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Indonesian Men’s Group Takes Stand Against Polygamy, Branding It Discriminatory
Anita Rachman |

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Valkyrie
4:54pm Nov 2, 2009

Once again, one of the probable causes is ignorance. I do believe that there's only a few faiths on earth that subsribe to polygamy and most governments will deem it illegal.

Indonesia will have to wait for the next generation to overcome many shortfalls. Hopefully, it would not take too long.

I feel that the Islamic faith is a little permissive in their attitude towards matrimony and quite a few of other issues. The old prophets, both in the Islamic and Christian doctrines have evidence of polygamy. However, since the advent of modernization, the Christian faith denounced polygamy and for some, even disallow separations. The sciptures written in the Quran has to be adhered to literally, and, to change any writings would be tantamount to blasphemy. It is an akward situation and if moderation continues to be rejected, we can go on commenting the pros and cons until the cows come home without generating a viable solution.

I have upheld my stand on not mixing politics with religion because it is a highly combustible mixture. Such issues are often exasperating to read/know about and its a process we'll have to live with. For me....I'll allow those who enjoy playing with fire and get themselves burnt. Perhaps then.............!!!

mehameha
3:04pm Nov 2, 2009

Way to go, pak Wawan! I'm 100% behind you. Any women who say they are happy to share their husbands are either lying to themselves or too scared to be left alone without support. The Malaysian club's claim that polygamy helps unfortunate (but sexy enough) women doesn't hold ground. There are many ways to empower women, and polygamy is the worst available option because it usually leads to abuse and unhappiness for the people involved, including the children.

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A number of men have formed a group to counter the controversial launch of a local branch of a Malaysia-based “polygamy club” in Bandung.

Speaking at a news conference at the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in Jakarta on Sunday, Wawan Suwandi, a member of the Men’s Coalition to Reject Polygamy, said the failure of a growing number of men to consider women’s perspectives on polygamy had forced them to act.

“The practice of polygamy is so patriarchal — there is no gender equality,” said Wawan, who also works for a women’s rights group, the Women’s Journal Foundation (YJP).

“We want to share this critical awareness with society and ask men to promote this awareness.”

Wawan said the topic of polygamy was brought up now more than ever before, especially by elements that support what he called a discriminatory and degrading practice.

Last month, Bandung played host to about 150 people from across the nation to launch the first Indonesian branch of the controversial Global Ikhwan Polygamy Club.

“We want people to know that not all men agree with polygamy,” Wawan said.

He said that he did not believe that women who shared their husbands were truly happy, and that men who practiced polygamy were being unfaithful and hurt their wives. “Do you think that the wives of polygamists are all really happy?”.

Wawan said that members of the new antipolygamy coalition, mostly nongovernmental organizations, would soon coordinate a public awareness campaign.

“We conduct online activity on Facebook but will still meet and talk with people,” he said. “We urge our member to share their thoughts with friends — that’s a more effective way to spread the message.”

The Facebook site, called Club Anti Poligami, had 287 members as of Sunday evening.

Estu Rakhmi Fanani, director of the Women’s Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Apik), hailed the antipolygamy coalition’s launch, saying she was happy that a men’s group had finally taken a stand on the issue.

“That’s big support for us, opposing polygamy, to give more perspective to society,” she said.

Wawan said the group acknowledged that people would disagree with their stance, especially among religious circles because Islam allowed polygamy under strict regulations. Some online discussions on the subject also say that men who opposed the practice are supposedly not macho enough.

“We know the risks that some people with their religious perspectives might oppose us,” Wawan said.

“In our opinion, polygamy is a form of denigration to men’s dignity, as men are then labeled as treacherous, heartless and unable to manage their lust.”