Personal decision-making for peace
24 April 2008
South African dockworkers defied their government, hired lawyers, and inspired Africans to say ‘no’ to weapons and war.
Starting 17 April 2008, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), representing dockworkers and transporters, refused to unload the container ship An Jue Yiang because the cargo was weapons, although the government had given the ship’s captain a permit for the Port of Durban.
The South African Litigation Centre, which promotes human rights and rule of law, took the matter to court, and the Durban High Court ruled the weapons could not be moved through South Africa. The action quickly spread to the coastal countries of Angola, Mozambique, and Namibia. The An Jue Yiang was in limbo for a week before turning back to sea, presumably sailing for its homeport.
SATAWU refused to unload the container ship, other countries’ dockworkers took up the cause, and there are 77 tonnes fewer weapons on the African continent. Imagine what the global consequences for peace could be if people simply refused to produce, traffic, and transport weapons. Before this story, the very idea sounded naïve, like the song: “Last Night I had the Strangest Dream“. Perhaps it is not so impossible? What other decisions, taking a principled stand for peace, we could all make?
Deborah, I too was following this story with great interest. It demonstrates such power. There is power in those personal decisions and, backed by the judicial system, that power extended to other coastal nations. I wonder what other examples are out there of the power of decisions made in the name of peace and human rights. Anybody interested in starting a list?