Hasyim tells U.S. not to intervene in 'pesantren'

Hasyim tells U.S. not to intervene in 'pesantren'

ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Malang, East Java

While welcoming a U.S. donation for Islamic schools, Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi told the United States on
Monday not to intervene in the curriculum of pesantren (Islamic
boarding schools).

"Education can eliminate radicalism but the U.S. must be
careful not to intervene in the school curriculum. If the U.S.
enters into the curriculum, it can be accused of intervening in
the pesantren educational system," Hasyim said after a meeting
with U.S. Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce at Al Hikam Pesantren,
Malang, East Java, on Monday.

The closed-door meeting was a follow-up to a meeting between
U.S. President George W. Bush and Indonesian religious leaders in
Bali last month, during which the former pledged assistance for
the country's education.

Besides Hasyim, the Bali meeting was also attended by Ahmad
Syafii Maarif, the chairman of Muhammadiyah, the country's
second-largest Muslim organization, Muslim scholar Azyumardi
Azra, Indonesian Churches Council chairman Rev. Nathan Setiabudi
and Hindu leader Ida Pedande Made Gunung.

Hasyim said the U.S could help Indonesia's education sector to
ease the impact of radicalism, which could create terrorism.

"Education, both in (conventional) schools and pesantren,
could prevent people from resorting to radical action. But the
U.S. should be careful not to enter the system," said Hasyim,
chairman of NU, the country's largest Muslim organization with
around 40 million members.

According to Hasyim, Boyce acknowledged that the educational
system in Indonesian pesantren was unique and of high quality,
apart from the elements of radicalism.

"If there are people saying that the system is dangerous, I
will deny it. This is the best system that can address the
problems that Muslims face," he said.

"America will not interfere. America will study the system,"
Hasyim quoted Boyce as saying.

Although the religious leaders conceded that some terrorists
were graduates of Al-Mukmin boarding school in Ngruki, Central
Java, they told Bush that such a school belonged to a minority
group compared with thousands of other, moderate pesantren in the
country.

Some Bali bombers, including Ali Ghufron and Ali Imron, and JW
Marriott key suspects such as Asmar Latin Sani and Tohir,
graduated from Ngruki, which was cofounded by cleric Abu Bakar
Ba'asyir, jailed recently for plotting to topple the government.

At least 202 people were killed in the Bali bombings on Oct.
12, 2002, and 12 in the JW Marriott attack on Aug. 5, 2003.

Hasyim and Boyce also discussed other issues, including the
U.S. "double standard" policy on Israel and Palestine, the return
of Iraq's sovereignty, an end to the linking of terrorism with
Islam and the clearing of Indonesia's image as a "nest of
terrorism."

He urged the U.S. to return sovereignty to Iraq as it would
cause difficulties, as happened during the Vietnam war, if the
U.S. did not quickly leave the country.

On the issue of Islam and terrorism, according to Hasyim, the
ambassador denied that the U.S. was linking terrorism with a
particular religion, Islam in particular.

"We do not intend and promise never to link terrorism with
Islam," Hasyim quoted Boyce as saying.

At the Bali meeting, Hasyim criticized Bush for using the word
"crusade" in a speech in the early days after the Sept. 11, 2001
attacks on New York and Washington as proof that the U.S. equated
terrorism with Islam.

The president reportedly admitted his mistake and promised not
to use the word again within that context.