Backlash against rival NU members begins

Backlash against rival NU members begins

JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) have started
to punish the dissenters who held an extraordinary congress and
established a rival board last week.

The North Sulawesi office of NU, for instance, has decided on
Saturday to dismiss a leading member, identified only as H.I.S.B,
who attended the congress at the Haj Dormitory in Pondok Gede,
East Jakarta.

More are expected to be punished as there were around 500
people who attended the congress last Wednesday and claimed to be
coming from 23 regional offices and 225 units at regency levels
from 26 provinces.

NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur, has
last week called the dissenters "adventurers" who should be
dismissed.

"They went too far, and there's no other option but for us to
dismiss them from NU," Gus Dur was quoted by the Antara news
agency as saying on Thursday in Jember, East Java.

Gus Dur, however, ruled out doing the dismissing himself. He
said that he has never dismissed any members, and will let the
1999 congress to take care of the problem.

The scholar also said he believed that those who came were not
formal delegations from leadership boards at the NU offices.

"We have checked. Those who attended the congress were
individuals from various branches," he said. "I will ask for
explanation from them, and see whether they should be punished."

Gus Dur also said that there were no provincial boards who
formally sent delegations to the gathering which was held without
police permits.

"Those who did were from regions which have been a problem for
some time, namely the provincial offices of NU of South
Kalimantan, Jambi and West Sumatra," he said. He was referring to
regions which were known to be the stronghold of the leading
dissenter, Abu Hasan.

Abu Hasan led a group of dissatisfied ulemas at the largest
Moslem organization in holding a "grand conference", despite
lacking permits.

Initially reported to be a mere gathering for the ulemas to
pray and talk about religious matters, the event developed into a
congress and eventually elected Abu Hasan as rival chairman.

The National Police Headquarters have promised to question Abu
Hasan.

Meanwhile, in Purwokerto, Abu Hasan's foster father, K.H.
Moslich, has also reacted against the establishment of the rival
board.

"It's haram, forbidden," he said. "It's a revolt against the
legitimate leadership elected in the 1994 congress."

"I will do everything to bring Abu Hasan and Abdurrahman Wahid
together to reconcile," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said on Friday that
the conflicts in NU were proof of the poor quality of political
education. He also said that his office has four times turned
down Abu Hasan's request for permission to hold the conference.

"But he persisted," Yogie said. "There will be sanctions
against him, but let the police take care of this problem."

Yogie, however, said he was optimistic that the conflicts will
eventually be resolved without his interference. "I will not
(meddle) but those NU leaders should also engage in
introspection," he said. (swe)