Sumud Nusantara: the “Asian flotilla” that wants to help the people of Gaza
During the night, a drone attacked one of the boats off the coast of Tunisia. Suspicions point to Israel. A dozen Asian countries have joined the international initiative of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a symbol of “resilience” as its name suggests in Arabic. Filipino activist: it is important to show “our solidarity”.
Milan (AsiaNews) - A military drone attack overnight on one of the boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) - the “Family Boat” on board which Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg is also travelling - has put the spotlight back on the global initiative that aims to break the siege of Gaza.
Contrary to the official statements of the Tunisian navy (the incident took place off the coast of the North African country), images released by activists show the moment the bomb was dropped.
The vessel suffered substantial damage, with the deck reportedly catching fire, and suspicions are being directed towards the Israeli government – despite the lack of substantial evidence – also in light of the threats made last week by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Nevertheless, the attack did not stop the international fleet of around 50 vessels: a large contingent representing 44 countries around the world, including a substantial Asian delegation from Malaysia to the Philippines, Bangladesh to Nepal.
A global symbol of resilience
The global mission to aid Gaza, at risk of starvation after almost two years of war launched by Israel against Hamas in response to the attack on 7 October 2023, with the ongoing siege of the Strip and the ground operation underway, aims to be a response to the enormous needs of the population.
Departing from across the Mediterranean (and Asia), the Global Sumud Flotilla represents the largest international naval effort ever undertaken to break the siege of the Jewish state and try to bring food and basic necessities into the “open-air prison”.
The mission takes its name from an Arabic word (Sumud) meaning “resilience, perseverance, steadfastness”, which symbolise the struggle for survival of a community ravaged by conflict.
And, for the Palestinians themselves, it also represents a claim to the right to “live in their own land”, as Malaysian activist Muhammad Nadir al-Nuri, a member of the Flotilla Steering Committee, explains: ‘In our country,’ he explains, ‘we have a word very similar to “sumud” that refers to ants, which aptly describes how we are moving forward today: a small colony of proud ants, working and advancing together.’
The steering committee of the Global Sumud Flotilla is made up of various organisations from around the world: the Global Movement to Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Maghreb Sumud Convoy and Sumud Nusantara.
The aim of the operation, based on non-violence as an operational strategy, is to break Israel's naval siege, provide concrete support to the population with humanitarian aid, and denounce the ongoing genocide, as well as the complicity and inaction of international governments.
This attempt is certainly not the first in recent history, although it is the most impressive and widely supported. The most famous and controversial episode, partly because it ended in bloodshed, dates back to May 2010 and involved the Mavi Marmara, which was attacked by the Israeli army, resulting in the deaths of 12 crew members.
Subsequent attempts to break the siege of the Strip took place in 2011, 2015 and, most recently, in 2018, which was particularly complex. More recently, during these two years of war in Gaza, there have been attempts by small boats - the Handala and the Madleen - which, a few months apart, tried to bring aid but ended up with arrests, deportation of the crew and seizure of the boat.
Solidarity from Asia
The global pro-Gaza mission also includes an Asian delegation renamed Sumud Nusantara, a convoy involving activists from Malaysia and nine other countries on the continent: the Philippines, Indonesia, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan.
The primary goal of the Asian delegation, which set sail from Malaysia on 23 August, is also to deliver critical supplies and basic necessities, including food, medical equipment and other essential goods, to a population facing serious humanitarian crises.
However, due to bad weather, the boat was forced to make a temporary stop on 2 September, before resuming its route to the Mediterranean the following day. However, a new storm caused material damage and the loss of part of the cargo in the ocean, as well as causing problems with the communication system's charging system.
This led to the decision to continue to a new temporary destination in order to resolve the problems caused by the bad weather and avert possible acts of sabotage without adequate equipment on board. In this regard, Zulfadhli Khiruddin, of the Malaysian Islamic Organisations Consultative Council (Mapim Malaysia), one of the country's 15 representatives, urges his fellow citizens to pray for the safety of the team and the success of the mission.
Towards the end of August, on the eve of departure, Asian activists gathered in Kuala Lumpur to attend an inaugural ceremony, which was also attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Among the continent's personalities famous for their social and humanitarian commitment is Drieza Lininding of the Philippines, leader of the Moro Consensus Group.
The activist is confident that the example set by the Global Sumud Flotilla will inspire others in the predominantly Catholic nation to show their support for Palestine, where the population is largely Muslim despite a historic Christian presence. Interviewed by Arab News, he explained that ‘we are appealing to all our Filipino brothers and sisters, Muslim or Christian, to support the Palestinian cause because this issue is not just about faith, but about humanity itself. Gaza,’ he adds, ‘has now become the moral compass of the world.’ ‘Everyone is seeing the genocide and starvation in Gaza, and you don't have to be a Muslim to side with the Palestinians. If you want to be on the right side of history, support all programmes and activities to liberate Palestine... It is very important,’ he concluded, ‘that we as Filipinos show our solidarity.’
The Indonesian mission
The Indonesian Aqsa Working Group (AWG) has also joined the international mission of 44 nations, providing four volunteers and logistical support. Rifa Berliana Arifin, national director for Indonesia of Sumud Nusantara and member of the Jakarta-based group, stressed the importance of global action led and promoted by civilians. ‘Traditional diplomacy,’ she explained, ‘has failed to stop the atrocities in Gaza.’
‘This flotilla is a testament to global solidarity. The boats,’ she continued, ‘carry only humanitarian aid and unarmed activists, showing the world the harsh reality that Palestinians face every day.’ This is not just a ship. It is a fleet. A symbol of global defiance against international Zionism," added Muhammad Anshorullah, AWG Presidium Chair. The participation of AWG volunteers, along with dozens of Indonesian activists, underscores the organisation's continued commitment to supporting Palestinian rights and the liberation of al-Aqsa, with a connotation that also has an Islamic religious component.
‘This movement comes at a crucial moment’ due to a series of ongoing critical issues ranging ‘from food shortages to the impact of war and hunger,’ explains Indonesian journalist Nurhadis on the eve of departure. ‘Israel,’ he accuses, ‘is using hunger as a weapon to wipe out the Palestinians in Gaza. That is why we continue to say that what it is doing is genocide.’
‘The GSF is a people-led movement that aims to help end the genocide in Gaza,’ Arifin continues, and Indonesia is taking part because "this is a huge movement. A movement that aspires to end the blockade through non-traditional means. We have seen how ineffective diplomatic and political approaches have been, because the genocide in Gaza has yet to end. This people power movement aims to put an end to this,‘ concluded the national director. ’This is a non-violent mission [...] they have no weapons. They are simply bringing themselves... for the world to see."
GATEWAY TO THE EAST IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO THE MIDDLE EAST. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY TUESDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE.
.png)
