G-8 Embassies Request Nahdlatul Ulama Organization to Stifle Anti-US Movement
27 August 2003 13:31 WIB
NU chairman KH Hasyim Muzadi made this statementduring a lecture attended by other members of the NUorganization during the commemoration of the NUs 78thanniversary held at the East Java NU office inSurabaya today (4/10). Amongst those ambassadors whohad conveyed such a request to the NU was USAmbassador Robert Gelbard, who visited the NU officein Jakarta two days ago. This request was madebecause there has yet to be any guarantee from thegovernment to stop the jihad (holy war) movement,Muzadi said.
Muzadi added that Australian, Canadian and JapaneseAmbassadors also visited the NU office in Jakarta andconveyed similar requests to NU leaders. From thetalks that he had with the ambassadors, Muzadi hasconcluded that the NU must play an important role inaccommodating such interests. These ambassadorsrealize that only a cultural Islamic movement can helpsettle this matter, Muzadi said. Meanwhile, suchmovements had mostly been identified with the NUorganization since it was founded in 1926.
Muzadi declined to reveal the measures that he wouldtake in response to the ambassadors request. Hemerely promised to approach the leaders of otherIslamic organizations such as Muhammadiyah, theIslamic Defenders Front, Islamic Defenders Movementand others and engage in intensive dialogues. Weplan to form a particular strategy for applying theshariah (Islamic law) to avoid a disorderlysituation, Muzadi said.