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| The punks were rounded up at a local concert |
Dozens of
young men and women have been detained for being "punk" and
disturbing the peace in Aceh, Indonesia's most devoutly Muslim province. They
are being held in a remedial school, where they are undergoing
"re-education".
Rights
groups have expressed concern after photographs emerged of the young men having
their mohawks and funky hairstyles shaved off by Aceh's police.
They look
sullen and frightened as they are forced into a communal bath.
But Aceh's
police say they are not trying to harm the youths, they are trying to protect
them.
The 64
punks, many of whom are from as far away as Bali or Jakarta, were picked up on
Saturday night during a local concert.
Aceh police
spokesman Gustav Leo says there have been complaints from residents nearby.
The
residents did not like the behaviour of the punks and alleged that some of them
had approached locals for money.
Morals
unmatched
Mr Leo
stressed that no-one had been charged with any crime, and there were no plans
to do so.
They have
now been taken to a remedial school in the Seulawah Hills, about 60km (37
miles) away from the provincial capital Banda Aceh.
"They
will undergo a re-education so their morals will match those of other Acehnese
people," says Mr Leo.
But
activists say the manner in which the young people have been treated is
humiliating and a violation of human rights.
Aceh Human
Rights Coalition chief Evi Narti Zain says the police should not have taken
such harsh steps, accusing them of treating children like criminals.
"They
are just children, teenagers, expressing themselves," she says.
"Of
course there are Acehnese people who complained about them - but regardless of
that, this case shouldn't have been handled like this. They were doused with
cold water, and their heads were shaved - this is a human rights violation.
Their dignity was abused."
But Mr Leo
disagrees.
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| It is the second time the police have cracked down on punk culture in Aceh |
"We
didn't arrest them, they haven't committed any criminal offence," he says.
"They
are Aceh's own children - we are doing this for their own good. Their future
could be at risk. We are re-educating them so they don't shame their
parents."
This is the
second time Aceh's police have clamped down on punks in the province, which is
the only province in Indonesia allowed to implement shariah law.
There is a
thriving underground punk music scene in Aceh, but many punk-lovers are viewed
suspiciously by local residents.
Many of the
young teens sport outrageous hairstyles, in keeping with punk culture, but
against the norms of the keenly religious in Aceh.
Aceh is one
of the most devout Muslim provinces in Indonesia, and observers say it has
becoming increasingly more conservative since Islamic law was implemented a few
years ago.
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