Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) Born in August 4, 1940, in Jombang, East Java, Abdurrahman Wahid is the Chairman of the board of the Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic movement. He studied at the Islamic University, Baghdad, Iraq. Nahdlatul Ulama, a charitable and religious organization is said to be supported by 30 million followers, most of whom are in the rural areas. Gus Dur has long been a popular opposition leader. However he received visible support from President Soeharto in November 1996 (President Soeharto turning up at a NU meeting in Genggong, East Java, to shake hands with Gus Dur) when facing a rival central board set up by Abu Hasan. At the time, Gus Dur came under attack by then Research and Technology Minister Habibie. As leader of ICMI, Habibie said it would be best for NU if Gus Dur resigned. In August 1998, a further rift opened in NU when a discontented faction lead by Yusuf Hashyim, Gus Dur's own father -in-law, decided to set up a party of its own (dubbed Nahdlatul Ummah) to stop the country from becoming another Turkey ruled by secular political elites. Yusuf Hashyim accused Gus Dur of becoming to close to Megawati Sukarnopoutri. Gusdur was elected President of Indonesia after the end of the mandate of Habibie but as later impeached by the Parliament (2001). He remains one of the most influential politicians of his country. | |||
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