APRIL 16-17 PEACEKEEPER-ORGANIZING  AFFINITY GROUP -- a16peacekeep@xoommail.com   Contact: Guin  202-462-0757  Carol 202-635-3739   http://members.xoom.com/a16peacekeep/ A16 Peacekeep Video | Relevant Articles | Peacekeeper Techniques | Links | Members | Organize-4-Peace

  GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!! NEEDED: PEACEMAKERS AND PEACEKEEPERS Discussions, additional trainings, strategizing, etc. for affinity groups  in the April 9-17 IMF/World Bank actions in D.C. (See www.a16.org)  

SEE  2-28-00 Mumia/Death Penalty C.D. Photos--A Model Righteous Action! DISCUSS Peacekeeping and other A16 Issues on A16 Discuss List!!  Send email to:    a16-discuss-subscribe@eGroups.com COMMUNICATE concerns the Mobilization have Peackeepers at the Direct Action E-mail Endorsing Groups, list at: http://www.a16.org/a16_endorsers.cfm  Call the Mobilization Office 202-319-2426 or E-Mail the officialTraining Working Group Contacts:  Nadine  <nbloch@igc.org> or Madeline <jeanlay@aol.com>

 

“There is no way that those of us who live in Washington, D.C. would condone any destruction of properties in Washington, D.C....One of things that you do when you stand up and you take moral leadership is to declare what is condoned and that which is not condoned, that which is outside the guidelines of what you have gathered for...so all the world can see the sins of the current structure...We will be engaged in nonviolent direct action....We will not condone the destruction of property, the hurting of individuals by other individuals and by law enforcement..." Rev. Grayland Hagler of the Plymouth United Church of Christ in Northeast D.C., March 14, 2000 at Mobilization for Global Justice Press Conference.

 
BECOME A PEACEKEEPER
 
       On April 16-17, 2000 tens of thousands of people will be demonstrating and doing non-violent direct actions to protest the International Monetary Fund and World Bank helping Western nations, big banks and big corporations oppress poor people worldwide. (See www.A16.org)
       Members of the Mobilization for Global Justice organizing this event want the April 16 & 17th rallies and nonviolent direct actions--as well as that whole week of activities--to be about nonviolent people touching the conscience of rich nations and peoples. There are four non-violent action guidelines:  no violence, physical or verbal; no weapons; no alcohol or drugs; no property destruction.  We all know that violence  only hurts the poor people worldwide whom we are trying to help.
       The Mobilization wants 200 official peacekeepers for the April 16th Rally at the Washington Monument but has not decided yet whether to have them for the April 16-17 nonviolent direct actions in downtown D.C.   Members of our affinituy group are focusing on preventing a repeat of Seattle where, in addition to police violence, a few outside agitators engaged in property destruction and some nonviolent demon-stra tors fought with them over it. We want to prevent such violence from occurring and escalating.
        Therefore, we will be offering discussion groups, literature and extra peacekeeping trainings–in addition to those already offered by the Mobilization.  Contact: 202-319-2426 for more information.  We want to help others to increase their “de-escalating conflict” and "peace-keeping” skills so they can deal successfully with any violent police or violent outside agitators.
         We also encourage activist and community affinity groups to make peacekeeping their primary function. Such affinity groups can be organized by church, neigh-borhood, political or workplace groups. Some can employ themes, like clowns, singers, flowers, turtles, etc.
         All affinity groups supporting the nonviolent action also are eligible to participate in the Affinity Group Spokes Council the week of the action.
         Below are excerpts on peace-keeping from the War Resisters League NONVIOLENT ACTION HANDBOOK which the Mobil-ization will distribute for the April 16-17 events.
 
PEACEKEEPERS:  WHAT THEY ARE, WHAT THEY DO
 
       In numerous demonstrations of the past it has been found that the effectiveness and nonviolence of the action has been greatly enhanced by the participation of people with special skills. These specialized participants, or peace-keepers, perform specific facilit-ating roles for the action. Even if you have not decided to specialize in the role of peacekeeper, however, you may find yourself in a conflict situation in which peacekeeper skills will be useful. In a nonviolent action everyone is, to some extent, a peacekeeper.
         Peacekeepers: Help set the tone for the action;  Help act as a communication network; Help provide emergency medical and legal aid;  Help maintain the internal self-discipline of the action; May volunteer to act as mediators between authorities and demonstrators.
         Peacekeepers help to maintain the nonviolent self-discipline of the demonstration. Peacekeepers have primary responsibility to the participants in the action, but they should be prepared to protect legal authorities, workers, and non-participants from demonstrat-ors if necessary.
 
SOME GUIDELINES TO HELP PEACEKEEPERS DO THEIR JOBS:
 
1.    Be warm, friendly, and helpful. The tone of the demonstration depends on how you respond to your fellow demonstrators, police, the media, and workers. Our attitude should be one of openness, friendliness and respect toward all officials and participants. Peace-keepers are not junior police, and this is no place for authority trips.
2.    Be creative. Nonviolence does not mean being aloof or failing to act. You must be creative in your attempt to inter-vene and resolve a conflict.
3.    Be firm, but not rigid. If you have agreed to be a peacekeeper you must have agreed to uphold the nonviolent principles of the demonstration.
4.    Be forthright. Deal fairly and honestly with people engaged in conflict, no matter what they have done.
5.    Be calm. It is a rare person who does not become angry or afraid under stress. Don’t think that you are weak if you have fears. The important thing in being a peacekeeper is learning how to control your feelings by remembering the overall goal of the action.
6.    Be forgiving. Give up resentment over the wrong you are trying to set right. Gandhi said, “Hate sin, and love the sinner.” This applies to conflicts between demonstrators as well as to conflicts with police, workers, onlookers
7.    Work as a team. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Use and rely on the support you can get from other peacekeepers and from your fellow demon-strators.