Sharia law to require women to ride motorcyles "side saddle"

[No Elephants]

January 7, 2013, 10:34 AM
Indonesia to ban women straddling motorbikes

Lhokseumawe, Indonesia Authorities in Indonesia's Aceh province are pressing ahead with a proposed Islamic law that would ban female passengers from straddling motorbikes despite reported opposition from the central government.

Aceh introduced a version of Shariah, or Islamic law, in 2009, after it gained autonomy from the government in a 2005 peace deal to end a long-running separatist war there. The Aceh laws regulate women's dress and public morality, require shops and other places to close at prayer time, and are enforced by a special unit. Punishments can include public caning.


On Monday, authorities in northern Aceh distributed a notice to government offices and villages informing residents of the proposed law, which would apply to adolescent girls and women. It states that women are not allowed to straddle motorbikes unless it's an "emergency," and are not allowed to hold onto the driver.

Suaidi Yahya, mayor of the Aceh city of Lhokseumawe, said a ban was needed because the "curves of a woman's body" are more visible when straddling a motorbike than when sitting sideways with legs dangling.

"Muslim women are not allowed to show their curves, it's against Islamic teachings," he said, declining to give details of what the punishment would be for violators.

Last week, Home Ministry officials told local media they would try to block the law because it was discriminatory.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57562426/indonesia-to-ban-women-straddling-motorbikes/

So many restrictions on women, just so that Muslim males don't get evil thoughts. Why don't we just let the women be human and require the poor, dear vulnerable Muslim men to wear blindfolds?