Hasyim denies mass prayer link with Gus Dur
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi denied on Sunday allegations that mass prayers held by the country's largest Muslim organization recently were aimed at extending support for President Abdurrahman Wahid.
"These Istighotsah Kubro prayers are not aimed at maintaining Gus Dur's presidency but rather to ask for God's blessing so we can cope with the country's crises," Hasyim said here, referring to Abdurrahman by his nickname.
Hasyim claimed that such a practice had been common in the past even before Abdurrahman was elected as President.
"We used to do it on a somewhat smaller scale in the evening, but then one of the NU kyai (clerics) told us that the various recent conflicts and disputes in this country are signs from heaven that the time has come for all people to seek His forgiveness," said Hasyim on the sidelines of a mass prayer gathering of 10,000 people at the Benteng field here.
Hasyim said that since President Abdurrahman shoulders the biggest responsibility in solving the country's problems, it is essential for him to be spiritually supported.
Abdurrahman chaired NU for 15 years before he won the presidential post last October. He attended Saturday's mass prayer jointly organized by the NU and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle in Jakarta.
Another NU gathering was held in Semarang on Sunday, when some 30,000 people led by dozens of influential Muslim clerics thronged the Purwodadi Square to pray for the nation's safety and an end to disputes among the members of the political elites.
"This mass prayer is part of the spiritual struggle to overcome the country's political and economic turmoil," said Masyhud Choironi, the chairman of the event organizing committee.
"People are tired with this 'never ending' conflict."
"The members of the elite seem to get along well enough at this kind of ceremony but after the prayer is over, they start fighting each other again," Masyhud said.
Also attending the gathering was Sahal Mahfudz, the chairman of NU's Syuriah law-making body and who is also the newly elected chief of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI).
"We sincerely wish that all the nation's leaders stick to their commitment to building this already-fractured country and stop making political moves that will end up hurting the common people," Sahal said.
Earlier on Saturday, around 2,000 NU followers gathered at the Mlangi Islamic boarding school in Sleman regency, 10 kilometers north of Yogyakarta. The prayer was led by senior cleric Muchtar Dawam.
"We pray for national unity and strength for the sake of Gus Dur's administration," said chairman of the Yogyakarta chapter of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Ali As'ad, who attended the gathering.
He added that thousands of members of the NU's civilian guard Banser are ready to defend Abdurrahman if there is any effort to unseat him.
"I understand that Gus Dur is not perfect but it is legally unconstitutional to topple him," Ali remarked.
Abdurrahman is expected to face his toughest test at the upcoming Annual General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) slated to take place from Aug. 7 to Aug. 18.
The fall of former president Soeharto in May 1998 has left the current administration with a mountain of problems, such as the long-running separatist movements in Irian Jaya and Aceh and sectarian conflicts in Maluku and other parts of the country.
Abdurrahman's government has also been plagued by serious economic problems and political disputes which could lead to a no-confidence motion being filed by MPR members against him. (39/44/har/edt)