Struggle and Freedom

Illustrated by Paradise Now and A Long Way Gone


The Palestinians and the Israelis are among the many groups that are involved in a long standing and destructive conflict. The dynamics of this conflict are complex are range from the international involvement of the United States and the the U.N. to a cultural rift that spans back thousands of years. Amidst the complex interactions between all the major forces in this conflict one conclusion can be made. When violence and aggression is used as a way to forward an idea or agenda resistance and counter-violence is created. This develops into a cycle of violence that will feed upon itself without end.

In the film, Paradise Now, the character Khaled says that there can be no freedom without struggle. Given Khaled's role in the violence of the region, it can be inferred that “struggle” may have been referencing violence, particularly through suicide-bombing. Through the influence of Suha, Khaled then develops awareness that violent tactics only create violent reactions. This is further shown when he abandons the second mission at the end of the film. The term “struggle” can be defined two ways; actions of violence and actions of peaceful resistance. The statement that Khaled made is true. There can be no freedom without struggle. Given the destructive cycle of violence,  however, non-violent struggling breaks free from the endless violence and provides a chance for freedom and peace to be obtained.


The Israeli force is the result of a government. Through the traditional means of national organization and international backing beginning in 1948, the Israeli military became a stronger and more organized fighting force than the Palestinians. The Israeli Air Force is one of the regions strongest, and is competitive on an international level. Through the use of helicopters and fighter planes the Israelis can use rockets to attack the Palestinian groups from above. This is a distinct advantage over the Palestinians. In response to this, the Palestinians have resorted to an extreme tactics. Suicide bombings in public areas devastate communities and families on both sides. The Israelis loose young children and non violent members of society and the Palestinians loose young men and women who have cut their life short. The Israelis use their advanced technology in response to the suicide bombings and the Palestinians echo back with more bombings. This cycle is self-sustaining and the devastating effects are clear on both sides.


There is a similar dynamic that exists in Sierra Leone. Since becoming independent from the British in 1961, several competing groups have attempted to places themselves in power. The country has see several governmental bodies and experienced several coups from rebel military groups. The country has experienced high levels of governmental corruption and brutal and inhuman attacks from the anti-governmental groups. Just as in the Middle East, the cyclical and self-sustaining violence does not end in freedom, but rather in the continuation of violence.


The account of Ishmael Beah in the memoir, A long way gone, illustrates how the cycle of violence is perpetuated. Beah is portrayed as a thoughtful and peaceful boy who through pain and the horrors of war is transformed into a mindless soldier. One of the key forces that transformed Beah was the reinforcement of the idea of revenge. The leaders of the government militia used revenge as a way to inspire the boy soldiers to commit horrible acts. 


This vengeance is felt on both sides of the conflict and is the key force behind the circle of violence. Similar to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Government-R.U.F. Conflict in Sierra Leone is fought out of mutual revenge. Beah is told constantly by his commanding officer in the government militia that by killing the “rebels” they will never be able to kill anyone else's family. During Beah's rehabilitation he meets boy-soldiers from the Revolutionary United Front, the rebel force seeking to usurp the government. These R.U.F.  fighters have the same reasoning. The government militia should be killed so that villages are no longer pillaged for ammunition and food. The cycle of violence is sustained by both sides giving into vengeance against the other.


The examples in Sierra Leone and in the Middle East show that the violent method of “struggle” does not bring freedom but rather pushes freedom further out of reach and replaces it with imprisonment in a cycle of endless violence. Since freedom cannot be obtained through violent struggling,  peaceful struggling is the only method that will result in true freedom from both oppression and violence. 

There are many cases throughout history that show that peaceful struggle can result in freedom.  Without violence, the African-American population fought through deeply ingrained racial prejudice and obtained equal citizenship and freedom under the law of the United States of America. There were militant groups, such as the Black Panthers that sought to gain freedom through force but that movement was not nearly as successful as the peaceful protests in Birmingham and Washington D.C.  After more than one hundred years of peaceful struggling, the African-Americans rose out of slavery and became full and equal citizens.


During the British period of imperialism,  the native population of India was subjected to oppression from the local governors and military.  Violence resulted in the further oppression of the Indians as the British were superior in military strength and organization. The movement headed by Gandhi brought about lasting change. The peaceful efforts of resistance liberated the Indian people from the British rule and provided them with freedom.


These are just a few of the cases that are examples of how freedom can exist and be obtained through the use of nonviolent actions.  Violence and revenge only further propagate violence and revenge, removing the chance of freedom and create lasting conflict. While it is true that there can be no freedom without struggle, struggle is not limited to aggression and violence. Freedom can be found by breaking free of the cyclical conflict and finding peaceful ways to resolve differences.