nonviolentconflict

reproduction from : http://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/whatIsNC.shtml

Nonviolent Conflict Today
In the first decade of the 21st century, nonviolent groups are seeking to displace arbitrary rule in nations such as Belarus, Burma and Zimbabwe. Nonviolent campaigns for self-determination are ongoing in places such as Tibet, West Papua, and the Palestinian territories, and nonviolent action for human rights and democracy is also underway in Iran, Cuba, and other countries. Many who battle oppression now recognize the potential of nonviolent strategies to prevail in conflicts with unjust authorities and to produce freer, open societies, and they often seek to learn more about how this is done. Nevertheless, every year tens of thousands of people around the world are asked to fight for their rights or interests by joining groups dedicated to violent insurrection or terror. This occurs even though violence often fails to accomplish its users' goals and is always highly destructive to their societies. Several conditions still impede the choice of nonviolent power as the driving force of conflict: (1) worldwide ignorance of the success of nonviolent strategies in past conflict, (2) the stereotype of "nonviolence" as a religious or behavioral preference rather than an alternative means of fighting for political and national goals, (3) the tendency of the global news media to neglect coverage of nonviolent conflict, and the related assumption that violent clashes in a conflict produce the outcome, (4) low levels of attention and support for civilian-based, nonviolent movements fighting for rights and democracy, from international organizations and governments, and (5) the scarcity of practical know-how and specific skills in strategic nonviolent action among key participants in popular movements in many places around the world. The International Center on Nonviolent Conflict was created to rectify these problems and address these needs. [|top] ==Record of Nonviolent Conflict== In every decade of the past century, on five continents, popular movements using nonviolent strategies overthrew oppressive regimes, stymied military occupiers, and brought freedom to their societies. Among their weapons were protests such as petitions, walkouts, and mass demonstrations, acts of noncooperation including boycotts, official resignations and general strikes, and direct intervention such as sit-ins, blockades and economic disruption. By undermining their opponents' pillars of support, these nonviolent combatants produced decisive changes in their societies, opening the way for democracy, justice and individual rights. Gandhi's struggle for Indian independence, the Danes' resistance to the Nazis in World War II, the American civil rights movement, the rise of Solidarity in Poland, the people power revolution in the Philippines, the campaign against General Pinochet in Chile, boycotts and strikes against apartheid in South Africa, the civilian insurrections against communism in Eastern Europe and Mongolia, and the student-led campaign that toppled Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia are only a few of the historical episodes in which nonviolent conflict was pivotal.