EDITORIAL: NON-VIOLENCE STRATEGY CAN, INDEED, WORK WELL
Today, October 2, is International Day of Non-Violence (IDN-V), which is celebrated and otherwise marked by member countries of the United Nations Organisation (UN) across the world. The Day was so proclaimed following a Resolution of the United Natio General Assembly (UN-GA) in 2007 with the aim of spreading the message of non-violence through education and public awareness campaigns around the world.
IDN-V is not a public holiday… Also, it must not be confused with the International Day of Peace-cum-World Peace Day: another United Nations-sanctioned holiday observed annually on September 21 – and which is dedicated to world peace; specifically: the absence of war and violence…
If nothing else, the UN-GA Resolution on the International Day of Non-Violence reflected universal respect for Mahatma (Mohandas Karamchand) Gandhi and his philosophy of non-violent resistance. Gandhi’s date of birth, October 2 (1869), was therefore selected as the IDN-V date – and the Day was formally observed first on October 2, 2007.
Generally, nonviolent resistance (NVR) is the practice of achieving goals such as social change through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political non-cooperation, ‘satyagraha’ and other methods – but without necessarily being violent or criminal about it. This type of action highlights the desire(s) of an individual or a group of persons who feel that something needs to change so as to improve current conditions.
In a sense, non-violent resistance is not all that much far-removed from passive or civil resistance/disobedience, which dates back to the days of Mohism in China (470-391BCE)…
But, non-violence strategy and tactics by the independence movement of the Indian National Congress, spearheaded by Mahatma Gandhi, did finally secure India’s political independence from British rule in 1947. Today, India is the world’s sixth-biggest economy in GDP terms… And Tanzania, known for its political stability, is also on the up and up.
If nothing else, this demonstrates that the non-violence strategy does indeed work.
HAPPY PREMIER LEAGUE
The new Tanzania Mainland Premier League season officially started last Monday, with some clubs recording wins, draws or losses at different stadia across the land – but all seeking to represent their country at the next African Champions League.
This is a journey of not less than eight months as the 16 Premier League clubs seek top honours in the football stakes.
Tanzania Mainland was initially represented by four clubs at the African Championships – only three of which are still in the running after Young Africans SC were eliminated in the early stages.
The three are Simba SC, Azam FC and Biashara Mara United, all of which have qualified for the second preliminary round of the continental club championships.
Unlike in the past, the start of the new league season has not been marred by complaints against match-referring – which, we hope, will be the case throughout the matches of the new league.
To that noble end, we plead with the match officiators to remain above board at all times, always enforcing Fifa’s 17 rules on football under the watchful supervision of the Tanzania Football Federation, the Tanzania Premier League Board and other regulators.
This would put the game foremost in the hearts and minds of sports lovers, sponsors and other well-wishers – to mutual benefits all-round.
