Abdurrahman warns NU to evade external influences
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Abdurrahman Wahid warned members of the influential Moslem organization not to let the forces of external political play tear them apart.
"NU members (may) join one or another political group for (the sake of) the five-yearly general elections, but (the activities) should not harm relationships among members," Abdurrahman told a rally of some 10,000 NU youths in Semarang, on Sunday.
He said that NU, which boasts 35 million members in rural areas, was established some 68 years ago to reach goals which are farther-reaching than those of any other political groups. The members, therefore, must not sacrifice their mission for their political interests, he added.
His speech reflected the divided stands of NU members regarding the organization's involvement in the coming election of the United Development Party (PPP) and the power play within it.
Some NU senior members, usually called kyai, have publicly declared that they intend to wrest the party's leadership from the smaller faction Muslimin Indonesia (MI). The statement created controversies both within NU and among PPP members who hail from the other three factions -- MI, Perti and Parmusi.
So far, Abdurrahman has been noncommittal, stressing that the organization will neither prevent its members from running for leadership, nor endorse them.
Analysts, however, have been concerned that the NU's move may create or worsen friction among members.
"Macro" missions
Abdurrahman explained that if NU, as a Moslem-based organization of scholars which has "macro" missions, is "used to further the narrower-mission of political parties, then it is tantamount to a betrayal of its mission."
"NU was not established to merely cater to members who are (activists of) political parties or the bureaucracy; it's there to serve the people, especially the unfortunates," Abdurrahman was quoted as saying by the Antara news agency.
He reminded the NU members that there are still many tasks to improve people's lives which they have not tackled yet. "There are so many things to do," he said, lashing out at those who, instead of taking care of the tasks professionally, "are busying themselves with `narrow' affairs such as political parties."
He also reminded the young NU members that the organization should be glued together by their common quest for "the victory of Islam and the blessing of Allah". "These are our yardsticks for success," he said.
No matter how good an orator a person is, or how skillful in managing organizations or mobilizing people, he is nothing unless he strives for the triumph of his religion and for God's blessing, Abdurrahman said. "We should measure up our success not with (activities in) the political parties, or even how NU fares (in the political arena), but with how sincere we are in upholding God's religion," he said.
"NU or political parties are nothing but the means to reach those goals," he said. (swe)