NU scholars set for controversial talks in Rembang<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): After enduring weeks of controversy and numerous
\nobstacles, a group of ulemas of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) have
\nfinally scheduled the meeting where they will discuss their
\nstrategy to win the election at the United Development Party
\n(PPP).<\/p>\n
The organizers of the meeting, to be held in the Central Java
\ncity of Rembang on Sunday, received the green light from the
\ngovernment on Wednesday, which itself represented a victory over
\nmany in NU and PPP who have been opposing or criticizing their
\nplan.<\/p>\n
Some 75 religious leaders from many parts of the country will
\nmeet at the Roudlotut Tholibien boarding school (pesantren).<\/p>\n
The official agenda states that the meeting will discuss how
\nthe NU can contribute to the future development of the PPP.
\nHowever, many of the ulemas who are planning to attend say that
\nthey will discuss strategy to win the PPP election in August.<\/p>\n
NU was the largest of the four Moslem parties that merged into
\nthe PPP in 1972. Despite its strength, the party's chairmanship
\nhad always gone to the Muslimin Indonesia (MI) faction which has
\ntraditionally counted on the strong support of the government.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. confirmed that
\npermits to hold the gathering have recently been issued.
\n\"Recommendations from the authorities for the meeting have been
\nissued, so they can go ahead with their plan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There were still uncertainties about the meeting as late as
\nWednesday because, despite an endorsement from the Armed Forces,
\nthe organizers had not received the written clearance from the
\npolice to hold the conference.<\/p>\n
Yogie, however, once again reminded the ulemas that they
\nshould still ask permission from their main organizations<\/p>\n
Ulemas who are already members of the Moslem-based PPP have
\nto ask permission from its executive board, as do ulemas from NU.<\/p>\n
The meeting in Rembang had been widely opposed by some of the
\ntop leaders in both the PPP and NU.<\/p>\n
Yet the meeting represents the clearest attempt by some
\nmembers of the NU to wrestle the leadership in the PPP when the
\nparty holds its congress in Jakarta late in August.<\/p>\n
Established 68 years ago and now boasting some 34 million
\nloyal followers, Nahdlatul Ulama has sent conflicting signals
\nregarding its stance within the party.<\/p>\n
On the formal level, NU severed all links with PPP since 1984
\nwhen they decided to return to their original mission of
\npromoting Islamic education and steering clear of politics.<\/p>\n
Many NU leaders and their supporters have remained loyal to
\nthe party. These leaders now say they have to grasp the PPP's
\nhelm in the run up to the 1997 general election.<\/p>\n
These NU ulemas also feel that PPP, under the low-profile
\nleadership of Ismail Hasan Metareum, may not be able to compete
\nwith the dominant Golkar and the increasingly popular Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) under Megawati Soekarno.<\/p>\n
Among the critics who worry that the Rembang meeting will
\ndeepen conflicts within PPP is Yusuf Hasyim. The head of NU's
\nlaw-making body said the meeting will put the reputation of NU in
\njeopardy.<\/p>\n
Postponement<\/p>\n
Several other leaders tried to bridge the differences by
\nsuggesting that the meeting be postponed. \"If the ulemas are not
\nready, postpone it,\" said Soeleiman Fadeli, chairman of PPP
\nbranch in East Java.<\/p>\n
Supporters of the meeting said they would only discuss ways to
\ncontribute more to the development of PPP.<\/p>\n
Several among them tried to skirt frictions by saying that
\nthey would not use the occasion to pick prospective nominees, and
\nthat they would only discuss the \"criteria\" for party
\nchairmanship.<\/p>\n
\"We won't concentrate on choosing prospective chairmen,\"
\nHamzah Haz, spokesman for the ulemas who will meet in Rembang,
\nsaid recently. \"We will leave the decision on PPP chairmanship in
\nthe August congress.\"<\/p>\n
Despite Hamzah's assertion, however, many speculate that the
\nmeeting will eventually name Hamzah, who is chairman of PPP
\nfaction in the House of Representative, and Matori Abdul Djalil,
\nsecretary general of the party, as NU candidates for the August
\nrace.<\/p>\n
Among the senior ulemas who will attend the meeting are K.H.
\nSyansuri Badlawi, K.H. Cholil Bisri, the leader of the Roudlotut
\nTholibien pesantren, and H. Nadhier Muhammad. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-scholars-set-for-controversial-talks-in-rembang-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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