Gus Dur's tours

Gus Dur's tours

From Media Indonesia

I am encouraged to criticize President Abdurrahman Wahid,
better known as Gus Dur, after he said at the opening of the 30th
congress of Nahdlatul Ulama at the Lirboyo pesantren (Islamic
boarding school) in Kediri, East Java, that he would be happy to
receive criticism from the community.

There are several things I do not understand about Gus Dur's
goodwill mission to a number of member countries of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States and the
Middle East.

First, were those trips that urgent? Many problems at home
need to be solved immediately by Gus Dur, including Aceh, Ambon,
Riau, Makassar and Irian Jaya. Gus Dur has created the impression
that he is giving precedence to his goodwill visits instead of
solving internal problems. Is this consistent?

Second, to what extent did the goodwill tours influence the
settlement of the problems at home? The journeys certainly
required substantial financing. Where did the funds come from if
not from the people? People live pathetic lives full of misery
while Gus Dur made world tours using the people's money. Is this
just?

Nevertheless, the little people continue to hope that upon his
homecoming Gus Dur will greatly improve people's lives and that
he will find solutions for all the problems at home and safeguard
the nation's unity and integrity.

RIADI MALIK

Jakarta