Gus Dur in hospital for nose bleeding

JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the 30-million- strong Nahdlatul Ulama, was recovering from severe nose bleeding in North Jakarta Koja Hospital yesterday.

"I'm feeling better," he said. "Hypertension seems to be the cause of the bleeding. My blood pressure was so high that it caused a blood vessel to burst."

Gus Dur, as he is better known, was admitted to the hospital Sunday. By Tuesday he had lost about 1,500 cc of blood, his relatives said.

Umar Wahid, the hospital's director and his younger brother, said Gus Dur was being treated by a medical team led by internist Mardi Santoso.

"He (Gus Dur) has not experienced nose bleeding of this kind before. We don't think it's serious at the moment. He is doing fine," he said.

The intravenous drip had been removed from Gus Dur's arm and the cotton balls taken out of his nostril, but his condition would be monitored closely before he could leave the hospital, Umar said.

Gus Dur's daughter, Anitta Wahid, said her father fell ill on July 5 and lost about two cups of blood between Sunday and Tuesday.

"Although we live on the southern outskirts (of Jakarta), we feel comfortable having him treated here because uncle is here to take care of him," she said.

Gus Dur is well known for his political maneuvering and controversial remarks on the government and his fellow Moslem religious leaders.

He is now embroiled in a war of words with Alawi Muhammad of East Java, whom he no longer recognizes as a Nahdlatul Ulama executive. (40)