Rebecca Soejati Reijman
Aug 29th, 2007, in News, by PatungSinger Rebecca Reijman falls afoul of Islamic law in Aceh.
Singer Rebecca Soejati Reijman, who is from the Netherlands, was performing on stage in Banda Aceh on 26th August in front of 4,000 people in support of the Jakarta-based band “Nidji” when the head covering that she was obliged to wear in the sharia-law province got caught in the wind and fell off, revealing her head, and the hair on top of it. Because of this she had to leave the stage and the concert ended abruptly.
Rebecca Soejati Reijman.
Although she is not Muslim Rebecca said she didn’t mind covering herself up in order that her Aceh-based fans could see her live but apparently some people were not happy with the effort that she had made, even before the headwear fell off. What was covering her upper body did not extend all the way and left her hands some parts of her arms visible, causing some people to mutter in disapproval, it is said.
The concert almost didn’t take place at all because various Islamic groups and clerics put up some stiff resistance. Fakhruddin bin Asyimi of the Anti Sin League (Badan Anti Maksiat, BAM) said on 25th August: serambinews
It’s not only Nidji, but the other singers shouldn’t be allowed to perform here.
Music concerts were:
not in accord with the culture of Aceh and Islamic values.
Holding the concert would be:
a big mistake, it would embarrass and tarnish Islamic law.
Concert-goers might get up to no good:
We want the concert cancelled because violations of Islamic law could occur there.
He mentioned young men and women fraternizing, the wearing of unislamic dress, and kissing, as crimes that might happen. antara
Nevertheless the concert went ahead, with 150 policemen standing guard.
Maybe because I’m not Muslim they think it’s against Islamic law [for me to appear on stage in a concert].
Yet still more woe was to befall Rebecca on her sojourn to the Veranda of Mecca. After the concert she was unable to leave her hotel for some time in order to catch a flight back to Jakarta because the event organizers, Dian Asmara, hadn’t paid the full hotel bill. okezone
Rebecca, singing “Tanpamu”.
49 Comments on “Rebecca Soejati Reijman”
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Aluang Anak Bayang says:
Ya Allah, how could she dress like the Jews!
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Sylvester says:
Aceh is being transformed into a taliban style society.
If they want to do that, its up to them. I don’t care.
Let them crawl in the darkness. -
Dimp says:
If they don’t want to see the concert then don’t go, it is as simple as that. No one is holding a gun to their head forcing them to see it.
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Ihaknt says:
It’s very sad to acknowledge that Aceh is losing its own unique beautiful culture. I guess their own traditional dances are no longer permitted. It’s tough having to do those quick-move dances in a stupid burqa! Salah kaprah. Now what they have is a culture of suspicions, judging, and intolerance. I agree with abul and dimp. Yes send them to Afghan and get them blown up.
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mingo says:
Somewhere in the quran it must say. DO AS I SAY AND NOT AS I DO, any one know where it is.
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Afghanistan was a beautiful place. The culture was flourish particularly during Silk Road era. Even when Islam is adopted, it was still beautiful and tolerance to Buddhism (Bamiyan Buddha was still intact). But after the devil Zayman Al Wahiri, Osama, Mullah Omar and their taliban came, the life was miserable. No tolerance, fear was common, women treated worse than camel. Luckily, the new government is better.
Aceh slowly is following the taliban footsteps as well as other parts such as west java. It’s a great pity if this thing continus.
Radical islam is just an evil, devil scented anarchy, which has to be eliminated in any cost! -
Very true Sylvester. Actually even back in the Ottoman empire days, many mid eastern countries were beautiful and even prosperous. I couldnt believe it when i see old fotos of them. Very advance for their time. It’s a pity the “controled fear of God” destroyed it instead of enhanced it. I dont think the current situation is how “God” wants them to be in. I wonder how He feels watching His creations (from landscape to human) are being destroyed rapidly in His name.
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Falcon says:
The concert should be held away from Aceh because the danger of tsunami and earth quake. The concert is to be held in a place where people can enjoy freedom without religious fanatics but yet with truly Indonesia decencies. The buyers of tickets are provided with free transportation and accommodation. Aceh will likely be empty place only only a few hundreds fanatics left and catastrophe will follow soon.
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Falcon, the catastrophy is already there in the form of religious fanaticism and the death of common sense.
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Augusto says:
It is some what her fault, she should have known better. Aceh is govern by sharia, singing and dancing are not allowed. Full jilbab is a must for women there.
Of course the authority will be offended by her, they have work so hard to implement sharia and covering their women from head to toe and suddenly this kaffir woman went up on stage half naked dancing and singing. She is lucky of not being charge for insulting islam.
So Muslim who loves sharia and can go to kaffir country to take full advantage of democracy but kuffar has to abide by the sharia and treated as a dhimmi when they are in islamic country. Is that fair? Any way allah knows best right?
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Arema says:
some people were not happy with the effort that she had made, even before the headwear fell off. What was covering her upper body did not extend all the way and left her hands visible, causing some people to mutter in disapproval, it is said.
Presiden Yudhoyono, if you read this, please do a favor for them by arranging a transport to an inhabited island that is at least 50km from shore. Bring guys only, no girls allowed. They will see no girls, at all… and we don’t see them, win-win solution for both parties 🙂
Music concerts were not in accord with the culture of Aceh and Islamic values. Holding the concert would be a big mistake, it would embarrass and tarnish Islamic law.
Simply shocking. I would’ve agreed if they said the same thing for boarding house, but music concerts…? OMG! Even “idiots” or “imbeciles” are an understatement to describe their stupidity. Incomprehensibly prehistoric.
Very true Sylvester. Actually even back in the Ottoman empire days, many mid eastern countries were beautiful and even prosperous. I couldnt believe it when i see old fotos of them. Very advance for their time. It’s a pity the “controled fear of God” destroyed it instead of enhanced it. I dont think the current situation is how “God” wants them to be in. I wonder how He feels watching His creations (from landscape to human) are being destroyed rapidly in His name.
Yup. The current Iraq and Iran now is where the famous Garden of Eden supposed to be. Egypt was one of the most advanced civilizations. Everything was good… until Muhammad came and start playing God by creating Islam.
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Colson says:
What the heck is she doing in Aceh of all places?! She should change her management. No one should be convicted to be in a concert in Banda Aceh.
Girl, you’re dutch, for Chr…’s sake! So: ga terug naar huis en treedt eens op in Paradiso of zo. No headscarf needed there. If the singing and the show is all right you may even show you bellybutton, if you want to.
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dewaratugedeanom says:
If the people of Aceh agree with this then I want my money back that I gave for tsunami relief.
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Shorty says:
rebecca, nidji and their recording companies will be laughing all the way to the bank. their profiles were raised far above expectation from a concert in beautiful downtown banda aceh
Fakhruddin bin Asyimi don’t you get it? banning, censoring and criticing only increases curiosity.
there were 4000 people at the concert. there’s now probably 40,000 who’ll pay for a pirate copy of the event and the shock/horror – my hat fell off. (by the way, are you going to recommend hand amputation and stoning for the owner of the video cam? after all he’s a thief and an apostate)
those 4000 represent the future – by this i mean look at their age – they will be the ones who in 20 years make the decisions Badan Anti Maksiat is now supposedly making for them.
let’s switch scenery – forget islam, judaism…religion.
fakruddin, have you heard of king kanute?
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pena budaya says:
Colson, in the Netherlands she is only “allochtone” and in Indonesia she is “bule”. Her social status is, of course better in Indonesia than in the Netherlands.
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Bas says:
As I said from the begining: Don’t give your money for Aceh. 90% of the money will end in corrupted and fanatic hands. And that’s exactly what happened. The ONG members and the officials got millions in their pockets (I have many friends working for many different international ONG and their stories are just the same)…
When stupid foreigners will accept the truth about nowaday Aceh, Java, Bali…?
You just help them and they spit on you.
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Robert says:
Augusto said:
Of course the authority will be offended by her, they have work so hard to implement sharia and covering their women from head to toe and suddenly this kaffir woman went up on stage half naked dancing and singing.
Since when is oppressing women called “work”? Yeah, what a shame, the authorities are busy covering up the women and suddenly a Dutch female singer spoils the jilbab-party. Why go to the concert in the first place? Next time pull the headscarf over your eyes. Then you have a win-win situation, you still can enjoy the live concert but you won’t have to see any indecensies.
It seems that not only people became victim of the tsunami, but also common sense has been flushed away.Colson said:
Girl, you’re dutch, for Chr”¦’s sake! So: ga terug naar huis en treedt eens op in Paradiso of zo. No headscarf needed there. If the singing and the show is all right you may even show you bellybutton, if you want to.
Hear, hear! She should come to Paradiso, so we could see her here and determine the level of indecency ourselves.
Pena Budaya said:
Colson, in the Netherlands she is only “allochtone” and in Indonesia she is “bule”. Her social status is, of course better in Indonesia than in the Netherlands.
I don’t think she is considered an “allochtoon”. I can assure you that when Rebeccca performs in Amsterdam, she will find a very friendly reception, and nobody will talk about this indecency crap. Everybody will focus on her music and nothing else. There she won’t need 150 policemen to protect her against the religious fanatics.
Maybe her social status is better in Indonesia, I fail to see why, but ok.
But I do know that her status as a human being is much higher in the Netherlands then it ever will be in Indonesia, especially in Aceh where she being treated as a second-rate human being.Bas said:
You just help them and they spit on you.
Bas, the people will keep this in mind. Next time when a tsunami occurs a lot of wallets will remain closed. People will be very reluctant to help a Taliban-style regime.
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I don’t think she is considered an “allochtoon”.
Please read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allochtoon.
A second-generation allochtoon is a person born in the Netherlands with at least one parent born in a foreign country. When both parents are born abroad, the ‘country of origin’ is taken to be that of the mother. If she was born in the Netherlands, it is the father’s country of birth.
And her mother is Indonesian, so she is an allochtoon for Dutch “statistic” and perhaps socially as well.
Her status as a human being is much higher in the Netherlands then it ever will be in Indonesia
I am sad with the fact and I am totally agree with you about this.
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There are 4000 or so attendants and could be more but the Limited police force and crowd control is the most likely reason the number is held at 4000. It has not been long sharia was implemented in Aceh, this therefore indicated that the youngs long for good entertainment and some beautity. They most likely applauded when the wind blew off the head scarfe and suddenly there are 4000 + the clercs doing standing ovations because they can see the hair.
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Pena Budaya,
In daily life the word “allochtoon” is being used for people from backward countries, and for specific groups of non-westerners and their children. And often these people are dealing with problems. So the word “allochtoon” is often associated with problems and sounds negative nowadays. In some Dutch cities the word is even not being used anymore in official papers.
Statiscally speaking Rebecca Soejati is considered an “allochtoon” by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Also all the Germans, British, Belgians, Americans, living in the Netherlands are considered “allochtoon”, in official papers they are. But in daily life nobody will call these people “allochtoon”, and that goes too for people from Indonesia. So Rebecca Soejati doesn’t have to worry, she never will be called “allochtoon”.
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Dear Robert,
You ask: “Since when is oppressing women called work?”
Why don’t you ask some good Muslims if covering up their women is an oppression. Are you saying all the Muslim men are oppressing their women? Remember there are 1.5 billion strong (and growing very fast) Muslims in this world. How can they all be oppressing women? Is it because women are half intelligent?
When I say ‘work” I mean work to implement sharia law. Do you know what sharia is? Do you know how important that means to good Muslims? If you are not aware of it try Googlin the word “sharia” and do some research on your own then you will understand why good Muslims work so hard to implement it.
Please do some research on the quran and hadith too, it will enlighten you!
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Augusto,
You gave it away by saying that the Aceh authorities have to work hard to implement sharia and covering their women women from head to toe. Why had that to be done in the first place? Are you saying that the Aceh women weren’t covered earlier? That is strange, isn’t it? When living to Islamic rules is that important for the Aceh women, why didn’t they cover themselves earlier?
One might wonder what prevented them from covering all the previous years. And
why had the sharia-law to be introduced anyway, if the people are so devout. A true believer would already have lived according Islamic rules and didn’t need Sharia in the first place, and the women would have already covered themselves.The truth is ofcourse that a lot women don’t like to be covered and have to be covered by the authorities. As you pointed out, it probably is hard work, forcing the women to do that.
The covering up itself is a matter of interpretation of the scriptures. There are plenty of countries where islam is the #1 religion but where not all women cover up, like Moroc and Turkey. Are you implying that they are not good Muslims?
And oppression has nothing to do with intelligence. History is full of examples of intelligent people being oppressed. It is just a matter of a stronger party ruling a weaker party. As long as men call the shots, women will always be screwed. You are talking about Muslims implementing sharia, you should have said Muslim men implementing the sharia, that would have been much closer to the truth.
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Naive Augusto, being covered is not a guarantee she is a good Muslim anyway.
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Janma says:
What was covering her upper body did not extend all the way and left her hands visible, causing some people to mutter in disapproval, it is said.
Her hands????? For real!? They can get turned on by hands? She wasn’t supposed to show her hands….???
I find that really hard to understand. -
Elie says:
I am in Aceh now and I was so disappointed also with what had happened!!!! Gezzz. I believe those stupid moron are worshiping the wrong god!! Their god must be a very stupid idiot weak god, who always need his people to protect him. The real God is the God who had given a gigantic Tsunami for Aceh, and I believe He is still able to do that again!!!!
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Jokoboyo says:
Jokoboyo said: if Rebecca really a good singer, she should not perform in Aceh, I am very doubtful Acehnese will buy her original CDs. She can perform in HK, USA, Europe instead
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Dear Robert,
Oh dear! Where have you been all this time? Are you new here? I don’t even know where to start with you. You obviously have not done the research on sharia and its implication as I suggest. There are many articles on sharia: http://www.indonesiamatters.com/t/sharia/ and jihad: http://www.indonesiamatters.com/search/jihad which are provided by our courageous patung for exposing the truth of islam. You might want to read it to understand a little more about islam, it’s mission and vision. Anyway let me briefly answer some of your questions.
You ask: “why had that (sharia) to be done in the first place?”
Because it is Muslims’ religious duty, that is why we see the good Muslims in secular Muslim majority countries are working hard to replace their system with sharia law. Aceh wasn’t governed by sharia law back then, it was still govern by the central government just like any other part of this country, which is still secular. Today that part of the country has the privilege to implement sharia which is demanded by the good Muslims (separatists). This is likely to happened in south Thailand and Philippine soon. Before sharia was implemented Muslim women there had the freedom of covering or not covering, just like other parts of this country, but today they don’t have the freedom of not covering. Covering is not a matter of like or dislike, it is a law, sharia law. Women must cover themselves when in public. Quran: 33:59
You mention about Morroco and Turkey, those countries are like Indonesia which are still secular, but the good Muslims there are working hard to implement sharia, just like the good Muslims are doing here. Bad Muslims are mostly good in person and more tolerant towards the kaffir. If want to see the best Muslims, look at those clerics in the middle eastern countries and places like Afghan and Pakistan and they talk, act and dressed just like mohammad did.
Do you want to know what quran, the best manual for Muslims says about women? Check this out:
A woman is worth one-half a man. 2:282, Marry of the women two, or three, or four. 4:3, Males are to inherit twice that of females. 4:11, lewd women are to be confined to their houses until death. 4:15, Don’t pray if you are drunk, dirty, or have touched a woman lately. 4:43, Your wives and children are your enemies. They are to you only a temptation. 64:14-15, Menstruation is a sickness. Don’t have sex with menstruating women. 2:222
How dare you said: “As long as men call the shots, women will always be screwed.” Are you saying all Muslim men are screwing their women all this time because they are the ones calling the shot??? That is an insult to islam and the beloved mohammad! Do you know what is the punishment for that according to the upcoming sharia law? But wait, let me check what the quran says about screwing women. You are safe you are of the hook because quran said: Have sex with your women whenever and as often as you like. 2:223! Plus this favorite goodies: But the single-minded slaves of Allah will enjoy a Garden filled with lovely-eyed virgins. 37:40-48 how nice heh? Dont you be jealous.
Please Robert the next time you come back to argue, do your own research on sharia and jihad first! Not all Muslims are as sensible as you are, many are brain washed by these madness.
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Urengaceh says:
Hey people! Don’t you got somethng to do, I am acehnese, I living with syariah system now in banda aceh, I know it hard, but somehow we believe this is good for us, what the hell you know about aceh? What the hell you know about islam? The goverment system also can be run with islam system! You’all just need to understand that!
Syaria is good, just the way how this implemented here in aceh is wrong, and this is the mistake of goverment!, but again I think Indonesian goverment is never did a good job!
For them who come to aceh and help us here, thank you for that! But I am sure that before you came here you already knew the condition of aceh, and the system that run here, but still your humantarian heart decided to come here to “Help”, (help the victim here and help you and your family by getting good salary here).
So just come here to help, and give your best! Why you complain? If you complain? Just DO NOT Come to Aceh, still so many want to help without complain many things.For them you regret after giving money to aceh, may be this is the most stupid thing you ever done, next time just thing before act!
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Agusto,
I am back, alive and kicking. Let me ask you some questions again. I asked: “why had that (sharia) to be done in the first place?”. You replied by telling me about religious duty and so. I realize I should have asked in a different manner.
What I meant was: What is preventing you from applying sharia in you daily life? Which part of Islamic law are you currently prevented from living by or adhering to?
So why don’t you live by islamic rules now, instead of waiting for sharia-law replacing national law. Are you waiting for the sharia-police to knock on your door? Are you that weak that you need state support to live by sharia?There is another issue here. Why are some Indonesians so eager to replace the Pancasila by sharia-based law? The founding of the RI went along with a lot bloodshed, lots of people gave their life for an independant Indonesia, so it surprises me that people so easily squander the lagacy of Soekano and Hatta. It more looks like a betrayal of the founding fathers of Indonesia.
You said:
You mention about Morroco and Turkey, those countries are like Indonesia which are still secular, but the good Muslims there are working hard to implement sharia, just like the good Muslims are doing here.
I mentioned Turkey being an example of a secularist state with a Muslim majority. Luckily the the Turkish Army is protecting the legacy of Kemal Ataturk and is making sure that Turkey remains the modern state it is and does not fall back. This also goes for the Moroccan king. He won’t accept the state to be threatened by these so called “good Muslims”.
Today that part of the country has the privilege to implement sharia which is demanded by the good Muslims (separatists). This is likely to happened in south Thailand and Philippine soon.
That Aceh want to separate is no news, they just don’t like to be ruled by others, they didn’t like to be ruled by the Dutch then and don’t like to be ruled by Jakarta now. No religion involved here.
Philipines and South-Thailand are different stories. The separatists there are just people who want to establish an islamic state, with sharia-based law ofcourse. You call them good Muslims, their governments might see this different and probably will call them traitors and deal with them accordingly.If want to see the best Muslims, look at those clerics in the middle eastern countries and places like Afghan and Pakistan and they talk, act and dressed just like mohammad did.
We have seen what the good Muslims have done in Afghanistan, they brought the country back to the dark ages. I do hope Indonesia won’t get the same treatment like Afghanistan did. You must be quite deranged to bring up Afghanistan as an example for Indonesia. Is this what you want for Indonesia? Maybe you had better go and live there with your fellow Muslim brothers.
Do you want to know what quran, the best manual for Muslims says about women?
I don’t know, and frankly I don’t care. That goes the same for the bible and other religious books. I respect women for what they are, human beings. I realize that the items you mention, come from the ages that women really were hated and that enlightment hadn’t occured yet.
Luckily things have changed, but for some people the concept of women being 100% human beings and having the same rights will be a hard to grasp concept. You are no exception to that. You should try and meet women one day, they are not the enemies you hold them for.You said:
How dare you said: “As long as men call the shots, women will always be screwed.” Are you saying all Muslim men are screwing their women all this time because they are the ones calling the shot???
Agusto, do you know other meanings of the word screwed? For some reason you thought about sex. I was using the word screwed meaning shafted, cheated or downplayed. I wasn’t talking about sex at all.
But now you have brought up the matter, I am glad I am of the hook now. It is good to know the quran approves me having sex with a woman. Though I have to let pass the garden with the the lovely-eyed virgins, because I didn’t join Allah’s group of single-minded slaves as you put it so eloquently.Cheers
Comment on “Rebecca Soejati Reijman”.
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If these people wants to live in hermit paradise that much, I say, how about we export these taliban-wannabes directly to afghanistan? Or not Afghanistan, but rather the rural backwater of it where talibans still have the upper-hand. No cinema, Burqa-ed tormented women everywhere, no live bands, etc etc. If they want those kinda sh*t that much, just go the hell away to where you belong you damn pricks!