It is just a matter of days before Andrea Bocelli goes to Indonesia for another leg of his Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour, and the usually hospitable Muslim-majority nation is tuning up an unwelcoming atmosphere for the Italian tenor.
The singer has had multiple cultural and personal exchanges with Israel amid the persisting violence in the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip.
Bocelli’s upcoming concerts in two separate locations in Indonesia on October 31 and November 3 are the subject of strong protest from the country’s highest and most influential body of Islamic scholars, the Indonesian Ulema Council, locally abbreviated as MUI.
The MUI first announced its opposition to Bocelli’s stop in Indonesia on October 10, citing at the time the incompatibility of the singer’s moral standpoint with the Islamic country regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, in which Israel faces accusations of war crimes and human rights violations.
The Council was pointing to Bocelli’s past support for Israel, including his participation in a fundraising event for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in Los Angeles in 2010 and in the concert in Tel Aviv in 2022.
Contrast in values
On Wednesday, October 14, MUI pushed through with the protest by meeting with relevant government officials in Jakarta in a bid to cancel Bocelli’s concerts in the country.
“Giving a platform to a figure who has funded or supported military actions linked to humanitarian abuses in Gaza runs contrary to the values of the Indonesian nation and MUI’s religious guidance,” the Council reiterated in its latest statement, as quoted by The Associated Press.
Tourism Ministry Secretary Bayu Aji, one of the officials present at Wednesday’s meeting, said the talk with MUI was aimed at reaching a consensus, noting, however, that the state’s decision on the matter will certainly be aligned with that of the Council.
“The government’s stance is clear: we support Palestine, and there are directives from the MUI leaders that we will try to communicate further,” the Secretary said.
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Growing contention
Bocelli will be performing at the historic Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, late this month, before gracing the stage in Jakarta early next month, as part of the Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour, which celebrates his 1997 breakthrough album Romanza.
Against the backdrop of the MUI protest, police in Magelang have withdrawn a recommendation to issue a permit for the Borobudur complex concert, while several other Islamic groups within and outside Indonesia have also expressed opposition to Brocelli’s concerts in the country.
As of press time, the artist and concert organisers have yet to make public responses to the growing contention.
Long-standing support for Palestine
Indonesia has a long-standing and strong policy of supporting Palestine in its fight for independence from Israeli occupation.
It was one of the countries that have consistently supported the Palestinian people amid the ongoing war in Gaza, which stemmed from the co-ordinated surprise assault led by Hamas militants against Israel on October 7, 2023.
The incident reportedly killed approximately 1,200 Israelis. In response, Tel Aviv launched major military operations against Gaza, with backing from powerful allies, including the United States, killing more than 74,000 Palestinian civilians to date.
On October 12, newly appointed Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir re-affimed Jakarta’s unwavering diplomatic support for Palestine during her inaugural press address in the Indonesian capital.
The minister has pledged continued concrete measures from Indonesia to Gaza, including advocating for the protection of civilians there, delivering humanitarian aid and supporting recovery and reconstruction efforts, following years of Israeli aggression.
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