Yogyakarta – Demonstrators from the People’s Challenge Alliance (ARM) held a protest action at the University of Gajah Mada (UGM) traffic circle in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Thursday June 3 calling for the world’s people to unite against imperialism for the national liberation of Palestine.

Action coordinator Yuni stated that the Israeli blockade is an effort to weaken the Palestinian people’s struggle. To this day however, international institutions such as the United Nations and countries such as Indonesia have failed to take a firm stand to accelerate the peace process in Palestine.

“It needs to be understood that the conflict that is taking place between Israel and Palestine is not a religious or racial conflict. Rather it is a conflict of interests over the control of strategic economic assets by international imperialists through Israel as its puppet”, said Yuni.

According to the group, the national liberation struggle against imperialism must be directed towards a class struggle by means of destroying the oppressor class, so the majority class can take a position of power in order to build economic prosperity, social justice, political democracy and cultural participation for the Palestinian people.

“A united people’s movement must lead the fight for power in Palestine along with building international unity against imperialism. This is because freedom for Palestine will not come by itself but rather though the efforts of its own people, namely a movement that is not compromised, opportunist nor a terrorist movement”, they asserted. (Ran)

Notes

Similar actions were held in Jakarta, Samarinda (East Kalimantan) and Ternate (North Maluku) on June 5. Solidarity actions for justice and Palestinian freedom were also organised in four Indonesian cities by the ARM Yogyakarta, the Center for Student Mobilisation for National Liberation (PEMBEBASAN, formerly LMND-PRD) Perempuan Mahardhika (Free Women), the Political Committee of the Poor-Peoples Democratic Party (KPRM-PRD), the Political Union of the Poor (PPRM) and the Indonesian Labour Movement Union Preparatory Committee (KP-PPBI).

[Translated by James Balowski.]