Minds of the Movement
An ICNC blog on the people and power of civil resistance
Women activists at the ceremony organized after their release from prison. They were welcomed home as heroines with music, songs, dancing, and speeches, and several were moved to tears. The arrest was meant to frighten them into silence; they came out ready to keep going.
After my release from prison following an arbitrary and unjust detention lasting nearly four months, I began my journey of learning about nonviolent struggle at the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC). It was during this training that I discovered and learned the “Backfire” tactic. Since then, it has become an integral part of my approach to activism, as well as that of RADDE, the citizen movement I lead that advocates for freedom, justice, and democracy in Djibouti.
In his book The Fundamentals of Backfire: When an Act Backfires on Its Perpetrator, Brian Martin explains that any injustice or violation of social norms can backfire on its perpetrator by generating increased support or visibility for the target. That is precisely what the backfire strategy is all about: achieving the opposite effect of what oppressors expect. When an act of repression is perceived as unjust and becomes widely visible, it can backfire on its perpetrators and strengthen those they sought to crush. In this article, I will share two concrete examples that illustrate the backfire effect in practice. These examples come from my personal experience and from RADDE, the nonviolent social movement I lead, which advocates for freedom, justice, and democracy in Djibouti.
The Downfall of the Powerful Police Chief
In 2022, I was personally threatened with arrest, torture, death, and the disappearance of my body. In a telephone conversation between the President of Djibouti and his powerful police chief, the contents of which were leaked to the press, the President ordered my arrest, the falsification of my identity, and my torture, and threatened to shoot me in the head. The feared head of the national police expressed his readiness to carry out the orders, assuring that my body would disappear.
Although I was shocked by this very real death threat, I seized upon the President’s act of repression against me. Instead of succumbing to the threat or allowing myself to be paralyzed by fear, I turned the threat back on my tormentors. Paraphrasing Hardy Merriman, a professor, president of the ICNC on the strategy of nonviolent civil resistance, and author of several books, I focused on using my skills to influence what I could control rather than dwelling on the circumstances. Surrounded by my supporters, I posted a video on social media in which I denounced the threats against me.
My video fueled the debate over the wiretapping scandal in the country and sparked widespread outrage. International media picked up on this despicable outburst by the President of Djibouti. In response, the ruling regime immediately sought a scapegoat: the powerful police chief was dismissed from his post and imprisoned. The death threat intended to silence me had instead forced my attackers into a corner.
Welcome Ceremony for Three Female Activists Released from Prison
Around the world, prison is all too familiar to activists and social movements. It is one of the primary coercive measures that authoritarian regimes use without restraint against those who fight against injustices and violations of fundamental rights and freedoms.
In 2023, three female singers who were members of our movement were arrested the day after the conclusion of a nonviolent campaign against the high cost of living and for higher wages for employees, including members of the defense and security forces. They had done nothing wrong. They had simply danced and sung in military fatigues as part of a humorous skit. Nevertheless, they were held in detention for more than 100 days in an attempt to intimidate them, discredit them, and dampen civic mobilization within our ranks.
On the day our three activists were released, we turned this attempt at intimidation into motivation to continue the struggle. We organized a grand welcome ceremony in their honor featuring music, songs, dancing, and speeches. Welcomed as heroines, tears streamed down the faces of our deeply moved and joyful activists. They had not expected such a warm and grand reception. This celebration energized our grassroots activists; one excited activist even asked me a question that has stayed with me: “Mr. President, when will I, too, be imprisoned?” Through this backfire effect, we demonstrated not only that our three activists had not been broken by their detention, but also that this ordeal had strengthened nonviolent activism and overall resilience within our ranks.
As these two examples show, "backfire" is a powerful tactic that can break the chains of fear, inspire hope, and yield encouraging results against acts of retaliation. This strategy must play a central role in any movement constantly exposed to state repression, requiring careful preparation, planning, and methodical execution. Acquiring basic knowledge, setting clear objectives, understanding the operational environment, and continually assessing the situation are all essential factors for success. It is not merely a matter of reacting, but of proactively creating conditions so that every act of repression backfires on its perpetrators. To die rather than kill has been and remains my mindset. I am a nonviolent fighter for freedom, justice, and democracy, and backfire will remain a key weapon for me and the movement I lead.
