Gus Dur, Abu Hasan advised to reconcile

Gus Dur, Abu Hasan advised to reconcile

DEMAK, Central Java (JP): Moslem activists are getting tired of the dragging leadership rift within the 30 million-member Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) organization.

Moslem activists affiliated with the ruling political group Golkar suggested yesterday that NU chief Abdurrahman Wahid and his arch-rival Abu Hasan bury the hatchet once and for all.

They suggested that Gus Dur, as Abdurrahman is affectionately called, and Abu forgive one another and solve their dispute out of court.

"Gus Dur and Abu Hasan should extend each other's hand for apology. We sincerely hope that they bury their rivalry for the organization's good," said activist Slamet Effendy Yusuf.

Slamet, a former chairman of Ansor -- a youth organization under NU, is known as a critic of Gus Dur, who is known for his controversial political and religious views.

The conflict began after Gus Dur accused Abu, his strongest contender who received the government's backing in the NU election in 1994, of receiving US$18 million in kickbacks in a Jakarta port project.

Abu, known as a successful entrepreneur, has sought to solve the dispute in court, but there has been no fixed date as when the trial will open.

Observers say that the move to bring Gus Dur to court has the blessing from some officials in the government who want to see him replaced with a figure who has better relations with the bureaucracy.

When meeting with NU activists here yesterday, Slamet warned that the prolonged conflict could hurt the organization's reputation.

"We hope that the top-level rivalry won't affect the (NU's) branches in the provinces and boarding schools across the country," he said.

Slamet said that although he is personally opposed to Gus Dur's views on democracy and development, he could ignore these differences for the sake of NU's reputation. (har/pan)