'Politics' behind edict agaisnt woman president<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Semarang\/Surabaya<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of the state-sponsored Indonesian Ulemas
\nCouncil (MUI) Din Syamsuddin said on Monday the edict (fatwa)
\nrecently issued by a number of ulema that effectively banned
\nwomen from serving as president, was politically motivated.<\/p>\n
\"This fatwa is full of political motives. So, we will not
\ndiscuss it,\" Din, who is also deputy chairman of the country's
\nsecond largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, told reporters.<\/p>\n
The clerics said last week that voting for women as leaders
\nwas forbidden under Islam, when elaborating on a five-point edict
\nwhich said they supported the decision of the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB) to endorse Gen. (ret) Wiranto as a presidential
\ncandidate and Solahuddin Wahid as his running mate.<\/p>\n
Solahuddin is a respected cleric from the Nahdlatul Ulama, the
\ncountry's largest Muslim organization, to which the above clerics
\nbelong.<\/p>\n
The edict, which was issued in Pasuruan, East Java, said the
\nclerics supported the PKB's endorsement of the candidates; that
\nMuslims and other Indonesians should also vote for Wiranto and
\nSolahuddin; that they supported the pair's campaign teams; that
\nall NU members should use their voting rights; and that NU
\nmembers should maintain unity ahead of the elections.<\/p>\n
When pressed for an explanation, clerics added that it was
\nharam for Muslims to elect female leaders.<\/p>\n
Megawati and her running mate Hasyim Muzadi, who is NU's
\nchairman (who has temporarily stepped aside since standing), were
\nnominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
\nto stand in the country's first ever direct presidential election
\non July 5.<\/p>\n
Din said the edict could benefit both male and female
\ncandidates.<\/p>\n
\"Megawati could use the edict to say that she was being
\noppressed. So, we should not blow up the issue,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On Monday, several women's groups in Denpasar and Semarang,
\nCentral Java, also blasted the \"discriminatory\" edict. About 250
\nwomen from various groups protested in front of the MUI offices
\nin Semarang.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, a number of noted figures, including UIN rector
\nAzyumardi Azra, executive director of the Center for Electoral
\nReform Smita Notosusanto and National Commission on Human Rights
\nmember Zoemrotin K. Soesilo signed a joint statement against the
\nedict.<\/p>\n
NU's acting chairman Masdar F. Mas'udi said earlier that his
\norganization had banned ulema from issuing such an edict, saying
\nthat males and females have equal rights to become president.<\/p>\n
Masdar said that verses in Koran and hadiths (sayings of the
\nprophet Muhammad) that were used as the basis for the edict
\nshould not be interpreted as banning women from becoming leaders.<\/p>\n
He said the verses should be viewed as a call for men to
\nprotect women and a ban against absolute power by both male and
\nfemale leaders.<\/p>\n
In 1999, some Islam-based political parties, including the
\nUnited Development Party chaired by Hamzah Haz -- the current
\nVice President -- rejected Megawati's presidential candidacy
\nbased on her gender.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Megawati and Hasyim plan to meet several noted
\nulemas in East Java, which is a NU stronghold. The ulemas will
\ninclude Idris Marzuki of Kediri, Ali Mashuri of Sidoarjo and
\nFawaid As'ad of Situbondo, at the Sidogiri Islamic school in
\nPasuruan, East Java.<\/p>\n
\"It's just a usual meeting between ulemas and candidates.
\nThere will be no statement of support,\" Mutawakil Allalah,
\nchairman of the Megawati-Hasyim Team, said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Mutawakil also said the planned meeting was not intended to
\nchallenge the edict banning a female leader.<\/p>",
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