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)