make women be ‘more obedient’ and ‘well behaved’.
The deeply Islamic Aceh province, which operates under Sharia Law, announced on Wednesday that it would stop unmarried couples eating together in public, an official said.
Under the latest Islamic regulation, women in Bireuen district on Sumatra island will not be able to share a table with men at restaurants and coffee shops unless they are accompanied by their husband or a close male relative.
Co-workers on their lunch break would also be forbidden from sharing a meal.
Jufliwan, the head of the local sharia agency, who like many Indonesians has only one name, told AFP today: ‘The objective is to protect women’s dignity so they will feel more comfortable, more at ease, more well-behaved and will not do anything that violates sharia (Islamic law).’
Another part of the directive – signed by the district head last month – said women who were alone or not with family should not be served at restaurants and cafés after 9:00 pm. (Mail Online)