This document discusses the principles of nonviolence according to Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. It states that nonviolence is the refusal to harm others as all life is sacred. Gandhi believed that as long as people accept exploitation, both sides are entangled in injustice, but refusing to cooperate can lead to freedom. King also believed in winning friendship rather than defeating opponents, and defeating injustice rather than people. The document outlines methods of nonviolent protest and explains the steps to nonviolent direct action.
2. NONVIOLENCE
- is the refusal to do harm to other humans as life
is sacred and is an absolute value. It is
anchored on the belief that humans have the
potential to change.
3. MOHANDAS GHANDI, the
man who led the people
of India out of British subjugation held the following
beliefs about nonviolence:
As long as people accept exploitation, both exploiter
and exploited will be entangled in injustice but once the
exploited refuse to accept the relationship, refuse to
cooperate with it, they are already free.
Nonviolence and cowardice do not go together.
Possession of arms implies an element of fear, if not
cowardice.
A person and his/her deeds are two distinct things. Hate
the sin but not the sinner.
4.
If we fight back(in a violent way), we will
become the vandal and they (oppressors) will
become the law.
An eye for an eye will make the whole world
blind.
Nonviolence is more powerful for converting
the opponent and opening his ears which are
otherwise shut to the voice of reason.
Nonviolence demands that the means used
should be as pure as the ends sought. Two
wrongs will not make one right. “ If the end is
good the means must also be good.”
5. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., believed in the same
principles Gandhi held on to.
Nonviolence does not seek to defeat or
humiliate the opponent but to win his
friendship and understanding.
Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not
people.
Nonviolence thrives on love rather than hatred.
Nonviolence requires willingness to suffer and
amazing discipline in the midst of provocation.
Nonviolence holds that suffering can educate
and transform.
6. It is both an ethical and moral choice.
Lao Tzu -- founder of Taoism taught that
“weapons are instruments of evil and not of a
good ruler.”
Buddhism – Everyone is believed to have been born
with a Buddha nature so “ no one has the right to
take the life of another.”
7.
Destruction is not the law of humans
(Gandhi, 1935)
Nonviolence is a practical choice. Tools and
effects of violence are costly.
Nonviolence works.
8. GENE SHARP (2005) has identified 198 methods of
nonviolent action. Below are some examples of
Sharp methods;
Nonviolent Protest And Persuasion – seeks to produce
awareness of the dissent.
Nonviolent Noncooperation – presents the opponent
with the difficulties in maintaining the normal
operation of the system.
Nonviolent Intervention – challenges the opponent
more directly.
9. THE STEPS IN DOING NONVIOLENT DIRECT
ACTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
Collect data to ascertain that injustice exists.
Research or the gathering of information is an
important first step to any nonviolent struggle.
Raise consciousness of people about the issue.
Organize constituents and build coalitions.
Employment of the various methods of
nonviolent action.
10. WAR - is classical or international if it
occurs between rival groups or communities
within a state.
AGGRESSION- defined by UN as
the use of armed force by a State against the
sovereignty, territorial integrity or political
independence of another State.
12.
Massive Death
Commitment of Atrocities
People flee their homes
Weapons to proliferate
Hold back the development as huge amounts of
government budgets
Children treads the battle zones instead of play areas
Lose of livelihood
Loss of investments
Destroy property and the environment
Raze opportunities for tourism
Disrupt children’s education
Create fear and trauma among the population
13. The UNESCO Preamble states that “ if wars
begin in the minds of men, then it is in the minds of
men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.”
“Peace education seeks to develop a global
perspective on the problems and an understanding
that the humans are a single species”.
(Reardon and Cabezudo, 2002)