环球英语 — 99：Non-Violent Protest
Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for Spotlight. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special method of broadcasting. It is easier to understand no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
In 1930 Mahatma Gandhi changed the country of India. He did this by walking over three hundred [300] kilometres to the sea and making salt.
Today’s Spotlight is on non-violent protest.
Voice 2
Salt is very important to people. People use salt to keep food fresh. They need salt in their bodies to live. Over seventy-five [75] years ago, salt also changed the country of India. For over one hundred [100] years, India was a British colony. The British government ruled over India. But the British government made the people of India pay a lot of money for salt. The government put a high tax on salt in India.
Voice 1
It was usual for people to make their own salt. People also bought locally produced salt. It did not cost a lot of money. The British government made it illegal for people in India to make their own salt. The government forced people to buy government approved and taxed salt. They punished people who did not follow the salt laws. The police would take people’s salt away. Police would even put people in jail for up to six months for breaking the salt laws.
Voice 2
Mohandas Gandhi did not think that this tax was fair. He wanted India to be its own country. He did not want to be ruled by the British government any longer. But Gandhi did not want to use violence to gain freedom. He wanted to change people’s minds. He wanted them to understand that India needed to be free. He decided to do something about the problem.
Voice 1
On March 2 1930, Gandhi sent a letter to Lord Irwin, the British colony leader of India. He asked Lord Irwin to stop the salt tax. Gandhi said that if Lord Irwin did not listen, Gandhi would not pay the salt tax.
Voice 2
Eleven days later, Gandhi and seventy-eight [78] other people started walking to the salty waters of the Arabian Sea in protest. They had many kilometres to travel. As they walked through cities and villages, more people joined them. The group of people walking became large. Soon, thousands of people were marching to the sea. The line of people stretched more than two hundred [200] kilometres. They all wanted to end the salt tax.
Voice 1
After walking for twenty-three [23] days, the group of people reached the sea in the city of Dandi. Gandhi bent down and gathered some dirt and salt in his hand. He raised it above his head and shouted, “With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British empire.” He then boiled the dirt and salt in seawater and made something illegal. He made salt. He encouraged other people to make their own salt. This is known as the “Salt March to Dandi.”
Voice 2
After the march, the police arrested many people. They arrested Gandhi too. But the march did not fail. This non-violent protest encouraged people in India to use non-violence to fight for their freedom. Gandhi protested many times. Every protest was non-violent. People all around the world have followed Gandhi’s example of non-violent protest.
Voice 1
Gandhi inspired Erion Viliaj. Erion saw problems in his country, Albania. He saw that the Albanian people blamed the country’s problems on the old Soviet Union government. He found that people did not want to work for change. Erion wanted to do something to solve the problems. In 2003 Erion formed a group named Mjaft.
Voice 2
Mjaft is an Albanian word for “enough”. The members of this group have had enough of the problems in their communities. Mjaft wants to make positive changes in Albania. They want people to become more involved in the Albanian government. Mjaft uses protest to teach people about the problems in Albania. They use protests to change the problem.
Voice 1
In Albania, protests have often been violent. Many protest groups around the world use an image of a fist or closed hand to represent their group. They use an image of a fist to show that their group uses force or power to change things. But Mjaft uses the image of a red open hand. They use this image to show that they want to change things with peace. They want the government and the citizens to work together, not to fight. Mjaft uses protests, but they are not violent.
Voice 2
Mjaft protests in new and creative ways. Once, Mjaft protested telephone companies because of an unfair price increase. The group spread toilet paper on the telephone company’s property. People use toilet paper to clean human waste. When the Albanian government reduced the amount of money given to education, Mjaft protested again. They walked a donkey around the parliament building. They put a sign on the donkey. The sign said “Ignorance is cheap.” Mjaft used the sign on the donkey to communicate with the government. Mjaft said that education may cost a lot. But without education, people will lack important knowledge and skills.
Voice 1
These strange protests have helped the group become more popular. Newspapers often write about the group because of their protests. The newspaper articles help Mjaft spread information about their group.
Voice 2
Mjaft has made a difference in Albania. Mjaft has caused the government to give more money to education three [3] times. They have caused the power company to lower its rates. Mjaft has also helped to educate people about voting for government officials.
Voice 1
Many people in Albania are happy that Mjaft exists. Here is what some citizens have to say:
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“[Mjaft] sees that something is not right. They raise their voices. It is a good thing.”
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“The work is very important here. We need them here.”
Voice 1
Edi Rama, is the mayor of Tirana, the Albanian capital. He believes that Mjaft will be an important part of Albania’s future.
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“[For me today], Mjaft is the representation of hope for the future of this country.”
Voice 2
But Mjaft is not just popular in Albania. Groups all around the world support Mjaft’s work. Western countries have donated half a million dollars to the group. The United Nations has given Mjaft an award for the work that they are doing.
Voice 1
Mjaft is changing Albania. It is improving the way the country works. It has encouraged citizens to work for change in their country. It has reached many of its goals by using non-violent protest. Mjaft understands the power of people working together towards change. Gandhi also understood the power of cooperation. Are there problems in your community? Who can you cooperate with to solve these problems? Will you use peace and non-violence to reach your goals?
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