NU chief briefs U.S. on Muslims in Indonesia

NU chief briefs U.S. on Muslims in Indonesia

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Chairman Hasyim Muzadi is visiting the
United States to brief American leaders on the true face of
Indonesian Muslims.

NU deputy secretary-general Masduki Baidlawi said on Tuesday
that Hasyim would speak in front of the U.S. President and
Congress about Indonesia and the power of Islam at the 50th
Annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday.

Hasyim, Masduki added, would also clarify the nature of the
country's Islamic mainstream, which is determined by moderate
figures rather than hardliners.

"Cak Hasyim expects the U.S. people will change their
perceptions and their image of Indonesia, which many perceive as
a country lenient toward terrorist groups," Masduki told a media
conference at the NU's headquarters in Central Jakarta.

"We also hope the U.S. government will not react in a
disproportionate way to several Muslim groups by labeling them as
terrorists."

Hasyim was invited by the U.S. Congress to attend the annual
event. He left Jakarta for the U.S. on Sunday.

Apart from Hasyim, who leads the country's largest Muslim
organization, the Congress invited Syafii Maarif, chairman of
Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second largest Muslim group. But Syafii
was unable to accept the invitation because of his commitment to
undertake the haj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Masdluki said the Congress rejected Muhammadiyah's offer to
replace Syafii with deputy chairman Amir Abdullah because the
invitations "were addressed to Hasyim and Syafii personally due
to their track records in promoting peace and brotherhood between
Islam and other religious worshipers in the country."

Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country.

The U.S. launched a war against terrorism following attacks on
the country on Sept. 11 last year blamed on Saudian businessman
Osama bin Laden and his organization al-Qaeda. The campaign,
however, has since implicated certain Muslim groups in Indonesia
with links to al-Qaeda.

The National Police have questioned Indonesian Mujahidin
Council (MMI) chief Abu Bakar Ba'asyir in connection with
terrorism in Malaysia and sent police officers to Manila, where
an Indonesian was arrested for his alleged involvement in
terrorist activities there.