Nurcholish defends Gus Dur from critics

Nurcholish defends Gus Dur from critics

SEMARANG (JP): Noted scholar Nurcholish Madjid called on "those who doesn't understand" Nahdlatul Ulama not to meddle in NU affairs, much less ask chairman Abdurrahman Wahid to resign from Indonesia's largest Moslem organization.

Abdurrahman, better known here as Gus Dur, is still needed to bond the 70-year-old organization together. His role is to bridge differences between modernists and traditional elements in the organization, Nurcholish said.

"Gus Dur is still relevant," said Nurcholish, a leading member of the influential Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), which is chaired by State Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie.

The latter has recently confirmed that he once asked Gus Dur to step down from his post, believing it would solve leadership conflicts in the 30-million strong organization.

"That's Habibie's point of view," Nurcholish told The Jakarta Post here on Tuesday. "Gus Dur and I have many differences, but I still disagree with Habibie".

Furthermore, "Habibie's request is of no consequence. It hasn't even made any impression on the public," he said.

"Despite the attacks from various corners, some of which appeared to have been supported by the political superstructure, I still think they are not consequential."

"Those attacks were no more than a mere ripple in the river," he said.

Abdurrahman is one of the staunchest critics of ICMI. He has made his stance known from the inception of the association which has since become very close to the power holders. He had rejected Habibie's request, citing that it was not what President Soeharto would have wanted.

Nurcholish described Abdurrahman as a reformist, a person who breaks new ground in many social fields in ways which are unconventional, but with good intentions. "We should try to be tolerant of his ways," Nurcholish said. "His role is to prevent clashes from erupting among the different elements in his organization."

Nurcholish denied speculation that Habibie's request was made out of fear of the growing influence of Abdurrahman and NU. "ICMI is not trying to prevent NU from growing bigger," he said.

The NU has for the past year been embroiled in an internal rift. Abu Hasan, who lost the 1994 chairmanship election to Abdurrahman, recently held an extraordinary congress and set up a rival board.

Abu is said to be backed by some elements in the political elite, whereas Abdurrahman is also leader of the Forum Demokrasi, a loose group of the government's staunchest critics.

Nurcholish explained that Indonesian Moslems are currently developing and experiencing "vertical mobility" with more of their educated members occupying strategic positions in the administration. This process will continue in the next two decades, and affect NU members as well, he said.

"The process, however, entails upheavals within the organization, like the conflict between Gus Dur and Abu Hasan," he said.

The conflicts are evidence of a growing nation. "They are signs of a nation entering 'puberty'," he said. "They will be resolved by the year 2020 (when the nation matures)."

"Gus Dur and Abu Hasan should reconcile by making concessions...it's a symptom of a growing democracy," he said, echoing the calls which have been made by many other people before.

K.H. Imron Hamzah, the chairman of the law-making body in East Java chapter of NU, however, said Abu Hasan and other members involved in the establishment of a rival board have committed bughot (treason).

"It's a sin," he was quoted by Antara as saying on Monday. (har/swe)