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.