Gus Dur in intensive care after brain surgery

Gus Dur in intensive care after brain surgery

JAKARTA (JP): Get well messages poured in, including from
President Soeharto and Vice President Try Sutrisno, as family and
friends waited anxiously for news of Abdurrahman Wahid's
condition after he underwent three hours of brain surgery
yesterday to stop internal bleeding.

A statement issued by the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executive board
yesterday evening said the three-hour surgery which began at 10
a.m. "went as expected".

Doctors and relatives refused to elaborate further on the
influential scholar's latest medical condition after the
operation or whether he had regained consciousness.

Dr. Hermansyur Kartowisatro, one of the team of doctors
treating Abdurrahman, merely said that "he is now under
observation in the intensive care unit."

There was no explanation on the cause of the illness but
relatives said that he had been suffering from diabetes and
lacked discipline in controlling his diet.

Abdurrahman, chairman of the 30-million-strong NU Moslem
organization, was rushed to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in
Central Jakarta Monday night after he collapsed and fell
unconscious in the bathroom of the NU headquarters.

Throughout the day yesterday, the intensive care unit at the
hospital saw a rotation of prominent figures coming and going to
visit and pray for Abdurrahman.

Two guest books at the hospital were filled with names such as
former legislator Bambang Warih Koesoemo, Catholic priest I.
Sandyawan and National Human Rights Commission member Asmara
Nababan.

Also seen visiting were Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi
Taher, Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja and senior Muhammadiyah
figure Muslim Abdulrahman.

Several bouquets of flowers for Abdurrahman were also seen
around the intensive care unit, one of them a yellow, purple and
white orchid arrangement from President Soeharto.

A fruit basket from Try Sutrisno was also placed near
Abdurrahman's room which is located at the very end of the
corridor of the ward.

Yesterday evening, ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI), Megawati Soekarnoputri, arrived for a visit. She
stayed one hour in the room where Abdurrahman's wife remained by
her husband.

"I can't comment but I believe his condition is quite
critical," she said later. "Of course I'm quite concerned," added
Megawati who is known to have close ties with Abdurrahman.

Less than 15 minutes after she left, former PDI legislator
Sabam Sirait arrived to visit but was not allowed into
Abdurrahman's room by hospital officials who said only family
members were allowed.

He then sat outside in the waiting room with other relatives
and friends.

State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja also came
and joined Sabam in the waiting room after reading a notice which
prohibited nonfamily members to enter.

Separately, Golkar chairman Harmoko said he was praying for
Abdurrahman's immediate recovery. "I hope that Gus Dur will soon
recover and return back to his office again," he told reporters
after chairing a weekly leadership meeting at the House of
Representatives (DPR).

"He has a vision for the future. And he always thinks
realistically," said Harmoko who claimed to be personally close
to the NU chairman, who is commonly known as Gus Dur.

A staff member at the NU secretariat, Somad, said yesterday
that he received at least 50 telephone calls from local and
foreign journalists and Gus Dur's friends and relatives asking
whether the NU chairman had died.

"All of them surprisingly asked whether Gus Dur was already
dead," he said.

Known as an influential commentator on political and social
issues, Abdurrahman, 57, also chairs the Democracy Forum, an
organization which includes prominent government critics.

Abdurrahman's illness comes at a time of heightened fears of
civil unrest due to the severe economic crisis which has seen
rising unemployment and food prices.

Meanwhile the NU executive board yesterday afternoon held a
meeting to appoint Khafid Usman, current head of the executive
board, as NU acting chief until Abdurrahman's recovery.

A NU statement urged members "not to be easily provoked" by
rumors which might cause unrest. (10/imn/mds)