Protest in my backyard

A protest organized by the Students Care for Palestine and Lebanon Movement marched upon The European Union house and the UN Compound on Tuesday afternoon. There were about 90 of them. I think this was by far the largest and well-organized protest in Banda Aceh since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah started. The protest was well policed and there were no arrests. Acehnese are used to protesting (usually against the military or the government) so they know pretty much what they can / can't do in a protest without getting in serious trouble.

They burned an Israeli flag, scaled the fence and mounted a banner at both the UN and the EU. They also demanded admission for 10 of it's members to enter the compound and air their grievances. This was refused. They then burned banners at the gate and marched away before dispersing.

On their leaflets, the protesters:

• Urges the UN to make a concrete solution to save the civilian in Palestine and Lebanon.
• Urges the UN to put Israel on charge for its Military Aggression to Palestine and Israel.
• Urges the UN and EU to draw/pull out the US right of veto in the UN.
• Stated to support the Peace troops which prepared by TNI to Lebanon.
• Asks all the Muslim in Indonesia especially in Aceh to gives material and moral support to what Palestine and Lebanon fights in against Israel Zionist.
• Boycott the US products and its allies in Indonesia.

The UN and EU compounds are about a 5 min walk from my office but I was no where near the protest. These photos are from the ADB photographer.

I feel like I'm in Berkeley again!

Climbing the EU Fence

Kind of a cool picture huh?

The banner says: UN should charge Israel;
UN must respond fast, resolute, neutral;
No US veto in UN; UN must prove it's not a US puppet;
Send peacekeepers