Center for the non-violent action

Center for the Non-violence in French-speaking Switzerland.

The Center for the non-violent action (CENAC) was created in 1968 under the name Center Martin Luther King (CMLK), by the French-speaking Switzerland branch of the international Mouvement of the reconciliation. The name was given in homage to Martin Luther King, leader of the Mouvement for the civic rights to the United States, assassinated a few months before.

The Center for the non-violent action is of mobility gandhienne in the direction where the non-violent action is central, which the end is in the means and which political dimension is taken into account.

Activities

Formation

The Non-violence is seen like a dynamics making it possible to live the conflicts like occasions to build righter and more balanced relations, to use combativeness to progress in the life, without wounding nor to let itself wound. Workshops are proposed, as well as interventions at the request of groups. The formations are based on interactive methods: roleplays, exercises, work of group, theater-forum, images, etc

Documentation

The information center joins together a library open to the loan and files. The principal fields approached are the Non-violence, its history, its philosophy and its modes of action; education with peace; the Conscientious objection and the Civil service; the Antimilitarism and the Pacifism.

The files join together documents on groups and associations, especially of the Switzerland-French non-violent movement, especially since the years 1960.

The catalog is computerized and accessible on-line, it contains in 2005 more than 8000 cards. Approximately the three-quarters of the documents are filed with the Bibliothèque of the City of the Chaux-de-Fonds, in funds special.

Civil service and conscientious objection

In Switzerland there exists a Civil service like alternative to the Military service since 1996.

Previously the Center Martin Luther King was concentrated on the support for the conscientious objectors: drafting of the letter of refusal before the lawsuit, public actions at the time of the lawsuits (military tribunals), finally contact with the objectors in the prisons. It was especially a question of making known the problems of the Conscientious objection and of taking part in the initiatives aiming at a change of the legislation and the installation of a Civil service.

Parallel to the Conscientious objection to the military service the objection with the military taxes developed and in particular with the " tax militaire" concerning the men not filling their " obligations militaires". Members of the Center Martin Luther King found themselves around this topic and organized united actions.

An ensuring network of people of the " permanences" in several cantons of French-speaking Switzerland the candidates with the Civil service in their steps help.

Promotion

Organization of conferences, for example with Jean-Marie Muller, Jean Goss, Joseph Abileah.

Rounds with Bicycle, for example in 1988 for the 20th birthday of the foundation of the Center Martin Luther King . Several support campaigns for the Conscientious objection were done with bicycle.

Exposure S, for example a fist it is all? (2000-2003) and Neither hedgehog, nor door mat (2004-2006).

Film on the Civil service (1998)

Booklets large-public: the transgression of the rules: let us dare to act! (2004), illustrated by Nicolas Peter; the conflict: enter without striking (2005), illustrated by Joel Boucheteil.

Web site with the address '' non-violence.ch '' (since 1999).

History

The creation of the Center is closely related to the French-speaking Switzerland branch of the international Mouvement of the reconciliation (MIR), whose secretary was then Michel Grenier. The idea to give him the name of black Pasteur germinated during a silent walk commemorating its death. In addition to the MIR, took part in the creation of the Center Martin Luther King , the Amis of the Arch of Lanza del Vasto, the Quakers, and the Internationale of Resistant to the War (IRG). November 1st, 1968 opens " the liaison office and of documentation for a future International Center Martin Luther King , school of non-violence for justice, reconciliation and peace, meeting place and of formation".

The Center is with the Béthusy avenue with Lausanne, in a villa located in a park, whose owners had accommodated Lanza del Vasto at the time of a passage to Lausanne. He would have said that it was in this place that the future center was to be. Until 1972, the history of the CMLK and that of the French MIR do only one.

The CMLK becomes on September 30th, 1972 the secretariat of the " French federation of movements and groups not violents" (FRMNV), body of coordination.

At the beginning of the existence of the CMLK, the Conscientious objection belongs to its centers of interests, with actions such of the refusal campaigns of the military taxes or animations of groups of objectors. In 1982 is born the idea to train voluntary advisers for the objectors, who are ready to decentralize this service in the French-speaking Switzerland; it is network COC (the Council with the conscientious objectors).

The Center is a long time in the same buildings as the review " Non-violent" fights; who becomes " Grains-Poil". The secretariat of the International of resistant to the war (IRG), connects French-speaking Switzerland, is also with the same place. In 1983 it will be the secretariat of the countryside of the international Jeûne for the life (JIPV) which will divide the buildings. A close cooperation binds permanent these associations.

The secretariat of the Center takes part in the launching of several new associations:

in 1984, the Brigades of International Peaces in French-speaking Switzerland,
in 1993, a study on the mediation will take part in the creation of the Genevese Association for the mediation of district and Association of Vaud for the mediation of vicinity,
in 1995, support for the creation of common Causes Vaud (support for the town of Osijek in Croatia).

The catalog of the documentation of the Center was on cards, between 1993 and 1996 it was computerized. From 1995 to 2005, the CMLK joins the Brigades of International Peaces and the international Mouvement of the reconciliation (MIR) Co-to organize a training program with non-violence. As of 2006 program was done in partnership with the Brigades of International Peaces and the Association of Vaud for the mediation of vicinity.

The CMLK must move in 1997 and consequently divides buildings with other associations with the street of Geneva 52, always in Lausanne. Surface available becomes four times smaller, the three quarters of documentation are entrusted to the " Library of the Town of La Chaux-de-Fonds " (BVCF) and part of the funds is destroyed (including many collections of periodicals).

At the end of 2004, the Center Martin Luther King changes name to become the Center for the non-violent action (CENAC).

Secretaries: Michel Attic (also secretary of the French MIR), Claire-Annette Aerny, Michel Froidevaux, Alain Lenoir, Jean-Claude Hennet (IRG), Pascal Tharin (FRMNV), Roland Wiget, Michel Mégard, Jean-Frederic Rosselet, Jean-Philippe Jeannerat, Raymond de Morawitz (Formation), Alain-Yan Mohr (JIPV), Philippe Beck, Jean-Marc Trottet, Florence Godoy, Jean-Daniel Forestier, Anne-Claude Liardet, Patricia Meystre, the USSR Geiser, Loyse-Claire Rochat, Jean-Luc Portmann, My-Phuoc Durous, Christine Butet, Daniel Studer, Stéphanie Perrin, Martin Christian Bühler, Antonia Leresche, Johnny Walther, Beatrice Crabbé-Fancy, Yvan Bourquard, Jean Grin, Roger Strong, Sandrine Bavaud, Anouk Henry, Pascale Schütz.

Periodicals

"Non-violent" fights; , monthly magazine, of 1972 to 1977, becomes " Grains-Poil"
" Break into leaf of information of the Martin Luther King Center: body of the French Federation of the non-violent movements (FRMNV) " , quarterly, of 1981 to 1985
" K like King" , five times per annum, of 1986 to 1998
" Objectors - Info" , of 1992 to 1995
" Civil grounds: non-violence with the quotidien" , quarterly, since 1998

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