NU rival board non-existent: Abdurrahman<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the Nahdlatul
\nUlama (NU), cold-shouldered attempts to unseat him, saying that
\nas far as he's concerned there's no such thing as \"rival board\".<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman told the press yesterday that members of the
\norganization's board of executives (Tanfidzyah) and law-making
\nbody (Syuriyah) did not even discuss in their first meeting the
\nformation the rival board by a disgruntled competitor, Abu Hasan.<\/p>\n
\"We consider that all problems related to the elections in NU
\ncongress are over and done with,\" he said. \"The new board members
\nhave been inducted..so everything's settled.\"<\/p>\n
Tanfidzyah chairman Abdurrahman and Syuriyah chairman K.H.
\nIlyas Ruhiat declared yesterday that all leading members have
\ndecided to uphold the results of NU congress earlier this month.<\/p>\n
\"For us, that rival board is non-existent,\" secretary-general
\nAchmad Bagdja said.<\/p>\n
Conflicts among NU leaders emerged during the Dec. 1 - 5
\ncongress, which saw Abdurrahman and his supporters battling
\nbusinessman Abu Hasan for the top post of executive board. After
\nhis victory, Abdurrahman rejected suggestions from various
\nquarters that he included Abu Hasan in his board; instead, he
\nalleged that Abu Hasan was involved in a financial scandal.<\/p>\n
Abu Hasan retaliated by threatening to sue Abdurrahman for
\nslander, and accused him of manipulating the elections. He also
\nclaimed that some NU chapters did not recognize Abdurrahman and
\nwant him, instead, to lead the organization.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Abu Hasan announced the lineup of a rival board
\nwhich named him as chairman of executive board (Tanfidzyah) and
\nput former NU chairman and vice prime minister K.H. Idham Chalid
\nin the advisory council (Mustasyar).<\/p>\n
By yesterday afternoon, however, at least eleven ulemas named
\nin the rival board have declared that they did not have anything
\nto do with the appointment.<\/p>\n
Prominent ulemas such as Zainuddin M.Z., Nur Muhammad
\nIskandar, Sullam Syansun, Anwar Musaddad and Chotibul Umam said
\nthey were never consulted by Abu Hasan.<\/p>\n
Sullam Syansum said he recognized no other board except the
\none established in the congress. \"I call on all NU members to
\nbeware of attempts to destroy the unity in the organization.\"<\/p>\n
Abu Hasan planned to induct his rival board members this
\nmorning in his residence.<\/p>\n
In contrast to Abdurrahman and Ilyas's reaction, Achmad Bagdja
\nreacted more strongly. \"Abu Hasan has gone too far this time, and
\nthere should definitely be sanction against him,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"He made false claims, manipulation and accusations about the
\ncongress which had been conducted in a democratic way,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He failed to mention the kind of sanctions that can be imposed
\nagainst Abu Hasan. \"We haven't discussed what part of the
\nstatutes that Abu Hasan violated with his conduct, but he
\ndefinitely should be punished,\" Bagdja said.<\/p>\n
The first meeting of the Tanfidzyah and Syuriyah yesterday was
\nattended by most of the NU leaders. The meeting, according to
\nBagdja, decided that members of the two boards start with the
\nprograms that had been established during the congress.<\/p>\n
Bagdja refused suggestions that the board should make attempts
\nto reconcile differences among the organization's elite. \"It's
\nnot our task...because we're not the ones stirring up trouble.\"<\/p>\n
So far, the government has maintained its hands-off policy
\ntoward NU, giving up all the authorities to solve the conflicts
\nto NU leaders themselves.<\/p>\n
\"I call on NU to be independent and solve its own problems,\"
\nMinister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said yesterday. \"Don't
\njust follow the government...and (later) accuse the government of
\nintervention.\"<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung expressed the same
\nopinion, but added that the government would be willing to
\nmediate between the conflicting NU leaders if asked.<\/p>\n
\"The establishment of a rival board indicated that the result
\nof the congress is not yet final...this also shows that there's
\nnot yet political maturity (among NU members),\" Feisal said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher said the conflicts
\nwithin NU are proof that religious organizations have started to
\nbecome more political. \"In this situation, they become more
\nsusceptible to conflicts,\" he said. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-rival-board-non-existent-abdurrahman-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}