A video depicting a man calling for an annulment right after signing his marriage papers in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has gone hugely viral in Indonesia, bringing criticism to the groom and a religious tradition to marriage that discriminates against women.
The clip, which first gained traction on Facebook, showed a wedding reception in Sumbawa that appeared rather ordinary at first, until the man signed the marriage papers, put down his pen, and immediately annulled the marriage by declaring “talaq” three times into the microphone while speaking in a local language.
Talaq is commonly translated as repudiation or divorce, and refers to a classical Islamic law that gives the husband a right to dissolve the marriage by simply announcing the word three times.
The man’s declaration angered the man sitting opposite him — widely assumed to be the woman’s father — who stood up and tried to land blows on the former while others in attendance tried to break up the fight.
Details about the marriage have been circulating since the video went viral, offering a possible explanation as to what had happened, but they have yet to be confirmed by people in relation to the matter. One popular explanation is that the couple was allegedly forced to wed after the man got the woman pregnant, even though his parents and the bride were not completely on board with the wedding.
Faisal, an official from the local office of the Religious Affairs Ministry said that the couple had familial relations, explaining that the man called for the annulment because he was influenced by some of his other relatives who opposed the union.
Faisal claimed that the couple and their respective families made peace after the filmed incident, and that they agreed to move forward with the marriage.
The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) said the incident illustrates violence against women, and suggested that it be reported to authorities.
“I don’t understand how the groom perceives women. Maybe he doesn’t have the mindset of equality so that women are perceived as objects or a group that can be degraded,” Komnas Perempuan commissioner Alimatul Qibtiyah said.
“That’s why I think it should be reported so that such incidents don’t happen again.”
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