News

On 15th February Jakarta Post reported dozens of activists, mostly women, that danced together in a peaceful rally to mark their participation in the global solidarity campaign One Billion Rising (OBR) for Revolution in the Point Zero area, Yogyakarta, on Saturday. The rally, which has been held every February 14th in many countries since 1998, was held in conjunction with the V Day celebration to call for an end to violence against women. This year for Indonesia, this dance rally was executed simultaneously in nine cities: Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Solo, Semarang, Malang, Makassar and Poso.

One day earlier a parliament member Rieke Dyah Pitaloka, along with Commissioner of the Indonesia Commission for Women Masruchah and Sri Nurherwati, gave a press conference in Parliament House Jakarta. They urged legislative assembly of Indonesia to accommodate the Bill of Violence against Women to be included in the national legislation program after the exclusion of the bill for the 2015 and 2019 period. In the forum the National Commission for Women stated that "every two hours, there are three women who are victims of sexual violence in Indonesia" and there are 400939 cases of violence against women were reported throughout 1998-2010.

Comment

Apparently these women activists misconceive the women problem in Indonesia. Their first misconception is the campaign substance itself which clearly contains paradox issues. They should be aware of the problems against women in Indonesia precisely that they stem from the idea of freedom to pursuing selfish desires, and this has degenerated societies where women's dignity and safety have become the primary losses. It is a stark paradox between calling for respect for women and the celebrating of liberal freedoms that place individualistic whims and desires as the standard of right and wrong.

Second misconception is the campaign style which clearly parrots western lifestyle. The West is truly a major importer of women's problem into Muslims countries and also the ringleader for a liberal society creation which is insecure for women. Top ten countries with highest rape crime against women are dominated by North American and Europe countries. Meanwhile the OBR campaign style clearly imitates the nature of western secular states to throw money at a problem, use a hedonic lifestyle or use knee-jerk legislation to address an issue in their societies.

For Muslim countries like Indonesia, Islam should always be the primary inspiration for solving problems in society, including women's problem. "If the U.S. spends hundreds of millions of dollars for scientific researches in addressing social problems in their society, then Islam eliminates ingrained habits in jahiliyah societies only by a few sheets of the Quran." - Sayyid Qutb. This quote is true. Islam has rooted solutions to create a healthy society. Only Islam that appreciates the great value and heavy responsibility ascribed to safeguarding the dignity of women, obliging men to sacrifice their life to defend their honour. It is Allah's system alone, the Khilafah "Caliphate" that offers a clear strategy to protect their dignity within society through values and laws that complement each other in achieving this outcome. It is a state that rejects capitalist and liberal principles, promoting instead taqwa and the Islamic view towards women through its education, media, and political system, shaped upon the Prophet's (saw) saying,

«إنما النساء شقائق الرجال ما أكرمهن إلا كريم وما أهانهن إلا لئيم»

"Women are the twin Halves of men. None but a noble man treats women in an honorable manner, and none but an ignorant treats women disgracefully."

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Fika Komara
Member of Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir