Managing Politics and Islam in Indonesia

126 NAHDLATUL ULAMA: BETWEEN INCORPORATION AND INDEPENDENCE46. A number of NU leaders and sympathisers in Situbondo (East Java) told of how theRegent and ABRI, on various occasions, used heavy-handed tactics against PPPsupporters before the spate of church burning and then tried to blame PPPsupporters for the destruction. Interviews with Cholil As’ad, 4 August 1997; FathorRasjid, 4 August 1997; a lawyer representing clients who were accused by ABRI ofinstigating the church burnings in Situbondo (he wishes to remain anonymous), 4August 1997; several self-confessed rioters (who wished to remain anonymous), 4August 1997.47. The following interviews were held in Surabaya, the industrial capital of East Java,unless otherwise stated. Abdurrahman, 24 October 1996 (in Jakarta) and 1 August1997; Dr J.E.Sahetapy, 14 August 1997; Romo Beny (a prominent Catholic leaderfrom Situbondo), 3 August 1997; Dr Paul Tahalele, 27 July and 3 August 1997;Santoso, 11 August 1997; Forum Keadilan, 10 February 1997; Adil, 19–25February 1997; Forum Keadilan, 10 February 1997.48. Bursyah and Eggi were underlings of Adi, and Abdurrahman accused Adi of beinga founding member of the Humanika.49. The white book alleged that ‘AR’, ‘AS’ and ‘LH’ (people widely interpreted theinitials as standing for Amien Rais, Adi Sasono and Lukman Harun), and otherICMI leaders were involved in a conspiracy to undermine NU.50. Paron, 8 February 1997; Ummat, 17 February 1997; Sinar, 22 February 1997;Forum Keadilan, 10 February 1997.51. He was instead, he insisted, a founding member of the Humaika (the CommunityAssociation for Humanity), which was responsible for the rehabilitation ofimprisoned communists, had ceased its activities in the late-1980s, and had noconnection with the Humanika. Abdurrahman, it appears, had confused Humanikawith Humaika, which had the effect of discrediting his own allegations. Ummat, 17February 1997.52. Forum Keadilan, 10 February 1997.53. Swadesi, 18–24 February 1997; Hikam, ‘Jabat Tangan dari Probolinggo’, Ummat,25 November 1996–23 December 1996; Gatra, 23 November 1996.54. Abdurrahman first refused to attend the RMI meeting and insisted he was travellingto Germany, but Moerdiono warned him not to go. Information drawn fromconfidential interviews with RMI leaders done by Greg Fealy, April 1997.55. D&R 29 November 1996.56. Kompas, 4 November 1996; Ummat, 25 November 1996; Republika, 3 November1996; Suara Pembaruan, 5 November 1996.57. Ummat, 25 November 1996.58. Ummat, 23 December 1996.59. Forum Keadilan, 10 Febuary 1997.60. Aisyah pointed out that ‘at election times, Golkar had immense funding to dispense.Muslimat saw the general elections as an opportunity to get funding.’ Interviewwith Aisyah Hamid Baidlowi, 11 March 1997. The Secretary General of Muslimat,Susy Witiajar, held a quite different attitude to the latest events. She said, ‘theMuslimat members were angry over Siti Rukmana’s sponsorship of theorganisation. The price of receiving funding for the building was greater than theactual benefit. I wrote to the Muslimat branches that Siti’s funding did not tie NU’sconstituency to choosing Golkar at the election’. Interview with Susy Witiajar, 4