Ulemas banned for politicking

Ulemas banned for politicking

SURABAYA (JP): A group of local Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) scholars, known for their critical view of chairman Abdurrahman Wahid, has been banned for politicking.

East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman asked the group, calling itself FOKUS and claiming to have the support of 100 mullahs, to dissolve for fear of competing with the original provincial chapter of NU.

In a breaking of the fast gathering with some 100 managers of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) Monday night, Basofi urged group leader Hasib Wahab to stop activities which he said "endangered unity among mullahs, especially members of NU".

"If there are differences of opinion, resolve them through deliberation. There's no need to establish a new group instead," Basofi said of the organization which attracted public attention last November by naming 10 people they said were vice presidential material. Among the 10 was Basofi himself, who then rejected the "nomination".

With some 30 million rural-based members and followers, Nahdlatul Ulama is Indonesia's largest Moslem organization. Its chairman Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur, is a controversial scholar who also dabbles in politics, despite the organization's declaration that it would not conduct such activities.

Upon the initiative of Hasib Wahab who leads the Bahrul Ulum boarding school in Jombang, FOKUS was established in June 1996 by about 25 leaders of local pesantrens. The mullahs claimed in their declaration that they would strengthen the brotherhood based on the Sunnite Moslem tradition.

However, the mullahs have also been known to voice concern about what they call Abdurrahman's proclivity toward Shiite tradition. Hasib Wahab himself has often criticized Abdurrahman's political activities.

Since being established, however, FOKUS has also become very political. In addition to putting forward the names of people it considered vice presidential material, the organization also at one time jumped onto the bandwagon of those condemning the outlawed Democratic People's Party (PRD) youth organization. The mullahs also declared their support of the Armed Forces' dual role in politics and defense.

As a result, the FOKUS mullahs received their share of criticism from local NU members who believe they had damaged the organization's order and reputation.

Hasib himself expressed disappointment over the banning, saying he had sought to settle any misunderstanding that the governor might have about the group.

"I really don't understand the governor. He supported the establishment of FOKUS, and I always consulted him in our activities," Hasib said. "But what can I say? We are going to consider his (stance) seriously." (nur)