Walubi rejects rival organization

Walubi rejects rival organization

JAKARTA (JP): A representative of the Indonesian Buddhist
Community (Walubi) has renounced the formation of a rival
organization, The Grand Conference of Indonesian Sangha (KASI),
saying that the newly formed association had little backing from
Buddhists here.

Oka Diputra, who chairs Walubi, told journalists on Saturday
that the new Buddhist organization had no authority to make
dharmas (codes) nor could it issue rulings.

He claimed that KASI, established by the Budhayana Assembly on
Nov. 14, only represented a tiny portion of the five million
Buddhists in Indonesia.

"Of course, Buddhists here are free to associate, but such an
organization should not be created just because of an internal
conflict within Walubi," he said.

Walubi executives were divisively torn following the election
of their representative to the interest group faction in the
People's Consultative Assembly.

Many groups in Walubi nominated Hartati Murdaya, a Buddhist
businesswoman, while the Budhayana Assembly nominated its
chairman Pramono.

The National Election Commission, which was in charge of
selecting the 65-member interest group faction, in the end
appointed Hartati, also a former deputy chairwoman of the Supreme
Advisory Council, to represent Walubi in the Assembly.

Oka said Walubi was open to peaceful dialog and reconciliation
provided the rival organization was dissolved.

He said the presence of two organizations in the Buddhist
community would raise confusion among the people. (rms)