NU scholars set for controversial talks in Rembang

NU scholars set for controversial talks in Rembang

JAKARTA (JP): After enduring weeks of controversy and numerous
obstacles, a group of ulemas of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) have
finally scheduled the meeting where they will discuss their
strategy to win the election at the United Development Party
(PPP).

The organizers of the meeting, to be held in the Central Java
city of Rembang on Sunday, received the green light from the
government on Wednesday, which itself represented a victory over
many in NU and PPP who have been opposing or criticizing their
plan.

Some 75 religious leaders from many parts of the country will
meet at the Roudlotut Tholibien boarding school (pesantren).

The official agenda states that the meeting will discuss how
the NU can contribute to the future development of the PPP.
However, many of the ulemas who are planning to attend say that
they will discuss strategy to win the PPP election in August.

NU was the largest of the four Moslem parties that merged into
the PPP in 1972. Despite its strength, the party's chairmanship
had always gone to the Muslimin Indonesia (MI) faction which has
traditionally counted on the strong support of the government.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. confirmed that
permits to hold the gathering have recently been issued.
"Recommendations from the authorities for the meeting have been
issued, so they can go ahead with their plan," he said.

There were still uncertainties about the meeting as late as
Wednesday because, despite an endorsement from the Armed Forces,
the organizers had not received the written clearance from the
police to hold the conference.

Yogie, however, once again reminded the ulemas that they
should still ask permission from their main organizations

Ulemas who are already members of the Moslem-based PPP have
to ask permission from its executive board, as do ulemas from NU.

The meeting in Rembang had been widely opposed by some of the
top leaders in both the PPP and NU.

Yet the meeting represents the clearest attempt by some
members of the NU to wrestle the leadership in the PPP when the
party holds its congress in Jakarta late in August.

Established 68 years ago and now boasting some 34 million
loyal followers, Nahdlatul Ulama has sent conflicting signals
regarding its stance within the party.

On the formal level, NU severed all links with PPP since 1984
when they decided to return to their original mission of
promoting Islamic education and steering clear of politics.

Many NU leaders and their supporters have remained loyal to
the party. These leaders now say they have to grasp the PPP's
helm in the run up to the 1997 general election.

These NU ulemas also feel that PPP, under the low-profile
leadership of Ismail Hasan Metareum, may not be able to compete
with the dominant Golkar and the increasingly popular Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) under Megawati Soekarno.

Among the critics who worry that the Rembang meeting will
deepen conflicts within PPP is Yusuf Hasyim. The head of NU's
law-making body said the meeting will put the reputation of NU in
jeopardy.

Postponement

Several other leaders tried to bridge the differences by
suggesting that the meeting be postponed. "If the ulemas are not
ready, postpone it," said Soeleiman Fadeli, chairman of PPP
branch in East Java.

Supporters of the meeting said they would only discuss ways to
contribute more to the development of PPP.

Several among them tried to skirt frictions by saying that
they would not use the occasion to pick prospective nominees, and
that they would only discuss the "criteria" for party
chairmanship.

"We won't concentrate on choosing prospective chairmen,"
Hamzah Haz, spokesman for the ulemas who will meet in Rembang,
said recently. "We will leave the decision on PPP chairmanship in
the August congress."

Despite Hamzah's assertion, however, many speculate that the
meeting will eventually name Hamzah, who is chairman of PPP
faction in the House of Representative, and Matori Abdul Djalil,
secretary general of the party, as NU candidates for the August
race.

Among the senior ulemas who will attend the meeting are K.H.
Syansuri Badlawi, K.H. Cholil Bisri, the leader of the Roudlotut
Tholibien pesantren, and H. Nadhier Muhammad. (swe)