NPSL Jaffna: Staff in front of NP office
The Emergency Response Network of Nonviolent Peaceforce (ERN) is intended to serve as a ‘safety net' of nonviolent intervention by a larger public in case pressure on governments or other powerholders is needed.
Nonviolent Peaceforce currently has field projects in three countries and staff are preparing to go to a fourth. For the safety of our teams, and the safety of the people they are working with, we are prepared to solicit a quick public international reaction in case they are threatened.
| Examples for past alerts: End of March 2006 an appeal went out to write to various Sri Lankan authorities in order to protect a human rights activist and his family in Eastern Sri Lanka who has been receiving death threats. And more recently in July 2006 we asked the responders to write an urgent letter to the Sri Lankan government and to the Tamil Tigers to implement a ceasefire for Mutur, in East Sri Lanka. Around 50 members of the NP ERN and almost 300 general NP supporters responded. This last letter showed some effect: The Peace Secretariat of the Sri Lankan government inquired into the safety of NP's staff some days after the campaign had begun. |
The Emergency Response Network currently has around 300 members. But we need more people who are willing to act in case of such emergencies.
What it means to be on the Emergency Response Network:
Please write to ern at nonviolentpeaceforce.org in order to become a member of this safety net, giving us your e-mail and also your full name and postal address.