What's Happening in Indonesia?

Of course, I'm interested in the gay angle here....but, I want to know more about the usage of sharia law by local authorities in Indonesia.

A decision by the Indonesian government to allow areas of the country semi-autonomous power is having a devastating effect on the country's gays a leading local newspaper reports.

In granting local authorities the right to use Islamic law gays are reportedly being round up and prosecuted despite a federal constitution which has in the past guaranteed LGBT civil rights.

Indonesia has the largest number of Muslims in the world. Although the federal government is secular the Jakarta Post reports that many provincial government have invoked Sharia law.

Several local governments, the paper says, have recently passed laws making homosexuality illegal, banned alcohol and require women to wear headscarves and not travel alone at night.