JAKARTA — In the momentum of one year of genocide in Palestine, Dompet Dhuafa together with Titimangsa held a press conference entitled “Land of the Imprisoned” #LantangkanSuarauntukPalestina at Bakoel Koffie Cikini, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (09/18/2024). In collaboration with Titimangsa, Dompet Dhuafa presented a musical theater to emphasize and voice the humanitarian concern for Palestine.
For almost a year, the people of Gaza, Palestine have been suffering under Israeli aggression and blockade. What was once a charming small town on the coast, home to two million people, has turned into a prison that kills almost everyone who lives in it, without leaving a single meter of safe space.
The “Tanah Yang Terpenjara” event, scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at the Jakarta Arts Building, presents a series of activities. One of them is a musical theater that tells the story of a small family, a father and his son who struggle throughout their lives accompanied by the sounds of explosions that destroy buildings. They only have the sky as their roof, among the ruins of the building to survive against injustice.
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Secretary of Dompet Dhuafa Republika Foundation, Etika Setiawanti, emphasized the importance of this event to remind the public not to forget and continue to voice the suffering of the Palestinian people.
“We don’t want the voices to be drowned out. We still have to fight for Palestine, so as we approach one year, we want to call back our friends across religions, ethnicities, and races to unite in the name of humanity to help our brothers and sisters in Palestine. This makes us (Dompet Dhuafa) even more enthusiastic to continue to raise our voices for Palestine so that we don’t forget all the suffering, tears, and blood that are being spilled today in Palestine,” said Etika.
Happy Salma, Titimangsa’s Trustee, who was also present at the press conference, said this theater is a bridge to move the human heart against injustice. She hoped that this theater could touch the audience and bring home a deep reflection on the importance of freedom and brotherhood between humans.
“When we raise our voice for Palestine, it means we are talking about humanity, and part of humanity lies in culture and therefore we feel important and obliged to be part of voicing that humanity because it is not about differences in skin color or race or group but we are talking about whoever is oppressed, whoever is deprived we are with them,” said Happy.
During the performance, the audience will be invited to experience various emotions and experiences through their five senses. The importance of humanity will be the main focus, with the hope that each audience member will leave with a deep reflection on their fortune as Indonesians, as well as what contribution they can make to the cause of humanity in the world.
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The theater will combine various art forms, ranging from acting, music, to poetry, packed into a performance. Azis Ashtar, the playwright of “The Land of the Imprisoned,” explains that the story in the performance is divided into four segments. He emphasized that the core of the story is the importance of raising voices for Palestine and humanity.
Dompet Dhuafa has shown concern for Palestine long before last year, even since before 2000. Palestine, which has never felt peace since 1948, has received special attention from Dompet Dhuafa since the organization was established in 1993. Dompet Dhuafa has been directly involved with various aid programs, including the Gaza Food Bank, School for Gaza, the construction of a hospital in Hebron, and a number of basic logistical assistance.
Although there is no sign that the war will stop, Dompet Dhuafa continues to fight for the Palestinian people. Until now, more than 37,000 Palestinians have been victims, 80,000 Palestinians live as refugees, moving around without certainty. Together with other humanitarian organizations, Dompet Dhuafa launched the Al Quds movement, which aims to mobilize support and voice concern for Palestine.
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In addition to the theater, a “One Million Letters for Palestine” session will also be launched. This action invites the public to send letters and poems as a form of support and solidarity. The five best works will be read out on the night of the performance. There will also be an auction of preloved items from artists and figures whose proceeds will be donated to Palestine.
Tickets for the performance of Tanah Yang terpenjara can be booked through the website www.titimangsa.com, the ticket price itself is priced from 300 thousand rupiah to 500 thousand rupiah. Later, all ticket sales and preloved items will be donated through the Humanitarian program for Palestine.
Muammar Melhim, as the Consulate of the Palestinian Embassy in Indonesia revealed that the genocide that occurred in Palestine has caused severe damage to various public facilities, such as hospitals, places of worship, and schools. In addition, television and radio media continue to report these events throughout the world so that the global community understands the situation faced by Palestine.
“We need continued support from various parts of the world, including Islamic countries, especially Indonesia in an effort to liberate our country and create peace in our country,” added Muammar.
The show will involve a number of stars with high awareness of Palestine and humanitarian issues. Happy Salma, known for her dedication to humanitarian issues, will also appear as the Narrator. Chiki Fawzi will perform one of the Million Letters to Palestine, while Hannah Al Rasyid will read an English poem by the famous Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish or Papua Tukan. In addition, Panji Sakti will sing his own song, and spontaneous poetry performances from other stars will also be part of this event. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photo: Anndini Dwi Putri
Editor: Dhika