Senior NU figures discuss executive role for women

JAKARTA (JP): The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization is considering a groundbreaking and controversial move to include women in its next executive lineup.

NU deputy chairman Said Aqil Siradj said on Tuesday that Indonesia's largest Muslim organization wanted to dispel orthodox notions about the 35-million strong grouping.

"Many Islamic-based organizations are uncomfortable including women in their executives. NU will dare to break the old tradition that the organization is male-dominated," said Said.

He conceded that the move was likely to attract strong criticism from various quarters in the organization. But he defended the move, saying that female scholars associated with the organization had repeatedly shown their capacity and competency in various fields.

Said would not be drawn to propose any likely candidates.

Accompanied by NU deputy secretary-general Arifin Junaidi, Said was speaking to journalists at a curtain-raiser to the 30th NU Congress, which will open on Sunday.

The week-long congress will be held at the Lirboyo Islamic boarding school in Kediri, East Java.

The most anticipated outcome of the gathering is the election of a new NU chairman to replace Abdurrahman Wahid who is now President.

Abdurrahman has been at the NU helm since 1984.

Scholars Mustofa Bisri, Hasyim Muzadi, Sholahudin Wahid, Fadjrul Falaakh and Said Aqil Siradj himself have been touted as the leading contenders for NU's top post.

Many women, including State Minister of the Empowerment of Women Khofifah Indar Parawansa, have recently moved up through the ranks of the organization through affiliated organizations and the NU-backed National Awakening Party (PKB). But no women have joined the ranks of the all-male NU central executive board.

"We have a lot of female scholars who can sit at some positions on the executive. Don't think those who wear head scarves and live in Islamic boarding schools have little knowledge about the organization," Said contended.

"I've observed their competency. They are just waiting to be given a chance to prove their ability."

Female scholars in the organization have their own affiliated association -- the Muslimat NU.

"The Muslimat is now too small for them," Said asserted.

Nominees

With the start of the congress just days away, jockeying for the leadership race has already begun.

In Semarang, NU's Central Java chapter decided on Tuesday to refrain from naming a specific candidate. The chapter however has decided to list essential criteria for nominees to the post.

NU Central Java chairman Achmad said the leading criteria included a strong commitment to the organization and a strict adherence of NU's 1926 khittoh (statute) which states that NU must stay away from practical politics.

The issue of the khittoh is likely to be hotly debated at the congress. Top NU figures continue to hold key political posts in the government, despite the fact that they do not officially carrying the NU banner.

In Yogyakarta, the All-Java Nahdlatul Ulama Youth Communication Forum -- a loose alliance of NU youth activists -- pledged to keep the khittoh and play an active role as a "moral force" during the congress.

The youth activists said they would distribute flyers containing messages calling for neutrality in politics.

"Many do not realize this, but I'm afraid that with his (Abdurrahman's) appointment as President, this next congress will be filled with political agendas," Akhmad said.

The forum -- which was established at the 28th NU Congress in 1989 to accommodate Muslim youths not incorporated in the organization's structure -- also vowed to maintain its distance from the government.

The group pledged to remain critical of the government despite its inclusion of many NU figures.

"Many of us were offered research projects by newly appointed ministers such as A.S. Hikam (the State Minister of Research and Technology), but we turned them down," Akhmad said.

"It is also important that not all NU human resources be usurped in bureaucratic or governmental affairs," he added. (44/har/edt)