Gus Dur's surprising moves

Gus Dur's surprising moves

From Sinar Pagi

Recently, the chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
organization, Abdurrahman Wahid (popularly known as Gus Dur),
made some intriguing moves by holding a dialog with Gen. Wiranto,
President Habibie, even with former president Soeharto. His moves
seem to be of great significance, well calculated, and more
importantly they did not harm him and NU.

The City Forum (Forkot) valued Gus Dur's meeting with Soeharto
as a wise act. But National Mandate Party Chairman Amien Rais
preferred not to comment on it. In fact, Gus Dur has often taken
steps that have disappointed or even betrayed his fellow leaders
of society. But he has always been able to get away with it,
although sometimes narrowly.

I believe that Gus Dur still receives important information
from Benny Moerdani, former Armed Forces commander, and from the
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His visit
to the CSIS in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, to see Benny
Moerdani and Harry Tjan Silalahi before meeting Soeharto made the
situation obvious. That was clearly not a casual meeting, neither
was it a courtesy call.

This and other examples show Gus Dur to be a leader with
vision, and to be capable of making a rational and accurate
analysis.

GUSTAM EFFENDI

Bandung, West Java