Nonviolent Sanctions News from the Albert Einstein Institution Volume I Number 2 Fall 1989 Documentation Project Launched in Mexico In an expansion of its documentation efforts, the Albert Einstein Institution has initiated a year-long study of the practice and development of nonviolent action in Mexico. Mexico has become an especially interesting case in recent years, as political opposition groups have increas- ingly used nonviolent action in attempts to defend the country’s electoral process Tiananmen Square, the week before the June 4 massacre, as seen from the Forbidden from fraud and corruption. One of the City. At center: the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Goddess of Democracy most active organizations in this regard statue. Beyond: the Mau mausoleum. (Photo by Bruce Jenkins) has been the Partido Acción Nacional (P.A.N.), a major opposition party. SPECIAL REPORT The data gathering project will bring together essential facts, dates, names of Nonviolent Struggle in China: individuals and organizations, and other important information concerning the An Eyewitness Account growth of practice and knowledge of by Gene Sharp and Bruce Jenkins ne of the remarkable features of the nonviolent struggle in Mexico over the Last spring, news from China captured Chinese pro-democracy movement, past five years. Activities of political, O world attention. Chinese students were from its launching to the night of the labor, and consumer groups, campesinos, demonstrating for democracy in Tian- massacre, was its use of strictly nonvio- indigenas, and others using nonviolent anmen Square. Their campaign went on lent forms of protest. We went to Beijing methods of struggle will be documented. for six and a half weeks until June 4, to learn why the students had chosen to Newspaper clippings, pamphlets, books, when government troops intervened, conduct their struggle nonviolently and to and other materials that have helped to killing hundreds, if not thousands. discover how much they knew about this spread the ideas of nonviolent action will Gene Sharp, President of the Albert technique. Where were the ideas of be collected as well. Einstein Institution, and his research nonviolent struggle coming from? Who The project is being conducted by assistant, Bruce Jenkins, were in Beijing was leading the movement, if anyone? Laura O’Dogherty Madrazo, a doctoral studying the pro-democracy movement Were actions spontaneous in nature, or planned? Was there strategic thinking student in political science at the Univer- firsthand when the government crack- down occurred. They conducted a series involved? We went seeking answers to sidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. of interviews with student leaders and these and other questions. This is what The study will provide a reservoir of participants in the movement and we learned. information that scholars can draw on in observed daily events in Tiananmen doing more in-depth research in the Motivations for nonviolent struggle Square leading up to the June 4 massa- The students’ motivations for pursuing future. ❏ cre. All told, they spent nine days in strictly nonviolent methods of resistance Beijing, from May 28 to June 6, 1989. (Continued on p. 3) News from the Albert Einstein Institution 1 Military attaché curriculum to in- AEI Board clude Politics of Nonviolent Action doubles support The School of Attachés of the U.S. research seminars organized by the for Civilian-Based Defense Intelligence College has ordered Program on Nonviolent Sanctions at 240 copies of Gene Sharp’s three-volume Harvard’s Center for International Defense Associa- work, The Politics of Nonviolent Action, Affairs. The Albert Einstein Institution for use during the 1989-1990 academic provides the financial support for this tion year, according to the book’s publisher, program. Porter Sargent, in Boston. “It is difficult to understand political Stephen Crawford, Executive Director developments in many countries without The Einstein Institution’s Board of of the Albert Einstein Institution, wel- an understanding of nonviolent struggle,” Directors, meeting in September, ap- comed the news. “We’re encouraged by said Sharp. “It’s a step forward for U.S. proved a grant of $6,000 to the Civilian- this development. It’s another sign that military attachés to be able to understand Based Defense Association, a one hundred interest in the theory and practice of and interpret correctly nonviolent struggle percent increase over last year’s funding nonviolent struggle is growing in diverse — whether in opposition to an existing level. The grant is specifically to provide circles,” Crawford said. The increased government or, as in the case of Sweden, general support for the production and attention being given to this phenomenon as part of a national defense policy — distribution of the Association’s newslet- by various military and government than to confuse it with other diverse types ter, Civilian-Based Defense: News and officials, political opposition figures, and of activities." ❏ Opinion. social scientists is, in part, a result of The Civilian-Based Defense Association is an international organization whose members, in their own countries, promote discussion of the future use of nonviolent sanctions for national defense. The Foundations Support Einstein Association proposes that, for the sake of achieving greater security, a nation might Institution Conference “transarm.” While gradually placing less reliance on military strength, the civilian The Albert Einstein Institution has media, and involved individuals from population would begin to participate in recently been awarded two grants in research centers and places of struggle defense, learning how to deter and defeat partial support of a national conference around the world. In view of recent aggression by being ready to withhold the on current uses of nonviolent sanctions in increases in public interest in nonviolent popular support and cooperation an enemy conflict and defense, to be held February action, a comprehensive overview of the — either external or internal — would 8-11, 1990. We are grateful for the field is needed so that scholars, policy need to rule. The many different kinds of generous and thoughtful contributions of analysts and involved individuals from refusal to give vital support could serve as the Ruth Mott Fund and the Ploughshares places of struggle may benefit from a nonviolent alternatives to the violent Fund toward this project. common base of knowledge. With this punishments which would normally be The conference will provide an project, we hope not only to stimulate the inflicted on an enemy. opportunity to share knowledge of and development of knowledge in the field, For more information, write to: Civil- insights into the nature and potential of but also to evaluate and increase public ian-Based Defense Association, P.O. Box nonviolent sanctions among invited awareness of the resources at the Albert 31616, Omaha, NE 68131. Telephone: scholars, policy analysts, members of the Einstein Institution. ❏ 402-558-2085. ❏ Richard Rockwell Joins AEI Board of Directors Dr. Richard C. Rockwell has agreed to Security, Global Social Aspects of the Carolina at Chapel Hill. serve on the Board of Directors of the AIDS Pandemic, and the Committee for Other members of the board are: Gene Albert Einstein Institution, beginning this Research on Global Environmental Sharp (President), Philip Bogdonoff fall. Dr. Rockwell is a staff associate at Change. Dr. Rockwell holds a B.A. in (Treasurer), Christopher Kruegler the Social Science Research Council zoology and an M.A. and Ph.D. in (Secretary), Peter Ackerman, Joanne based in New York City. His staff sociology from the University of Texas at Leedom-Ackerman, Chester Haskell, and responsibilities at the SSRC include the Austin. He has taught at Columbia Thomas C. Schelling. ❏ Program in International Peace and University and the University of North 2 Nonviolent Sanctions Special Report on China Later reports suggest that some limited dialogue with the government. Although (Continued from p. 1) materials were available in Beijing and it was connected with the Union, the other cities. Dialogue Delegation was generally were practical in nature (rather than comprised of older graduate students who moral or religious). Students gave two Organization of leadership did not take active roles in street actions. reasons why they thought that the Those interviewed often stated that the Rather, they served as advisors to movement had developed along nonvio- lack of a “universally recognized organi- younger student leaders. lent lines: first, the students were no zation” was the weakest aspect of their The mass hunger strike began on May match for the army, and second, violent movement. Nearly all students were 13. In the first few days, 6000 students actions would give the government an organized into small, university-based joined the strike. After the first two excuse to clamp down on the students. groups. By the time of the killings, the days, the number of hunger strikers One student cited violent acts in Shang- students had not produced a unified dropped to around 3000. A large number hai in 1986 which led to the crushing of leadership structure. refused all liquids as well as food, the students’ protest movement at that [Below is an attempt to piece together thereby threatening their lives very time. “This time, no excuse,” he said. the scant information available on the quickly. An older graduate student offered two formation