Jakarta – The Jakarta Muhammadiyah University (UMJ) academic community held a defend Palestine action at the UMJ Plaza in Jakarta on Tuesday May 7.
According to CNN Indonesia's observations at the location, the Palestine solidarity demonstrators comprised students, lecturers, campus staff and the UMJ chancellor. The majority of the protesters appeared to be wearing white clothing and there were also a number of Palestinian scarves and flags that were raised during the action.
During the action which began at around 10 am, the protesters gave speeches supporting an independent Palestine and shouted calls of free Palestine. "Free! Free! Palestine!", shouted the demonstrators.
The action, which lasted for about one hour, was closed with a joint prayer event for Palestine at 11 am. Not only that, they also set fire to Israeli flags before the action began.
UMJ Chancellor Ma'mun Murod explained that one of the important points in this action was to ask Western countries to stop their hypocrisy over the genocide being committed by Israel against Palestine.
"We ask that America, Britain, France, this includes Germany within it to be able see proportionally the cases or conflict that is occurring", Murod said at the action.
"For the humanitarian tragedy that is occurring in Palestine. Stop the Western hypocritical attitude towards the Palestinian case", he continued.
Meanwhile the Ahmad Dahlan ITB University academic community in Lamongan, East Java, also held a similar action.
According to CNN Indonesia's observations they held the action in front of the campus on the edge of Jalan Ir Juanda in the direction of Ciputat, Jakarta.
The action was joined by scores of people comprising students, university staff and lecturers.
One of the action coordinators, who is also a lecturer at the university, Sarli Amri, said that the action was held to condemn Israel's brutality against Palestine.
Not only that, Amri claimed that defend Palestine actions are being held simultaneously at all Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah campuses throughout Indonesia.
"There are around 173 Muhammadiyah higher education campuses from Sabang to Merauke, and ITB Ahmad Dahlan Jakarta is one of these campuses", he said.
"Now, our action is a peaceful action to make a peaceful action petition to condemn the atrocities of the Israeli genocide", he continued.
As a result of the action, traffic on Jalan Ir. Juanda in the direction of Ciputat became congested because some of the protesters stood blocking off part of the road.
A number of police officers however could be seen on duty directing traffic and watching over the action. (mab/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Aksi Bela Palestina oleh Sivitas UMJ di Jakarta Diikuti Rektor-Dosen".]
