Restricted by Sharia Law; Lack of Voting Rights for Aceh Transgender Woman
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26 September 2022 15:50 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The democratic festivity is a bleak period for trans women in Aceh. They could potentially fall victim to a ‘witch hunt’ believed to boost the electability of local political elites. Sharia law has arguably annulled their rights as a citizen of the country.
This report is the first from a series of articles in collaboration between Koran Tempo and Jaring.id highlighting trans women in Indonesia’s political whirlpool. This project is realized with the support of the Indonesian Association for Media Development (PPMN) and the Asia-Pacific Regional Support for Elections and Political Transitions (RESPECT).
On the searing heat day between the skyscrapers of Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, on Wednesday, August 10, Vanesa’s flower pattern dress that she wore dangles to the ground, carrying dust and dirt in every step she took.
Once in a while, Vanesa greeted streetside traders selling beverages. Her smile always remained since stepping out of her boarding house. Whistles from men accompanied her steps. “It’s always like that as long as they don’t cause commotions. I have settled with the locals,” says Vanesa.
Vanesa is a trans woman from Banda Aceh, specifically from the village of Gampong Ulee Lheue. She was outcasted from Aceh due to her gender change.
Her story started seven years back. Past midnight in July 2015, loud thumps came from her dormitory room door. In shock, she immediately opened the door and found more than 10 people dragging her out of her room. Without being able to say anything, Vanesa was beaten.
She remembered the perpetrators as local youths and the elderly. There were also apparatus. “I was beaten viciously,” she recalled. Her tears dropped as she retold the harrowing experience.
Vanesa was paraded to a local security post all while the beating continued. Her hair was shaved bald, watered down with dirty water. The residents that gathered seemed to find the incident amusing with many recording it on their mobile phones. “That was the moment I cried. Where is the justice for us trans women?” Vanesa said.
Vanesa, whose birth name was Rizky, was also forced to pay a fine in the form of two goats. The animal is part of a local village cleansing ceremony. She was accused of tainting the environment. With the implementation of Islamic law in the region, Aceh does not acknowledge transgender people. “It’s horrifying in Aceh. The Sharia is so strict. I was fined, and had to provide two goats and Rp500,000 in cash,” she recalled.
Her nightmare did not end with the beating, fine, and outcast. She was also forced to sign a written statement that she could get a whip punishment if found to conduct activities in Aceh. “I was nearly depressed. I was born and raised in Aceh. Why do I have to move out,” Vanesa said.
In the end, Vanesa left her birthplace and departed for Medan, where she worked at a bar selling alcoholic beverages. She then moved to Jakarta in 2018 to seek a better livelihood.
The feeling of nostalgia soared whenever she sees photos of her family on her cell phone. Vanessa still often communicates with her family via video calls on WhatsApp. One person she often contacts is her elder brother in Medan. "I miss him, but I hold it back. The last time I met my brother in person was in 2017,” said Vanesa.
Her biggest dream is to return to Banda Aceh. Vanessa yearns to visit her father, first mother, and stepsister’s graves. All three died in the 2004 tsunami. At that time, Rizky, 7 years old, was in Medan. From the television, he saw the ocean waves ravaging his hometown.
In addition to losing her family, Vanessa lost her voting rights. Even though she has an identity card and was notified to vote in her village, she was unable to cast a vote in the 2019 general election. It is very likely that the same thing will repeat in the general election and the 2024 presidential election. She worries about being whipped if she returns home. "So, I just abstained. I want to protect my family's good name too," said Vanesa.
