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.