Chaos, conflict sweep through HMI congress<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chaos has plagued the last few days of the
\ncongress of the Moslem Students Organization (HMI) in Surabaya,
\nEast Java, and bickering among members continues to intensify.<\/p>\n
The meeting, which was opened by President Soeharto last
\nSaturday, may have to be extended as participants cannot agree on
\nsome crucial issues.<\/p>\n
Participants tossed chairs about while others grabbed
\nmicrophones and told reporters to go out of the meeting venue and
\nnow there have been reports that Vice President Try will not
\nclose the gathering tomorrow in Jakarta as planned.<\/p>\n
Should that happen, Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare
\nAzwar Anas will stand in his place and close the congress in the
\ncurrent venue in Surabaya.<\/p>\n
A congress organizer denies that the changes have been caused
\nby the disorder in the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"It's only a technicality...Vice President Try Sutrisno was
\nwilling to close the congress in Jakarta, but we can't bring all
\nthese participants there..it will create more difficulties,\"
\ncongress coordinator Alwi Mujahid Hasibuan said.<\/p>\n
However, Amir Santoso of the University of Indonesia was less
\nworried and told The Jakarta Post that the chaos was part of a
\npolitical education process and that the students should be left
\nalone.<\/p>\n
\"Such commotion occurs in other organizations' congresses,
\ntoo,\" he said. \"They need to learn for themselves the
\nconsequences of their conduct... As long as they are not burning
\nany buildings down, let's leave them alone.\"<\/p>\n
The Antara news agency reported that the plenary meeting held
\nto discuss the accountability report of the outgoing executive
\nboard, which was planned for one day, had been going on for two
\ndays. Some important items on the agenda, including the election
\nof new leaders, have yet to be tackled.<\/p>\n
Hasibuan, however, said he was sure that the meeting would end
\nas scheduled, though other meetings may have to be canceled so
\nthat the remaining time can be used for election and other
\nagenda.<\/p>\n
\"We planned to finish all hearings on Friday,\" he told Antara.
\n\"But even if discussions on the accountability report have to be
\nstretched, we'll cancel the meeting of KOHATI (an organization of
\nHMI female members) so the congress can be completed and closed
\non Sunday as planned.\"<\/p>\n
According to the congress agenda, the outgoing leadership, led
\nby M. Yahya Zaini, should have delivered its accountability
\nreport and stepped down on Thursday. Commission meetings also
\nshould have started on the same day and been completed yesterday.<\/p>\n
The election for the 1995-1997 board of executives and all
\nrelated procedures were scheduled to be held yesterday.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that the delays occurred because the
\nchairpersons were unable to take control and because they
\naccommodated participants who wanted to use the platform to
\nattack other members.<\/p>\n
Amidst reports of disorder, the 48-year old organization has
\nalso been under attack from various corners. Among the critics
\nwas its former chairman, prominent scholar Dr. Nurcholish Madjid,
\nwho said HMI members have been regressing so much intellectually
\nthat the organization is no longer able to give proper responses
\nto various issues.<\/p>\n
\"HMI should no longer (react to various issues) by flaring up,
\nor by trumpeting angry or bombastic jargons,\" he was quoted by
\nthe news agency. \"The public is waiting for it to be more active
\nin finding solutions to problems in society.\"<\/p>\n
\"HMI should discard its 'fight' against mentality, and adopt
\nan attitude which fights for some positive causes instead,\" he
\nsaid. \"This does not mean that being reactive is no longer
\nimportant, but the times have changed and we are not facing the
\nsame threats as we did at the birth of the New Order (in 1966).\"<\/p>\n
Another critic, Bursyah Zarnubi, said HMI has lost its ability
\nin finding intellectual answers to various social ills. \"This
\nparticipants this year have yet to come up with intelligent
\nideas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Speculations now loom about who will succeed Yahya Zaini as
\nchairman. Among the names most frequently heard were outgoing
\ndeputy chairman Taufik Hidayat, outgoing secretary-general Fatah
\nYasin, Jakarta chapter chairman Aman Romansyah.<\/p>\n
Several other names came up for potential secretary-general,
\nincluding Alwi Mujahid Hasibuan and Zulkennedy Said from West
\nSumatra chapter. The only female hopeful in the congress was
\nNursi Arsirawati.(swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chaos-conflict-sweep-through-hmi-congress-1447893297",
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