Use of Non-Violence in Zimbabwe

Use of Non-Violence in Zimbabwe

Introduction

“Let Us Not Become the Evil That We Deplore."-- Barbara Lee

In Zimbabwe, under the presidency of Robert Mugabe, the white people of Zimbabwe have suffered racial discrimination and violence from the government. The colonial rule in Zimbabwe had given rise to inequitable land distributions. The white minority held immense land.. The government forcefully seized their lands in order to benefit the blacks. This forced seizure was termed by the government as Fast Track Land Reform (Human Rights Watch, 2002). It was started by the government in 2000. This violence has also resulted in an economic crisis which has badly affected the country. Through this program, the government intends to create balance in owning of properties between the black and white people of Zimbabwe. For eliminating opposition's supporters, the government destroyed the urban slums in 2005. The government has been using violence with great ease. Controversial policies like indigenization are being used to support the black at the expense of the whites. The term racism, which is attached with ill-treatments of the blacks at the hands of the white, is reversed. In the political violence in 2001, forty-eight people died. People do not want to submit to the government's violence. They fight back. The protests should be non violent because it helps to fight with injustice and does not cause harm to people by violating human rights. It is also a manner which is employed by people of strong character who stand steadfast for their goals.

Firstly, non-violence is the best option to resolve this conflict, or in other words any conflict because non-violence aids in addressing the issue and challenging injustice without violating human rights. Violence used by anyone spreads mass discontent in the citizens as it is a violation of human rights and tarnishes the image of the ones who use it. Violence is a form of human rights violation, and as such is never justified. Therefore the people must not use it in order to protest. They should use non-violent measures as it fights prejudice and eliminates it. As King (1958) states that resistance which is non-violent tends to combat a war against bias. Non-violent resistance does not wage a war against the ones who harbor that bias. Non-violent measures have been very beneficial for King himself and other negroes. Non-violent measures were used by negroes in fighting against the white people who exhibited racial discrimination. They were very effective in their usage of non-violence. Although it is said that action causes an equal reaction, the black people did not reacted. They responded with positive attitude. When the police captivated the Negroes for no reason, the Negroes simply protested non-violently to show their anger. The Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi has advocated the use of non-violence (Nanda, n.d. ). He always taught his people to respond not by reaction. He promoted Indian freedom movement in a way that did not use violence. That was the significant part of his ...