A WORD ON NONKILLING
(By Anis Hamadeh) Probably the most important issue of our time is how global killing can be reduced and stopped. After that the killing of people has increased exponentially in the 20. century, the trend seems to prevail in the 21st. Still, millions die of hunger and preventable desease and still international law is broken to a large extend and wars launched. The Nonkilling project started with the book "Nonkilling Global Political Science" by Glenn Paige (http://www.nonkilling.org/pdf/nkgps.pdf) and has by now found supporters all over the world. Nonkilling encompasses the concepts of peace (absence of war and conditions conducive to war), nonviolence (psychological, physical, and structural), and ahimsa (noninjury in thought, word and deed). Not excluding any of the latter, nonkilling provides a distinct approach characterized by the measurability of its goals. It can be quantified and related to specific causes by following a public health perspective (prevention, intervention and post-traumatic transformation toward the progressive eradication of killing). The newly published volume "Toward a Nonkilling Paradigm" (ed. Joám Evans Pim, http://www.nonkilling.org/pdf/volume_toward.pdf) shows contributions out of 14 scientific disciplines. From Oct. 4.-16., 2009, the first "Global Nonkilling Leadership Academy" took place in Honolulu, a further impulse for global networking and discussion. See the blog http://non-killing.net/academy/ . Detailed information at www.nonkilling.org with further links, and www.nonkilling.de for German.

 

GLENN D. PAIGE
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Glenn Durland Paige (born June 28, 1929) is an American political scientist. He is a Professor Emeritus of political science at the University of Hawai‘i and Chair of the Governing Council of the Center for Global Nonkilling. Paige is known for developing the concept of nonkilling, his studies on political leadership, and the study of international politics from the decision-making perspective with a case study of President Harry S. Truman's decision to involve the United States in the Korean War.
Glenn D. Paige's awakening to nonkilling occurred during 1973-74 and has led to more than a quarter century of discovery and re-education resulting in the thesis of Nonkilling Global Political Science. This unexpected shift by a conventionally trained, violence-accepting political scientist, whose doctoral dissertation justified war and threat of war in Korea, perhaps can be attributed in part to a process of "cognitive dissonance" in which one's values and perceptions of reality come in conflict. Having participated in and justified a Cold War crusade for freedom and peace in Korea (values) combined with opposition in 1973 by the United States and ROK governments to a University of Hawai‘i initiative to invite North Korean scholars to visit Honolulu for a peaceful cultural exchange (non-peace reality) one day produced a strongly felt value shift expressed in three words of an inner voice, "No more killing!". Consequently this value shift led both to heightened perceptions of lethal realities and to search for realistic nonkilling alternatives.
After 28 years of research, teaching, and travel to discover foundations for a new nonkilling discipline the results were published as Nonkilling Global Political Science. By 2009 the book was being translated into 34 languages and had led to convening the First Global Nonkilling Leadership Forum in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, November 1-4, 2007.
Nonkilling refers to the absence of killing, threats to kill, and conditions conducive to killing in human society. Even though the use of the term in the academic world refers mostly to the killing of human beings, it is sometimes extended to include the killing of animals and other forms of life. This is also the case for the traditional use of the term "nonkilling" (or "non-killing") as part of Buddhist ethics, as expressed in the first precept of the Pancasila[11], and in similar terms throughout world spiritual traditions. Significantly, "nonkilling" has also been used recently in the "Charter for a World without Violence" approved by the 8th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.
In analysis of its causes, nonkilling encompasses the concepts of peace (absence of war and conditions conducive to war), nonviolence (psychological, physical, and structural), and ahimsa (noninjury in thought, word and deed). Not excluding any of the latter, nonkilling provides a distinct approach characterized by the measurability of its goals and the open-ended nature of its realization. While the usage of terms such as "nonviolence" and "peace" often follow the classical form of argument through abstract ideas leading to passivity, killing (and its opposite, nonkilling), it can be quantified and related to specific causes by following a clinical perspective (prevention, intervention and post-traumatic transformation toward the progressive eradication of killing). Glenn D. Paige's contributions, namely the volume Nonkilling Global Political Science but also many of his articles dating back from the 80s, significantly developed the usage of this term among the academic world.

 

MAIREAD CORRIGAN MAGUIRE
http://www.peacepeople.com/MaireadCMaguire.htm
(by John Dear) Mairead Corrigan Maguire founded the Community of the Peace People in 1976 along with Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown. Mairead was the aunt of the three Maguire children who were hit by a getaway car after its driver was shot by a soldier. The deaths prompted a series of marches throughout Northern Ireland and further afield, all demanding an end to the violence. Mairead and Betty went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976.
Prior to this Mairead worked as a private secretary to the Managing Director of a major Northern Ireland firm. She was a volunteer with the Legion of Mary, a catholic lay organization, where she began her volunteer work with young people and prisoners. She was also one of the co-founders of the Committee of the Administration of Justice, a non-sectarian group heavily involved in the debate over changes in the legal system in Northern Ireland. Since receiving a Certificate in Ecumenical studies from the Irish School of Ecumenics, Mairead has continued her work with inter-church and inter-faith organizations. She is Patron of the Methodist Theological College and Northern Ireland Council for Intergrated Education.
In September, 1981, Mairead married Jackie Maguire, widower of her sister Anne, who never recovered from the loss of her children and died in January, 1980. In addition to the remaining three children from the earlier marriage -Mark, Joanne and Marie Louise - Mairead and Jackie are the parents of John and Luke.
Mairead is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the Norwegian People's Prize, an honorary doctorate from Yale University and Hon. Doc. University of South Korea, College of New Rochelle (NY) and special awards from Trinity College (DC) St. Michael's College (VT). She was a special honouree of the UN 'Women of Achievement' program in 1978 and of the American Academy of Achievement. In October 1990 she was named by Bishop Gerald O'Keefe to receive the 1990 'Pacem in Terris," Peace and Freedom Award in Davenport, Iowa. In June 1992 she received the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation's "Distinguished Peace Leadership Award" in California.
Mairead has travelled widely in the US, New Zeland, Korea, India, Australia, Africa, Bangladesh, Japan, Israel/Palestine, and recently in Iraq. She has also visited Latin America as the guest of Nobel Laureate Aldolfo Perez Esquivel, whom she first nominated for the Peace Prize. A selection of her writings: "The vision of Peace - Faith and Hope in Northern Ireland" edited by John Dear, S.J., was recently published by Orbis Books. Mairead can be contacted at : Fredheim, 224 Lisburn Road, Belfast. Northern Ireland. BT96GE. Info at peacepeople.com

 

DIE INTERNATIONALE LIGA FÜR MENSCHENRECHTE IM GEISTE VON CARL VON OSSIETZKY
http://www.ilmr.de
Die Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte arbeitet auf der Grundlage der Allgemeinen Erklärung der Menschenrechte von 1948, der Europäischen Menschenrechtskonvention von 1950 und den beiden UN-Pakten von 1966. Sie betrachtet die Menschenrechte als universell und unteilbar. Ihr Menschenrechtsbegriff umfaßt gleichberechtigt die bürgerlich-politischen, sozialen, wirtschaftlichen und kulturellen Schutz- und Teilhaberechte - unabhängig von Herkunft, Geschlecht, Hautfarbe, Religion oder politischer Überzeugung.
Als Nicht-Regierungsorganisation handelt die Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte unabhängig von staatlichen und nichtstaatlichen Institutionen. Ihre vorrangige Aufgabe sieht die Liga darin, eine kritische Öffentlichkeit herzustellen und Druck auf Regierungen und EntscheidungsträgerInnen zu erzeugen. Sie organisiert oder beteiligt sich an Demonstrationen, Mahnwachen und Unterschriftenkampagnen, veranstaltet Lesungen, Seminare und Podiumsdiskussionen, veröffentlicht Broschüren und Bücher und leistet Beiträge in den Medien. Dabei wendet sie sich gegen die Rücknahme rechtsstaatlicher Errungenschaften im Straf- und Polizeirecht, fordert die Wiederherstellung des uneingeschränkten Grundrechts auf Asyl und den Erlaß eines Antidiskriminierungsgesetzes. Sie betrachtet den Kampf gegen Rechtsextremismus nicht allein als Aufgabe von Polizei und Justiz, sondern als eine gesamtgesellschaftliche. Ihren Beitrag dazu leistet sie durch Aufklärung, Sensibilisierung und durch die aktive Auseinandersetzung mit der deutschen Geschichte. Die Liga untersucht die Bedeutung von NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organisations) unter den Bedingungen der Globalisierung und sucht nach neuen Wegen für die Durchsetzung der Menschenrechte. Außerdem beleuchtet die Liga regelmäßig in Veranstaltungen die Menschenrechtslage in anderen Ländern.
Die Arbeit wird von sechs Ausschüssen, vom Vorstand und einem freiwilligen Bürodienst geleistet. Die Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte wird ausschließlich durch Mitgliedsbeiträge und Spenden finanziert. Jede und jeder kann Mitglied werden und aktiv für Bürger- und Menschenrechte arbeiten. Es gibt folgende Ausschüsse: antifaschistischer Ausschuss: Aktive Auseinandersetzung mit der deutschen Geschichte, Abwehr rassistischer und neonazistischer Tendenzen, Mitarbeit in der Berliner Friedensbewegung. Behindertenpolitischer Ausschuss: Aktive Lobbyarbeit für die Rechte von Menschen mit Behinderungen. Eine-Welt-Ausschuss: Beobachtung von Menschenrechtsverletzungen, Eintreten für die Rechte der hier lebenden MigrantInnen und Flüchtlinge, Arbeitsgruppen zu einzelnen Ländern. Iran-Ausschuss.
Beobachtung von Menschenrechtsverletzungen im Iran, Eintreten für die Rechte der hier lebenden MigrantInnen und Flüchtlinge. Rechtsausschuss: Beobachtung von Entwicklungen in der Rechtspolitik, Aktivitäten für eine Reform des Staatsangehörigkeitsrechts und für die Einführung eines Antidiskriminierungsgesetzes, Beiträge zur Debatte um die ökonomische Globalisierung und Menschenrechte. Sinti und Roma-Ausschuss: Einsatz für die Verwirklichung der Menschen- und Bürgerrechte von Sinti und Roma in der BRD. Öffentlichkeitsarbeit für die Realisation des zentralen Mahnmals für die NS-Opfer der Sinti und Roma Europas im Zentrum Berlins.
Die Wurzeln der Internationalen Liga für Menschenrechte reichen zurück bis 1914. In diesem Jahr wurde der Bund Neues Vaterland gegründet, der sich für Völkerverständigung und die sofortige Beendigung des deutschen Angriffskrieges einsetzte. Ab 1922 nannte sich der Bund Deutsche Liga für Menschenrechte, um die zunehmende Kooperation mit der französischen Liga für Menschenrechte zu unterstreichen. Bis zum Verbot im März 1933 engagierte sich die Deutsche Liga für Menschenrechte für die Sicherung der in der Weimarer Reichsverfassung festgelegten demokratischen Rechte. Sie warnte vor dem erstarkenden Militarismus und Faschismus.
Führende Mitglieder, unter ihnen der Liga-Vorsitzende und Herausgeber der “Weltbühne” Carl von Ossietzky, gehörten zu den ersten Opfern der nationalsozialistischen Herrschaft: Sie wurden verfolgt, verhaftet, aus Deutschland vertrieben oder mit Berufsverbot belegt. Wer konnte, setzte im Exil den Kampf für die Menschenrechte und gegen den deutschen Faschismus fort. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg gründeten Mitglieder der früheren Liga in Berlin die Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte im Geiste von Carl von Ossietzky neu. In den Nachkriegsjahrzehnten standen vor allem der Ausbau der Bürgerrechte, die Demokratisierung des NS-Nachfolgerstaats BRD und die Aufarbeitung der NS-Geschichte im Mittelpunkt der Liga-Arbeit.

 

FURTHER PARTICIPANTS INFO
Fanny-Michaela Reisin is a professor for computer science at the Technische Fachhochschule Berlin. In November 2003 she founded the „Jüdische Stimme für gerechten Frieden in Nahost", that is the German section of the "European Jews for a Just Peace". In April 2008, Fanny-Michaela Reisin was elected president of the International League for Human Rights.

 

Ekkehart Krippendorff is a German scholar of Political Science and a peace researcher. His website is http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~kpdff/ Since 1978 he was professor for Political Science and North American Politics at the John F. Kennedy-Institut at the FU Berlin. He also was a guest professor at several universities abroad. He is emeritus since 1999. Ekkehart Krippendorff is one of the pioneers of Peace Studies. Since the 1980s he also analyzes political contents in works of literature and opera. More (in German) at http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekkehart_Krippendorff

 

Eva Quistorp is co-founder and activist of the German peace, womens and ecology movements. She co-founded the Green party in Germany and was a member of the European Parliament. She also is co-founder/co-organizer of several groups like the "Women for Peace" and active in the Berlin peace and eco-scene. More (in German) at http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Quistorp

 

Halima Alaiyan is a medical doctor and lives in Berlin. She founded the Talat Alaiyan Foundation http://www.talat-alaiyan.de/ - named after her late son - and brings children and youths from Palestine and Israel together. She organizes encounters in Germany between Palestinians, Israelis, and Germans. These meetings serve the purpose of understanding between nations and of peace. In 2009 she received the Federal Merit Cross for her work.

 

Anis Hamadeh writes texts and songs and paints. He translated the Nonkilling book into German and participated int he first Global Nonkilling Leadership Academy in Hawaii in October 2009. He studied Islamic Studies and authored "Islam für Kids" (in German, 2007). Websites: www.anis-online.de and www.nonkilling.de