Thousands welcome Gus Dur in E. Java<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): Tens of thousands of people lined the streets
\nof East Java's Tapal Kuda area on Tuesday to welcome home former
\npresident and influential Muslim cleric Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
The crowds, comprising people from all walks of life,
\ncontinued to pour into Situbondo's main square in the center of
\nthe coastal city, some 160 kilometers east of Surabaya, on
\nTuesday morning.<\/p>\n
They came from the towns of Situbondo, Jember and Bondowoso,
\nriding on motorcycles, open trucks, buses and cars. Many also
\nwalked to the square, where Abdurrahman gave a speech on
\ndemocracy and religion later on the day.<\/p>\n
"We will continue to fight injustice and uphold the truth,"
\nAbdurrahman said before thousands of his followers.<\/p>\n
This was Abdurrahman's first visit to his political heartland
\nsince the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) removed him from
\noffice two weeks ago in a special session held following
\nallegations of incompetence and corruption.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman was replaced by his former deputy and one-time
\nconfidante, Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman's entourage was welcomed by thousands of people
\nwho lined the streets in the Tapal Kuda towns from Surabaya to
\nSitubondo, with red-and-white flags being much in evidence.<\/p>\n
The former president arrived at Surabaya's Juanda Airport
\naboard a Garuda plane in the morning, accompanied by his daughter
\nZannuba Arifah Chafsoh, or Yenny as she is familiarly known.
\nUnusually, Abdurrahman refused to talk to journalists.<\/p>\n
East Java Governor Imam Utomo, and a number of NU officials
\nand non-governmental organization activists were seen among those
\nwelcoming him.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman was visiting the town to attend a ceremony marking
\nthe anniversary of the death of influential Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
\nMuslim cleric KH As'ad Syamsul Arifin, a former head of the
\nSalafiyah Safiiyah Islamic Boarding School in Asembagus,
\nSitubondo regency.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is an influential patron of NU, the country's
\nlargest Muslim organization which he led for 15 consecutive years
\nbefore being elected as the country's fourth president at an MPR
\ngeneral session in October 1999.<\/p>\n
He was ousted by the same legislators who pushed him to accept
\nthe presidency at an MPR special session on July 23 this year.<\/p>\n
"Gus Dur is our leader," chanted the supporters crowding the
\nstreets.<\/p>\n
"We still consider Gus Dur as the constitutional president.
\nBut, now he is the president of the people because of the
\ndifferent political reality," East Java NU official Ramadhan
\nSukardi said.<\/p>\n
Security around the area was tight with military and police
\npersonnel, along with NU security units, guarding the venue.
\n(nur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thousands-welcome-gus-dur-in-e-java-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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