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)