Government issues permit for NU national conference

JAKARTA (JP): The government has given the go-ahead to the planned national conference of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, ending widespread speculation over whether it would gain approval.

The director-general of sociopolitical affairs at the Home Affairs Ministry, Achdary, said yesterday the government had issued the permit for the conference.

"There is no problem with NU's proposal to organize a national conference. They can go ahead with the plan," he told reporters in his office yesterday.

The five-yearly conference will be held in the West Nusa Tenggara capital of Mataram from Nov. 17 to Nov. 21.

Achdary's statement ended speculation that it would be difficult for the NU central board to gain government permission to hold the congress.

Under Indonesian law, organizations must have government approval to organize such an activity.

A senior NU figure, Abu Hasan, said Wednesday that he and his followers would boycott the conference as none of his faction was invited to the NU leadership meeting.

Abu called on the authorities to postpone issuing the permit on the grounds that the conference could disrupt NU's unity and the nation's political stability, especially with the general meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) approaching.

Abu lost the chairmanship race at the 1994 congress in Cipasung, West Java, to incumbent Abdurrahman Wahid. After he was excluded from Abdurrahman's leadership, he established a rival organization, the Coordinating Board for NU's Executive Board (KPPNU) in January last year.

Achdary warned yesterday that the government would take firm action against any effort to disturb the conference. But he did not expect Abu's camp would commit disruptive acts which would be unconstitutional.

He also confirmed that the government would stick to the result of NU's 1994 congress. "The result of the 1994 congress was legitimate and Abdurrahman's NU leadership was constitutional," he said.

He further promised that the government would not interfere with NU's internal affairs. "NU should settle its internal dispute on its own. And I believe they can," he said.

Nahdlatul Ulama, which means "the revival of ulemas", was established on Jan. 31, 1926. Two of its founders were K.H. Hasyim Asy'ari, Abdurrahman's grandfather and ulema K.H. Wahab Hasbullah.

NU became a political party in 1952 and was one of four parties that merged to form the United Development Party (PPP) in 1973. (imn)