In order to respond to the attacks carried out by Israel against Palestine in October, a number of democratic, progressive and socialist organisations in Indonesia came together in solidarity with Palestine and formed an alliance called the People's Movement for Palestinian Independence (GERAK Palestine).
In a statement released by GERAK Palestine, the group expressed its full support for the Palestinian people to resist oppression and their right to the return to their land. GERAK Palestine also demanded an end to all aggression and attacks by Zionist Israel on Gaza and the West Bank and an end to the Israeli blockade and the arrest and imprisonment of the Palestinian people.
Aside from the above demands, GERAK Palestine also demanded that the Indonesian government cut all indirect diplomatic, economic and political ties with Zionist Israel and Zionist entities along with declaring its support for a one state solution: A secular, democratic, just and independent Palestine and the abolition of the Zionist Israeli state.
The alliance held actions in several Indonesian cities in November.
On Sunday November 19 in Bojonegoro, East Java, the Socialist Youth League (LPS) joined GERAK Palestine to organise a campaign in solidarity with the Palestinian people currently fighting to the death against Zionist Israel. As part of the campaign, a stall was opened in front of the Bojonegoro regency government offices on Car Free Day at which leaflets and stickers were distributed and banners put up demanding "One State and an Independent Palestine".
In the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar, the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (PPMPN), the Indonesian Student Union (SMI), the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) and other organisations joined GERAK Palestine to hold an action that was enlivened with political speeches and a series of poems. Earlier on November 16, the alliance held preparatory actions in the form of public discussions and a consolidation.
In Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, the Communal League joined with GERAK Palestine in a social media campaign and setup a propaganda stall providing readings on Palestine. They also handed out leaflets and issued a statement.
On Monday November 13 in Jayapura, Papua, several different organisations joined GERAK Palestine to hold a consolidation and discussion on Palestine at the Green Papua Secretariat.
Following this, on November 15, alliance comrades held a discussion around the theme Update on the Palestinian Situation, Against Imperialism. On November 17, comrades held a second more detailed discussion on the same theme, before consolidating and heading off for an action. On Sunday November 19, a free speech form was held in the afternoon at the Sinak Student Dormitory which featured political speeches, songs of struggle and poems.
In Sorong, South-West Papua, several organisations joined an action with GERAK Palestine to launch an action on November 21. The action however was repressed by police who also spread fake news that the action by comrades in Sorong was not in the context of solidarity with Palestine but rather was part of a separatist movement and the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
In the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, several different organisations joined GERAK Palestine to hold a demonstration demanding full independence for Palestine. The action began with a long-march from the Abu Bakar Ali parking area through the Malioboro shopping district to the zero kilometre point in front of the central post office.
During the march the protesters carried posters and held speeches condemning Zionist Israel's brutal actions in Palestine. They also demanded that the Indonesian government immediately cut all diplomatic, economic and political ties with Israel and Zionist entities and declared their full support for a "one state" solution, namely an independent Palestine and the abolition of the Israeli Zionist state.
In Ternate, North Maluku, several organisations and students groups from a number of different campuses joined with GERAK Palestine to hold a solidarity action and support Palestinian independence. Carrying a banner reading "A One State Solution, Palestinian Independence", the protesters marched through the city following a route from the Barito Market to Gamalama and ending at the Nukila Park on Jalan Pahlawan Revolusi in Muhajirin.
In Semarang, Central Java, activists from the Semarang XR Youth Resistance and IDPAL joined together to demand Palestinian independence during an action at the Semarang Water Fountain. This was the third such action held in Semarang. Unlike the previous protests, the action initiated by GERAK Palestine openly called for an anti-imperialist agenda. In the midst of a barrage of rallies focusing on the issue of a religious war against the infidel Israeli Jews, GERAK Palestine emphasised that the oppression against the Palestinian people was not about religion and was clearly not a religious conflict, but rather an economic and political conflict between the Palestinian nation and the Zionist Israel Apartheid government.
In Jakarta, a Palestine solidarity action was attended by around 100 people from various different organisations. The police however prevented protesters from displaying banners and posters as symbols of solidarity and to encourage other road users to join in. The demonstrators gave speeches and chanted "Free, Free Palestine!" and “From the River to the Sea, Free Palestine!” and declared their full support for the right of the Palestinian people to resist oppression and right of the Palestinian people to the return to their land. At the end of the rally, the protesters read out a statement in solidarity with Palestine and demanded that the Indonesian government cut all diplomatic, economic and political ties with Israel and expressed their support for a "one state solution".
On Sunday November 19 in Bandung, West Java, GERAK Palestine held a solidarity action for the Palestinian people at the Cikapayang-Dago Park.
On the same day in Sinjai, South Sulawesi, a number of different organisations that are part of GERAK Palestine held a demonstration in support of the Palestinian people's struggle at the Sinjai Bambu Monument.
In Ambon, Maluku, on Monday November 20, the Ambon People's Alliance for Palestine (ALARAM) joined with GERAK Palestine to hold a solidarity action for Palestinian independence and demanded a one state solution.
In the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Sunday November 19, pro-democracy activists held solidarity activities for Palestine in the Puputan Renon Square area where they distributed pamphlets demanding a one state solution and held discussion with people who had read the pamphlet.
In addition to this, on November 21 the Bali Committee of the Democratic National Student Secretariat (SDMN) and the Women's Studio (Sanggar Puan) held online and offline discussions under the theme "Palestinian Genocide and the Feminist Response" focusing on the history of settler-colonialism carried out by Israel, the international politics surrounding the Palestine-Israel situation, the genocide committed by Israel against Palestine and gender based violence in war and conflict.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Aksi Serentak Nasional Gerakan Rakyat untuk Kemerdekaan Palestina".]
