Summer 2006 Journal of Nonviolence & Conflict Transformation Volume 2, Issue 2 WOMEN IN NONVIOLENCE Vandana Shiva Aung San Suu Kyi Sister Helen Prejean September 11, 2006: 100th Anniversary of Satyagraha Could Nonviolent Resistance Succeed in IRAQ? US $2.99 • Canada $3.49 Sudan: 6 3 Healing Must Begin with the Truth 0 7 4 4 7 0 2 7 7 2 5 5 PeacePower Women in Nonviolence www.calpeacepower.org Let’s Get Inspired Volume 2, Issue 2 • Summer 2006 Often when discussing nonviolence, as a cultural group, have always endured we run into skepticism and doubt. People, marginalization, and as such, have filled Editorial Staff it seems, are willing to consider the possi- a precarious role with unique potential Carrie Brode • Sarah Elizabeth Clark bility that nonviolence offers a better rem- for the effective and satisfying conflict Chelsea Collonge • Sharon Hollombe edy for the world’s ailments, yet remain resolution skills that are so intrinsic to Sylvia Lee • Danielle Leslie wary of its true capacity for transforma- nonviolence. Tal Palter-Palman • Nathan Maton- tion. People lack evidence of the power of To illustrate this potential, we have Parkinson • Sujal Parikh nonviolent practice because society inun- gathered articles and a timeline that Eli Sasaran • Yuri Tanaka Laura Tolkoff • Matthew A. Taylor dates us with glorified violence. highlight some of the most influential Darren Willett Nonviolence offers hope in outwardly and inspirational women in nonviolence. desperate situations, and can restore Inside, you will read about Sister Helen Contributing Writers our faith in the ultimate beauty of being Prejean and her active witness against Daniel Akau • Eugene Bahn alive and human. We have only to open the Death Penalty, and Aung San Syu Carol Flinders • Lani Lee our eyes every day to find affirmation Kyi’s principled leadership of a nonvio- Casey McEachern • Matt Werner of nonviolence in practice, even without lent movement for democracy in Burma. the explicit recognition on the part of its You’ll meet the women of Budrus, Art Contributors sometimes unaware practitioners. Humans Palestine, and their struggle to save their Cover image Copyright Remi Boisseau have lived by the principles of nonvio- village’s farmland. You’ll travel to war- / IF Fes-Meknes lence for as long as we have been on this torn El Salvador with Karen Ridd of Simmie Knox (p. 21) Earth. The women that we feature in this Peace Brigades International, and learn Ming Zhang (p. 23) magazine can serve as reminders for all of about the historical role of the Quaker Faculty Advisor us, and inspire us to incorporate nonvio- martyr Mary Dyer whose acceptance of Prof. Michael N. Nagler lence into our everyday lives. personal suffering moved the hearts of so In this, our third edition of many around her. Write a letter! PeacePower, the theme is “Women in In addition to our theme, we’ve letters{AT}calpeacepower.org Nonviolence.” It is perhaps controversial included other timely articles, such as the (please mention which article if to dedicate our focus to the contributions potential for conflict transformation in responding to a story) of one gender – it might seem arbitrary, Sudan, the upcoming 100th anniversary or discriminating. But we would like to of Gandhi’s Satyagraha, and a discus- Contribute! assure you that this is certainly not the sion of the potential for nonviolent resis- we welcome submissions: intention behind the theme. Nonviolence tance in Iraq. We hope that as you read submit{AT}calpeacepower.org combines the best of men and women, through the articles in this issue, you will Join us! masculinity and femininity, and every- be reminded of the immense power of to apply to join our staff: thing in between. But as Chelsea nonviolence and be moved to find out staff{AT}calpeacepower.org Collonge meaningfully points out in her more about what you can do to practice it. we are looking for writers, article “Cultural Disobedience,” women, Enjoy! editors, photographers, art- About Peace Power ists, layout designers, web What kind of power can persuade the British to leave India as friends, not enemies? team contributors, and business managers What kind of power can move the hearts of white Americans to recognize the need for civil rights for African-Americans? What kind of power can persuade an air force Also visit: pilot, ordered by a dictator to quell an uprising, to turn away from his target, unable www.mettacenter.org to fire on a crowd of unarmed Filipinos? We call this Peace Power, also known as principled nonviolence. Rather than a negation of violence, peace power is a ASUC Sponsored Peace Power is a nonprofit publication and is not an official publication positive force for change and resistance. By renouncing the use of coercive force, of the Associated Students of the University of California. The views expressed herein it draws on the persuasive power people have over each other’s hearts, or what are the views of the writers and not neces- Kenneth Boulding calls “integrative power.” It can also be described as “person sarily the views of the Editors, Staff, Faculty Advisor, ASUC, or of the University of California, power,” the dedication of each individual when they convert a negative drive to Berkeley. a positive drive. When those who have achieved this individual dedication come Printed by Fricke-Parks. together, they enact “people power.” This is the power that can transform our “the masterpiece of all paginations” selves, our relationships, our conflicts, and our world. 2 PeacePower Summer 2006 www.calpeacepower.org Special Focus: Women in Nonviolence Across the map: Women and Nonviolent Action Person Power Brode, Maton-Parkinson, Palter-Palman, Tolkoff >10 100th Year of Satyagraha: Sept 11, 2006 >8 “The Third Intifada”: Against the Wall in Budrus 39 Witnesses, The World Stood Watch: The Tal Palter-Palman >14 Execution of Tookie Williams Matt Werner >9 Aung San Suu Kyi’s Continued Struggle for Head of the Hammer: The Role of Suffering Democracy Sarah Clark and Nathan Maton-Parkinson >17 in Nonviolent Resistance Eugene Bahn >36 Nonviolence: Does Gender Matter? Carol Flinders >20 Karen Ridd’s Nonviolent Miracle Lani Lee>22 Cultural Disobedience: The Power of the Margins Conflict Transformation Chelsea Collonge >24 Forgiveness and Reconciliatory Process The Quaker Martyr Mary Dyer Casey McEachern>26 in Sudan Daniel Akau >29 “Dead Man Walking” Carrie Brode >32 Reflections Revolutionary Reminders: The Smallest Other Voices Superpower Nathan Maton-Parkinson >34 Advocating Nonviolence in Iraq? Shane Bauer >4 Editors’ Response Matthew Taylor, Chelsea Collonge >6 Inside This Issue Inside This Dear Ed, Letters to We appreciate your deep respect for life and your insistence the Editors upon using peaceful means to advocate one’s views. Your distinction between dignity and sanctity is astute, and Re: “We Are All Pro-Life: Re-examining the we agree that it plays a role in the violence (verbal, physical, abortion debate to find common ground” and spiritual) that surrounds the abortion debate. Without (PeacePower, Summer ‘05 • http://www.calpeacepower.org/0101/abortion.htm) downplaying the very real conflicts of interests between the Dear editors, parties, the aim of our article was to illustrate that human You really ought to read Lakoff’s Moral Politics. He beings who have intense disagreements can find common describes the liberal and conservative positions on abortion ground in alternative areas, and ultimately engage in respect- pretty coherently. ful interactions and shared projects that inspire all. Your view that fundamentalist Christians “have respect for You may recall that in the article, we featured Search for the dignity of human life” doesn’t square up with their strong Common Ground, a non-governmental organization that has support for the death penalty or their strong opposition to played a significant role as a third-party mediator between “Dignity in Death” ballot measures. Your own use of “dig- Pro-Life and Pro-Choice groups. According to Susan Collin nity” is perhaps wrong. I think you mean “sanctity.” There’s Marks of SFCG (whom one of our editors recently met), during a big difference. One must recognize that many conservative one of those mediated meetings, a pro-choice advocate was Christian groups see great sanctity to the life of the unborn able to communicate to a pro-life advocate just how much child but very little sanctity in the life of the condemned. How hostility, attacks, and personal criticism hurt her, and how the do you reconcile these? To be sure, you cannot then say that fear of potential violence against her was so devastating. It “the groups all value life and respect it.” “Sanctity” places was a powerful experience of “making oneself vulnerable” to God at the center of the conservative worldview. “Dignity” an “opponent” in an attempt to rehumanize the relationship. places Human at the center of the liberal worldview (this was The pro-life advocate was stunned to hear how her attitudes at the heart of the struggle over Terri Schiavo). and actions had affected the pro-choice woman, and after Until you recognize this primary distinction, I think you’re thoughtful contemplation, made a public commitment to not unlikely to understand why both sides are so entrenched and in any way personally attack the other person. why some pro-life adherents are willing to commit violence in It is through these kinds of dialogues that violence of all the name of their beliefs. When a view entails violent action, it kinds can be overcome, and cooperation and understanding can never, must never, be respected. Any dialogue over abor- can increase. tion must begin with an avowed rejection of violence. Your For peace, article would have been better to start off from this point.