'Kyai' defend Gus Dur

'Kyai' defend Gus Dur

From Republika

In Magelang hundreds of kyai (Islamic teachers) of the
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) objected to the possibility of Abdurrahman
"Gus Dur" Wahid being stripped of his presidency in the special
session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Hasyim
Muzadi who was a speaker at a seminar in Jakarta said the special
session was not going to solve problems; dialog, negotiation and
compromise among the political parties was more important.

In Republika's issue of May 23, 2001, page 18, Kyai Muhammad
Ki Badar, an East Java NU figure, threatened to declare East Java
an independent state if Abdurrahman Wahid was ousted from the
presidency in the special session.

A question worth raising is: Why do the NU kyai stubbornly
defend Abdurrahman? Won't it be enough to leave that to the
National Awakening Party (PKB) politicians to do. How is it that
NU, which is only supposed to be involved in social activities,
has become trapped in practical political affairs?

NU figures want dialog, negotiation and compromise between the
political elite to end the protracted economic crisis. The MPR is
the official channel for this, isn't it?

The threat of declaring East Java an independent state is
far-fetched. Remember, East Java is not owned by NU and that the
winner of the 1999 general election is the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan). NU cannot be equated to the
National Awakening Party. There are also NU members in the United
Development Party (PPP), the Golkar Party, PDI Perjuangan, etc.

I was born and raised in Surabaya among NU followers. I regret
NU's involvement in practical politics and consider this a
setback for NU as it blurs its objectives.

S. ANSHORY

Jakarta