Kediri gears up for NU congress

Kediri gears up for NU congress

KEDIRI, East Java (JP): When the town was selected to host the
congress of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) five years ago, few people,
including residents of Kediri, expected this to be a different
gathering from the ones the organization had held in the past.

The congress, which opens on Nov. 21, will have to find a
successor to NU's chairman of the last 15 years, Abdurrahman
Wahid, who was elected Indonesia's fourth president last month.

The town has been redecorated to greet the 5,000 participants
of NU's 20th congress. There is no doubt however about who will
be the special guest this time: The President himself.

As Indonesia's largest Islamic organization, NU's congress has
always drawn national and international attention.

Kediri will be no exception. If anything interest will be even
stronger because of the tie to the new President.

All major downtown hotels such as Hotel Safari and Hotel
Pamenang are already booked up. Hotel Merdeka said all its rooms
had been reserved for the period since four months ago.

The congress venue, the Lirboyo Islamic Boarding school, is
about 10 kilometers away from the town's center.

With the number of hotel rooms limited, residents are prepared
to cash in on the event. Some 1,200 houses around the Lirboyo
complex have been made available for congress participants,
observers and members of the expected media circus.

They come at different prices.

At the nearby Willis housing complex, a house with two to
three rooms is available for between Rp 2 million and 3 million
for the 10-day period. A similar property at KBN is rented for up
to Rp 2.5 million. There are other properties going for between
Rp 750,000 and Rp 1 million.

"We want to support the congress. This is truly a blessing for
the locals," said Rukmini, a resident whose house has already
been booked.

The task of organizing the congress falls on Lirboyo.

"The main session will be held in the new school compound
while the old school building will be used for the meetings of
the various commissions," said Halimi, chairman of the local
organizing committee.

The highlight of the congress will be the election of a
successor to Abdurrahman.

Four men have been mentioned as prospective candidates: Muslim
cleric in Rembang Mustofa Bisri or Gus Mus, chairman of East Java
chapter Hasyim Muzadi, NU scholar Said Aqiel Siradj and NU deputy
chairman Fadjrul Falaakh. (nur/edt)