Islamic Help, NU continue joint work<\/p>\n
Delegates of British Muslim charity group Islamic Help visited
\nIndonesia recently to continue their work with Nahdlatul Ulama
\nrebuilding the tsunami-hit Aceh province.<\/p>\n
Upon arrival in Jakarta, Help leaders Mohammad Masood Alam
\nKhan and Sheikh Sultan Niaz Hasan, accompanied by their
\nIndonesian representatives Muhammad Agus Mulyana and Mabroer MS,
\nmet with NU executives, led by chairman Ahmad Hasyim Muzadi.<\/p>\n
The meeting discussed Islamic Help's plans for Aceh, a follow
\nup of the group's initial humanitarian work in the province that
\nbegan in January.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, Hasyim Muzadi invited Khan and Sheikh
\nSultan Niaz to meet a Thai delegation of ulema, who called on the
\nNU's headquarters following Hasyim's recent visit to Thailand.<\/p>\n
Later the Help team held a coordination meeting with NU before
\nboth went to Aceh to ascertain the extent of the damage on
\nIslamic boarding schools and a formulate reconstruction program
\nfor the area.<\/p>\n
While observing the ruins of buildings leveled by the disaster
\nthe Islamic Help and NU delegates were humbled by the scale of
\nthe disaster and overcome by their empathy for the victims.<\/p>\n
Their grief heightened as they were told about the struggles
\nof several students of the Babul Saadah boarding school, who had
\nmanaged to escape from being washed away by the tidal waves. The
\ndelegates also witnessed how surviving students moved a tsunami
\nvictim into a proper grave.<\/p>\n
An emotional Khan stressed the organization would do its
\nutmost to mobilize financial resources from Islamic Help's
\npartners to help reduce the suffering of the victims.<\/p>\n
He directed Help representatives Agus and Mabroer to create an
\nitemized list of what was needed for the restoration.<\/p>\n
During the visit to Aceh, Islamic Help also verified data on
\nstudent accomodation in boarding schools. Students' mobile nature
\nmeant, the team needed good estimates of numbers during a four-
\nmonth period so as to build adequate accomodation facilities,
\nKhan said.<\/p>\n
On their return from Jakarta, the group made a symbolic
\ntransfer of aid worth US$200,000 to NU, witnessed by British
\nAmbassador to Indonesia Charles Humfrey at the NU headquarters.<\/p>\n
According to Khan, the allocation of the money was meant to
\nfinance student scholarships and boarding school reconstruction
\nin Aceh.<\/p>\n
The rising intensity of cooperation between Islamic Help and
\nNU had strengthened the ties between the two Islamic
\norganizations, Hasyim said.<\/p>\n
Their influence had meant that during his recent visit to
\nPakistan, Hasyim was able to meet with Pakistan President Gen.
\nPervez Musharraf and other high-ranking Pakistani officials and
\nulema.<\/p>\n
Hasyim voiced the hope the two organizations could work
\ntogether internationally to promote a civil society that upheld
\nIslamic values as a foundation of peace.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/islamic-help-nu-continue-joint-work-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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