Fair play and NU<\/p>\n
Curious is probably the most appropriate way to describe the
\n\"grand congress\" of the \"Coordinating Board for the Executive
\nBoard of Nahdatul Ulama\" (KPPNU) -- the rival leadership board
\nwithin Nahdatul Ulama (NU) -- which opened yesterday at the Haj
\nDormitory in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
To freshen our memories: The KPPNU, led by affluent
\nbusinessman Abu Hasan, was established in January last year after
\nthe 1994 NU congress in Cipasung, West Java. During the Cipasung
\ncongress Abu lost the chairmanship race to the incumbent chairman
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, a controversial and vocal critic of the
\ngovernment. Abu established the rival board after he was excluded
\nfrom Abdurrahman Wahid's leadership board.<\/p>\n
Two leadership boards are now vying for influence within NU,
\nwhich has a reported membership of around 30 million. The
\ngovernment, as stated by Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie
\nS.M., Minister of Defense and Security Gen.(ret.) Edi Sudradjat
\nand other officials, officially supports the legitimately elected
\nAbdurrahman Wahid. Observers, however, point out that
\nAbdurrahman, up until now, has not been received by President
\nSoeharto, which is widely taken to mean that he does not have the
\nhead of state's blessing.<\/p>\n
Still, government officials, from cabinet ministers on down,
\nhave been careful to distance themselves from both the KPPNU and
\nits present congress in Jakarta. A spokesman for the Minister of
\nHome Affairs told reporters that the government proved its
\nposition by refusing to issue a permit for the KPPNU officials to
\nhold the meeting.<\/p>\n
Despite the lack of an official permit, the meeting has been
\nallowed to proceed, contrasting sharply with the difficulties
\nexperienced by the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), the
\nEast Java chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party and other
\ngroups wanting to organize gatherings. Although KPPNU officials
\nhave said that the event was organized simply to \"pray and talk
\nabout religious matters\", the fact is that political concerns,
\nsuch as a proposal to hold a special NU congress, were put on the
\nagenda.<\/p>\n
Under the circumstances it is not surprising that questions
\nand speculation are circulating among the public. There is the
\nimpression that NU's rival board has been granted certain
\nprivileges, which gives credence to the assumption that the
\ngovernment is aiding Abu Hasan in his efforts to unseat
\nAbdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
We believe the government would be wise to issue an official
\nexplanation to clarify its stand and to remove any accusations of
\nfavoritism. At stake is not only the future of NU, but the
\ncredibility of the government as well.<\/p>\n
It is time that we recognize the emergence of a new generation
\nof Indonesians, a generation of young Indonesians who are better
\neducated, more critical in their thinking and more independent in
\ntheir attitudes -- a generation to whom fair play matters.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fair-play-and-nu-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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