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War Resisters’
International Conference Celebrates By Chris Ney
Campaigns that successfully employed nonviolence to change society, win political power or stop violence were the subject of a War Resisters’ International conference on “Nonviolence and Social Empowerment” held February 18-24 in Puri, India. Other inspiring stories told at the conference included the campaign for conscientious objector rights in Paraguay, empowering the dalit (the so-called untouchable caste) community in India, the landless movement in Brazil, the defense of native forests in the Himalayas and of fishing communities in southern Chile, youth organizing in Medellín, Colombia, mobilization against a power station in Norway, religious organizing against the death penalty in the United States, economic development among indigenous women in eastern India and black women in South Africa, literacy work with Islamic women and the campaign to stop the U.S. Navy’s bombing of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. The conference was my first exposure to War Resisters’ International, and it exceeded my expectations. Sharing stories and ideas with nonviolent activists from around the world was enriching and inspiring, giving me new hope for the power of nonviolence. There was something very special about discussing nonviolent philosophy, strategy and tactics in the land of Gandhi whose legacy we claim in WRL. At the same time, being in India helped me to see how Gandhi is understood very differently in different cultural contexts. It led me to realize the narrowness of my own understanding of Gandhianism.
The conference gathered 70 people from 20 countries on five continents and several Pacific islands. As intended, the majority came from India and Asia; Europe and South America also had significant representation. Only a few North Americans attended. Although Africa and the Pacific Islands sent only two representatives each, the effect of their presence was greater than their numbers; two of the most inspiring accounts were Keith Goddard’s and Kris Hakena’s. WRI has asked me to edit a book on the conference’s themes so all those stories can reach a wider audience. The conference was the product of some exciting new developments within War Resisters’ International. Saswati Roy, our local host, encountered WRI through its international women’s conference in Bangkok held in 1992. Her organization, Swadhina, works with indigenous women in the villages of eastern India doing economic development work. Swadhina joined WRI as a section group and Roy eventually became a member of WRI’s council. That a development organization would want to join a network founded by conscientious objectors to the First World War is a testimony to Roy’s vision and to WRI’s understanding of economic violence as a cause of war. All of our local hosts did wonderful work to welcome us to India and accommodate our diverse needs. Simultaneous translation was offered in Spanish, English and Hindi—a task that should have costs thousand of dollars but was accomplished much more economically because local folks built the translating booths and assembled the necessary equipment. Being part of an international network of activists committed to anti-militarist struggle and nonviolence is one characteristic that distinguishes WRL from many peace and justice organizations. The value of that network shines in events like this conference. Chris Ney is WRL’s Disarmament/Fundraising Coordinator. * * * For more information on the conference, the local hosts have created an excellent website at www.nvse.org. |
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heir
stories spanned the globe and included an astonishing
range of efforts. Keith Goddard of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe described
a challenge to the authoritarianism and homophobia of the Mugabe regime.
Kris Hakena of Leitana Nehan Woman’s Development Agency of Bougainville,
Papua New Guinea, talked about ending a civil war by mobilizing women’s
opposition to violence. Amalia Paillolef described her work as a Mapuche
activist in southern Argentina.
