NU chief briefs U.S. on Muslims in Indonesia<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Chairman Hasyim Muzadi is visiting the
\nUnited States to brief American leaders on the true face of
\nIndonesian Muslims.<\/p>\n
NU deputy secretary-general Masduki Baidlawi said on Tuesday
\nthat Hasyim would speak in front of the U.S. President and
\nCongress about Indonesia and the power of Islam at the 50th
\nAnnual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Hasyim, Masduki added, would also clarify the nature of the
\ncountry's Islamic mainstream, which is determined by moderate
\nfigures rather than hardliners.<\/p>\n
\"Cak Hasyim expects the U.S. people will change their
\nperceptions and their image of Indonesia, which many perceive as
\na country lenient toward terrorist groups,\" Masduki told a media
\nconference at the NU's headquarters in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We also hope the U.S. government will not react in a
\ndisproportionate way to several Muslim groups by labeling them as
\nterrorists.\"<\/p>\n
Hasyim was invited by the U.S. Congress to attend the annual
\nevent. He left Jakarta for the U.S. on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Apart from Hasyim, who leads the country's largest Muslim
\norganization, the Congress invited Syafii Maarif, chairman of
\nMuhammadiyah, Indonesia's second largest Muslim group. But Syafii
\nwas unable to accept the invitation because of his commitment to
\nundertake the haj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Masdluki said the Congress rejected Muhammadiyah's offer to
\nreplace Syafii with deputy chairman Amir Abdullah because the
\ninvitations \"were addressed to Hasyim and Syafii personally due
\nto their track records in promoting peace and brotherhood between
\nIslam and other religious worshipers in the country.\"<\/p>\n
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country.<\/p>\n
The U.S. launched a war against terrorism following attacks on
\nthe country on Sept. 11 last year blamed on Saudian businessman
\nOsama bin Laden and his organization al-Qaeda. The campaign,
\nhowever, has since implicated certain Muslim groups in Indonesia
\nwith links to al-Qaeda.<\/p>\n
The National Police have questioned Indonesian Mujahidin
\nCouncil (MMI) chief Abu Bakar Ba'asyir in connection with
\nterrorism in Malaysia and sent police officers to Manila, where
\nan Indonesian was arrested for his alleged involvement in
\nterrorist activities there.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-chief-briefs-us-on-muslims-in-indonesia-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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