Moslem societies hold rallies for New Order

Moslem societies hold rallies for New Order

SURABAYA (JP): Two major Moslem organizations held rallies
over the weekend in displays of qualified support for the New
Order administration.

Some 50,000 members of Muhammadiyah pledged allegiance to the
government in a rally here yesterday, but tempered it with the
condition that the government remains committed to the fight
against corruption and collusion.

"We'll support the New Order government as long as it proves
its intention to eliminate corruption and collusion," chairman
Amien Rais said of the 28-million member organization.

"If the government fails to eradicate corruption and
collusion, then Muhammadiyah can only pray that Allah protect the
New Order administration," Amien said during the rally at the
10th of November Sports Stadium.

On Saturday, some 20,000 members of GP Ansor, the youth wing
of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama, held a rally in the
town of Kediri, East Java.

The two gatherings were the most recent in a series of rallies
held by various politically well-connected organizations
following several months of political tension gripping several
big cities, including Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

Many of the earlier rallies were marked not only with support
for the government and the Armed Forces, but also condemnation of
the Democratic People's Party (PRD), a small youth organization
accused by the government of inciting the July 27 riots.

The Muhammadiyah and Ansor rallies made no condemnation.

"There have been too many Islamic organizations condemning
many parties, including the PRD. We want a critical view and a
critical support for the government," said Choirul Anam, chairman
of the East Java branch of Ansor.

"Muhammadiyah will remain critical in its view of all national
problems," Amien Rais told reporters after attending the rally.
"We'll maintain our stance as an organization whose mission is to
encourage people to do good deeds, and discourage them from doing
the wrongful."

"We praise the government for its success for the last 30
years, in improving the people's prosperity, strengthening the
national political stability, improving the country's image in
international fora and strengthening the nation's unity," said
the Muhammadiyah members in their statement read out during the
rally.

The organization, however, also called on the government to
take firm action against corruption and collusion and to the
reduce socioeconomic gap among the populace. It also acknowledged
in its statement the need to keep vigilance against the danger of
communism in the country.

Amien Rais pointed out that the economic and social gaps are
bad enough, but compounded with the problem of communism, the
situation could become downright alarming.

GP Ansor members declared their rejection of "any violent,
arbitrary and unconstitutional actions", but did not make any
specific reference to any group.

"We are ready to become the protector of the Nahdlatul Ulama
and fellow Indonesians in maintaining national unity," the youth
movement said.

Ansor also reminded all parties, especially the government and
the Armed Forces, of the importance of "wisdom" in the process of
continuing and safeguarding the national development program.

"We remain loyal to the state-ideology Pancasila and the 1945
Constitution," the organization said.

Upon completion of its rally at the Brawijaya Sports Stadium
in Kediri, some 10,000 members of Ansor marched for five
kilometers to the Lirboyo Islamic boarding school, where NU
chairman Abdurrahman Wahid was waiting.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, said he did not attend
the rally as a protest against the absence of Minister of Defense
and Security Gen. (ret) Edi Sudradjat, despite the fact he had
confirmed three times that he would join the gathering.

Abdurrahman accused the local administration of engaging in
"dirty political games" by preventing Edi from coming. (15/imn)