Le projet Nouvelles Tactiques pour les droits humains est à la recherche de gens et d'organismes intéressés, compétents et équipés pour prêter main-forte à la traduction des documents et du contenu de notre site vers d'autres langues que l'anglais. Quiconque souhaiterait s'occuper d'une section ou une autre de notre site web est prié de communiquer avec nous à l'adresse suivante : newtactics [at] cvt [dot] org. Merci.

Protest fast / hunger strike resources in NYC area
Syndiquer le contenu
Portrait de eidos
Posted January 9th, 2012 by eidos
Version imprimableVersion imprimableEnvoyer à un amiEnvoyer à un ami

I am seeking out people who have engaged in protest fasts and or hunger strikes and legal and medical personnel experienced in first hand support to fasts/fasters/hunger strikers. I am especially interested in resources in the NYC/Northeast Corridor area. 


Please feel free to contact me through the New Tactics site. Thanks very much.

    Options d'affichage des commentaires

    Sélectionnez la méthode d'affichage des commentaires que vous préférez, puis cliquez sur "Sauvegarder les paramètres" pour activer vos changements.
    Portrait de kantin

    What is the impact of hunger strikes?

    Submitted by kantin on mar, 01/10/2012 - 08:53.

    Thank you for posting your question to the New Tactics community, Jane!  As a community of practitioners interested in talking about tactics and strategy, I would be interested in hearing more about the context in which this tactic might be used.  What is the goal of this strike?  Of couse, if you don't feel comfortable talking about tactics that are being used as we speak, I certainly understand.  It would be great to hear from others about the impact that such tactics can have - both on their goals, targets and strategies, but also on the protesters. 

    New Tactics is familiar with a coalition of human rights groups in Mongolia that had been employing hunger strikes as a tactic to effect change in their strategic situation.  The coalition was working to improve the situation for the disabled in Mongolia.  Not only was their tactic harmful to their supporters, but it was not effective.  When they were encouraged (by Amnesty International Mongolia) to explore other tactics they were able to innovate and implement an impactful demonstration that led to media attention and stronger grassroots support.  You'll find more information on this example in our Stories of Impact section.

    Are there other stories out there about the impact of hunger strikes?  What makes a tactic like this successful?

    Kristin Antin, New Tactics Online Community Builder

    Portrait de npearson

    hunger strike tactics within campaigns

    Submitted by npearson on mar, 01/10/2012 - 10:37.

    Thank you so much for your post and question.

    I would like to recommend two organizations and sites that might be able to provide you with information on the two areas that you mentioned regarding hunger strikes:

    • people who used hunger strikes (these are more related to case studies from the past and present that could provide you with additional insights regarding how useful and effective hunger strikes might be for the situation you are considering; and

    A very recent example of a hunger strike related to pushing anti-corruption legislation in India can be found here:

    http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1147494/1/.html

    Additional historical cases of hunger strikes can be found on the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict website which also has informaton about how hunger strikes have been used in the context of movements and campaigns.

    General Search on "hunger strikes" resulted in many references:
    http://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/component/search/hunger%2Bstrikes?ordering=&searchphrase=all

    Specifically used in campaigns:
    http://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/movements-and-campaigns/movements-and-campaigns-summaries?catid=19

    For more information contact:
    International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
    P.O. Box 18218
    Washington, DC 20006
    office: USA + 202-416-4720
    email: icnc (at) nonviolent-conflict.org

    • professionals willing to monitor those carrying out a hunger strike

    Physicians for Human Rights may be a good best to start to discuss how professionals can be engaged to monitor hunger strikers.

    http://physiciansforhumanrights.org/

    For information contact: Physicians for Human Rights
    National Office
    2 Arrow Street Suite 301
    Cambridge, MA 02138
    Tel: +1.617.301.4200

    Washington Office
    1156 15th Street, NW Suite 1001
    Washington, DC 20005
    Tel: +1.202.728.5335

    Nancy Pearson, New Tactics in Human Rights Training Manager

    Portrait de eidos

    Thank you Nancy, especially

    Submitted by eidos on mar, 01/10/2012 - 12:56.

    Thank you Nancy, especially for suggesting Physicians for Human Rights. I will call them and explore the links you posted. 


     

    Jane Mills

    Portrait de eidos

    I've been away, come back and

    Submitted by eidos on ven, 02/03/2012 - 21:35.

    I've been away, come back and have been perusing the library at nonviolent-conflict.org. It is set up nicely in categories. You can pull up the category of hunger strikes or freedom of expression and find books, articles and summaries of protests that involved either that tactic or that issue. Really nicely put together.

    I am beginning to believe that in studying protest fasts all roads lead to Gandhi.

    I have never had to study this topic so closely to get down to the "how to" nitty gritty or protest fasts. 

    Kantin, I would love to discuss the questions you raised, the context, the question of whether to plan such an action. I would like to contact you off the board for advice on whether or how best to present it on the board.

    Jane Mills

    Login or register to subscribe to receive email notifications for this dialogue.