Rival NU board to proceed with planned congress

Rival NU board to proceed with planned congress

JAKARTA (JP): The rival leadership board of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) will proceed with its plan to hold a "grand conference" tomorrow despite the government's refusal to recognize its existence or to grant it gathering permits.

"This is the internal affair of the NU. The government has no business in this," chairman Abu Hasan said defiantly in a press conference yesterday.

He pointed out that his board, known as KPPNU, needs no permit to hold the three-day gathering under the recently issued decree which abolished the requirement for organizations to request gathering permits. The decree stipulates that organizations have only to notify the authorities of their plans.

Abu lost the chairmanship race at the 1994 NU congress in Cipasung, West Java, to incumbent Abdurrahman Wahid. After he was excluded from Abdurrahman's board of leadership, he declared the establishment of KPPNU last January.

The government has declared the 1994 congress legitimate and Abdurrahman's leadership of the 30-million strong organization "constitutional". It also refused to recognize Abu Hasan's board.

"The government is probably confused," Abu said.

An estimated 1,000 people said to be representing at least 250 branches of KPPNU are expected to attend the three-day congress, to be held in space rented at the Haj Dormitory in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta.

The main agenda of the meeting, according to Hamid Badhawi who has organized the event, is to "pray" and talk about religious matters. It is reported that no government officials will attend the gathering.

The government's recently stated stance on the status of KPPNU has helped dispel some of the speculation that Abu Hasan was backed by some officials, as well as by some dissenting NU leaders.

It is no secret, however, that Abdurrahman may not enjoy the government's support, either. Since his re-election, the controversial and vocal critic of the government has yet to have an audience with President Soeharto, a tradition in Indonesian politics symbolizing the head of state's approval.

Meanwhile, Abdurrahman has been taking the reports about the coming meeting of his foes nonchalantly. However, he did confirm that there will be administrative sanctions imposed against NU members who attend the rival board's conference.

"I would really be happy if the KPPNU could proceed with its plan, because then we could see who's really coming to the meeting, who's supporting it," he told the press.

He pointed out that the NU's statutes do not recognize the term "grand conference". "There are daily meetings, plenary sessions, discussions of ulemas, grand congresses and congresses," he said. "And they all should only be held by the Executive Board. So, this KPPNU is illegal".

"NU members who attend the gathering will be given administrative punishment, such as dismissals," he said. "They will later be given the opportunity to defend themselves during the NU national congress (in 1999)."

He chided the conference as a "desperate attempt" to hold a gathering in violation of organizational regulations.

He said he suspected that only NU members from Riau, Jambi and West Sumatra -- the stronghold of Abu Hasan -- will attend the gathering.

Abdurrahman also lashed out at whoever was behind the attempt to unseat him. "This is an illegal act of disgruntled, irresponsible people to ruin the organization," he said. "They are really sore losers, who can't take losing gracefully."

Meanwhile, in Surabaya, respected NU ulema K.H. Yusuf Hasyim denied reports that he was involved in the planned conference.

Hasyim, who is also Abdurrahman's uncle, was said to have been at odds with the NU chairman. It was also rumored that he would receive an appointment as chairman of the rival board.

"This is really uncomfortable," Yusuf said. "Until now, no member of KPPNU has tried to contact me."

Yesterday, Badhawi said the gathering is also needed to discuss ways to ward off the danger of the Indonesian Moslems' faith being eroded by Shiite teachings spread by Abdurrahman and his protege, Said Agil.

Indonesia's Moslems are mostly followers of Ahlussunah wal Jamaah, mainstream Islamic theology which relies heavily on the sunnah, tradition and saying of the Prophet Muhammad.

Shiite, on the other hand, is adhered to by Moslems who believe that the imamah, or leadership of Moslem communities after the death of the Prophet, should be done only by his son-in-law Ali bin Abi Thalib and his direct descendants. The difference is a source of long-standing misunderstanding, even conflicts, between the two groups.

The alleged spreading of Shiite here, according to Badhawi, is the work of Abdurrahman Wahid "who has a close relationship with Iran", the country with a Shiite majority. (swe/15/anr)