It is interesting to note that some were carrying portraits of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, or popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in the Nov 25 street protest . These people were criticised for being disloyal to their country of birth and residence. They were also criticised for aligning themselves to a foreign personality in fighting for their cause. This can be a subject of contention, of course.

Some would argue that they carried portraits of Gandhi to demonstrate peace and non-violence while others would perceive it as a show of loyalty to the country where this personality was born. Some may question why other portraits were not used instead, including Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela or Tunku Abdul Rahman.

In my opinion, Gandhi does not imply political notions to most people. Gandhi is more well-known for his principle of non-violence. He was more of a spiritual leader and a pioneer of Satyagraha - resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, firmly founded upon ahimsa or total non-violence - which led India to independence and inspired civil rights and freedom movements across the world.

Gandhi is commonly known in India and across the world as Mahatma Gandhi (Great Soul) and as Bapu (father). As a British-educated lawyer, Gandhi first applied his ideas of peaceful civil disobedience in the Indian community's struggle for civil rights in South Africa. In India, Gandhi went on to fight for the alleviation of poverty, women’s liberation and brotherhood amongst the different religions and ethnicities. Gandhi also reminds us of Martin Luther King Jr who led the 1963 March in Washington where he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech that raised public awareness about the civil rights movement through non-violence means.

There is also a group of Palestinians who advocate non-violence in their efforts to gain rights from the Israeli regime. The Palestinians have one bold option that could break the present futile violence and that option is non-violent resistance. In 1983, Mubarak Awad, an American- educated Palestinian with a doctorate in counselling, returned to his birth place Jerusalem and started a non-violent movement. Through his hard work, the first Palestinian intifada had a small, tentative non-violent constituent that included reconciliation efforts with Israeli Jews and non-violent action against the Israeli occupation.

However, Awad’s non-violence was not accepted by most Palestinian leaders. They did not rally to his defense when he was expelled by Yitzak Shamir’s Likud government in June 1988. This was one of the many mistakes the Israelis made that led to the current violence. The Likud Party opposes a Palestinian state.

Perhaps Shamir feared that Awad’s non-violence was the most likely way for the Palestinians to achieve their dream of statehood. Awad still offers the best and perhaps the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His ideas are inspired by non-violent Indian and American civil rights movements.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist and leader of the African National Congress. He spent 27 years in prison for various convictions, including committing sabotage, while he spearheaded the struggle against apartheid. Upon his release from prison in 1990, he became a symbol of freedom and equality.

His switch to a policy of compromise and negotiation help lead to a shift in South Africa’s multi-racial democracy. Since the end of apartheid, he has been greatly praised even by former opponents even though the apartheid governments condemned him and the ANC as communists and terrorists.

Be that as it may, many leaders in the world have advocated protests and negotiations with non-violence as their prime weapon. It is something the world owes to the frail looking loin-clothed Indian man, Gandhi, who lived a simple life with no aspirations for worldly possessions.

Gandhi was not a politician in the true sense of the word. He never became India’s prime minister or president. He only advocated peace and sought human rights for his people. As a young lawyer, his bad experiences with the white masters in South Africa made him seek civil liberties for the non-whites in the British colony, irrespective of race or religion. He used the same weapon of non-violence in India and shamed the British in the eyes of the world until the British gave in to Indian independence seekers.

In Malaysia, people have enjoyed relative peace for the past 50 years despite sporadic grievances faced by all races in the country. No matter what grievances people may have, let it be that any protests or negotiations follow the principle of non-violence. We dread the gruesome street violence that occurs in other countries. We do not want the fabric of Malaysian society to be torn apart by racial discord.

The people and the police should play their roles in preserving peace and non-violence. The police should refrain from using punitive measures over slight provocations or peaceful street protests. Unhappiness should not be woven into the natural fabric of people's lives. We want to see a peaceful Malaysia. The elected government has to ensure that every citizen is cared for. There is still hope for all Malaysians in this land of opportunity if there is proper governance.