NU congress displays signs of renewal<\/p>\n
By Ridwan M. Sijabat<\/p>\n
KEDIRI, East Java (JP): As proceedings of the 30th Congress of
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU) reach their halfway point, all signs point
\nto a political reawakening of the organization from its 25-year
\nlethargy.<\/p>\n
The election of Abdurrahman Wahid as president last month has
\nsparked newfound political vigor and endowed senior leaders of
\nIndonesia's largest Muslim organization with the confidence of
\nembracing politics into their vision of NU in the future.<\/p>\n
But at the same time, to outsiders, this confidence also
\nreflects the delicate tightrope the organization must tread as it
\nalso claims loyalty to the 1926 khittah (statute) of not getting
\ninvolved in practical politics.<\/p>\n
Statements by Said Aqiel Siradj and Hasyim Muzadi, the two
\nleading candidates expected to replace Abdurrahman as chairman on
\nThursday, reflect this dualistic vision.<\/p>\n
Both maintain a strong commitment to strictly maintain NU's
\nimage as a socioreligious organization with a strong practical
\nfocus on elevating small-scale businesses.<\/p>\n
Both pledge loyalty to the 1926 khittah, but at the same time
\neach have underlined the need to play a proactive role in
\nconstructing a conducive climate for a true democracy.<\/p>\n
NU was established by the late Wahid Hasyim, Abdurrahman's
\ngrandfather, along with two other influential ulemas in 1926. It
\ndeveloped into a power grassroots Islamic grouping and between
\n1950 and 1973 used its strong support base to delve into party
\npolitics.<\/p>\n
It then slowly faded from the national political scene with
\nthe ascendancy of the New Order government which fused Islamic-
\nbased political parties into the United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
Throughout the 1970s, 1980s and most of the 1990s it played a
\nbackroom role in politics and in most cases shied away from it
\naltogether.<\/p>\n
In 1984 with the election of Abdurrahman as chairman of NU, it
\ndeclared its return to the 1926 khittah to stay out of formal
\npolitics.<\/p>\n
But with the dawn of the reform era many NU figures became
\nactively involved in politics and the National Awakening Party
\n(PKB), which drew its support base from NU, was given the
\nblessing by NU leaders and received the third highest votes in
\nthe June 7 general election.<\/p>\n
Said Aqiel Siradj, deputy secretary of NU's legal affairs (Aam
\nSuriyah) department, said during the congress here that NU should
\nbe consistent in its identity as a socioreligious organization,
\nhowever this should not stop them from fighting for the political
\ninterests of the majority of Muslims.<\/p>\n
Said saw the current era of reform as a momentum to develop
\nNU, which now claims to have over 35 million members, including
\nfurthering it mission in the political, economic and education
\nfields.<\/p>\n
According to Said, NU should become a pillar of democracy in
\nthe reform movement to create a strong civil society. He said NU
\nmust maintain its distance from the government, political parties
\nand other state institutions.<\/p>\n
Despite Abdurrahman's ascendance, NU can continue to play a
\ncontrol function. With its independence, Said claimed, NU can
\ncorrect the government's policies.<\/p>\n
He cited several NU ulemas who recently criticized the
\nPresident for his statements and opinions on Aceh as an example.<\/p>\n
Said also said NU as a socioreligious (Jam'iyyah) organization
\nshould intensify its role in developing religious harmony.<\/p>\n
However he remained adamant that NU should ensure that Islamic
\nvalues be included in consideration of state institutions and
\naffairs, as the state is overwhelmingly comprised of a majority
\nof Muslims.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, he also noted that NU must ensure that
\nother religious communities be allocated adequate opportunities
\nto play a role, thereby ensuring equity and religious harmony in
\na plural society.<\/p>\n
\"NU must be able to promote religious tolerance because
\nIndonesia is not an Islamic or theocratic state,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another area of concern for Said was the need to overhaul the
\ndevelopment and to improve the quality of Islamic boarding
\nschools (pesantren) which in turn could produce better equipped
\nhuman resources.<\/p>\n
\"The development of pesantren is quite strategic in improving
\nthe quality of Indonesian human resources since most people are
\nstill living under the poverty line in rural areas. The education
\nsector must be developed to improve people's political
\nawareness,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Interests<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of the NU chapter in East
\nJava, said the current congress must formulate what he described
\nas \"inclusive substantialism\" to promote harmony between
\nreligions and the state.<\/p>\n
\"This is urgent since certain religious groups have
\nintentionally abused their faith to oppose the government in
\norder to fight for their own political interests,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He explained that many Muslim groups had fought to be
\nexclusive and exerted violence in fighting for Islam to be
\naccepted in a more formalistic nature by the state.<\/p>\n
In his view, NU itself should uphold the principle amr ma'ruf
\nnahi munkar, which would keep peaceful relations with the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"No religion has destructive goals or allows its followers to
\npursue violent means,\" he argued.<\/p>\n
Hasyim said NU must strive to uphold democracy, help create a
\nclean government, develop people's religious lives and promote
\nnational brotherhood.<\/p>\n
\"To minimize the threat of disintegration, NU must be in the
\nfront row in strengthening ukhuwwah wathoniyyah (the sense of
\nnationhood), ukhuwwah islamiyah (religious harmony) and ukhuwwah
\nnahdliyah (unity among NU supporters),\" he said.<\/p>\n
But NU observer Amin Syukur expressed some skepticism that the
\norganization could truly maintain itself as a strong check
\nagainst a government which is comprised of several notable NU
\nfigures, given the feudalistic culture of the organization.<\/p>\n
\"It is a serious challenge for NU to conduct its control
\nfunction. The presence of influential NU figures in the bureaucracy,
\nmajor political parties and the legislative bodies will make it
\ndifficult for NU to be critical,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Amin, also a lecturer at the Islamic Teaching Institute (IAIN)
\nin Surabaya, cited a simple example that students at Islamic
\nboarding schools (pesantren) were discouraged from criticizing
\ntheir ulemas and teachers.<\/p>\n
The education system in pesantrens was that students were
\ntaught to comply with their ulemas and to imitate them, he said.<\/p>\n
It would be very difficult for NU's next leaders to criticize
\nthe president because most of them were \"his students\" and were
\npersonally close to him, he said: \"This is a challenge but also
\nan opportunity simultaneously.\"<\/p>\n
Robin Bush, who is conducting research for her doctorate
\nprogram at the Lirboyo Boarding School, concurred and said NU
\nshould produce independent graduates and intellectuals in an
\nattempt to phase out the feudalistic culture as well as to
\npromote democracy in pesantrens and the organization.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-congress-displays-signs-of-renewal-1447893297",
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