This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
Imprisoned four times in 1922, 1930, 1933 and 1942, he hunger struck in protest. His world stature made Britain loathe to let him die. He used Satyagraha, a philosophy of nonviolent resistance. For Gandhi, it went beyond passivity. He said:
"Truth (satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force. I began to call the Indian movement Satyagrapha, that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or nonviolence, and gave up the use of the phrase 'passive resistance,' in connection with it, so much so that even in English writing we often avoided it and used instead the word 'satyagraha' itself or some other equivalent English phase."He also stressed patience and said "vindication of truth (comes) not by infliction of suffering on the opponent, but on oneself."
Numerous Palestinians also hunger struck in protest. Some didn't survive. They include Abdel Qader Abu Elfahm (1970), Rasem Abu Elhalawak (1980), Rasem Ali Jaafari (1980), Mamoud Fritkh (1984), and Hussein Nemr Obaidat (1992).
Palestinian hunger strikes began in 1968 in Nablus Prison. Protesting against abusive and humiliating treatment, it lasted three days. Numerous others followed. Some include:
- 1969 in Ramleh Prison for 11 days;
- 1969 in Kfar Yona detention center for 8 days;
- 1970 in Nevi Tirza Prison for 9 days, involving female prisoners;
- 1970 in Asqalan Prison for 7 days;
- 1973 in Asqalan Prison for 25 days;
- 1976 in Asqalan Prison for 45 days, then renewed in 1977 for 20 days;
- 1980 in Nafhah Prison for 32 days;
At the time, other incarcerated Palestinians participated supportively. Israeli authorities tried forcing liquids into strikers. Two deaths resulted - Ali Al-Ja'fari and Rasim Halawah.
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
