A world without violence

When the Yemenis endured dictatorship, corruption, poverty and unemployment for years, Tawakkol Karman initiated a peaceful revolution against the powerful regime back in 2007.

An outspoken journalist and human rights activist, she began the anti-government protest movement, agitating for press freedoms and staging weekly sit-ins to demand the release of journalists and political prisoners from jail.

“Every Tuesday, we used to stage a sit-in in front of the cabinet, calling for freedom,” said Karman, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, as she shared her life story and struggle at a discussion programme yesterday.

There was a pin drop silence as the packed audience was spellbound listening to how bravely she fought her battles and continued the peaceful movement against the rule of Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The regime threatened the protesters with bullets, but they responded with flags of peace, she said. “In our entire journey, we carried the flag of peace.”

Tawakkol Karman along with two other female Nobel Peace laureates -- Mairead Maguire and Shirin Ebadi -- shared their stories at the discussion titled, “Of life and struggle” organised by Naripakkho, an organisation working on women's rights, at Bangladesh Krishibid Institution.

All the three Nobel laureates called for an end to violence and a world free from militarism and war.

Karman founded “Women Journalists without Chains” that defends human rights and freedom of expression.

“My organisation played a big role in the struggle for women's rights, freedom of speech and democracy in Yemen,” she said.

She said it was their relentless effort that finally led to the resignation of Saleh.

At the discussion, Shirin Ebadi also narrated her struggle against the government.

After finishing her law school, she became the first female judge of Iran and served as the president of the city court of Tehran.

But soon after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, she was dismissed from that position and made a clerk in the court that she had presided over. “It was very painful for me to lose a job I love,” she said.

Shirin, however, was undeterred.

She began her own law firm and took up the struggle for fundamental human rights, especially the rights of women and children. She wrote several books on human rights and laws. As she earned more fame, the more hostile the government became towards her.

“To silence me, the government arrested my husband and sister. They sent me a message that if I keep quiet, my husband and sister would be released.”

“But I love truth and I was not going to be silent. I continued my work,” she said.

Then the government took away the assets she inherited.

“They again told me that 'If you remain silent, we will give back your belongings'. But I replied I don't need any wealth. I continued talking.”

“I am so happy that I'm the messenger of my people,” Shirin said amid applause.

She said Iranian people do not want a dictatorial rule and also oppose the country's intervention in Yemen and Lebanon. “I'm positive that Iranian people will achieve democracy very soon,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mairead Maguire described how her life had changed after three of her sister's children were killed during the violence between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.

She organised demonstrations among others, calling for a non-violent end to the conflict.

In 1976, when she began her movement, 90 percent of them were women and together, they marched for peace.

Mairead stressed the need for spending on the betterment of humanity not wars.

Militarism does not work, she said. She called for dialogues and negotiations even with the perceived enemies and finding a solution together.

“Let us make the world free from violence…” and commit to disarmament, she said. Mairead hoped that the science of war would be replaced with the science of peace.

Touching upon the Rohingya issue, Mairead said they look for hope when they see the Rohingya tragedy as well as other tragedies around the world.

“But then we see the people of Bangladesh opening their country and their hearts to one million Rohingya refugees.” It is an inspiration to all of us around the world, she said.