Semut Station in Surabaya, one day last week. A dark-skinned youth proudly held up a sickle, then deftly cut his own arm with it. No blood came out. The skin was just scratched a bit. His friends, also carrying sharp weapons, cheered. Dozens of police on hand watched stupefied.

The youth and his friends are members of Nahdlatul Ulama, the mass Muslim organization led by President Abdurrahman Wahid until his election as president in 1999. They co