News

The mayor of Surabaya Tri Rismaharini has finally closed down ‘Dolly Lane' Surabayas largest and most famous brothel complex in 18th of June 2014 as published in Jakarta Post (19/6). This red-light district is officially closed after a long run process since November 2010 to that Surabaya municipality took steps and persuaded the occupants and sex workers to change their professions.

But those who live and work in the area are resisting the move, and showing their rejection to the closure with various ways. They blocked access to the red-light area. They almost clashed with hundreds of police officers who tried to open the blockades, but calmed down as the police backed off.

In Jakarta, National Police Chief General Sutarman said on Wednesday that the force would fully back the Surabaya administration's endeavors to close Dolly amid resistance from the local residents, sex workers and pimps.

Comment

It is not a simple and easy task by a ruler in this secular-democracy country to implement a right rule. Prostitution as an immoral act is widely known, and its danger toward future generations is something nobody argues it. But to eradicate activities related to sex business is not a choice. That is why it is a hard decision for a ruler to set regulations to make a red-light district clean, safe and free from prostitution.

Since Mayor Tri Rismaharini declared her intention to close the brothel, she faced much rejection from stakeholders. Though her area is a majority Muslim regent. When she officially closed down the ‘Dolly lane', she should overcome the resistance from many parties. Not only the prostitutes and pimps, but also from non-governmental organization (NGO). NGO activist claims the mayor amputates financial rights of the residents in the brothel. Even National Commission on Human Rights urges the Surabaya administration not to forcibly close down ‘Dolly'. The commissioner says the local administration needs to protect its residents whatever their profession, adding that the closure had the potential to cause financial losses. Moreover the local and international- liberal medias exposed it in a negative way as if the local policy is ruthlessness and oppression to sex workers and their economic rights. In fact, the closure of the brothel is supported even wanted by majority of Surabaya residents and insisted by the clerics since years ago.

This is actually another evidence showing hypocrisy of democracy. Where does vox populi vox dei go, when the voice from majority people to end criminality is ignored by reason of human rights or financial income or domestic revenue? This condition must wake people up to realize that under this democratic system, immoral things should be facilitated and right rule will face difficulties to implement.

Instead of holding this secular broken system, people may hope and will get real solutions to overcome problems related to prostitution from Islam.

Islam sets up five paths that we should walk through to solve the existence of prostitution, namely:

a. The establishment of strict rule / punishment to all prostitutes. It is not only the brothel keepers, the prostitutes and the users who are the subjects in the prostitution circle are supposed to be punished. The punishment here for the doers is by rajam (thrown by rocks) if s/he has ever married or whipped a hundred times if s/he has not married yet then isolated for a year. If in this dunya s/he has no chance to get the punishment, then s/he will get it in hell in the hereafter. For female adulterer, she will be hung by her breasts in hell.

b. Providing a work field. Poverty factor that is often determined as the main reason for prostitutes to be trapped in their world is not supposed to happen if the state assures to fulfill the daily needs of the society members including to provide a work field - especially for men. Women are not supposed to be backbone for their families.

c. Proper education. A qualified and free of charge education will give intelligence and skills for everyone who is able to work well and halal. Education also develops basic value about what is right or wrong and also life standard that can be taken or not. The reason why prostitutes are back to the prostitution after they receive training skills is because they think it is a lot harder to earn money from sewing service than to do prostitution. It will not happen if there is a good education according to the right or wrong standard.

d. Social. Mentoring to have harmonious family is a solution from social side that has also been concerned by the government. The other thing is social formation that is not permissive to disobedience towards Allah's rules so the prostitutes will have social control from the society.

e. Political will. The solution for prostitution requires the application of policy based on Shariah Islam. It needs to set up a strict law to regulate any kind of business which is haram related to prostitution. It is not enough by only closing all of the localization, but it also needs to stop every product that can stimulate free sex like pornography through media.

It needs political will in the state level to close thoroughly every door of prostitution. Policy in government level or regent will not be able to realize it. Because of that, the society needs a state that applies Shariah Islam comprehensively and a state able to apply Shariah Islam in the form of Khilafah "Caliphate" Islamiyah.

((أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ))

"Do they desire to be judged by the laws of ignorance? Yet there is no better judge than Allah for those who believe in Him" [al-Maaidah: 50]

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Iffah Ainur Rochmah
Spokeswoman of Muslimah Hizb ut Tahrir in Indonesia