Government issues permit for NU national conference<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has given the go-ahead to the
\nplanned national conference of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem
\norganization, ending widespread speculation over whether it would
\ngain approval.<\/p>\n
The director-general of sociopolitical affairs at the Home
\nAffairs Ministry, Achdary, said yesterday the government had
\nissued the permit for the conference.<\/p>\n
"There is no problem with NU's proposal to organize a national
\nconference. They can go ahead with the plan," he told reporters
\nin his office yesterday.<\/p>\n
The five-yearly conference will be held in the West Nusa
\nTenggara capital of Mataram from Nov. 17 to Nov. 21.<\/p>\n
Achdary's statement ended speculation that it would be
\ndifficult for the NU central board to gain government permission
\nto hold the congress.<\/p>\n
Under Indonesian law, organizations must have government
\napproval to organize such an activity.<\/p>\n
A senior NU figure, Abu Hasan, said Wednesday that he and his
\nfollowers would boycott the conference as none of his faction was
\ninvited to the NU leadership meeting.<\/p>\n
Abu called on the authorities to postpone issuing the permit
\non the grounds that the conference could disrupt NU's unity and
\nthe nation's political stability, especially with the general
\nmeeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) approaching.<\/p>\n
Abu lost the chairmanship race at the 1994 congress in
\nCipasung, West Java, to incumbent Abdurrahman Wahid. After he was
\nexcluded from Abdurrahman's leadership, he established a rival
\norganization, the Coordinating Board for NU's Executive Board
\n(KPPNU) in January last year.<\/p>\n
Achdary warned yesterday that the government would take firm
\naction against any effort to disturb the conference. But he did
\nnot expect Abu's camp would commit disruptive acts which would be
\nunconstitutional.<\/p>\n
He also confirmed that the government would stick to the
\nresult of NU's 1994 congress. "The result of the 1994 congress
\nwas legitimate and Abdurrahman's NU leadership was
\nconstitutional," he said.<\/p>\n
He further promised that the government would not interfere
\nwith NU's internal affairs. "NU should settle its internal
\ndispute on its own. And I believe they can," he said.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama, which means "the revival of ulemas", was
\nestablished on Jan. 31, 1926. Two of its founders were K.H.
\nHasyim Asy'ari, Abdurrahman's grandfather and ulema K.H. Wahab
\nHasbullah.<\/p>\n
NU became a political party in 1952 and was one of four
\nparties that merged to form the United Development Party (PPP) in
\n1973. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-issues-permit-for-nu-national-conference-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}