President calls for tolerance
President calls for tolerance
By Ahmad Junaidi and Ainur R. Sophiaan
SURABAYA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid opened the first
congress of the National Awakening Party (PKB) here on Sunday,
stressing the need for religious tolerance and an antiviolence
campaign.
"PKB's theme song was composed by Alfred Simanjuntak, a non-
Muslim. It shows that Muslims and non-Muslims can live together
and help one another," Abdurrahman said in front of at least
25,000 supporters of the party at the Tambaksari soccer stadium.
Like PKB, the country's second largest Muslim organization
Muhammadiyah has a theme song composed by a non-Muslim,
Abdurrahman said.
"Islam loves everyone, Muslim and non-Muslim. Islam can
protect both of them," he said in the opening ceremony which was
attended by several Cabinet ministers, foreign ambassadors and
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.
But the ceremony was marred when Akbar, who was invited in his
capacity as Golkar Party chairman, was jeered by some PKB
supporters.
Akbar is having difficulty with PKB legislators, who are
accusing him of corruption during the time he served as the state
minister of public housing between 1993 and 1998. Akbar has
denied the charges.
The incident occurred when PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil
was delivering his speech, in which he condemned the New Order
regime for creating multidimensional damage to the country during
its 32 years of rule. Golkar has always been associated to the
regime, and was founded by former president Soeharto.
Akbar said he was not insulted by Matori's statement, adding
that it was normal at political meetings.
"Matori spoke at a political forum. All the mockery (by the
supporters) against Golkar is also normal," he said.
Abdurrahman said a moderate Muslim movement was now growing in
the country and these were being understood gradually by
fundamentalist groups.
He said Islam would not reach its glory if it resorts to
violence.
"Islam is an antiviolence religion," he said.
The President revealed that he received a phone call from
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan who told him of
a growing demand for UN forces to help stop violence in riot-
stricken Maluku.
"I told Kofi Annan that its better to postpone the deployment
of a UN force," Abdurrahman said.
He said Indonesia could settle the problem in Maluku as
quickly as it had in Aceh and Irian Jaya.
Abdurrahman said he was invited by a Jewish rabbi three years
ago in Israel to sign a statement opposing the use of violence in
the name of religions.
Abdurrahman also asked PKB to stay away from the country's
largest Muslim group, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), despite historical
ties between the two. PKB was founded by, among others, then NU
chairman Abdurrahman, and it was expected that NU followers would
channel their political aspirations to the party.
Abdurrahman stressed that NU is a religious organization which
must be separated from politics.
"If there are no boundaries, PKB will never become a bigger
party," he said.
He said NU belongs to Islam, while PKB belongs to the nation,
including Muslims and non-Muslims.
"So this congress should show that PKB does not belong to
Islam only, but all components of the nation. And Islam is not
just NU," Abdurrahman remarked.
PKB was established on July 23, 1998 by five executives of NU
and declared by Abdurrahman at his residence in Ciganjur, South
Jakarta.
Abdurrahman reiterated that NU, which was established in 1926,
had decided that defending the country was part of its religious
obligation.
But, he said, defending the country should be based on
humanity.
He said the Muslim brotherhood should be combined with the
national brotherhood and the human brotherhood.
Commenting on PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil's speech,
Abdurrahman said Matori's statement represented his frustration.
"Matori is frustrated for seeing the House exploited for just
little matters," the President said.
"It's not a campaign period now. So calm down, I, the
President will be patient, too," he said.
In his spirited speech, Matori said supporters of PKB and NU
would not keep silent and accept efforts to topple the legitimate
government of President Abdurrahman Wahid.
"We will fight violence with compassion. But PKB and NU
supporters are not cowards," he contended. "We are not afraid to
sacrifice our blood."
PKB is the fourth biggest party in the legislature after the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar
and the United Development Party (PPP).
Sunday's ceremony was also marked by a release of a white
pigeon as a symbol of peace.
Several Jakarta-based artists, including singer Franky
Sahilatua and female rocker Ita Purnamasari, accompanied by the
T&T Big Band orchestra, entertained party supporters.
The election of a new chairman will happen at the end of the
congress. It is the first to be held since the party's
establishment two years ago. Among the strong candidates for the
top post are incumbent Matori and foreign minister Alwi Shihab,
who is known as Abdurrahman's close confidant.
By Ahmad Junaidi and Ainur R. Sophiaan
SURABAYA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid opened the first
congress of the National Awakening Party (PKB) here on Sunday,
stressing the need for religious tolerance and an antiviolence
campaign.
"PKB's theme song was composed by Alfred Simanjuntak, a non-
Muslim. It shows that Muslims and non-Muslims can live together
and help one another," Abdurrahman said in front of at least
25,000 supporters of the party at the Tambaksari soccer stadium.
Like PKB, the country's second largest Muslim organization
Muhammadiyah has a theme song composed by a non-Muslim,
Abdurrahman said.
"Islam loves everyone, Muslim and non-Muslim. Islam can
protect both of them," he said in the opening ceremony which was
attended by several Cabinet ministers, foreign ambassadors and
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.
But the ceremony was marred when Akbar, who was invited in his
capacity as Golkar Party chairman, was jeered by some PKB
supporters.
Akbar is having difficulty with PKB legislators, who are
accusing him of corruption during the time he served as the state
minister of public housing between 1993 and 1998. Akbar has
denied the charges.
The incident occurred when PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil
was delivering his speech, in which he condemned the New Order
regime for creating multidimensional damage to the country during
its 32 years of rule. Golkar has always been associated to the
regime, and was founded by former president Soeharto.
Akbar said he was not insulted by Matori's statement, adding
that it was normal at political meetings.
"Matori spoke at a political forum. All the mockery (by the
supporters) against Golkar is also normal," he said.
Abdurrahman said a moderate Muslim movement was now growing in
the country and these were being understood gradually by
fundamentalist groups.
He said Islam would not reach its glory if it resorts to
violence.
"Islam is an antiviolence religion," he said.
The President revealed that he received a phone call from
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan who told him of
a growing demand for UN forces to help stop violence in riot-
stricken Maluku.
"I told Kofi Annan that its better to postpone the deployment
of a UN force," Abdurrahman said.
He said Indonesia could settle the problem in Maluku as
quickly as it had in Aceh and Irian Jaya.
Abdurrahman said he was invited by a Jewish rabbi three years
ago in Israel to sign a statement opposing the use of violence in
the name of religions.
Abdurrahman also asked PKB to stay away from the country's
largest Muslim group, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), despite historical
ties between the two. PKB was founded by, among others, then NU
chairman Abdurrahman, and it was expected that NU followers would
channel their political aspirations to the party.
Abdurrahman stressed that NU is a religious organization which
must be separated from politics.
"If there are no boundaries, PKB will never become a bigger
party," he said.
He said NU belongs to Islam, while PKB belongs to the nation,
including Muslims and non-Muslims.
"So this congress should show that PKB does not belong to
Islam only, but all components of the nation. And Islam is not
just NU," Abdurrahman remarked.
PKB was established on July 23, 1998 by five executives of NU
and declared by Abdurrahman at his residence in Ciganjur, South
Jakarta.
Abdurrahman reiterated that NU, which was established in 1926,
had decided that defending the country was part of its religious
obligation.
But, he said, defending the country should be based on
humanity.
He said the Muslim brotherhood should be combined with the
national brotherhood and the human brotherhood.
Commenting on PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil's speech,
Abdurrahman said Matori's statement represented his frustration.
"Matori is frustrated for seeing the House exploited for just
little matters," the President said.
"It's not a campaign period now. So calm down, I, the
President will be patient, too," he said.
In his spirited speech, Matori said supporters of PKB and NU
would not keep silent and accept efforts to topple the legitimate
government of President Abdurrahman Wahid.
"We will fight violence with compassion. But PKB and NU
supporters are not cowards," he contended. "We are not afraid to
sacrifice our blood."
PKB is the fourth biggest party in the legislature after the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar
and the United Development Party (PPP).
Sunday's ceremony was also marked by a release of a white
pigeon as a symbol of peace.
Several Jakarta-based artists, including singer Franky
Sahilatua and female rocker Ita Purnamasari, accompanied by the
T&T Big Band orchestra, entertained party supporters.
The election of a new chairman will happen at the end of the
congress. It is the first to be held since the party's
establishment two years ago. Among the strong candidates for the
top post are incumbent Matori and foreign minister Alwi Shihab,
who is known as Abdurrahman's close confidant.