Political parties view to claim Moslem vote

Political parties view to claim Moslem vote

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Under the hot March sun, about 20,000 members
of Indonesia's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
gathered at Simpang Lima Plaza in Semarang, Central Java, to see
their leader Abdurrahman Wahid and his new ally Siti Hardiyanti
Rukmana.

The Istigoshah Qubro (grand prayer service) was attended by
Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono, whose public support for
Golkar has drawn nationwide criticism, Central Java Governor
Soewardi and the Diponegoro regional military command's chief,
Maj. Gen. Subagyo H.S.

Abdurrahman told the crowd that Golkar deputy chairwoman
Hardiyanti was "a figure of the future".

K.H. Muslim Imampuro, the senior NU ulema known as
Abdurrahman's "spiritual guru," then led a prayer that God would
make Hardiyanti the next Indonesian vice president.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, made many more
appearances with Hardiyanti in cities in East Java and Central
Java. Many NU members live in these cities, making them United
Development Party (PPP) constituencies.

A group of NU youths in Yogyakarta have protested
Abdurrahman's "political maneuvering", and demanded that he "stop
confusing the nahdliyin (NU members)".

Abdurrahman's closeness with Hardiyanti is all the more
controversial because it was publicized right after sectarian
unrest in Pekalongan, Central Java, and other NU strongholds.

Many have speculated that Golkar caused the riots to weaken
the PPP and meddle with the Nahdlatul Ulama. There is also
speculation that Abdurrahman formed the alliance with Hardiyanti
to save the NU, even at the expense of other political alliances.

Islamic politics expert Deliar Noer once said that the
political elite had never taken the potential of Moslems'
political strength seriously. "Moslems' votes are sought only
when the government needs to legitimize its power," he wrote in
1988.

Through the periods of Dutch colonialism, Japanese'
occupation, the Old Order administration and now the New Order
administration the political elite's treatment of Moslems has
fundamentally remained unchanged. The Moslems are used when
necessary and then sidelined.

Political observer Daniel Dhakidae, also a director of the
research and development center of Kompas daily, said the
government was increasingly needing to legitimize itself with
support from Moslems.

"Before (the 1990s), the New Order government did not need to
justify its existence with something from outside, such as the
military's support or development.

"Now all of a sudden the government has turned to Islam. This
moment is historical, strategic and crucial," Dhakidae said.

Observe

Dhakidae said there were two important features of the
government's program to attract Moslems' sympathy. First was the
creation of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals
(ICMI) and its members' positions in the bureaucracy, legislative
councils and other key economic and political positions.

The second was that ICMI was licensed to publish the Republika
daily when the government had stopped issuing new media licenses.

Dhakidae said "these facilities" let ICMI extensively
propagate Islamic symbolism.

"The Islamic nuance of the New Order government is for real,"
Dhakidae said. "So it's natural that Islamic groups now support
the New Order government."

Mohammad A.S. Hikam, a political observer at the Indonesian
Institute of Sciences, said that stressing Islamic identities in
politics might help Moslems mobilize.

"On the other hand, the ploy could prove to be destructive for
the very diverse Indonesia," he said.

Hikam has every right to be concerned given last month's clash
between PPP supporters and Golkar supporters in Temanggung,
Central Java.

The Golkar supporters were returning from a Koran class while
the PPP supporters were on their way home from a party function.

The two groups of about 200 people ran into each other, called
each other names and then fought with stones, knives and other
weapons.

Eight were rushed to hospital: two in a critical condition.

Both groups shouted Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) as
their "war" cry.

Dhakidae said that Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama and other
Moslem groups were worried that they were expendable, to be
dumped by the elite as soon as they were no longer needed.

"However, much depends on the Moslems themselves. They should
build their political force... so that they can serve not only as
a group that gives the government legitimacy," Dhakidae said.
(38)