Govt won't interfere in NU affairs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto assured the conflict-ridden
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU) that the government would not take steps
\nwhich might sacrifice Indonesia's largest Moslem organization.<\/p>\n
\"There's not even a shred of intention on the part of the
\ngovernment to sacrifice it,\" Soeharto said yesterday, referring
\nto the ongoing leadership conflict within the 30-million strong
\norganization.<\/p>\n
\"The government would not interfere with NU's internal
\naffairs, either, but would be willing to help (solve) conflicts
\nwithin this religious organization,\" Soeharto was quoted by
\nMinister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher as saying.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi met with Soeharto when returning to duty after several
\nweeks of sick leave. He said the NU rift was the focus of his
\nmeeting with Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Hartono said in Pontianak,
\nWest Kalimantan, that the NU leaders should resolve their
\nconflicts in the spirit of ukhuwah Islamiyah (Moslem
\nbrotherhood).<\/p>\n
\"If the conflicts are allowed to linger, they will worsen and
\neventually divide the ummat (community) and create national
\ninstability,\" he was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Home Affairs reiterated that the government
\nonly recognizes the leadership board led by Abdurrahman Wahid
\nwhich was formed in the December 1994 congress.<\/p>\n
Sutoyo NK, the director-general for social and political
\naffairs at the ministry, also stated the government's refusal to
\nrecognize the board established by Abdurrahman's foe, Abu Hasan.<\/p>\n
The conflict first erupted in the Cipasung congress, during
\nwhich Abdurrahman beat Abu Hasan by a slim margin in the
\nchairmanship election.<\/p>\n
After he was excluded from Abdurrahman's executive board, Abu
\nestablished last January a rival board which he called KPPNU --
\nthe coordinating board for NU's executive board.<\/p>\n
Despite lacking police permits, the KPPNU convened an
\nextraordinary congress here on Wednesday. It elected Abu Hasan as
\nchairman of the board which now \"formally\" bears the same name as
\nAbdurrahman's, which is the PBNU.<\/p>\n
The congress also elected a five-member team which will meet
\nsoon to establish the full lineup of the board, according to
\nYanuar and Syafruddin of the new board's secretariat.<\/p>\n
Abu, a wealthy businessman, reportedly enjoyed the
\ngovernment's support in his quest for the NU chairmanship. He
\nsaid on Wednesday he was sure the government would recognize the
\nboard produced at the extraordinary congress.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman Wahid, however, said he was sure the government
\ndoes not support Abu Hasan.<\/p>\n
\"Only certain individuals (within the government) support
\nhim,\" he told The Jakarta Post in Solo, Central Java, on
\nWednesday. \"The legitimacy of an organization is not determined
\nby whether there are officials who support it, but whether its
\nfollowers do.\"<\/p>\n
\"What's the good of having the support of government
\nofficials, if the NU members don't support (them)?\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"(Abu Hasan's) board is no serious threat to NU. It's
\nnothing,\" said the controversial ulema, who is more popularly
\nknown as Gus Dur.<\/p>\n
Two other NU leaders, Ahmad Bagdja and Arifin Junaidi,
\nstrongly protested Abu Hasan's move. Arifin said that members who
\nare dissatisfied with the 1994 congress should have waited and
\nbring their grievances to the next congress in 1999.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the influential Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI)
\nHasan Basri expressed regrets over the conflicts, and suggested
\nthat leaders of the two camps reconcile.<\/p>\n
\"NU is a religious organization, they should solve problems in
\nways which are in line with religious teachings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Political observers Maswadi Rauf and Afan Gaffar warned
\nagainst negative ramifications of the conflicts.<\/p>\n
Afan said that whoever tried \"to ruin NU\" ran the risk of also
\ndamaging national unity. \"Its large membership, scattered
\nthroughout the country, is an invaluable asset in our efforts to
\nmaintain national integrity,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The government should have acted more swiftly to nip the
\nconflicts in the bud and prevent Abu Hasan from staging the
\ncongress,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"This is really damaging for the domestic political
\ndevelopment,\" Maswadi was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama, whose name means \"the revival of ulemas\", was
\nestablished on Jan. 31, 1926. Two of its founders were K.H.
\nHasyim Asy'ari, the grandfather of Abdurrahman Wahid, and K.H.
\nWahab Hasbullah.<\/p>\n
It became a political party in 1952, and was one of four
\nparties that in 1973 merged to form the United Development Party
\n(PPP). (swe\/01\/har)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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