The first whispers of the Tiananmen Square protests began in April 1989 when Hu Yaobang, the former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, died of a heart attack. As a beloved symbol of “anti-corruption and political reform”, Yaobang’s death revealed discontent felt by many Chinese citizens.
Asia
Woman’s Struggle for Peace: Okinawan Resistance to U.S. Militarism and the Fight for Justice
The ongoing presence of U.S. military bases in Okinawa has sparked enduring struggles, yet it is also a story of unyielding resistance. While the history of American occupation has been marred by violence and disregard for local communities, Okinawan women have consistently led the charge in advocating for peace, justice, and security for all. Despite numerous challenges, these women have built powerful networks of solidarity that continue to inspire global efforts toward a demilitarized future.
Spectacle and Nonviolent Struggles During the Vietnam War
It’s the late 1960s. A small, boxy television flickers on in the den just in time to catch the beginning of the nightly news. Like many nights before– and many to come– images of death and destruction from some far off communist country in Asia light up the room.
Bangladesh’s Political Unrest
Bangladesh’s Nationalist Party (BNP) has boycotted its January 7th election. The party is led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. This boycott has led Bangladesh to reelect its current leader, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s and her Awami League (AL), for a fourth consecutive five-year term.
The Fight in Iran Continues
The first anniversary of Jina Amini’s death just passed. On September 13, 2022, a woman by the name of Jina Amini, also known as “Mahsa,” was arrested by Iran’s morality police for “improperly” wearing her hijab.
May 4th, 1919: the Birthday of Modern China
For more than 2,000 years China was ruled by emperors. These men who commanded the country possessed absolute authority and governed by divine right. During this time, cycles of political struggle and war facilitated the rise and fall of dynasty after dynasty. Of course, no empire lasts forever, and in the autumn of 1911, the last Chinese dynasty (the Great Qing) was toppled by a coalition of revolutionaries.
People Power in the Philippines
February 2022 marks the 36th anniversary of the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) People Power Revolution in the Philippines, when the population overthrew dictator and kleptocrat Ferdinand Marcos and abolished the martial law implemented during his rule. However, history is at risk of repeating itself as Marcos’ son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., won the presidential elections in May 2022, marking the Marcos family’s return to Malacanang after 36 years.
The Final Flame: An Obituary to Venerable Thích Nhất Hạnh (1926-2022)
Dear Thay (as your students refer you ‘Master’)…
Nichidatsu Fujii: A Buddhist Pacifist?
Nichidatsu Fujii (1885-1985) was a Japanese Buddhist monk and peace activist who founded the Buddhist order Nipponzan Myōhōji in 1918. Nipponzan Myōhōji is a small lay and monastic order of about 1500 people that continues to be active to the present day, and scholars consider it to be one among Japan’s many new religious movements, albeit much smaller in terms of its size and scale than other groups in this category.
An Overview of Article 9 and Anti-War Protests in Contemporary Japan
Japan’s devastating defeat in World War II led many ordinary Japanese people to develop a general antipathy and aversion to war and militarism. Pacifism was enshrined in the famous Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, which states that Japan “forever renounce(s) war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.”