PBNU to Hold International Summit of Moderate Islamic Leaders

By Office of Assistant to Deputy Cabinet Secretary for State Documents & Translation     Date 31 Maret 2016
Category: News
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President Joko Widodo receives NU’s Rais Aam Ma’ruf Amin and Executive Council of NU (31/3), at Merdeka Palace

President Joko Widodo accompanied by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno received the Executive Council of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU), led by the Rais Aam (Supreme Leader) K.H. Ma’ruf Amin, at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Thursday (31/3) morning.

After the meeting, Ma’ruf Amin told the journalists that PBNU reported the plan to organize International Summit of the Moslem Moderate Leaders, at Jakarta Convention Center, on 9 May 2016.

The Summit, that will be attended by Islamic leaders from 60 countries, is held to harmonize the perception of Islamic leaders from accross the globe that radicalism and terrorism are getting stronger, for example bomb blast in Brussels, Ankara, Lahore, and other violences as well. Therefore, PBNU thinks that this issue needs to be anticipated.

“Therefore, moderate Islamic leaders must be united as well as give their voice and take anticipative measures. Hence, we will organize a meeting and invite them to discuss a number of issues,” K.H. Ma’ruf Amin said and hoped President Joko Widodo could attend and open the meeting.

The Chairman of PBNU K.H. Said Aqil Siroj stated that the meeting is a follow-up of the previous meeting. According to him, the President once again emphasized that the Government believes that NU from its central leadership to its villages branches are anti-radicalism as well as terrorism and they always stand up for tolerant and moderate Islamic principles.

“I thank the President for his compliment and I guarantee there is no NU’s students who are provoked or sympathy to these terror and radical movements. This is the most important thing,” he said.

Concerning the anti-radicalism attitude, K.H. Said Aqil also explained that today (31/3), at 08.00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time, the Commander of Indonesian National Defence Forces Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo sent-off Islam Nusantara Expedition in Cirebon. The aim of this expedition is to disseminate Islam Nusantara which means a polite, civilized, and friendly Islam.

“To harmonize the perception of the clerics that it is the only Islam in the world that friendly, polite, as well as moderate. It is Islam in Indonesia and it is NU’s Islam, with a jargon: to love and protect the motherland are part of faith. Your faith is not complete if you don’t defend the motherland,” K.H. Said Aqil said.

PBNU also expressed its support to the Government in handling the hostage in the Philippines. Regarding counter terrorism issue, the Chairman of PBNU said that there is no special request from the President. However, NU still tries to reduce radicalism of  Indonesian citizens who just returned from Syria and Iraq.

“NU will protect this great country and its leader, based on the Constitution. It is our commitment,” he concluded. (FID/ES)(MMB/YM/Naster)

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