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NU intensifies monitoring to curb radicalism during Ramadhan
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Marhaban ya Ramadhan: Astronomy experts and locals observe the new moon to determine the start of Ramadhan at Al-Musyari'in Mosque, Basmol, West Jakarta, on May 26. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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ndonesia’s largest Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), has said it will optimize the use of its newly opened internet command center to curb the spread of radicalism during Ramadhan.
“We will use the command center to tackle the spread of [radical] teachings, to educate people via social media and to fill our social media accounts with positive content,” NU deputy secretary-general Imam Pituduh told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Located at NU’s central office in Kramat, Central Jakarta, the Nusantara Command Center (NCC) commenced operations on May 26. It is stated on NU’s official website that the NCC was jointly established by NU and telecommunication company PT XL Axiata. The new facility will also function as a communication forum among NU executives in an effort to “counter any attempts to divide” the country.
Imam said during Ramadhan that it was better for social media users, especially those who had a lot of followers, to spread “goodness” instead of “negative content” that could harm the religious life of Indonesian people and the country’s diversity.
NU would also carry out its perennial program of deploying preachers to mosques across the country during Ramadhan to ensure people witnessed “comprehensive” sermons, not those that contained “misinterpreted” Islamic teachings.
Imam said NU was concerned Indonesian society had become increasingly apathetic, paving the way for radical and terror organizations to flourish in the country.
He said a twin suicide bombing in East Jakarta on May 24 was a “wake up call” for all parties to intensify the monitoring of those two groups. (ebf)
