Indonesia's Aceh orders Muslim stewardesses to wear headscarves
BANDA ACEH - Authorities in Indonesia's Aceh province have ordered female Muslim flight attendants to wear headscarves when flying into the ultra-conservative Islamic region, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
Aceh is the only province in the predominantly Muslim country to implement Islamic law. Muslims in the rest of Indonesia generally practice a moderate form of Islam and women are free to choose whether or not to cover their heads.
The local government, which has special autonomy granted as part of a 2001 peace deal with the central government in Jakarta, circulated a letter addressed to Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia and several budget carriers including Malaysia's AirAsia and Firefly.
"All female stewardesses must wear a 'jilbab' (headscarf) Muslim fashion in accordance with the rules of sharia," the letter stated.
Mawardi Ali, chief of Aceh Besar regency where the airport is located, said that non-Muslim stewardesses were not required to wear headscarves, but that Muslim staff would be asked to wear it while en route to and in Aceh.
A spokesman for Garuda Indonesia, Ikhsan Rosan said the airline and its budget arm Citilink "support the suggestions" and would comply.
