Editor’s Note from Rivera Sun
This week’s Nonviolence News is packed with stories about people redefining what’s important in our world. A fleet of cruise ships has been coming to the rescue in the Bahamas, eschewing luxury trips for helping people. The Seminole Tribe has been airlifting drinking water to Bahamas for nearly a week.
It seems like humanity is finally rising up to say: our ecosystems are worth their weight in gold – actually, they’re worth more than gold. Australia, Armenia, and Turkey are all fighting proposed gold mines. Last year, US Secretary of Interior Zinke agreed with activists that Yellowstone National Park was worth more than gold, and passed a 20-year ban on mining in the area. This is a good sign: our planet desperately needs humanity to get its priorities straight. On a bright note, it appears that, quietly and steadily, industrial sustainability is on the rise. Amazing, eh? See the report in the Climate Action section and find out why businesses are keeping quiet about this.
On the other hand, a Turkish village that is home to 12,000 year old archeological sites is about to be flooded by a state dam. They’ve been fighting the dam’s construction for 70 years – they could trade notes with the India villagers we reported on last week. 80,000 people are being displaced, but have not yet evacuated. Will they continue to take action? (We’ll report on it as soon as we can.)
Recently, I spent an evening reviewing Nonviolence International’s over 300 Tactics of Nonviolent Action. This database is remarkable – it’s an update to Gene Sharp’s well-known 198 Methods, and includes digital tactics and new types of actions that have recently been invented. Studying these helps me “catch” Nonviolence News stories beyond protests, boycotts, and strikes, like the Afghan Peace Volunteers’ “Street Kids School”, pictured above. We were even able to add a tactic to their list: the involuntary walkathon that was used in Germany and Portland, OR, to deter the alt-right from marching and rallying. Check out the database here.
I hope all these stories and examples inspire you to take action, too!
Rivera Sun, Editor
Photo Credit: Habib (standing, left) serves fruit at a meeting for parents at a “Street Kids School” meeting. Six years ago, Afghan Peace Volunteers members befriended Habib after his father had been killed when a bomb exploded in Kabul. His colleague Masoma is in the background. (Photo: Kathy Kelly)
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Here’s what you’ll find in
this week’s Nonviolence News:
Victory! Success Stories
Recent Actions
Climate Action
Nonviolence & Children
Peace Action
Constructive Program
Creative Action
Knowledge & Reflection
Calls-to-Action
Here are some recent successes brought about by nonviolence in action.
Armenian government backs down from approving controversial gold mine after public outcry and protests grow. Read more >>
Gig Economy “historic win” reclassifies millions of workers from independent contractors to employees under California law. Read more >>
Indigenous, two-spirit couple wins the “Amazing Race Canada” after uplifting a social justice platform, every step of the way. Read more >>
California passes statewide rent control measure that caps annual rent increases in an effort to stem the housing crisis. Read more >>
Here’s how people are taking action this week for a wide range of causes.
Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, delivering food, supplies, fresh water, and first aid. Editor’s Note: the colleague who shared this story with me also offered a report from a friend’s brother who works at the cruise line. According to him, the cruise ships have also rescued thousands of stranded people, brought people aboard the ships, and housed them in the resorts. Read more >>
Teachers in Jordan launch strike for 50% salary increase. Read more >>
Picketers across Kazakhstan last week blasted economic ties with China. “We don’t want jobs. We don’t want factories. We just demand that you not let [the Chinese] in.” Read more >>
Turkmenistan political prisoners get the worst treatment. This week, a long-standing labor organizer was finally released. Meanwhile, a conscientious objector who refused to enlist was jailed. Read more >>
“Million Scream” happens every night at 10pm in Hong Kong, keeping protests alive despite repression by police and violence by street protesters. Read more >>
Media blackout on massive anti-Bolsonaro protests in Brazil. Read more >>
Seminole Tribe continues 5+ days of airlifting drinking water to the Bahamas. Read more >>
Turkish villagers protest and take action as they continue to fight a 70-year-long struggle to protect a 12,000 year-old-village from a planned dam. The dam would flood the ruins of the world’s oldest university. Read more >>
In Oakland, social justice groups are fighting the prison industrial complex through renovated space dedicated to restorative justice and community building. Read more >>
Whistleblower reveals MIT Epstein scandal. Read more >>
In the United Kingdom’s #Brexit controversy, parliament’s five-week suspension begins with shouts, singing and signs reading ‘silenced’. Read more >>
Nonviolence towards the Earth is nonviolence toward humanity. Here are ways people are working to save the planet . . . and our species.
Former enemies among Indigenous tribes in the Amazon set aside past differences in order to mobilize to stop Bolsonaro’s destruction. Read more >>
Industrial sustainability is on the rise . . . secretly and silently. Why aren’t businesses talking about this? Read more >>
7 South American countries sign pact to protect the Amazon. Read more >>
Amnesty International chief issues plea to 30,000 schools to let the students go on strike during the upcoming climate strikes. Read more >>
The global water justice movement is growing, including the creation of “Blue Communities“. Read more >>
Activists and artists in Turkey rise up to stop the deforestation and mining on historic Mount Ida. Read more >>
Major US insurer says it will no longer back coal. Read more >>
1000 Amazon workers pledge to walk out on Sept 20th with Global Climate Strikes. Read more >>
350.org asks people to sign the “Day One Pledge” which pressures presidential candidates to commit to declaring a climate emergency on the first day of office, and includes a list of tangible action steps. Read more >>
Water protectors shut down Mountain Valley Pipeline construction site. Read more >>
11 Greenpeace activists suspend from Houston, TX, bridge blocking ship channel traffic. Read more >>
Here are some stories about how nonviolence and nonviolent practices connect to children.
South Sudan father organizes to stop facial scarification practices and cultural pressures for boys and men to hide pain and sorrow. Read more >>
Why school cafeterias should be the front lines of policy change: healthier children, better wages, stronger local economies, sustainable food – the fight for all of them starts with school lunches. Read more >>
Jane Goodall’s mother responded to her daughter putting worms in the bed with understanding, not disgust, and it helped the young Jane grow up to be the famous naturalist that we know. Editor’s Note: sometimes, small acts of nonviolence have profound effects. Who would have guessed that a mother loving bugs in the bed would wind up helping to save the world’s gorillas? Read more >>
How we shut down the nation’s largest migrant child detention center. Read more >>
Peace and nonviolence go hand-in-hand. As Gandhi said, “means are ends in the making”. Here’s some recent peace news.
Boycott, Divest, Sanctions has been nominated for Nobel Peace Prize. Read more >>
Protesters disrupt the world’s largest weapons fair. Read more >>
A Morning in Afghanistan: Amidst political posturing, aerial terrorism, and street bombings, Afghan citizens pursue their daily work toward peace. Read more >>
Code Pink pushes 6 Flags Theme Parks to ditch plans to build an amusement park in Saudi Arabia, citing the Saudi war in Yemen and that “starving isn’t fun for Yemen’s kids”. Read more >>
Nonviolent Peaceforce issues its annual report, “Saving Lives, Building Peace, Making Room At the Peace Table For All”. Read more >>
Constructive Programs and alternative institutions build the strength and resilience of the community while weakening reliance on systems of oppression.
Some Seattle residents pay rent to the Duwamish Tribe as reparations and a process of decolonization. Read more >>
Eco-friendly mobile arts bus offers pop-up community space. Read more >>
Italy offers newcomers a monthly stipend to move to underpopulated villages and open small businesses. Read more >>
How to turn community spaces into hubs for resilience and mutual aid. Read more >>
Apartment complex exclusively for the unhoused opens in San Jose, CA. Read more >>
Nonviolence unleashes our human creativity. Here are some ways creativity and the arts merged with social action this week.
In Chicago, the Freedom Songbook helps heal survivors of police torture and violence. Read more >>
Colorado woman rings bell to “sound the alarm” about climate change at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of every month. Read more >>
San Quentin Prison Photography art show of annotated images written by prisoners reveals hard truths about the prison system. Read more >>
Bill McKibben published an article envisioning the world in 2050, post climate solutions, and how we got out of the mess we’re in. Read more >>
We are fortunate to live at a time when there is so much knowledge about nonviolence available to explore. Here are some articles that invite us to dig deeper.
Overcoming Fear: What the 2003 anti-globilization mobilization in Cancun, Mexico, can teach us about courage and resistance. Read more >>
Civil Rights Activist Medgar Evers built his house to protect his family from assassination attempts. This is a reminder of the deadly, brutal reality of racism in the United States. Read more >>
Nonviolent Peaceforce offers online course in unarmed peacekeeping, “Strengthening Civilian Capacities to Protect Civilians”. Read more >>
Here are a few upcoming actions inviting your participation and support.
Campaign Nonviolence Week of Actions September 14-22, 2019, Everywhere. Host or join a march, rally, protest, or other event or action for a culture of peace and active nonviolence. Learn more >>
Tell Black Rock to divest from Amazon destruction! Learn more >>
Sept 20-27th, join the Global Climate Strike. (It’s not just for the kids, any more. Get ready to go on strike.) Read more >>
Shut Down DC on Sept 23 as part of the Global Climate Strike. Learn more >>
The People’s Mobilization to Stop the US War Machine and Save the Planet, Sept 20-27th in New York City while the United Nations is in session. Learn more >>
World Beyond War Learn more about the conference and rally planned for October 5-6 in Limerick, Ireland. Learn more >>
Oct 5th is a Day of Action Against Domestic Violence. Hold or join a 2-min die-in protest. Learn more >>
Oct 6, DC, Reclaim the Courts protest for gender justice on the one year anniversary of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Learn more >>
Oct 7th is a Day of International Rebellion for climate justice organized by Extinction Rebellion. Learn more >>
Oct 11th, DC, March on the Pentagon rally and actions for peace and against militarism, imperialism, and war. Learn more >>
Occupy Wall Street S17 “The Reawakening” demonstration in New York City. Learn more >>
Sign the Global Appeal for Peace that pushes all nations to follow international law – an important demand at a time when governments routinely flout the law. Learn more >>
Support the Embassy Protectors Defense Committee as they push for the charges against the Venezuelan Embassy Protectors to be dropped. Learn more >>
