Akhdi Martin Pratama, Jakarta – Inter-faith congregations took part in a demonstration in solidarity with Palestine opposite the United States Embassy in Central Jakarta on Friday May 31.
Moreover several people brought a banner reading "Jesus would be angry if he knew the land of his birth is being bombed". The banner was made by a Christian named Stefani (27).
Stefani unfurled the banner along with a colleague named Iren (35) while shouting "Free Free Palestine. Free Free Palestine". They both believe the war taking place in Palestine is not a religious issue.
"This is not a religious war, yeah, because there are still distortions, misinformation on the war between Palestine and Israel. This is clearly colonial, an occupation and a genocide", said Iren said when interviewed across from the US Embassy on Friday.
Iren believes that the view by people who consider Palestine to be identical with Islam is wrong because Christianity and Catholicism were also born in Palestine.
"Moreover, many Palestinians who are Jewish are also victims. As long as their ID card is Palestine, they are killed by Israel", continued Iren.
As a banner writer, Stefani agrees. According to Stefani what Israel is doing makes no sense.
"Moreover, in general (they're wiping out), parents, children and newborns. And, everything is dead. (Including) all access, education, water, healthcare", Stefani said on the same occasion.
The son of a priest emphasised that the situation in Palestine is not okay at all. He hopes that people will no longer consider the conflict in Palestine to be a religious war.
"Because this is often used as campaign material by people, 'oh this is because of religion'. In the end, they are ignorant of the news in Palestine", continued Stefani.
Iren meanwhile hopes that the Indonesian government will be more active and consistent in voicing support for and defending Palestine.
"How can it be that (Indonesia) has done less than Africa which has been able to demand European countries not provide funding or even sue Israel and (call for) the arrest of Israeli leaders", Iren reiterated.
A number of civil society groups were involved in the protest action opposite the US Embassy including the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Greenpeace and the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI).
Aside from calling for solidarity with Palestine, the demonstrators also demanded that the US stop supplying weapons to Israel.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Umat Lintas Agama Ikut Unjuk Rasa Solidaritas Palestina di Kedubes AS".]
