NU chairman calls on violent groups to disband

JAKARTA (JP): The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization has called for the disbandment of so-called suicide squads and other movements or groups associated with violence, stating that they were a major concern to the general public.

NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi said that while such groups were often vaguely related to the NU, it had actually nothing to do with any group associated with or threatening violence, such as the ready-to-die volunteers and the jihad volunteers.

"We call upon them to immediately disband," he said.

NU members were also prohibited from engaging in violent actions and told to be on the look out for provocateurs.

Muzadi also apologized for the behavior of NU security guards in connection with Friday's incident when the guards attacked protesters outside the NU's office on Jl. Agus Salim in Central Jakarta.

"The security guards were new and had just arrived from East Java. This incident should not have happened and the guards should not have acted so emotionally," Hasyim told reporters.

In the first intimation of the kind of chaos that might occur during or after Sunday's mass prayer meeting, a number of unidentified men from the NU office pushed and then physically attacked a group of protesting non-governmental organization (NGO) members outside the NU office.

The protesting group, who called themselves "The Non-Violent Public," comprised about 70 people and were at the NU office to voice their objections to all political moves that involved violence.

Security guards emerged from the office to speak to the protesters. Suddenly, four men came rushing out of the office and started to forcibly shove and then kick the protesters, including some women.

A number of different groups, including the death squad, jihad volunteers and the Defenders of the Truth Force have pledged to support President Abdurrahman Wahid and are to participate in the mass prayer meeting to be held by the NU at the Bung Karno sports center in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Sunday.

Meanwhile, National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Andi Djamarro said on Friday that security personnel must take resolute action against any supporters of the President found acting violently or causing disturbances in the capital.

Separately, the stationmaster of Senen railroad station in Central Jakarta, Besar Susmiarto, said on Friday that about 3,800 participants in the mass prayer were expected to have arrived at Senen station by Sunday.

At least 168 people arrived at the station on Friday from Surabaya, East Java. Upon disembarking, the new arrivals were frisked by police for offensive weapons, but the officers found nothing.

Leading the participants was the chief of the Ansor Youth Movement in Gresik, Mohamad Subur, who said that both he and his group would be leaving the capital again on May 1.

A new cause for concern emerged with the announcement on Friday by the organizing committee chairman of the "One Million (Muslim) Adherents" Action Front, Al Chaidar, who said that a mass rally "aimed at establishing peace in the nation," was scheduled to be held at the National Monument Park (Monas) on May 1, the day after the House plenary session.

The concern was heightened when Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said on Friday that Chaidar had told police officers that his group had requested pro-Gus Dur supporters not to leave the capital immediately after Sunday's mass prayers.

From Semarang, Central Java, it was reported that the Central Java chapter of the United Development Party (PPP) has prohibited its members from taking part in the planned NU mass prayer meeting.

Central Java's PPP chairman Hisyam Ali said they had been told to pray at home or in mosques for sake of the nation's well- being.

"It would be better if PPP members were not riled by the istighosah (mass prayer) in Jakarta," he said.

Central Java's governor Mardiyanto also called on the province's residents to remain calm and not to allow themselves to be provoked by conflicts among the political elite. He also warned residents living along the main roads to East Java to stay alert.

In a related development, around 40 buses departed on Friday from Purwokerto for Jakarta with hundreds of NU members on board, and are expected to arrive in the capital early on Saturday.

In Surabaya, a spokesman for the state railroad company PT Kereta Api Indonesia, Sudarsono, said that sales of business and executive class tickets for Jakarta had dropped by 50 percent due to rising anxiety about possible outbreaks of violence in Jakarta ahead of the mass gathering.

Meanwhile, some passengers intending to participate in the mass prayer said they would stay about one week in Jakarta.

Around 200 supporters of the President departed from the town of Gresik in East Java. Before they boarded the train, security personnel checked them for weapons but none were found.

The group is planning to stay at several Islamic boarding schools in Jakarta. (team)