It is being reported that Lutfiana Ulfa, the 12-year-old bride of Syekh Puji, is already pregnant. I have written about this case here.
In a legal sense this case is a simple one. There are clear violations of the law which are punishable and the Syekh must be investigated and then prosecuted according to those provisions. There can be no ifs, buts, or maybes here. The man by all definitions is a pedophile and a man with a plan to marry more children if and when he has the chance. This makes him a serial pedophile.
There has been a suggestion that the Syekh has handed Lutfiana back to her parents and feels that this returns things to their previous state and absolves him of any further legal troubles. The law has been broken and sending the girl home does not repair that damage.
The video link above (in Indonesian) seems to indicate that there has been no divorce, although I am not sure how you dissolve a marriage that could never have taken place legally.
To the contrary, the lawyers for the Syekh and the Chair of the National Child Protection Commission indicate that the Syekh needs to be patient and wait until Lutfiana is at least 16 years of age. Hence the reason for returning her to her family.
If it turns out that Lutfiana is really pregnant then this whole affair takes on a completely different dimension. Lutfiana continues to profess her love for the Syekh and if the Syekh is the father of her child, then I would not see this love diminishing in the short-term. I am not sure that a 12-year-old knows love outside of perhaps a love for a parent. However, I am not going to judge the girl or what she believes that she feels for this man.
The outcome of this case is still far from clear.
12 comments:
This so called cleric(whom I assume teaches right from wrong)has brought disgrace to the community he preaches to, although their are some in his village, and other parts of Indonesia, that think it's OK to be a paedophile.
Schmerly...
Not a so called cleric. He is a cleric. Perhaps he does teach right from wrong, but perhaps his right and wrong are different from yours and mine as it relates to children.
I do not know that Indonesians think it is OK to be a pedophile. It might be that some people do not consider this to be pedophilia as it is sanctioned or permitted by religion.
That though is a different debate to the one that Indonesians think pedophilia is OK.
Oh Rob,
how could you say "Indonesians think it is ok to be a pedophile". Isnt it overgeneralisation? You read yourself how harsh the debate over this everywhere. Yes, there are some who think like that, but other Indonesians not. If you mean by Indonesians are the law, you know better than me how Indonesian law takes on paedophilia. Even MUI and Komisi Perlindungan Anak said it is illegal.
As far as I know, it is the legal binding that is ok, but not the sexual intercourse.
Jaka...
Re-read my comments. I do not say that Indonesians think it is OK to be a pedophile.
My comments suggest that Indonesians do not consider this to be OK. I also suggest that some might believe that this is not pedophilia. This is a fair statement because there are some who have argued that Puji has not broken any religious laws.
Watch the link that I have inlcuded in the original post. Kak Seto and Puji's lawyers both suggest that no divorce has taken place. Kak Seto argues that it is against the law but then talks about the Syekh needing to be patient.
The arguments are all over the place.
Just to be clear. I would argue that the majority of Indonesians would be sickened by this and consider it to be pedophilia and wrong. I would also argue that there is a small minority that are intent on trying to justify this behaviour as being acceptable, at least in terms of religion.
Hope this makes it clear.
Pujiono's lawyer said the marriage is valid because it is based on the law of God regardless Ulfa underage status. I am not convinced with Kak Seto either. He's too mild and trying to please all sides. After seeing Ulfa professed her love to Pujiono, I have lost interests to read about her. Let's move on and discuss something else.
No problem ;) I know there's something wrong around. That's just not your typical view. Thank you for your patience.
Elyani...
I understand your position.
However, despite the professing of love, I think that the girl just does not understand how she is being exploited.
The Syekh needs to be made an example of. That needs to happen now.
Jaka...
Not sure that I have a typical position on anything :D
jaka..
It was big mouth schmerly that said
"Indonesians think it is ok to be a pedophile"
NOT Rob, sorry if you were offended.
Schmerly...
Thanks.
Nice excuse, "It has not broken so called God's law"
A child has lost her innocence, what sort of law can justify that??? ( I actually hope that the reports are false, for the girls sake)
Let's call in what it is and hope they act accordingly.
GJ...
This has been my point all along. And that is, we have to call this what it is and the fella needs to be prosecuted and made an example of.
I just for the life of me cannot see how God condones the rape of children whether she has menstrated or not (so how does it work for the fellas as a matter of interest?).
I know of no Gods that advocate the rape of a child as something that is protected. The Muhammad arguments are moot because it is clear from teh Hadiths that Muhammad's examples were not to be repeated.
I hope for the girl's sake the reports of her pregnancy are wrong.
Here's hoping that the authorities pull their collective heads out of the sand.
Heads not out of the sand but out of the mosques.
The rights of a child must trump all other considerations. 110% with you on this one.
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