For the past month or so, the news channel (and the gossip ones) in my country have been all agog with an issue I believe most of us will be able to relate with. Well, providing that you went through childhood.
Remember what it was like when you were 12. What were your wishes? What were your problems back then?
What about.. marriage? Did it ever cross your mind when you were 12?
From Indonesia Matters:
43 year old Pujiono Cahyo Widayanto/Widianto, aka Syech/Syekh Puji, the head of an Islamic boarding school (Ponpes Miftahul Jannah) in Bedono, Jambu, Semarang, Central Java, in August 2008 informally married (nikah siri) Lutfiana Ulfa, 11 years and 10 months old, who had just begun studies at a local junior high school, but has now taken up wifely duties at home.
Child bride and husband
Sweet looking, isn’t she? Not so sweet looking, isn’t he? Imagine if you’re 12 and you had to have sex with this guy.. Hey, just sayin’.
Upon hearing this, and learning more of the facts, I tried to compartmentalize my feelings. I have been trying to do that lately, whenever I feel overwhelmed by something. Amongst the many, the ones closest to the surface are:
1.Anger
2.Disbelief
3.Nausea
4.Why haven’t anyone sniped this POS SOB?
She’s TWELVE. This is phaedophilia, no?
Prominent figurehead, leader of the National Commisioner of Children’s Protection (I hope I translated that right), and known psychologist Seto Mulyadi has expressed his concerns about the child’s mental state, and damn right we all should be. He proposed a meeting with both the husband and wife, and apparently the husband apologized and said he was willing to divorce her/annul the marriage, even though he loves her.
I see. So you took this child’s virginity (still an important aspect in Indonesia), gave her a company and made her CEO to make it look as if you’re trying to make this kid’s life better instead of just being a phaedopile, showed her wealth and riches beyond her imagination to gain some people’s approval, probably got her pregnant (source: gossip channel), and now willing to divorce her because you got cornered?
His lawyer actually said these words: “If both parties love each other and wants to build a marriage together, what is wrong with that. What’s done is done.”
Where are those snipers?
Sources:
Totally Random 