NU Mass Organizations Reject Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia Conferences
2 May 2016 14:32 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jombang-The conferences of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) held in Surabaya and Jombang yesterday, May 1, 2016, have sparked wave of protests from mass organizations mobilized by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and its autonomous bodies; Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) dan Multipurpose Ansor Front (Banser).
"We reject it because the HTI promotes the concept of caliphate which is against Pancasila and [could] treathen Indonesia’s unity," said the chairman of GP Ansor Jombang, Zulfikar Dawam Ikhwanto last weekend.
The same reason was expressed by the chairman of Banser Coodination Unit East Java, Umar Usman, citing schisms among Middle Eastern countries despite the caliphate models being adhered to.
Therefore, Umar said, Banser has rejected Hizbut Tahrir conferences in eight regions, namely Kediri, Jombang, Pamekasan, Madiun, Malang, Bojonegoro, Tulungagung, and Surabaya. “We reject the events,” he said.
In Kediri, rejection was also voiced the day before the event. Hundreds of Ansor members gathered on Saturday to reject the HTI conference in Badas, Kediri. “We urge the police to cancel the event,” said Munasir Huda, Chairman of GP Ansor Kediri.
Having seen the rejection, the HTI canceled its conference in Jombang. Spokesman of the HTI Jombang, Ahmad Wahyudi, said the organizing committee had canceled the event due to lack of permit from police and the treath to disband the event from the NU. “We want to avoid conflict, it is be better for us to cancel the event,” he said.
Meanwhile, the HTI conference at the SIBEC Convention Hall at Jalan Gembong, Surabaya, was only held from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Chairman of the HTI East Java Fajar Kurniawan admitted that the event was ended quickly. “We only allowed HTI members who did come [to the event] to enter the building and gave them the understanding on the situation before we told them to go home,” he said.
Community Relations Chief of Surabaya Precinct Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Lilik Hariati admitted that police had adviced the HTI Conference to be ended quickly. According to him, the conference could distrub public security and order. “A number of mass organizations had demanded the police to disband the conference,” he said.
ISHOMUDDIN | HARI TRI WARSONO | EDWIN FAJERIAL