Session VII: Nonviolence Training Exercises For Sectors
SESSION VII
NONVIOLENCE TRAINING EXERCISES FOR SECTORS
PURPOSE OF THIS SESSION: To introduce participants to two practical nonviolence training exercises that they can use to prepare themselves for the kinds of hard choices and confrontations they may face in struggling against an attempted coup.
MATERIALS NEEDED: (1) Flip-chart stand; (2) Pad of newsprint; (3) magic markers
TIME: Approximately 3 hours
NOTE TO TRAINERS: If you do not have any experience in leading the two exercises described below, please practice them with a few friends before doing them in a large group. The exercises work best when led by someone who is thoroughly familiar with them.
INTRODUCTION (Trainers talk – 2 minutes)
1. Up until this point, we have mainly been thinking and planning about the most appropriate strategy and tactics to use in resisting and defeating coups.
2. In this session, we will do some exercises to give you a more realist feel for the kinds of situations you may actually confront as you try to carry out your strategies and tactics in the struggle against an attempted coup.
3. The value of these exercises is that, by putting ourselves imaginatively into a problem or conflict situation, we learn something that we do not learn by just discussing it. These exercises can:
a. Help us think through what each person must do to carry out a particular nonviolent tactic.
b. Help us analyze and test tactics to see if they are realistic.
c. Give us the confidence to remain calm and nonviolent and show goodwill, even in the face of hostility.
d. Develop solidarity and mutual confidence.
e. Help us anticipate crises or problem situations we may confront and think through solutions ahead of time.
4. We are going to use one sector, the mass media, as an example. Each of you needs to imagine, for the rest of the Session, that you are a journalist or broadcaster or technician in a mass media office confronted with a coup.
“QUICK DECISION-MAKING” EXERCISE (Trainer’s talk and group exercise -1 hour)
1. Trainer to group – Description of “Quick Decision-Making”
a. Explain purpose of Quick Decision-Making exercise:
i. Often in a conflict situation we have to make a decision quickly under pressure, but we need to consult with others and decide together.
ii. This exercise helps us to “get a feel” for that situation and to see how we function under time pressure.
iii. Often the exercise also gives us new insight into how to solve particular problems. Or it raises new questions that we need to consider.
b. Explain how Quick Decision-Making works:
i. You will be divided into small groups of 3 to 10 people, all in the same room.
ii. The trainer will give you a problem to resolve.
iii. You have two minutes to decide in your group how to resolve the problem.
iv. Then each small group will report back to the full group.
c. Give instructions for setting up the exercise
i. Have the participants divide into small groups of anywhere from 3 to 10 people.
ii. Stand where everyone can hear you.
iii. State one of the problems below. Ask the groups, “What would you do? “ or “How would you respond to this problem?”
iv. Remind the groups that they have just 2 minutes to come up with a solution.
v. Then ask each group to report on their discussion.
PROBLEMS TO POSE FOR THIS EXERCISE
1. Problems trainer will pose to groups (substitute with issues appropriate to the situation)
a. You are a group of editors at a major national newspaper. An attempted coup has begun. Your Managing Editor has just received a phone call from one of the coup leaders that you must publish a statement from the coup leaders that will be delivered to you within the hour. Failure to publish will be severely dealt with. What will you do?
b. You are the same group of editors. An armed group from the coup invades your office and announces that their representative is taking over the duties of Editor in Chief. Hereafter the coup leadership will determine what will be published. What will you do?
c. You are the employees of a city T.V. station. You have been broadcasting anti-coup information. You find that the coup has shut down electrical power to your section of the city, putting your station off the air.
BREAK: 10 minutes
MAINTAINING NONVIOLENCE (Trainer’s talk – 5 minutes)
1. Back in Session III, we discussed the advantages of nonviolent struggle. We also gave a definition of nonviolence. We said that nonviolent struggle combines a stance of resistance to injustice with an attitude of goodwill toward all opponents and willingness to suffer rather than to inflict suffering on others.
2. But how can we maintain this attitude of goodwill in the face of hostile opposition and death threats?
3. In this next set of exercises, we will put ourselves imaginatively into several conflict oriented situations. The challenge for the proponents of nonviolent resistance is to keep an attitude of calmness and goodwill toward their opponents even though they are being challenged forcefully.
4. Here are some thoughts on how to express this nonviolent attitude of goodwill.
a. Remember these principles of nonviolence:
i. Every human being has a sacred human dignity, no matter how brutally they may be acting at the moment. From a spiritual point of view, they are “made in God’s image.” Treating them with respect may encourage them to remember their own dignity and act more in accord with it.
ii. To show goodwill toward an opponent, to “love one’s enemy,” does not mean to have affectionate FEELINGS toward them. It is impossible to feel affectionate emotions toward someone who is threatening to hurt or kill you. “Goodwill” means to WILL the good. It is a conscious decision to act toward the other person in a calm and respectful manner, even though your EMOTIONS may be ones of anger or fear.
b. Express nonviolent goodwill in your “BODY LANGUAGE”
i. Try to keep calm and respectful EYE CONTACT with the other person.
ii. Keep your HANDS open, at your sides, or in another non-threatening position. Do not cross your arms defensively across your chest or make fists.
iii. Respect the other person’s SPACE. Getting too close or being right on top of the person can convey hostility and a prelude to attack. Being too far away can convey fear or an unwillingness to engage the other person.
iv. Use GESTURES and POSTURE that show that you are trying to be courteous, quiet, calm and peaceful.
c. Express nonviolent goodwill in what you SAY–your WORDS
i. If possible, INTRODUCE YOURSELF and ask the name of the other person. Offer to shake hands, if it seems appropriate. This can defuse tension and make things more personal and more human.
ii. LISTEN to the other person. It’s not necessary to respond immediately. Show respect by trying to find out why they are doing what they are doing.
iii. If you cannot think of what to say right away, it is fine just to listen sympathetically or to ask questions: “Can you tell me more?”
iv. ASK QUESTIONS that challenge the other while showing respect. For example: “I agree with you 100% that it is good to be patriotic, but how do you feel about democracy? Is this attempted coup not undermining democratic institutions?”
5. Think about how YOU will express nonviolent goodwill by word and action as we turn to our next exercise, “Hassle Lines.”
“HASSLE LINES” EXERCISE (Trainer’s talk and group exercise- 1 hour)
- Trainer to group- Description of “Hassle Line” exercise.
- Explain the purpose of Hassle Lines:
i. When we are involved in nonviolent struggle against an opponent, we are often in a situation where there is a lot going on around us, but we need to focus on the individual in front of us who is challenging us or asking us questions.
ii. Hassle lines simulate that situation and helps us to see how to respond creatively and nonviolently even in the midst of distractions and hostility.
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- Explain how the Hassle Lines exercise works:
i. Everyone will divide into two parallel lines, with each person facing a “partner” directly across from them.
ii. Each person in one line will be in a one-on-one “hassle” with his or her partner in the other line.
iii. The trainer will give one “role” to one line, and another “role” to the other line. The trainer will give each line 30 seconds to “get into” their role-to think how to play the role.
iv. When the trainer gives the signal, each person will play the assigned role with the “partner” directly across from them.
v. The trainer will call “Stop” after a few minutes and then lead an evaluation.
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- Give instructions for setting up the exercise.
i. Ask everyone to stand up and move any furniture out of the way. Then, form 2 parallel lines, with each person facing a “partner” directly across from them.
ii. Call one line “Line A” and the other “Line B.”
iii. Ask each person to reach across the line to make sure that everyone has a partner. LINE A LINE B LINE A LINE B TRAINER:
iv. Explain again what will happen: “I am going to give one role to Line A and a different role to Line B. Then I will give everyone 30 seconds to get into his or her roles. When I say ‘Start!’ you should play your assigned role with your partner. When I say ‘Stop!’ everyone should stop playing their role and raise their hands as a signal for quiet.”
v. Say: “It is natural to be a little nervous and to relieve tension by laughing. But try to play your role as seriously and realistically as possible. Think about what you are going to say and how you are going to express your feelings through your tone of voice and gestures. If your role calls for anger, for example, use an angry tone of voice and make angry gestures. The more real-to-life the role-play, the more we can learn from it.”
- Run the exercise.
- Give clear instructions to each line as to the role they are to play. (See “situations to Pose for the Hassle Lines” at the end of this session.)
- Give participants 30 seconds to get into their roles.
- Give the “Start!” signal.
- Observe what happens:
i. Let the participants play their roles for about 2 or 3 minutes. Do not cut it short, but do not let it drag out too long either. Let people have several good exchanges back and forth.
ii. Walk along the outside of the lines and observe carefully what the players are doing and saying. Make mental notes especially of those participants whose words and actions show strong feeling or a creative nonviolent approach.
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- Stop the action. Say “Stop!” and remind people to raise their hands as a signal for quiet. (You may need to walk between the lines to get people to stop playing their roles. Sometime people get so involved that they do not want to stop.)
- Evaluate what happened:
i. The purpose of the evaluation is to help people learn from what has happened and what makes for effective nonviolent communication in the midst of distractions and hostility.
ii. Questions the trainer might ask to help participants evaluate and learn from what happened:
1. To everyone: “What was it like to play your roles? How did it feel to play this role?”
2. To the nonviolent resister: “How did it feel to have your partner approach you with such anger? Was it difficult to maintain an attitude of nonviolent goodwill in the face of such hostility? What did you try to do or say to show calmness and respect for the other person? What seemed to work? What felt difficult?”
3. To the attacker: “Did your partner express nonviolence in words or body language in a way that made a positive impression on you? Did they do or say anything that made you less hostile? Was there anything they could have done to get through to you?”
4. Almost inevitably, this kind of exchange will draw out of the participants many ideas for effective nonviolent behavior. The “nonviolent resister” may not have realized they were being effective until they hear the “attacker” say, “My partner looked very calm, kept eye contact with me, and asked me good questions in a friendly manner. I could feel myself softening, even though I did not show it.”
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- Ask generally: “What did you learn from this experience?”
SITUATIONS TO POSE FOR THE “HASSLE LINES” EXERCISE
- Everyone in LINE A and B is an employee of a prominent daily newspaper. The paper has just received word that a coup has begun. Those in Line A have been trained in nonviolent methods for resisting coups. They want to make immediate preparations to oppose the coup. Those in Line B would like to resist, but have not thought about how resistance could be carried out. They are very skeptical that anything effective can be done. They need to be convinced that resistance is possible. The purpose of Line A is to convince Line B that resistance is needed and to begin thinking about what needs to be done. The purpose of Line B is to raise every possible objection to the ideas of Line A, because Line B does not see what can be done to oppose the coup effectively.
- Everyone in Lines A and B are employees of a major radio station. An attempted coup has begun. The manager has just called all the employees together. He says that he has just received an order over the phone from a representative of the coup saying that the station must not broadcast anything against the coup. If it does so, it will be occupied by armed force and resisting employees will be severely punished. The manager wants the employee’s opinion on what the station should do. The people in Line A are frightened by the coup’s threats and are afraid to resist. Those in Line B are determined to resist the coup. The purpose of Line A is to convince Line B that resistance is dangerous and futile and that it is better to go along with the demands of the coup. Their fear can make Line A people angry and defensive. The purpose of Line B is to convince Line A that resistance is necessary and possible; it can be successful.
- The people in Line A are editors at a TV station. Those in Line B are representatives of the coup, backed up by an armed military unit, who have invaded the station. They are angrily demanding that the TV station put on the air a spokesman for the coup to make a statement justifying the coup. The purpose of Line B is to have their demand carried out immediately. The purpose of Line A is to resist this demand through nonviolent non-cooperation.
- The scene is a prominent magazine. The people in Line A are an armed group from the coup who have invaded the magazine office and announced that they are taking it over and will hereafter decide what will and will not be published. Their purpose is to take over the magazine. Those in Line A are the managing editors at the magazine. Their purpose is to resist this take-over nonviolently.
