Spiritual guidance needed in NU row

Spiritual guidance needed in NU row

JAKARTA (JP): The East Java Regional Executive Board of the Nahdlatul Ulama yesterday urged its members to exercise restraint and seek spiritual guidance in resolving the conflict befalling the country's largest Moslem organization.

Board chairman Hasyim Muzadi suggested NU members pray to resolve the threat posed by a splinter group under Abu Hasan that has formed a rival executive board, Antara reported yesterday.

East Java is one of NU's largest basis. The regional board has pledged loyalty to the leadership of Abdurrahman Wahid amid the growing rift within the organization.

Hasyim said tirakat (self restraint) and istiqhotsah (prayers for guidance) have proven most effective in bringing speedy resolutions to problems in the past.

Abu Hasan's "adventures" are undermining NU's organizational system and mechanism, said Hasyim, the owner of the Al-Hikam Pesantren (Moslem boarding school) in Malang. "He has turned the NU upside down. We have to face him with restraint and prayers."

He said he would urged the NU central board to appeal to all NU members in Indonesia to do the same.

Hasyim also alleged that Abu Hasan had the tacit support of certain government officials.

Abu Hasan, who lost the election to the incumbent Abdurrahman during the NU congress in Cipasung, West Java, in December 1994, last week organized a congress of his own in Jakarta which elected him as the NU chairman.

Abu Hasan's election, however, was not recognized by the government, with senior cabinet officials saying that Abdurrahman remains the legitimate leader of the organization.

Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Tahir has already offered his good offices to mediate between the two camps, but supporters in Abdurrahman's board said that behind the gesture was implicit recognition of Abu Hasan's existence. (emb)