Touting Islam To Draw Votes In Indonesia
The New York Times’ Joe Cochrane reports on religious exploitation for political support in Indonesia. Despite the country’s secular Constitution, “282 of its 491 provincial districts have bylaws inspired by Shariah.” He writes, “Although most of these bylaws focus on Muslim women … 31 apply to religious minorities, including restrictions on religious practices by the Ahmadiyah and Shiite Islamic sects.” In local elections, politicians use these laws to “appeal to hard-line Islamic groups, including some known for using violence.”