Lamongan, NU Online
Deputy Chairman of the Lamongan's Branch Board of Nahdlatul Ulama, Dr. Achmad Suyuthi, M.Si, called on all NU elements ranging from the lower to the central levels to play a leading role in the fight against extremism and terrorism. <> 

He said, as a moderate religious organization, NU had to formulate strategic programs to deal with any possible threat posed by extremists and terrorist.

"Although Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, it is again and again fertile ground for extremism," he told NU Online here recently.

He said that radical movements had most of the time launched attacks as a way to fight global injustices and, "in Indonesia, it is developing into a war of ideologies."

For that reason, the lecturer of Surabaya's Sunan Ampel State Islamic University also expected NU, especially pesantren leaders and its clerics to make the majority Muslims practice true Islamic teachings.

"Muslims in general and Nahdliyin in particular have to be able to translate the the Islamic values into action," he said, adding that campaigning for moderation and deradicalization to prevent religious extremism and terrorism was a must.  

According to him, the most important thing as part of counter terrorism measures is it is totally wrong to replace Pancasila as the nation’s ideology.

“We know all NU members and leaders have accepted and defended the Unitary State of Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and Pancasila as the final state ideology," he said.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq