Financial Times prints letters correcting false assertions about ICNC and recent nonviolent movements

On June 16, the Financial Times published a story by Guy Dinmore ("Opposition exiles train in 'non-violent conflict' tactics") which mischaracterized the work of ICNC, and contained serious factual errors about recent people power movements. On June 29 it published two letters of correction, one from ICNC and another from a key activist in Georgia's nonviolent Rose Revolution, which are reproduced below, with links.

Democratic views akin to Lincoln's, by Jack DuVall

Emerging democracies not reliant on west, By Giorgi Meladze

Democratic views akin to Lincoln's
By Jack DuVall
Published: June 29 2005 03:00 | Last updated: June 29 2005 03:00

Guy Dinmore's article "Opposition exiles train in 'non-violent conflict' tactics" (June 16) claims that the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict has trained Iranian opposition exiles in the US. This has never occurred. The article also erroneously characterised the workshops in which we are involved as "secretive" and unfairly implied that our "democratic credentials" are questionable.

The Center's mission is educational: to disseminate to teachers, citizens and activists throughout the world the knowledge of how civilian-based, non-violent resistance can be used to campaign for democracy, justice and human rights. We do that by helping to develop, and by distributing, documentary films, books and instructional curricula.

Contrary to the impression created by the article, we do not advocate "regime change" in any country, nor do we give political advice to activists to further such aims. External assistance is not necessary for "people power" to work. Only indigenous, civilian-based movements can devise non-violent strategies that will succeed in dissolving oppression.

As for our views about democracy, they are identical to those of Abraham Lincoln: "Allow all the governed an equal voice in the government, and that, and that only, is self-government." Everything our Center does is intended to help make that standard universal.

Jack DuVall, President ICNC

Emerging democracies not reliant on west
By Giorgi Meladze

Published: June 29 2005 03:00 | Last updated: June 29 2005 03:00

Guy Dinmore (June 16) suggests that somehow outside actors played the crucial role in underpinning and promoting non-violent civilian movements in Georgia (2003), Ukraine (2004) and Serbia (2000). This attitude suggests the view that societies of the newly emerging democracies are not capable of operating by themselves and actually doing anything without the interference and involvement of the west.

The revolutions Mr Dinmore talks about were derived from the national indignation and will of civil society to defend democracy and struggle against corrupt regimes and became possible due to thousands of people who came to the streets aiming to defend civil liberties rather than from western countries willing to change the ruling elite in a new sphere of influence.

The report that the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict played some kind of role in the Rose Revolution in Georgia is untrue. First, no one in the Georgian democracy movement had any contact with this organization before or during the Rose Revolution. And although Kmara (a Georgian youth non-violent movement modeled after Serbian Otpor) used some of the techniques and experiences of Otpor, the Liberty Institute, the key player in the Georgian Revolution, conducted the training of more than 800 young activists. These trainings were not secretive, but involved invited experts and journalists from around the country and was the subject of wide public debate.

Giorgi Meladze, Programme Director, Liberty Institute, Tbilisi 0108, Georgia