International Day of Non-Violence is celebrated on 2 October. This day is chosen to honour Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly called Mahatma Gandhi who was born on this day in 1869. The title “Mahatma” meaning “Great Soul” was given to him for choosing to fight for freedom of his mother land India through non-violent struggle and for standing for the veracity of non-violence. Ultimately, he gave his life for non-violence, unfortunately through a violent death; by one of his own kin who did approve of his inclusivism of all people and for choosing non-violence. Gandhi is often called “Apostle of the Beatitudes” for modelling his life on Jesus’ gospel values as summarized in the Sermon on the Mount—Beatitudes. Like Jesus, Gandhi believed in the truth that ‘eye for an eye, makes the whole world blind’.
This year the world is celebrating the Day of Non-Violence keeping at the back of our mind the withdrawal of armed forces in Afghanistan that went to restore “peace” and “democracy” in the troubled country. Media reports of the death of over 2,000 American soldiers, military spending of trillions of dollars and the precious time and energy of many world leaders and organizations, not forgetting the death of many innocents and forced migration of thousands of people. World is sure that the repercussions of this costly conflict will have an effect on many people and countries of the world. Now everyone grieves of not achieving the objectives for which the bloody war was fought. Once again we are invited to learn that violence cannot be overcome with violence.
American martyr for peace and equality Martin Luther King Jr. prophetically said, “Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence.”
Violence, before it is enacted into action it is hatched in mind; regrettably it takes different forms of violence day after day. Before it becomes a part of a community, society and nation, it originates in the minds of individuals. Violence often appears to be an easy and quick solution in solving problems of daily life, both big and small. It even appears to be natural to people, normal and expected. It is described as action or behaviour involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something to achieve an intended result. But violence only breeds violence; in violent conflicts there are only losers, who often live with the scars of violence for a long time to come.
Any common dictionary describes violence as: “… the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.” The word intentional means ‘planned, deliberate, calculated, premeditated and purposeful’. Though it is premeditated, the actual outcome—the magnitude of the result was never envisioned. The harm that comes from the intended or quasi-intended action is often bigger and deeper, which are most time irreversible. The harm is already done; most harmful actions leave behind many open and hidden injuries and damages. Thus, a violent mind lets out violent actions, leaving behind trails of violence.
To root out and minimize the injuries and damages that our actions have caused, we need to change our intention which is born out of our attitudes. Violence is an attitude and method which often becomes a way of life. As a way of life violence is manifested in many ways both physical and non-physical.
The types of violence can be described in many categories: physical violence targeting bodily harm or destruction of objects; sexual violence tries to control or humiliate people, especially women and vulnerable; emotional and psychological violence that tries to take control of people through abusive relationship; spiritual violence done by denying freedom of worship or use of fanatical ideas to oppresses particular groups of people; and cultural violence by dominating people of other tribes or groups and pushing for undue promotion of one’s own. Violence is enacted through verbal abuse, indifference, denial of rights of people, refusal of basic needs for living, and many other forms of physical harm including physical mutilation, killing and destruction of properties and livelihood.
Violence as a way of life and method of action can be easily instigated, propagated and enacted. But like all virtues non-violence has to be learnt, practised with firm discipline and taught through gentle persuasion. As a way of life and method of action non-violence always demands personal sacrifice and even martyrdom. History has given us many stalwarts of non-violence and most of them shed their blood for standing for bloodless struggle. Beyond Gandhi, we remember Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, St. Oscar Romero and others. Many honour Gandhi as their model and inspiration.
Martin Luther King Jr, who himself was shot dead for his struggle for equality of all people praises non-violence as a way of life for courageous people who resist evil with gentle ways but with firmness. It seeks to win friendship and understanding which results in restoration of brokenness and reconciliation. It seeks to defeat injustice, not people; but recognizes that evil doers are actually victims who need to rebuild their lives. And they deserve our kindness, gentleness and understanding.
About the struggle and sacrifice that nonviolence demands, Martin Luther holds that suffering can educate and transform. It accepts the consequences of nonviolence as sin. And he advocates love for hate and gentleness for cruelty. For him non-violence is the true expression of love that appeals to spirit and body. It is love that is active, not passive. Love restores justice and connects all forms of life as one. Root of all this is a belief that justice will eventually win and bring the desired social change, but we ought to choose love.
Gandhi says it all: “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man”. The nonviolence I teach is active nonviolence of the strongest. But the weakest can partake in it without becoming weaker.
Gandhi himself personally suffered violence and humiliation in the face of colonialism, discrimination based on colour and other racial violence was inspired by American poets and thinkers such as David Henry Thoreau and Walt Witman. He then inspired Martin Luther King Jr. When the messages of love and peace are taken to the heart, they go around inspiring and re-inspiring humanity everywhere.
Gene Sharp, the author of the best-seller How to Start a Revolution was the American philosopher of non-violence has this inspiring thought, “Nonviolent action is a means of combat, as is war. It involves the matching of forces and the waging of ‘battle,’ requires wise strategy and tactics and demands of its ‘soldiers’ courage, discipline and sacrifice. This view of nonviolent action as a technique of active combat is diametrically opposed to the popular assumption that, at its strongest, nonviolent action relies on rational persuasion of the opponent, and more commonly it consists simply of passive submission.”
Strategy for non-violence can be summarized into six steps: 1. Respect everyone–including yourself. 2. Always include constructive alternatives, be proactive. 3. Be aware of the long term, rather than first-aid solutions and cheap popularities. 4. Look for win-win solutions, remember, in violence there are no winners. 5. Use power carefully keeping in mind that power is for service. 6. Claim legacy which may come in its own time and ways.
Ordinary people like you and me may think that the thought and action of non-violence may be hard and not for small people to follow. But it is not so. Most activists who pledged to non-violence and gave their lives for it are ordinary people. By doing simple humane acts but with astuteness, courage, hope and perseverance achieved what they dreamt of.
As Mother Theresa of Calcutta always said, “Peace begins with a smile.” Smile is the expression of inner happiness, kindness, hospitality and inclusiveness. “Smiling is very important. If we are not able to smile, then the world will not have peace. It is not by going out for a demonstration against nuclear missiles that we can bring about peace. (Thich Nhat Hanh)
It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace.” Indeed, it is possible for everyone to cultivate the attitude of “smile-liness”. Let us make the whole world to smile, it is the first step towards non-violent living.
Rev. Fr. Lazar Arasu SDB
Priest and Educationist.
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