Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The Indonesian Government’s plan to revive plan to erect a nuclear power plan in Muria of Jepara in Central Java has ignited huge criticism among Muslim leaders across the country. Technical problems are being treated as a religious issue and the protest has increased following a September 10th explosion which destroyed almost 80% of the nuclear research centre in Serpong (Jakarta).
The Nahdlatul Ulama (Nu), the country’s largest Muslim organization in the country—has issued its official doctrine that the PLTN Muria is “haram” (illegal, illegitimate) according the Islamic Quran. Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, the charismatic Indonesian president from 1999 to 2001 and NU leader for over 10 years.
“I strongly support NU leaders in Jepara – he said September 10th in Jakarta - in their stern gesture to go against any plan to erect PLTN”. He says he supports the civilian use of nuclear energy, “But the location in Muria is not suitable, since the location is very vulnerable to earthquake”. “The Indonesian Geophysics and Meteorology (popularly known here as the BMG) has issued its official report that Java is not the suitable place to build any nuclear plant. Government should abide with the report”. He has also threatened to lead a protest march. The NU had already organised a march of thousands through Jepara at the beginning of the month.
ASEAN Greenpeace Director Emmy Hafild also issued statement that the PLTN Muria will be a great danger to the local environment due to technical problem of the area. “We have submitted a letter to President Yudhoyono to halt the plan”.
NU’s action to issue doctrine of haram last week has garnered attention from the country’s Islamic moral watchdog, the conservative Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI). Ma’ruf Amin, the Islamic Teaching Commission Head in the MUI HQ, slammed Jepara-based NU’s official statement over the haram issue on the PLTN Muria. “Please do not be too quick to issue statements of haram on certain issues” he warned. But experts observe, in the Indonesian politics, the MUI has often issued haram labelling on certain political issues.
