Authorities in a district of Indonesia's Aceh province have distributed 20,000 long skirts and prohibited shops from selling tight dresses as a regulation banning Muslim women from wearing revealing clothing took effect Thursday. The long skirts are to be given to Muslim women caught violating the dress code during a two-month campaign to enforce the regulation, said Ramli Mansur, head of West Aceh district. During raids Thursday, Islamic police caught 18 women traveling on motorbikes who were wearing traditional headscarves but were also dressed in jeans. Each woman was given a long skirt and her pants were confiscated. They were released from police custody after giving their identities and receiving advice from Islamic preachers. “The rule applies only to Muslim residents in West Aceh,” Mansur said. “We don't enforce it for non-Muslims, but are asking them to respect us.” He said any shopkeepers caught violating restrictions on selling short skirts and jeans would face a revocation of their business licenses.
