Wilayatul Hisbah is the Islamic religious police force responsible for the enforcement of sharia law in the autonomous region of Aceh, Indonesia.[1] The origins of this force can be traced to 2001 when a special autonomy law was promulgated to allow for the state of Aceh to implement more elements of sharia law, which the Indonesian government saw as a useful way of decreasing local fervor for Acehnese independence.[2] These officers have reportedly been patrolling streets since 2002,[3] but the force was formally established in 2004,[2][4] It was established at both the provincial level as well the district and municipality levels.[4] The units were formed in response to an increase in "unmarried couples, Muslim women without headscarves or those wearing tight clothes, and people drinking alcohol or gambling,” which authorities perceived to have become more common following contact with Western ideas after foreign aid was provided after the 2004 Indonesian tsunami.[5] It was described in a 2014 report as being a "voluntary" force.[6]

The force's integrity has been questioned occasionally. Its public image deteriorated heavily in 2010 after three officials were found to have raped a girl that was being detained by them in West Aceh Regency.[4] In another instance, an officer was found to be engaging in sex with his girlfriend in a Banda Aceh bathroom.[7]

Organization Structure

The latest constituting document of Wilayatul Hisbah, Governor of Aceh Decree No. 139/2016, structured the force as follow:[8]

  • Office of Head/Commander of Wilayatul Hisbah
  • Secretariat.
    • Bureau of General Affairs and Employment
    • Bureau of Programs and Reporting
    • Bureau of Finance
  • Division of Regional Law Enforcement.
    • Section of Investigation
    • Section of Civil Apparatus Guidance and Fostering
    • Section of Internal Prosecution
  • Division of Public Order and Peace
    • Section of Operation and Control
    • Section of Public Order and Peace Guidance and Fostering
    • Section of Regional Assets Security and Monitoring
  • Division of Islamic Sharia Monitoring
    • Section of Islamic Sharia Operation and Monitoring
    • Section of Islamic Sharia Guidance and Extension
    • Section of Reporting of Islamic Sharia Violations
  • Division of Public Protection
    • Section of Civil Defense Units Development
    • Section of Public Potentials Guidance and Fostering
    • Section of Readiness
  • Division of Inter-institutional Relation
    • Section of Institutional Development
    • Section of Coordination and Partnership
    • Section of Public Relation

Command and Coordination

As apparatus of Aceh province, the commander of Wilayatul Hisbah reported to Governor of Aceh,[8] but the institution consolidated and consulted to the Directorate General of Territorial Administration of the Ministry of Home Affairs.[9]

Each city or regency in Aceh province possessed their own Wilayatul Hisbah office, but they are subordinate to their respective city or regency local government. Provincial Wilayatul Hisbah possessed power to held guidance and fostering to the Wilayatul Hisbah office in city or regency.[8]

The Wilayatul Hisbah is separated and differed from another department in Aceh Province, Aceh Province Department of Islamic Sharia, which is tasked to educate, foster, conserve Islamic ways and way of life in Aceh, and performing research and assessments for producing Islamic law documents applicable in Aceh Province. While Aceh Department of Islamic Sharia tasked with such tasks, it does not have power for law enforcing. The Wilayatul Hisbah enforced the laws applicable within the province only.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Sharia police: who are they?". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  2. 1 2 Conflict, Institute for Policy Analysis of (2015). "POLITICAL POWER STRUGGLES IN ACEH". Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict: 1–11. {{cite journal}}: |first1= has generic name (help); Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ↑ Kloos, David (2015). "Review of Shariʿa and Social Engineering: The Implementation of Islamic Law in Contemporary Aceh, Indonesia". Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde. 171 (2/3): 380–383. doi:10.1163/22134379-17102013. ISSN 0006-2294. JSTOR 43818001.
  4. 1 2 3 Ichwan, Moch Nur (2011). "OFFICIAL ULEMA AND THE POLITICS OF RE-ISLAMIZATION: THE MAJELIS PERMUSYAWARATAN ULAMA, SHARĪʿATIZATION AND CONTESTED AUTHORITY IN POST-NEW ORDER ACEH". Journal of Islamic Studies. 22 (2): 183–214. doi:10.1093/jis/etr026. ISSN 0955-2340. JSTOR 26200830.
  5. ↑ Cox, Daniel G.; Ryan, Alex (2015). "Countering Insurgency and the Myth of "The Cause"". Journal of Strategic Security. 8 (1–2): 43–62. doi:10.5038/1944-0472.8.1.1419. ISSN 1944-0464. JSTOR 26465204.
  6. ↑ VIGNATO, SILVIA (2014). "Sensual subjects in an Islamic epistemological arena: Negotiating the borders of aurat in Aceh". La Ricerca Folklorica (69): 67–81. ISSN 0391-9099. JSTOR 43897027.
  7. ↑ Fountain, Philip (2016). "Mennonite Disaster Relief and the Interfaith Encounter in Aceh, Indonesia". Asian Ethnology. 75 (1): 163–190. doi:10.18874/ae.75.1.07. ISSN 1882-6865. JSTOR 43855330.
  8. 1 2 3 "PERATURAN GUBERNUR ACEH NOMOR 139 TAHUN 2016 TENTANG KEDUDUKAN, SUSUNAN ORGANISASI, TUGAS, FUNGSI DAN TATA KERJA SATUAN POLISI PAMONG PRAJA DAN WILAYATUL HISBAH ACEH" (PDF) (in Indonesian). 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  9. 1 2 ACEH, SATPOL PP DAN WH. "Polisi Wilayatul Hisbah dan Tantangan Penegakan Syariat Islam". satpolppwh.acehprov.go.id. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
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