African Nonviolence Training Exchange. War Resisters International/Ceasefire: July 2012

Press Statement

African Nonviolence and Peace-builders Network Formed

Case of Egypt is analysed at Gathering Hosted by War Resisters International and Ceasefire

This weekend in Johannesburg, peacemakers from 10 countries in Africa met to share experiences, and birthed a new, continent-wide African Nonviolence and Peace-building Network. Listening to Sherif Joseph Rizk, a participant and leader of the Egyptian democracy movement who was active in the 2011 Tarir Square protests, the delegates from over a dozen organizations pledged to intensify coordinated nonviolent resistance from the South to the North of Africa.

The African Nonviolence Trainers Exchange, met from 26-30 July 2012 in Johannesburg, hosted by War Resisters International (WRI) and Ceasefire. The 30-plus participants hailed from 12 countries (Egypt, South Sudan, Eritrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa), with supporters from Chile, Holland, and the USA.

The peacemakers met to share experiences and progress of nonviolent training and actions at grassroots level. A highlight was the inspiring presentation by Sherif Joseph Rizk, on the nonviolent revolution in Egypt and removal from office of the dictatorial president, Hosni Mubarak. It demonstrated the power of nonviolence and power of the people, as well as the use of social media. Much still needs to be done to dismantle the military/industrial state. We were extremely encouraged by the extent and variety of the training and nonviolent actions at grassroots level. Workshops on Gender and Sexuality challenged participant’s perceptions, and highlighted the violence of gender inequality in all organizations. Intolerance, discrimination, violence, and even murder against members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex communities are committed with impunity. The group pledged to make the struggle against these forms of violence a significant part of their work.

The exchange set up a formal network, the African Nonviolence and Peace-building Network. The steering committee co-facilitators are -Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge (RSA) and Sipho Theys (RSA). Steering Committee members include Elavie Ndura (Burundi/USA), Bernard Agona (Kenya), Miles Rutendo Tanhira (Zimbabwe), Steve Sharra (Malawi), Laura Pollecut (RSA), Moses Monday (South Sudan), and a representative of Phaphama (RSA). The network will build on the present work by expanding the network to other countries and organizations, providing a significant resource to build peace in Africa by resisting militarism, supporting democracy, security, integrity in government, justice and human rights, and training in nonviolence and nonviolent direct action.

The next international War Resisters International conference will be held in South Africa in 2014, bringing together delegates from organizations around the world working to end war and a world in which conflicts are handled nonviolently.

Jeremy Routledge +27 72 969 2581 JeremyRRoutledge@gmail.com

You can use this for your own reports and publicity and put your own name at the bottom

-Jeremy