I told the students that we can exert pressure without resorting to violence, and that we can move towards democracy without violence; that way, God will allow it.

In March Wahid tried to counter the opposition by moving against dissidents within his own Cabinet. Overseas education
In 1963 Wahid received a scholarship from the Ministry of Religious Affairs to study at Al Azhar University in Cairo Egypt. By this time Suharto embroiled in a political battle with ABRI began to ingratiate himself with the Muslim constituency so as to win their support.

Abdurrahman Wahid born Abdurrahman Addakhil (7 September 1940 – 30 December 2009) colloquially known as [About this sound] Gus Dur (help·info) was an Indonesian Muslim religious and political leader who served as the President of Indonesia from 1999 to 2001. His popular nickname Gus Dur is derived from Gus a common honorific for a son of kyai from short-form of bagus ('handsome lad' in Javanese language); and Dur short-form of his name Abdurrahman.