Supporting Peaceful Performance During Protests

The idea of ​​the project is based on supporting and monitoring the peaceful performance in society in any form of expression or protest, and the role of the persons in charge for this project is concentrated in:

1. Documenting the way of expression and protest.

2. Documenting any defects and identifying the parties that caused them.

3. Providing advice to the protesters, people in charge and security forces.



Documenting the Way of Expression: that is, recording the civilized features as well as the negative behaviors that may be exercised by the protesters. Including monitoring of:

• The degree of planning and organization.
• The degree of protection of the protesters for their activity from self or external violence.
• The degree of elegance in dialogue with the public or the security forces.
• The degree of creativity in the means. 

Documenting the Reasons of Defect: In the case where the activity turns into a violent event, did it happen because of the protesting groups themselves, vandals who had infiltrated into them or the provocations by the security forces?



Providing Advice to the Protesters, People in Charge and Security Forces: The process of documenting what is happening is enough to provide advice to each of the parties, based on identifying the infiltrations of groups, or tendencies to violence by any party, it is also useful forkeeping track of the interaction of society with what is going on. The groups of monitoring the peaceful performance can predict a possible outbreak of violence, through observing the verbal sharpness of speech, in this case the Monitoring Group can communicate with the leaders of the protest to be cautious, so that they can make an activity to calm the situation down, such as singing, food, or making video presentations.. Etc.

Policies of Institutions and Groups Involved in the Monitoring of the Peaceful Performance:

1. Standing neutrally from the demands, for they are not a party in the conflict, however only a tool to monitor, document and protect the value of peacefulness.

2. Presence in any place where there is an expression of protest, whatever the demands are, whether they get along or not with the monitoring group, because this group should represent the quality control of expression, regardless of the demand.

3. Possess the highest level of self-control and not to get engaged in any clashes with the protesters or security forces, so that the group does not become a party in the conflict.

The Mechanism of Action:

1. A special website to transmit events and record the reports on the quality of the performance in any location.

2. Receiving applications from any party that is planning for a protest activity and requesting quality control, also it is possible to take the initiative to be present at events’ sites even though they did not ask for it.

3. Installing cameras in the scene and record all what is going on to be able to document every thing happening in the protest activity, moment by moment. Make a live stream through the website, and broadcasting can be also linked with the satellite channels adopting the project.

4. Record written reports and transmit periodic images through the electronic means, such as Facebook and Twitter pages and other sites of social interaction.

5. Create a communication channel between protesters and the general public, through connecting the masses with the protesters electronically so that there is communication between the public and the protesters, whether in the field of inspiring them with ideas or criticizing them. It is important that the protestor know how he is viewed by the people.

6. Create a communication channel between protesters and authorities in charge to reduce the degree of tension.

7. Warn the protesters in cases of observing a breach in the fundamental peaceful groups, or the monitoring of potential deviation from the path such as registering an increase in the sharpness of expression for some participants. Thus, the team of monitoring the peaceful performance can turn off the spark of violence early.

8. By the end of the activity produce a documentary film about it, in addition to a written report recording the following:

The Names of the Protesting Groups:

Starting Date:

Ending Date:

Did the Party ask for the Quality Control?

The Size of the Group Holding the Activity and the Quality of Participants (Age - Education - Culture - ...)

The Incoming Groups that Join the Fundamental Groups.

Level of Organization and Planning:

Procedures of Protecting the Activity from the Violence of the Group:

Procedures of Protecting the Activity from the Violence of Vandals:

Procedures of Protecting the Activity from the Violence of the Security Forces:

Civilized Forms:

Innovative Methods:

Violations and the List of Parties Practicing it:

The Reactions on Violations:

Public Interaction with the Protesters:

The Interaction of the Responsible Authorities with the Protesters:

The Security Performance:



These points can be developed as needed, what is important is to make the required efforts to the besiege the reasons for the outbreak of violence before it occurs, so if it takes place it is possible to register how it began in a documented way, instead of entering into a maze of conflicting stories. These institutions and groups are the guardian eye watching over the peacefulness of society, they are not concerned with the nature of his demands, however with how to express them and the interaction of all society parts with it. With the existence of such institutions and groups society become stronger, and presents a model for all societies, where the people work professionally to besiege violence and guard the freedom of expression.

 

Attributes of People Working in this Project:

• High capability to control people and commit to the role of documentation and advice.
• Strict adherence to the non-violence approach under high pressure.
• Communication skills enabling to dialogue with all parties.

By Wael Adel

Translated by Rana Mohammed

January 20^th, 2011

This project was formulated at the Academy of Change, to add to the project or to inquire about the implementation write your notes in the comments box below or contact us on society@taghier.org

To add your own project for strengthening societies society@taghier.org