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Indonesia’s Islamic Movements To Tackle Extremism
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Indonesian Muslims Want
Peace
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By IOL Correspondent in Indonesia, Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA, Jan. 3 (IslamOnline)- Indonesia's two largest Muslim organizations, the Nahdatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadyah, urged the country's Muslims Wednesday to promote peace and brotherhood with people of other religions.
Hasyim Muzadi and Syafi'i Ma'arif, chairmen of NU and Muhammadyah respectively, said that the Muslim people must place the country's integrity above everything and respect religious plurality.
They also said that the two organizations would not become involved in political disputes, and would instead become independent and nonpartisan Islamic groups.
Observers in Jakarta feel that the declaration of these two large organizations is a major shift in Indonesian politics. Both organizations used to exercise absolute power and control over their members to such extents as deciding for them who to support during elections.
"When we meet nationalist groups, or socialists, or even foreigners, they express concern that the face of Islam here will become increasingly brutal," Syafi'i told a press conference held at NU headquarters on Jalan Kramat Raya in Central Jakarta.
"They want us, as the two biggest organizations (in Indonesia), to project a calm image of Islam that protects people of other religions," he said.
The NU is the largest organization, claiming 40 million subscribed members, though most of them are not full members and does not necessarily participate in the movement’s rallies and events.
The movement was once headed by deposed president Abdurrahman Wahid, whose father was the founder of the NU.
The Muhammadyah is however the oldest organization and has 20 to 25 million members. Its influence stretches from Indonesia to Malaysia, via Singapore and Brunei. Most of its members are middle class citizens of the countries mentioned above.
Muzadi disclosed that the image of Islam has long been politicized by certain groups for vested interests. He also stressed that such radicalism demonstrated by the groups represents the political influences and not the Islamic way of thinking.
Indonesia is the world's biggest Muslim country with more than 90 percent of its 220-million people professing to be Muslims. Many have tried to promote the imposition of Islamic law over the last few years.
An increasing majority of Muslims are urging the government of Megawati Sukarnoputri to impose Islamic principles in business and society, adding that the country needs Islam to prosper.
Following the downfall of former president Suharto in 1998, many political parties have used Islamic principles as their base and used Islam as a political vehicle. Many have succeeded in gaining votes during the 1999 general elections.
Muslim based parties have secured some 30 percent of seats in Parliament and have been instrumental to the accession to power of Wahid.
Later on, they also contributed largely, to his political demise when they rallied with the larger parties to allow Megawati Sukarnoputri to become the first woman president of Indonesia.
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