Government asked to clarify stance on NU

Government asked to clarify stance on NU

By Haryoso

SEMARANG (JP): A political observer and an ulema are calling
on the government to clarify its stance on the chairmanship
conflict in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Moslem
organization.

Kahar Badjuri of Diponegoro University and Noer Iskandar
Albarsany, member at the Syuriah (law-making body) at NU, agreed
that the public is waiting to see whether the government will
take punitive action against dissenters who established a rival
executive board. Only by such action can the government convince
the public of its sincerity when it declared that it recognized
Abdurrahman Wahid as the rightful chairman, Kahar said.

"The public, especially members of NU, are waiting for when
the government will make good of its promise to punish Abu Hasan
who established the rival board when the Ministry of Home Affairs
has declared its recognition of Abdurrahman's board," Kahar told
The Jakarta Post.

Noer Iskandar said the NU members had been relieved when
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. recently said the
establishment of the rival board was a violation of rules.

"Now we're hoping that Minister Yogie really takes action
against the dissenters," Noer Iskandar said. "Otherwise,
conflicts will only grow."

He reminded the government that rifts in the 30-million strong
organization would be harmful to the whole society. He also
called on other leaders of NU to take punitive action against the
dissenting members. "They should be dismissed," he said.

The same call was made by Niam Sukri, chairman of NU youth
wing, GP Ansor, in Central Java. "The youths of NU are waiting
for the government to keep its promise," he said. "Otherwise, the
government runs the risk of confusing NU members."

Abu Hasan, who lost the chairmanship election to incumbent
Abdurrahman Wahid at the organization's congress in Dec. 1994,
held an extraordinary congress last month and established a rival
board.

He managed to gather some 500 participants claiming to
represent 23 regional branches and 225 units at regency level,
and get himself elected chairman of the Tanfidziyah (executive
board) of NU.

Outspoken ulema K.H. Hamid Baidlawi was elected chairman of
the Syuriah, a position which, in Abdurrahman's board, is held by
respected ulema K.H. Ilyas Ruchyat.

Abu Hasan, an affluent businessman, pointed out that his was
not a rival board; it was, instead, the legitimate board because
Abdurrahman's board was produced in a rigged election.

Meanwhile, reports circulated yesterday that some local
chapters of NU have started to retaliate against members
participating in the illegal congress. Baidlawi, for instance,
has been dismissed from his post at the unit leadership of Lasem
district, Central Java.

The central executive board set the end of the fasting month
of Ramadhan last week as the deadline for the dissenters to
return to the fold. Abu Hasan has so far ignored it, proceeding
with installing members to his board.

Chairman Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, told RCTI
private television station yesterday that the deadline was
flexible. Besides, he said, the board has yet to call a meeting
to discuss what kind of punishment will be meted out.