NU never undermines government: Gus Dur

NU never undermines government: Gus Dur

JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the 30-million
strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said his was the only organization
which never got involved in any conflicts with the government.

"There have never been any conflicts with the government
because many officials, both civil and military, are NU members
at heart," he was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying in
an NU gathering in Brebes, Central Java, yesterday.

Abdurrahman, who is more popularly known as Gus Dur, said
neither has the organization ever become involved in any attempts
to undermine the government.

NU never meddles in government affairs, because it does not
have anything to do with "practical politics," he said.

Given that NU has a neutral stance, those who are involved in
the political affairs should therefore not isolate or attempt to
reduce the significance of NU, he said.

He said that NU may not have any seats in the government
structure, but the fact that it represents the moral and
spiritual force of the community should remind political actors
not to underestimate NU.

"It then becomes the obligation of various parties not to
belittle NU," he said.

Gus Dur also called on NU members in all layers of society,
including in the military and civil authorities, to campaign for
national unity and continuous development process.

"NU members should also become role models for other people,
especially regarding efforts to establish a clean government," he
said.

It is customary for newly elected leaders of major
organizations to report to President Soeharto. However, since Gus
Dur was re-elected chairman of the organization in NU congress in
Dec. 1994, beating his competitor Abu Hasan who was reportedly
backed by the government, he and the other NU leaders have yet to
be received by President Soeharto.

Gus Dur, however, has often striven to show to the public that
NU had good relations with the government. He twice said that NU
is ready to defend President Soeharto from any unconstitutional
attempts to unseat him. (swe)