NU rival board non-existent: Abdurrahman

JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), cold-shouldered attempts to unseat him, saying that as far as he's concerned there's no such thing as "rival board".

Abdurrahman told the press yesterday that members of the organization's board of executives (Tanfidzyah) and law-making body (Syuriyah) did not even discuss in their first meeting the formation the rival board by a disgruntled competitor, Abu Hasan.

"We consider that all problems related to the elections in NU congress are over and done with," he said. "The new board members have been inducted..so everything's settled."

Tanfidzyah chairman Abdurrahman and Syuriyah chairman K.H. Ilyas Ruhiat declared yesterday that all leading members have decided to uphold the results of NU congress earlier this month.

"For us, that rival board is non-existent," secretary-general Achmad Bagdja said.

Conflicts among NU leaders emerged during the Dec. 1 - 5 congress, which saw Abdurrahman and his supporters battling businessman Abu Hasan for the top post of executive board. After his victory, Abdurrahman rejected suggestions from various quarters that he included Abu Hasan in his board; instead, he alleged that Abu Hasan was involved in a financial scandal.

Abu Hasan retaliated by threatening to sue Abdurrahman for slander, and accused him of manipulating the elections. He also claimed that some NU chapters did not recognize Abdurrahman and want him, instead, to lead the organization.

On Tuesday, Abu Hasan announced the lineup of a rival board which named him as chairman of executive board (Tanfidzyah) and put former NU chairman and vice prime minister K.H. Idham Chalid in the advisory council (Mustasyar).

By yesterday afternoon, however, at least eleven ulemas named in the rival board have declared that they did not have anything to do with the appointment.

Prominent ulemas such as Zainuddin M.Z., Nur Muhammad Iskandar, Sullam Syansun, Anwar Musaddad and Chotibul Umam said they were never consulted by Abu Hasan.

Sullam Syansum said he recognized no other board except the one established in the congress. "I call on all NU members to beware of attempts to destroy the unity in the organization."

Abu Hasan planned to induct his rival board members this morning in his residence.

In contrast to Abdurrahman and Ilyas's reaction, Achmad Bagdja reacted more strongly. "Abu Hasan has gone too far this time, and there should definitely be sanction against him," he said.

"He made false claims, manipulation and accusations about the congress which had been conducted in a democratic way," he said.

He failed to mention the kind of sanctions that can be imposed against Abu Hasan. "We haven't discussed what part of the statutes that Abu Hasan violated with his conduct, but he definitely should be punished," Bagdja said.

The first meeting of the Tanfidzyah and Syuriyah yesterday was attended by most of the NU leaders. The meeting, according to Bagdja, decided that members of the two boards start with the programs that had been established during the congress.

Bagdja refused suggestions that the board should make attempts to reconcile differences among the organization's elite. "It's not our task...because we're not the ones stirring up trouble."

So far, the government has maintained its hands-off policy toward NU, giving up all the authorities to solve the conflicts to NU leaders themselves.

"I call on NU to be independent and solve its own problems," Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said yesterday. "Don't just follow the government...and (later) accuse the government of intervention."

Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung expressed the same opinion, but added that the government would be willing to mediate between the conflicting NU leaders if asked.

"The establishment of a rival board indicated that the result of the congress is not yet final...this also shows that there's not yet political maturity (among NU members)," Feisal said.

Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher said the conflicts within NU are proof that religious organizations have started to become more political. "In this situation, they become more susceptible to conflicts," he said. (swe)