Demonstrations Demanding Indonesia Withdraw from Board of Peace Held Simultaneously in Surabaya and Makassar
Demonstrators united under the Islamic Committee Against America-Israel (Kumail) staged a demonstration outside Grahadi State Building in Surabaya on Friday (13 March), demanding that the Indonesian Government immediately withdraw from membership of the Board of Peace (BOP).
At the scene, masses of activists dressed entirely in black filled the Apsari Garden area opposite Grahadi. They carried the Red and White Indonesian flag, Palestinian flag, and Iranian flag as symbols of solidarity.
In their speeches, demonstrators accused the United States of orchestrating the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East, including genocide in Palestine.
“We affirm that the United States is the primary supporter behind every drop of blood spilled in Palestine, Iran, Lebanon and Yemen,” shouted one of the orators from atop a command vehicle.
The demonstration featured theatrical elements depicting US President Donald Trump alongside a statue of the devil Baal. Before them, simulations were displayed showing the torture of children in chains, alongside effigies of dead babies covered in blood scattered across the ground.
The climax of the action was marked by the burning of the devil Baal statue in the midst of the crowd whilst chanting cries for Palestinian freedom.
Kumail’s communications officer, Mu’adz, stated that this action represented a strong protest against attacks by the US and Israel against Iran and Palestine. He argued that BOP was merely a political tool to legitimise Israeli actions in Palestinian territory.
“This has been proven in several countries. We are demanding that the Indonesian government leave, not just review, but withdraw from BOP membership,” Mu’adz stated when met at the demonstration site.
Mu’adz also criticised the government’s stance, which he viewed as half-hearted and lacking strong signals to abandon the organisation established by Trump, despite being pressured by various groups.
“There is ambiguity; in our view the Indonesian government is hesitant in determining its position. Whether it will firmly support Palestinian independence,” he said.
He suspected economic factors were making Indonesia’s position difficult. They urged the government to take a clear stance.
“Automatically, it would reject joining BOP. But on the other hand Indonesia is quite afraid of avoiding that 19 per cent trade tariff,” said Mu’adz.
Similar Action in Makassar
A similar action was followed by hundreds of people united in the Poros Al Quds Makassar movement at Mandala Monument in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
The action began around 15:00 WITA with a gathering point at Aisyah Mosque on Jalan Sungai Tangka, Sawerigading Village, Ujung Pandang District. Approximately 100 action participants then conducted a convoy and long march towards Mandala Monument on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman as the main site for voicing their demands.
The masses departed from the gathering point around 15:45 WITA and arrived at Mandala Monument at 16:05 WITA. Upon arrival at the location, action participants delivered speeches in turn using a loudspeaker mounted on a command vehicle.
In the action, the masses raised the Red and White Indonesian flag, the Palestinian flag, and the Iranian flag. They also displayed several banners and pamphlets containing various messages of solidarity for Palestine as well as criticism of international policies deemed unsupportive of the Palestinian people.
Some of the placards carried by the masses included “International Al Quds, Solidarity for Palestine”, “Reject Normalisation with Israel”, and “Stop BOP Diplomacy”.
Field coordinator of the action, Andi Mudassir, in his speech affirmed full support for the Palestinian people’s struggle to liberate their territory from occupation. The masses also criticised the stance of certain countries deemed to apply double standards to the conflict occurring in Palestine.
“We are demanding that the Indonesian government withdraw from BOP, which is deemed to contradict the constitutional mandate and potentially drag Indonesia into the orbit of imperialist power geopolitical interests,” said Andi Mudassir on Friday.