Rights activists in Indonesia has warned of the possible "domino effect" of honor killings in Indonesia following the death of 16-year-old, Rosmini binte Darwis, in the hands of her brothers after she allegedly confessed to having relations with a 45-year-old relative.
The most Muslim-populated nation in the world, known for its moderate branding of the Islamic faith and diversity, was shocked by the death of Rosmini.
Honor Killings in Asia and the Middle East
A common phenomenon in the Middle East and parts of South Asia, honor killings are centered on girls and women wherein they are killed if they are believed to have brought disgrace or shame to the family.
While sleeping, a 14-year-old girl in Iran was decapitated by her father using a sickle last week. Few days before the incident, Romina Ashrafi had run away with her boyfriend but she was recovered by the police, the authority allowed her father to take her custody despite Romina's claims that she will be punished violently because of her actions.
Based on the data of the United Nations, an estimated 5,000 girls and women across the globe die annually due to honor killings, but the practice is rarely heard in Southeast Asia.
According to Daily Mail, Human Rights Watch Indonesia researcher, Andreas Harsono believed that the case of Rosmini was the first recorded incident of such practice in the country.
Harsono showed his concern regarding the possible effect of the incident as it can trigger other families to replicate the practice.
He also added that the country currently experiencing a build-up of a brand of Islam that was a result of 700 sharia-inspired laws mixed, starting from the wearing of the hijab which is mandatory, to curfews for girls.
South China Morning Post also reported that Harsono emphasized that the country has an obsession to control women's bodies, even from their hair down to their vaginas which reflects in the case of virginity testing practice in the country.
Before women will be part of the nation's military in Indonesia, they are required to undergo a virginity test.
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Gusdurian Network Indonesia, an organization with activists around more than 100 cities in the country and its National director Psychologist Alissa Wahid believes that currently, Indonesia has a tendency towards ultra-conservatism based on primordial values.
Daughter of the late famous Muslim cleric and former President Abdurrahman Wahid, Alissa worries that the honor killing even without death is still dangerous to well-being specifically for daughters.
In her studies, Alissa shared that women in Indonesian families were treated differently, for some women were tagged as a burden, blamed if unmarried because it is like bringing shame for them, they are also not encouraged to be educated.
Despite many Indonesians condemned the honor killing, a domino effect is still possible according to Indonesia's Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic University's social lecturer, Any Rufaedah.
According to her, since the incident was because of the cultural values, it has a higher chance of encouraging others to do the same thing.
She also mentioned that this happens in other countries as well even in the US, clearly because family members are the closest individuals around a person, so when a member gets angry, members of the family are made scapegoats.
