Hasyim told to bring peace back to PKB

SURABAYA: Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi has been asked to mediate peace talks to end a rift between National Awakening Party (PKB) cofounders Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and Abdullah Faqih.

"I think Pak Hasyim can follow in the footsteps of Pak Hamid Awaluddin who held peace talks with GAM," PKB faction deputy chairman at the House of Representatives Masduqi Baidlowi said on Sunday.

Masduqi was referring to justice minister Hamid, who led the Indonesian team in negotiations with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group. The two parties signed a peace accord on Aug. 15.

Gus Dur and Faqih are influential leaders of rival groups within the PKB. The court recently delivered a ruling in favor of a decision made by the PKB camp loyal to Gus Dur to dismiss Alwi Shihab as the party leader last year.

"It's impossible to expect Gus Dur to meet with Kyai Abdullah Faqih or other senior clerics who support Alwi," Masduqi said, adding that Hasyim could involve PKB politician Mahfud MD and clerics who were not members of the PKB.

PKB was founded in 1998 by a group of NU clerics. -- Antara