NU congress to fortify vow to shun politics
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's largest Moslem organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), will reaffirm its commitment to shunning formal politics in its congress next month.
The five-day congress in the West Java town of Tasikmalaya will renew its 1984 pledge to return to NU's original mission as a socio-educational organization or Khittah, the organization's officials said yesterday.
The congress committee's announcement was aimed at some NU leaders demanding that the 34 million-member organization return to practical politics.
The present Khittah doctrine, however, allows NU members to play formal politics on an individual level. Many of them are activists of the existing political organizations.
Chairman of the congress' organizing committee, K.H. Munasir, and several other leaders told journalists yesterday that the congress' main agenda would be the "translation of khittah into workable programs".
"Khittah is here to stay," Munasir said. "We will reaffirm in the congress our pledge to tend to Moslems' education."
"We will also pay the utmost attention toward issues, such as economic development and improvement of Moslems' welfare, which have been neglected for quite some time," he said.
NU was established in January 1926 as an educational and social organization. After decades of involvement in politics, it decided in 1984 to return to the original mission.
Recently, however, some members campaigned for NU re-entering politics. The notion was rejected by senior NU leaders, including chairman K.H. Ilyas Ruchyat, who told President Soeharto recently that they would use the congress as a platform to strengthen Khittah.
The congress will elect a new chairman and members of the executive board. Some 3,500 Moslem leaders and observers will attend it. Another "tens of thousands" are also expected to flock to the congress venue, the Cipasung Islamic boarding school (pesantren), to enliven the festivities.
The Rp 1.3 billion parley will be opened by President Soeharto on Dec. 1 and closed by Vice President Try Sutrisno on Dec. 5. It will discuss contemporary issues such as environment, economic development and Moslems' welfare.
Controversial issues
The ulemas are expected to also deliberate controversial issues such as whether Islam permits surrogate motherhood or the transplantation of pig kidneys into humans, Munasir said.
Eleven ministers are also scheduled to address the congress, which include the ministers of religious affairs, home affairs, education and culture, population, cooperatives and small enterprises, manpower, state secretary, defense and security, as well as the Armed Forces Commander.
As for leadership election, Munasir yesterday said that all other institutions and parties should take their hands off NU. "Don't tell us what to do," he said. "Let NU be more independent. We are mature enough to elect our own leaders."
The organization, whose members come mostly from rural areas, represents a massive power source and has long been a target of political parties' campaign for voters. (swe)