NU members call for peace, unity<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Tens of thousands of supporters of beleaguered
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid gathered here on Sunday for a mass
\nprayer, with many voices raised in calls for peace and unity.<\/p>\n
The prayer, organized by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the Muslim
\norganization formally chaired by Abdurrahman, is seen by many as
\na last-ditch effort by the President to demonstrate to the public
\nand the House of Representatives that he still wields great power
\nand influence.<\/p>\n
The mass prayer, which was marred by a small explosion, came
\njust one day before the House is expected to issue a second
\ncensure against the President.<\/p>\n
The gathering of the President's supporters, including die-
\nhard loyalists who have said they will occupy the House complex
\non Monday when the legislature meets to decide on the issuance of
\na second censure, did not prevent hundreds of people from the
\nSunday morning tradition of jogging or walking around the Bung
\nKarno sports complex.<\/p>\n
The mass prayer was a largely peaceful affair, though a small
\nblast slightly injured seven people.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mulyono Sulaiman said the
\nblast originated from a plastic bag containing three small
\nbottles filled with a \"a chemical substance\" designed to explode
\nin high temperatures.<\/p>\n
Addressing the gathering, President Abdurrahman, who chaired
\nNU for 15 years before being elected president in 1999, again
\ncalled on his supporters to avoid violence.<\/p>\n
\"We come here for goodness, not to cause harm. Hopefully,
\nthere will be improvements in this country,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
\"You must not do anything that will be disadvantageous to us
\nall ... do not damage the property of any organization, either
\nMuslim organizations or non-Muslim organizations, because anyone
\nwho has faith is our brother.\"<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman told those in attendance not to be provoked into
\nacts of violence, and to return to their hometowns following the
\nmass prayer and monitor the House plenary session on Monday from
\na distance.<\/p>\n
Traffic backed up outside the stadium as thousands of people
\nwere unable to enter the venue when police officers and NU
\nsecurity guards closed the entrance gates as soon as the prayer
\nbegan.<\/p>\n
NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi instructed those taking part in the
\nevent to return to their homes as soon as the prayer ended.<\/p>\n
\"There must be no violence here and all NU members must follow
\nthe instructions of their ulema,\" Hasyim said.<\/p>\n
He stressed that NU must not become part of the country's
\nproblems, and should pray for the poor, the nation's leaders and
\nthose people responsible for causing harm to the country.<\/p>\n
\"We are telling all NU members not to disturb the House
\nplenary session tomorrow (Monday) ... just observe the political
\nevent from a distance. We cannot allow the people to fight each
\nother as has been happening in the country because of the evil
\nactions of people here in the capital,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The prayer ended with a demonstration of \"invisible power\" by
\na group of prayer participants, who seemed to create an eddy that
\nblew some trash around.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the gathering, Minister of Defense Mahfud MD
\nsaid the mass prayer was not an attempt to influence the House
\nplenary session on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"I hope the (House) legislators will realize that groups which
\nhave different ideas and opinions about political issues have
\nmany supporters here,\" Mahfud said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the absence of a number of political leaders,
\nMahfud said: \"They are probably afraid the event will be
\npoliticized. But for me, there is no reason to skip an invitation
\nfor religious worship.\"<\/p>\n
Police officers, assisted by members of the NU security task
\nforce Banser, checked prayer participants for weapons as they
\nentered the venue. Military soldiers and police officers were
\nalso deployed inside and outside the stadium to prevent any
\ndisturbances, and five police armored vehicles were parked
\nnearby.<\/p>\n
Seated on the podium with Abdurrahman and his wife Sinta
\nNuriyah were Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, Minister of Foreign
\nAffairs Alwi Shihab and National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman
\nMatori Abdul Djalil.<\/p>\n
Also in attendance were the commander of Abdurrahman's \"ready-
\nto-die force\", Nuril Arifin Husein, and Sukmawati Soekarnoputri,
\nthe younger sister of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri. Meanwhile,
\nneglecting calls from their leaders, many of NU followers
\nparticipating in Sunday's prayer decided to stay in the city
\nlonger.<\/p>\n
Some of those who wished to stay said they would like to watch
\nover the House of Representatives plenary session on Monday which
\nalmost likely will result in a second memorandum of censure
\nagainst the President.<\/p>\n
Other NU followers, mostly from East Java and Central Java,
\nsaid they would have a sight-seeing across the city as they
\nrarely visited the capital.<\/p>\n
\"Some of my friends would visit ulemas' graves and tourist
\ndestinations here. It's a rare opportunity for us to come here,\"
\nHabib Cholid Makarim, a group leader from Jombang, East Java, was
\nquoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Jombang is the hometown of Abdurrahman, who once chaired the
\ncountry's largest Muslim organization.<\/p>\n
Makarim, who also chairs the Jombang branch of National
\nAwakening Party (PKB), said he could not force his friends to
\nreturn home.<\/p>\n
He said that of 500 men in his group, 300 would stay at Wisma
\nPHI in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, until Monday, while the
\nremaining had left Jakarta for home.<\/p>\n
Some NU supporters who booked rooms in Hotel Djody on Jl.
\nJaksa, Central Jakarta also decided to stay at least until
\nMonday. (02\/dja\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-members-call-for-peace-unity-1447893297",
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