'Not just ritual': How this group commemorates Indonesia's 80th independence in Australia differently

APSN takes part in commemorating Indonesia's 80th Independence Day by highlighting how the international solidarity movement supported the republic to achieve its independence.

Credit: Supplied/APSN

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'Not just ritual': How this group commemorates Indonesia's 80th independence in Australia differently

SBS Indonesian

18:30Indonesian

Independence commemorations may end up being a ritual but in fact it is a national revolution.

Nick Dobrijevich, APSN

APSN (Asia Pacific Solidarity Network) is a network of activists that builds solidarity and support for social justice movements in the Asia Pacific region. Commemorating 80 years of Indonesia's independence, the group wanted to celebrate it differently.

SBS Indonesian interviewed Ethan Joes and Nick Dobrijevich, representatives of APSN and organisers of a solidarity discussion forum in Sydney.

Nick Dobrijevich (L) dan Ethan Joes Credit: SBS Indonesian

Rather than simply celebrating independence as a common ritual, Ethan and Nick strongly felt that Indonesians and Australians need to know the role of international community solidarity, in this case in Australia, towards Indonesia's independence.

“The success of the Indonesian people in bringing down the colonial regime is still very significant. That's important for Australian audiences as well,” Nick said.

“We hope that from this event, we can learn from that history to find something or lessons for the future — how we can rekindle the relationship between Indonesians and Australians,” he added.

Indonesian seamen speaking at a pro-Indonesian demonstration in Wynyard Square during the lunch-hour yesterday before police broke up the 500 demonstrators and took away many of their banners. Credit: National Library of Australia

The sreening of the documentary film Indonesia Calling and discussion of the solidarity movement in Australia will be held on August 15 at MUA Office 365 in Sydney.

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