PBNU: Thousands of pesantren should not be judged by actions of a few individuals

PBNU states that the existence of thousands of pesantren in Indonesia must not be judged or unfairly targeted solely due to the misconduct of a few individuals involved in legal violations, including sexual violence. Deputy Secretary-General of PBNU, KH Ma’shum Faqih, said in a statement on Saturday that the public must remain objective and avoid building negative stigmas against pesantren as historical Islamic educational institutions. Gus Ma’shum stressed that all instances of sexual violence within educational settings must be thoroughly investigated and strictly prosecuted in accordance with Indonesian laws. Nevertheless, the centuries-long track record of pesantren as centres for moral development, cleric training, and producing millions of alumni contributing to national strategic sectors cannot be generalised. The religious institution assured zero tolerance for sexual violence perpetrators, with PBNU fully supporting legal enforcement and strengthening internal santri protection systems. The pesantren authority, who is also a member of the Majelis Masyayikh Pondok Pesantren Langitan Tuban, added that legal responsibility lies solely with the individuals violating ethical values, not the institution itself. Gus Ma’shum supports legal action against those proven to have committed violations and reinforcing santri protection systems within pesantren. ‘Every institution faces its own challenges. But we must distinguish between institutions effectively fulfilling their educational role and individuals committing violations. Pesantren should be the safest place for santri. Therefore, prevention, supervision and protection for santri must be continuously strengthened,’ he said.