NU calls on all parties to stay calm

Jember, NU Online
Chairman of the East Java's Regional Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PWNU) KH Mutawakkil Alallah was deeply concerned over bloody clashes in Puger Kulon village, Puger subdistrict, Jember which killed one.<>

The leader of Genggong Islamic boarding school (pesantren), Kraksaan, Probolingo directly visited the family at the funeral home in Puger Kulon, Thursday (12/9). Accompanied by the Secretary of Jember's Branch Board of NU, KH. Misbahussalam, Kiai Mutawakkil expressed condolences to all those affected by the incident and held tahlil prayers.

Kiai Mutawakkil asked Muslims not to easily be provoked and called on all conflicting parties to stay calm and and restrain from getting swayed by feelings of revenge.

"No need for revenge. But this should be a lesson for all parties, including the police," he told reporters here on Thursday.

Meanwhile, KH. Misbahussalam said that the PCNU would soon hold a meeting to seek solutions for the long-standing feud.

According to him, the clash could have been avoided if each party could show self-control. "The key is mutual respect for one another," he said, adding how could the feloow Muslims involve themelves in violence.

As reported the long-delayed parade celebrating Indonesia’s Independence Day was marred by violence on Wednesday as tensions between rival Islamic leaders boiled over in the latest instance of sectarian-tinged bloodshed to stain East Java.

The parade re-ignited a long-standing feud in Jembar, East Java, between Muhdor al-Hamid, an Islamic leader from Tanggul subdistrict, and Ali al-Habsyi, a popular leader from the neighboring Puger subdistrict. The two men — and their followers — have been embroiled in a dispute spanning nearly a decade that has become steeped in allegations of jealousy and religion baiting.

Wednesday’s violence, which began with an unruly protest against police and ended with the savage mob beating of a local fishermen, stemmed, in part, from confusion over the religious affiliation of Ali, the head of the Darus Sholihin Islamic boarding school in Puger Kulon village.

Reporting by Aryudi A. Razaq; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq