"As long as the executive and legislative bodies do not settle differences in the application of *capital punishment by* stoning, the Aceh government will not sign the bylaw," Hamid said.

In the deliberation he said government representatives had repeatedly stated objections to the inclusion of the stoning penalty for adulterers in the Islamic criminal code (jinayat). Aceh is the country's only province with special provisions allowing it to have Islamic sharia-based laws.

However, following initial endorsement of the bylaw, Home Minister Mardiyanto said the government would file a review to the Supreme Court, saying the bylaw was "detrimental" to the Acehnese and would "frighten" visitors and investors, as well as possibly not respecting the *national* Constitution.

Your comments:
Can we all get together and force an implementation of the sharia law that says corruptors, like thieves, have to have their hand cut off?

Maybe they will not pass this, because most government people and legislators would loose their hands.

M. Ahmed
Jakarta

I hope Governor Irwandi Yusuf is wise enough to deal with this one topic (others to follow) by sticking to the Criminal Code, and remind ulemas that they should stick to the Constitution rather than their interpretations of Islam.

Peace
Jakarta

As a foreign tourist I am horrified by this Stone Age bylaw of barbarism. I know Indonesia very well and my own sister is a Muslim. I know Indonesia as a beautiful country with friendly people and a liberal Islamic tradition.

It is very bad for Indonesia to accept sharia's laws in Aceh in this manner. The Indonesian government should forbid execution by stoning, cutting off hands or whipping any person, whatever crime he or she commits.

If not and if other publications in newspapers will follow I would never visit Indonesia again and I think many tourists will do the same if this news will fill the TV news in Europe, Australia and the US.

M.J. van Dijk
The Netherlands

It is a gratifying moment to see there are Acehnese who are living in the 21st Century. But be alert, there are many of those who believe al Qaeda is the right fighter of Islam.

Widya Utama
Bergen, Norway

Bapak President SBY, do you agree with this bylaw? Is this the autonomy the way you see it? I read your thoughts: "I'll leave them to do whatever they want, just to stay quiet!"

Who are "They"? The preachers who passed that idea through the others of the local government (actually it is a central government, because obviously you have no control over them) - people who wish to have power to kill other people!

Slowly but steadily: First the so-called "Pornography Bill"; now this sharia in Aceh and Tangerang and my prediction is that in 20 years Indonesia will look more or less like Afghanistan.

What about the other millions. "They"? Oh yes, they are not important, because they have no voice to oppose. Most of them have only one name.

Sad. Very sad. Your quiet approval of returning this region to a centuries-old feudal social and legal environment, and your abolishment of Pancasila by giving supremacy of the most retrograde people of one religion to set rules and even to take other peoples lives.

I think soon I will have to take my wife and my daughter and leave my beloved Indonesia.

Deyan
France

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