REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian scholar and literary scholar, Mustofa Bisri or as he is known as Gus Mus, recites poetry to the Palestinian people who are being colonized by Israel. In addition to reciting his own poems, Gus Mus also recited a poem by the great poet of Damascus, Nizar Qabbani, entitled 'Thariqun Wahid' or One Way.

The poem made the atmosphere inside the Usmar Ismail Building quiet. Gus Mus recited the poem in Arabic, then continued with his Indonesian version.

“The poems we memorize are not worth a dirham in front of a rifle. Now that I have a rifle, to Palestine take me with you to the hill of mourning like the face of Mahdalene,” Gus Mus said while reciting Nizar Qabbani's poem during the event “Prayers and Poems for Palestine” held by the Ministry of Justice at Usmar Ismail Building, Jalan HR Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, Tuesday (2/1/2024) evening.

After presenting the poems of the great poet from Damascus, Gus Mus then recited his old poem entitled “Are You Too Fearful or Am I Too Sensitive”.

“Are you too weak or am I being too sensitive? You and your comrades watched your mother and brothers being raped and abused, and your knuckles strained like watching a blue movie picisan. Like the shrewd pundits and party jurkams who orgasm hearing their own voices. Oh, what virus has invaded your conscience? Even a terrible sight is not capable of disturbing your appetite. Especially soon comes the celebrity gossip show, which is full of laughter, exciting and entertaining you like leaders who are not bothered by the grievances of their people's insecurity,” Gus Mus said as he recited his poem to the accompaniment of music.

Through this poem, Gus Mus wanted only to convey humanity, especially in relation to the humanitarian tragedy that occurred in Palestine.

“(To convey) a public message is like any other. We as a nation have empathy, we have sympathy. Not only to our own nation, but also to other nations,” Gus Mus said when asked by Republika.co.id after the event.

The headmaster of Pesantren Raudlatuh Tholibin, Leteh, Rembang confirmed that Indonesians do not like colonization. Therefore, he called on all Indonesians to build solidarity with Palestine.

“We do not like colonization, so we are in solidarity with those who are colonized, including Palestinians,” PBNU's Mustasyar said.

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