NU chief removes rival Abu Hasan

NU chief removes rival Abu Hasan

JAKARTA (JP): The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executive board led by Abdurrahman Wahid yesterday removed his archrival Abu Hasan and 16 supporters from various positions on central and regional boards for continuing to undermine the organization.

"They are not being expelled. They've simply been removed from their positions," NU Secretary General Ahmad Bagja told reporters at NU's headquarters yesterday as reported by Antara.

He said Abu Hasan and the 16 supporters had been given enough time to "return to the right path" but refused to do so.

Abu Hasan, who lost the 1994 election for the NU chairmanship to the incumbent Abdurrahman, formed his own board in January and managed to win the support of a handful of NU figures. The government has continued to recognize the board headed by Abdurrahman.

The 17 who are removed from their posts include Abu Hasan (chairman of the Social Institution), Chozin Husnin (secretary of the institution), Hamid Baidlawi (Central Java board), Teuku Abdul Aziz (Aceh), Teuku Nur Sahri (Aceh), Djafar Awad (Maluku), Wahab Nasution (Jambi), Syaimuri WS (West Sumatra), Sjafri Zuman (Lampung), Zurkani Yahya (South Kalimantan), Bil'id MS, Tuan Guru Zainuddin Mansyur, Lalu Putrajab, Sya'ban, and M Said (West Nusa Tenggara), Badrul Munir (Bengkulu) and Khalwani (Central Java).

The board called for new regional congresses to be held in Maluku, South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, Bengkulu and Lampung, in order to elect new executive boards. The central board has also appointed caretaker boards to run NU chapters in Jambi, Aceh and West Sumatra. (emb)