Bassra's rejection

Bassra's rejection

The Association of Ulemas of Religious Schools in Madura Badan
Silaturahmi Ulama Pesantren Madura (Bassra) finally issued a
statement rejecting a request from the Minister of Research and
Technology/Chairman of the Board for Study and Application of
Technology (BPPT), B.J. Habibie, to put their signatures on a
declaration accepting industrialization on Madura.

The Bassra decision came in the wake of a decision of
Habibie ... which in essence states that construction of a bridge
linking Surabaya with Madura would begin in April next year,
followed by the industrialization of the area.

Why did Habibie find it necessary to ask the Bassra ulemas
(Moslem religious leaders) to issue a statement? Perhaps only
Habibie knows the precise answer. In light of past events, it
might be that Habibie assumes that the Madurans, the ulemas in
particular, reject the idea of the construction of such a bridge
between Surabaya and Madura as well as the industrialization
plans. However, as might be deducted from various statements that
have been made by Bassra, neither the people of Madura nor its
ulemas object to industrialization. What they want is that any
such industrialization plans be executed not for the mere sake of
industrialization by itself, but that it serve the benefit of the
people of the area.

We do not know what the eventual solution of the problem will
be. However, we would like to remind everybody that the proposed
bridge and the industrialization plans could affect the fate of
many people.

-- Surya, Surabaya