Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun
Nonviolence News shares stories from around the world. However, much of our readership resides in the United States. We’ve made a conscious choice to uplift nonviolence as a global field and offer our readers the opportunity to learn from their fellow human beings worldwide. They’re doing some remarkable things with nonviolent action. And we can all learn from them.
In this week’s Nonviolence News, you’ll find a fascinating new study that examines the power of African mass movements. Regular news has reported on the wars, coups, and violent conflicts of the continent, but this study shows that nonviolent struggle has also been a powerful political force. “In the twenty-first century, African countries have hosted more mass movements than any other region in the world. In the last decade, one in every three nonviolent revolutionary campaigns has taken place in Africa. The region also has the highest short-term success rate for people power … the evidence suggests that African social movements are uniquely effective.”
Other stories you’ll want to learn from include how Kenya reversed a settlement program to revive a forest, how South Africa launched a disability inclusion program in sports, how an online counseling program is safely supporting queer Nigerians, and how Congolese women are defying structural barriers to land ownership. Also, check out the reports about the women in Balochistan (pictured above) who have grown into one of the most potent political forces in their area of Pakistan. They want the safe recovery of missing persons, an end to human rights violations, and a halt to underdevelopment and resource exploitation of the region.
In more Nonviolence News, activists from Morocco, Gibraltar and Spain are thwarting an oil tanker from delivering military-grade fuel to Israel. Climate activists continue to turn up the heat on Wall Street and at airports around the world. A National Day of Mourning was held after the police shooting of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman in the United States. Australian women held “No More” rallies in 20 cities to end violence against women.
What else can you learn about in this week’s news? Black Cooperatives, making political violence backfire, how Depression-era senior citizens in the US built a movement for social security, how to build a climate memorial, and how to avoid or heal from activist burnout.
In solidarity,
Rivera Sun
How a Voluntary Forest Restoration In Kenya Ended a Decades Long Security & Ecological Problem: Before the Kirisia community voluntarily moved out of the forest and formed their forest association, the government had on many occasions unsuccessfully tried to forcefully evict the settlers from the forest. But interventions from community leaders and non-governmental organizations eased the process. Ten thousand people agreed to resettle and restore the forest’s health. Read more>>
Apple Reaches Tentative Contract Agreement With Unionized Store Employees in Maryland: Apple has reached a tentative collective bargaining contract with the first unionized company store in the country. Read more>>
Canada Owes First Nations Billions After Making ‘Mockery’ of Treaty Deal, Top Court Rules: Court urges federal and Ontario governments to make payouts after ‘dishonourably’ neglecting a 174-year-old deal. The Crown promised riches to First Nations in Canada – over 150 years on, they could finally get billions. Read more>>
Forced Swim Test DROPPED By Three Research Bodies – Thanks To PETA: The disgusting research practice known as the animal forced swim test came a step closer to being abolished in the UK, as more labs withdraw support for it – not least thanks to PETA. Following campaigning from animal rights group PETA, three independent medical research funding bodies – BMA Foundation, Medical Research Scotland, and the Dunhill Medical Trust – committed to not funding any future experiments that use the cruel and scientifically debunked forced swim test, paving the way for animal-free science. Read more>>
Kgothatso Montjane’s Wimbledon Win Reflects Rise of Wheelchair Tennis In South Africa: In an awe-inspiring culmination of determination, resilience, and exceptional talent, South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane made history on July 14, 2024, by winning the Wimbledon Women’s Wheelchair Doubles title alongside her partner, Yui Kamiji from Japan. South Africa has made a nationwide effort to implement wheelchair tennis for physically disabled individuals and communities. These programs provide opportunities for people with disabilities to learn and excel in the sport, developing players from their introduction to representing South Africa internationally. Read more>>
How Congolese Women Put An End To Generations of Economic Abuse: Access to land and natural resources is essential to the survival of women in eastern DRC; yet the culture discriminates against them by denying them the right to acquire plots of land. In the Nyangezi region, around a hundred women have started to acquire land despite these barriers. They are inspiring others with their extraordinary stories. Read more>>
Working-Class Climate Protesters Arrested at JD Vance’s Senate Office: “JD Vance says he is a champion of the working class. In practice, he’s a champion of whoever wrote him the biggest check,” said the Sunrise Movement’s executive director. Eight of about 150 climate campaigners with the youth-led Sunrise Movement were arrested at a protest at the U.S. Capitol office of Sen. JD Vance Read more>>
183 Day Encampment Across From US Secretary of State’s House Forcefully Destroyed: From January 26, 2024, until this morning, July 26, 2024, peaceful protestors have occupied the shoulder of Chain Bridge Road in the vicinity of the home of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, demanding an end to U.S. support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza that, in low estimates, has claimed the lives of over 40,000 innocent Palestinian civilians. Police forcefully destroyed the encampment. Read more>>
After Gen-Z Protested In Force, Uganda Is Now Arresting Opposition Politicians: Uganda authorities have charged 36 members of the ‘FDC’ opposition party with “terrorism” after they were deported from neighbouring Kenya. Representatives have denounced the government’s actions as a “witch hunt”. Read more>>
The Baloch Women Rise Up: Once portrayed as vulnerable and sensitive, the Baloch women are rising up, hoisting the flag of resistance, and shattering stereotypes. These women have transformed into iron ladies, leading one the most powerful political movements in the region. Read more>>
Irish Disabilities Workers Protest For Pay Raise: Workers who help people with disabilities get access to housing, healthcare and justice protested as they call for a pay rise. The National Advocacy Service helps more than 1,500 people with disabilities to navigate public services and support them through the process. Read more>>
Talk World Radio: Rivera Sun on Campaign Nonviolence: From Sept 21-Oct 2, thousands of people will take part in thousands of actions and events worldwide to build a culture of peace and active nonviolence. Here’s what they’re doing and why. Read more>>
Airport Disruption Reaches Fourth Day: On July 27, peaceful protests took place in at least six cities across six countries in support of Oil Kills – an international uprising to end oil, gas and coal by 2030. Airport disruption was a key feature, again – with more arrests amid blockades. Read more>>
NYC Protesters Target AIG Over East African Crude Oil Pipeline: “We will continue to stand in solidarity and fight together with our African comrades to stop EACOP, to stop the plunder of our homelands, to stop the displacement of our peoples, and to stop imperialist climate destruction.” Read more>>
Faith Leaders Chain Themselves to Citi HQ to Protest Fossil Fuel Financing: “We cannot profit off of death and destruction,” one participant said. “We must love each other and the Earth.” Two dozen faith leaders and their supporters were arrested on Tuesday after chaining themselves to the doors of Citigroup’s New York City headquarters to protest its financing of the climate emergency. Around 50 people participated in the protest, which is part of the Summer of Heat series of actions demanding that Wall Street—and Citi in particular—stop funding oil, gas, and coal. Read more>>
Costly Climate ‘Solutions’ Look Like More Pollution In Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’: Corporations and politicians are pushing carbon capture despite big questions over its value as residents in the southern ‘petrostate’ fear the worst. They’ve been fighting cancer causing factories for years. But this is the first time they’re facing a toxic chemical facility that its operators claim to be a clean energy innovator and that stands to benefit from taxpayer subsidies and unprecedented tax credits supposedly designed to tackle the climate emergency.Read more>>
Moms And Kids Demand End To Fossil Fuel Funding at Citigroup CEO’s Home: Activists demand Citigroup cease funding fossil fuel projects amid rising global temperatures and climate displacement. Read more>>
Extinction Rebellion Occupies Climate Denial Lobbyist Offices: Extinction Rebellion activists have occupied the central London offices of Policy Exchange – a climate crisis denial lobbyist funded by fossil fuel crooks that pretends to be a think tank. Read more>>
Just Stop Oil Just Redecorated Heathrow In An Orange Shade To Say: Oil Kills: Two Just Stop Oil supporters have painted the departure boards at Heathrow Airport. Just Stop Oil is working with groups internationally under the Oil Kills banner to demand governments establish a fossil fuel treaty, to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030. Read more>>
In Minneapolis, Striking Park Workers March And Shut Down Park Board Meeting: Three weeks into their strike, park workers decided it was time to take their fight to the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board meeting and make them face the workers. Read more>>
Kenya’s Smallholder Farmers Challenge Law Preventing Them From Sharing Indigenous Seeds: “Currently, I cannot take my seeds and distribute them to farmers across the village because the law bars me,’’ she said. “One can only do that clandestinely. This has literally limited the smallholder farmers’ ability [to produce] food.’’ The law sold Kenya’s food system to the highest bidder. Read more>>
‘Cowardice’: Homeless Advocates Condemn Newsom Order to Remove Encampments: “The only way to end homeless encampments in California is to end the need for homeless encampments,” an expert said. Read more>>
SAG-AFTRA Calls Strike Against Major Video Game Companies After Nearly 2 Years Of Contract Talks: “We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live — and work — with, we will be here, ready to negotiate,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement. Read more>>
The Future of Housing Organizing: Tenant Unions. The only answer to our housing crises is collective action. A growing movement of tenant unions promises a new front in the struggle for our homes. Read more>>
UK Security Guards Gear Up For Fresh Round of Pay Strikes: Security guards at Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Jobcentres are gearing up for a fresh round of pay strikes. The staff members work for the notorious global firm G4S – that owns the DWP’s outsourced contract for Jobcentre security. Of course, it also means more DWP Jobcentre closures and delays which could impact vulnerable claimants. But crucially, the strikes once again lay bare the toxic culture at the heart of the DWP. Read more>>
At Housing Protest, Advocates Demand Long Term Solutions: The Traverse City Housing Justice Team, a part of We the People Michigan Action Fund, spent six hours holding up signs, handing out petition flyers, and talking with the public about the housing issues many local residents face. Read more>>
Illinois Community Protests Murder of Sonya Massey: On Friday, July 12, a crowd of nearly 100 people gathered outside the Sangamon County courthouse to protest the killing of Sonya Massey by a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy and call for the release of body-worn camera footage. Read more>>
National Day Of Mourning Honors Sonya Massey As Protests And Vigils Continue Following Her Fatal Shooting By Police: Activists declared July 28 as a National Day of Mourning for Sonya Massey, organizing gatherings in cities across the country to honor the 36-year-old mother who was killed by Illinois police. Read more>>
Exploring The Legacy And Power Of Black Cooperatives: One tool Black Americans have used to fight systemic barriers has been cooperatives. One of the first examples of a Black cooperative can be traced back to “the early centuries in the US, [when] enslaved as well as free African Americans pooled their money to buy their own and their family members’ freedom.” This tradition continued, and from cooperative stores and warehouses to credit outlets, cooperatives have been an important part of attempts for Black Americans to gain economic and political ground. Read more>>
Manchester Airport Arrests: Family Alleges Racial Abuse, Protests Continue: A chaotic arrest at Manchester Airport has ignited tensions in the city and surrounding areas, with protests erupting following the arrest of two brothers, Fahir and Amaad Khan. Read more>>
Refugees Shift Protest For Permanent Visas To Home Affairs Department: They began at the new location on July 29, shouting slogans including “12 years too long; Permanent visas now!” They plan to stay until their demands are met. Read more>>
Women Fishmongers In Kenya Have Had Little Choice In The Widespread Sex For Fish Culture – Until Now: For decades, female fishmongers along the Lake Victoria beaches have fallen victim to the rampant sex-for-fish culture propagated by fishermen and boat owners who take advantage of women waiting for the fish. Now, many of these women are turning to cage fish farming as an alternative. Read more>>
Hundreds Of Protesters Overcome Hurdles For Baloch Raji Muchi Gathering In Pakistan: Convoys and private vehicles, carrying protest participants, were blocked from reaching Gwadar, Pakistan, amid a shutdown of mobile and internet networks. The national gathering was held as a joint protest against the general underdevelopment across Balochistan, discriminatory development, and alleged state excesses against the Baloch people, including enforced disappearances, forced displacement, military operations and extrajudicial killings. Read more>>
Women Say ‘No More’ Violence At Rallies Across Australia: Thousands marched to end violence at rallies across the country over July 26–28 as part of a national weekend of action initiated by What Were You Wearing (WWYW), a community organization dedicated to ending sexual and domestic violence. The “No More” rallies took place in more than 20 towns and cities across the country and were organized in collaboration with a variety of local anti-violence and women’s groups. Read more>>
Inside An Online Counseling Service For LGBTQ+ Nigerians: A virtual therapeutic agency is providing online counseling to members of the queer community in Nigeria, where such services remain inaccessible. “They made me feel like I mattered.” Read more>>
Following Major Victories, Activists In Spain, Morocco And Gibraltar Mobilize Together To Block Energy Transport To Israel: Activists from Morocco, Gibraltar and Spain are collaborating as a united front at the Strait of Gibraltar, in coordination with a broad international coalition, to prevent the Overseas Santorini from delivering its deadly cargo. The campaign, called “No Harbour for Genocide,” has already succeeded in forcing the tanker to reroute, and aims to create a people’s blockade throughout the Mediterranean. Read more>>
Billboards Inform Residents of Nuclear Weapons In The Backyard: In the Seattle, WA, area, five billboards will display the warning: Did You Know, We’re only *** Miles from the Largest Concentration of Deployed Nukes in the World! Let’s Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Read more>>
100+ Peace Activists Shut Down Road Access To Armored Car Factory Over Israel: In Canada, protesters have shut down all road access to a company of armored vehicles over its ties with the regime’s weapons manufactures, calling on the government to immediately halt arms sales to Israel. Read more>>
Police Arrest Protesters Outside Bath Iron Works Ceremony: In Maine, the police county deputies arrested nine people outside the north gate to the shipyard in advance of a christening ceremony for the shipyard’s newest destroyer. Read more>>
Hundreds Gather In 3 Locations To Launch ‘US Out of Korea Campaign’: Several hundred people gathered in midtown Manhattan at The People’s Forum to launch Nodutdol’s U.S. Out of Korea campaign. Hundreds more gathered at events in Oakland and Los Angeles for similar launch events. Nodutdol (노듯돌, meaning stepping-stone) has roots in the 1990s when members of the Korean movement would travel to Korea to learn from the people in the South and North of the peninsula about their organizing against U.S. domination. Read more>>
Victoria Branch of Australian Education Union Says Palestine Solidarity Is Union Business: The Australian Education Union Victorian branch conference on July 20 passed two pro-Palestine motions, one initiated by activists and one from union officials. Lucy Honan, an AEU member and member of Teachers and School Staff for Palestine, told Green Left that the resolution reflects “the huge about of work that rank-and-file members have already undertaken”. She said that included supporting teachers wearing keffiyehs, refusing to teach with resources funded by weapons companies and challenging the idea that standing up for Palestine is antisemitic. Read more>>
Palestine, Public Housing and Union Protests At New South Wales Labor Conference: More than 1000 people protested outside the NSW Labor conference at Sydney Town Hall on July 27, demanding it and federal Labor stop arming Israel and supporting genocide in Gaza. Read more>>
Veterans To Vice President Harris: End The Siege Of Gaza. Call for a Permanent Ceasefire and Emergency Food and Medical Aid to Gaza: The national organization Veterans For Peace has written an Open Letter to Vice President Kamala Harris, asking her to push for an immediate end to the siege of Gaza. Read more>>
In the West Bank Village of Burin, Kites Are a Form of Resistance: In the village of Burin just outside of Nablus, where settlements encroach on almost every side, flying kites is an act of resistance. Read more>>
Drawing Against Debt. Comics on Debtor Organizing. Political cartoons have long been vehicles for getting people to think differently about social issues. Here is a collection of comics tackling debt. Read more>>
Poems Against Genocide: Refaat’s poem “If I Must Die” has been shared widely since he was killed. On social media, an impromptu effort translated it into dozens of languages: Spanish, Italian, Tamil, Urdu, Tagalog, Greek, Japanese, Yiddish and more. Here, we offer it in English and Arabic. Read more>>
Artist EB Lewis Illustrates Social Injustice and Children’s Books: After nearly a half century of artistry, Lewis said in his work now that he’s “trying to make a difference.” “In the beginning,” he said, “I didn’t know where I was and what I was trying to do. I was just making imagery. And then I realized that you don’t become an artist until you have something to say.” Read more>>
How To Build a Climate Memorial: Stop the Money Pipeline recently built a Children’s Climate Memorial outside Citibank to get the bank to stop financing fossil fuels. This action guide offers step-by-step instructions for doing something similiar. Read more>>
African Popular Protest & Political Change: In the twenty-first century, African countries have hosted more mass movements than any other region in the world. The region also has the highest short-term success rate for people power. But is this success predicated on the mobilizational force of “protest democracy” to hold elites accountable? Or are African social movements’ remarkable successes an environmental artefact, the result of ordinary protests in contexts of extraordinary instability? The evidence suggests that African social movements are uniquely effective and that political and military elites are increasingly trying to harness their power. Read more>>
Extinction Rebellion: Navigating the Great Paradox of Climate Action: “I wrote this post to explore three characteristics of XR more broadly, which I believe can help environmental movements… These aspects are: operating via self-organization and dispersion for improved relevance and effectiveness; embracing creative nonviolent action for more inclusivity; and prioritizing a care culture for stronger resilience and coherence.” Read more>>
Making Political Violence Backfire: This is a guide for individuals and groups across the US who are fed up with this. It’s for people who recognize the dire stakes that political violence (PV) creates for our country, and who want to work together nonviolently to protect our communities and uphold democracy. We need to stand up to those who want to silence our voices, who try to deny us our rights, and who aim to bully their way into political influence through intimidation and violence. Read more>>
World Court Opinion On Illegal Israeli Occupation Gives Tools To End Genocide: On July 18, 2024, the World Court (aka the International Court of Justice) issued an advisory opinion that found Israel to be an illegal occupation of Palestine and that the settlements must be dismantled, Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes and they must be paid reparations. International human rights lawyer Francis Boyle talks to Clearing the FOG about how the court’s opinion came about, what it means and how it can be used by activists in their communities to end the genocide in Palestine. Read more>>
‘Disgusting’: Global 1% Captured $42 Trillion in New Wealth Over Past Decade: “The richest 1% of humanity continues to fill their pockets while the rest are left to scrap for crumbs.” An Oxfam analysis released Thursday ahead of a meeting of G20 finance ministers estimated that over the past 10 years, the global 1% has accumulated $42 trillion in new wealth. That’s “nearly 34 times more than the entire bottom 50% of the world’s population,” the group observed. Read more>>
Who Would Want To Grow Old Only To Grow Poor? Seniors are increasingly in debt and facing financial crises at levels not seen since the Great Depression. The mass movement that fought for seniors 100 years ago under the banner of the Townsend Plan could be a model for solving the growing crisis now. Read more>>
The Regeneration Handbook: Although burnout is well-known as a potential pitfall throughout the activist community, many of us keep falling into it again and again. Conventionally, burnout is understood simply as the result of working too hard for too long, and the remedy prescribed is the ubiquitous “self-care.” While taking time off, exercising, eating healthy, and spending more time with friends undoubtedly helps, we should consider other reasons and strategies as well. Read more>>
From Waves to Ecosystems: The Next Stage of Democratic Innovation: For over 5,000 years, people have built up competing waves of electoral, direct, deliberative, and participatory democracy. We are now seeing a transition, however, from waves to ecosystems. Rather than seeking one single solution to our ailing democracy, a new generation of democracy reformers is weaving together different democratic practices into balanced democratic ecosystems. Read more>>
Demand Citibank Stop Climate Destruction: A campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience – Summer of Heat – has been targeting Citi for almost 8 weeks now. Since 2015, Citibank has funded more new oil pipelines and gas terminals than almost any bank on earth. Tell them to stop. Learn more>>
Demand Environmental Justice From the Department of Energy for Black & Brown Communities: For too long, Black and Brown communities have faced systematic challenges related to energy affordability and efficiency, limited access to renewable energy and exclusion from the clean energy economy. Tell the Department of Energy to deal with this in their new plan. Learn more>>
Extinction Rebellion Announces ‘Mass Occupation’ To Upgrade Democracy: Extinction Rebellion UK has responded to the general election result by inviting people to join Upgrade Democracy. It will be a three-day mass occupation of a high-profile location from Friday 30 August to Sunday 1 September. Learn more>>
#NoWar 2024 Conference – Resisting US Militarism: Ending all wars means closing all military bases. The United States of America, unlike any other nation, maintains a massive network of foreign military bases around the world, over 900 bases in more than 90 countries and territories. Join World BEYOND War in this global conference on resistance to US militarism. Learn more>>
Global Week of Action for Peace and Climate Justice: The first annual Week of Action for Peace and Climate Justice will address the links between war, militarism and climate injustice, promoting grassroots action and policy making for peace and climate justice. This year’s theme is divest from war – invest in climate justice!(Sep 21-28) Learn more>>
Campaign Nonviolence Action Days: From Sept 21 to Oct 2, 2024, (Int’l Day of Peace to Int’l Day of Nonviolence), join tens of thousands of people in creatively building a culture of peace rooted in active nonviolence. Last year, people held over 5,000 actions, events, and marches across the USA and in 20 countries. Over 60,000 people participated in these events. In 2024, join us in advancing peace and nonviolence, and addressing the entwined issues of violence, war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. (Sep 21 – Oct 2) Learn more>>