The people of Burma/Myanmar have spent the last year resisting military rule. Thousands are imprisoned and thousands dead and wounded. Covid-19 has ravaged the country. The economic collapse has caused enormous suffering. Ethnic minorities have been targeted with intense violence and have fled their homes. The Burmese people have used massive nonviolent resistance in strikes, boycotts, protests, and have created a parallel government. There are also many young men who are using bombs and guns to pressure the military to surrender or encourage an internal military revolt. Whether nonviolent or armed, the resistance to the military regime is on a massive scale across ethnic groups around the country. Internationally, the governmental and civil society support of the people and the parallel government have been strong. Nonviolent boycotts have forced many companies to stop financing the regime including Harry Winston Jewelry, Chevron and Total. Unfortunately, the regime stays in power hanging by a thread, with support from China, Thailand, and Russia.
Update: Watch NVI’s Director Michael Beer in an interview with student activist Me Me Khant.
The two discuss ideas on nonviolence and nonviolent action as it relates to the current struggle in Myanmar/Burma.
Background:
Nonviolence International continues its 30-year history of helping nonviolent social change efforts in Myanmar/Burma. Michael Beer, Mubarak Awad and NVI staff have met people from all over Myanmar who have suffered unspeakable crimes of torture, imprisonment, rape, and displacement by the Burma/Myanmar military. Ethnic minorities such as the Rohingya, Karen, Kachin, Shan, and Chin have been particularly brutalized. Michael Beer has provided extensive coaching and support to nonviolent activists. NVI has also helped facilitate the translation of many useful guides and materials on nonviolence.
People around the world are sickened by the sexist coup d’etat. Despite having enormous power, they were not satisfied with sharing power with a woman, Aung San Suu Kyi, whose political party won 83% of the seats in November.
Understandably, the people of Myanmar are resisting the military coup d’etat on an enormous scale. Many governments, including Southeast Asian nations, are protesting. Ethnic minorities are united in opposition. World-wide, citizens are planning to re-launch global boycotts. This coup will not succeed if enough pressure can be brought upon the coup plotters. Join NVI in supporting the people in Burma to challenge patriarchal and military rule.
Nonviolent resistance brought about an end to absolute military rule in Myanmar in 2008. Much progress has been made in the last generation in terms of freedom of speech and assembly, free elections, a huge improvement in the rights of women, labor unions, some ethnic minorities and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people. This progress will not easily be reversed because the people of Myanmar will bravely defend these gains. Nonviolence International supports calls from Myanmar civil society in calling on all governments to impose targeted sanctions on the Myanmar military.
It is vital that governments and others cut the flow of weapons and money to the junta. Civil society and Burma’s NUG government continue calls for sanctions on Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), which represents an enormous source of revenue for the junta, fueling its atrocity crimes. On 31 Jan, Canada, the US, and the UK added sanctions providing for the freezing of funds or economic resources belonging to the sanctions targets. In addition, the US sanctions bar Americans from doing business with the targets.
Take Action: Don't be a spectator.
Michael Beer, Director of Nonviolence International, trained hundreds of people and guerrillas from Myanmar in nonviolent action and strategy in the 1990's. Co-trainers at various times included Gene Sharp, Bob Helvey, Eric Garcetti, and George Lakey. He is the author of Violent and Nonviolent Struggle in Burma: Is a Unified Strategy Workable, in Nonviolent Social Movements: A Geographical Perspective, Edited by Stephen Zunes, Lester R. Kurtz and Sarah Beth Asher, Blackwell Publishing, 1999. He has trained people in many countries and is the founder of NVI's Tactics Database and (in partnership with Rutgers University) our NV Training Archives, and author of forthcoming book on Civil Resistance Tactics of the 21st Century.
Michael taught nonviolent resistance to Burmese beginning in 1990 with George Lakey and then with Col Bob Helvey and Gene Sharp in 1992. He helped train more than 1000 guerrillas and civilians in NV struggle over 10 years. He organized some of the first Burmese solidarity efforts in the US beginning in 1990.
Please click here to read the history of Nonviolent Struggle In Burma/Myanmar.
Nonviolence International Archives
Read: NVI Director Michael Beer quoted in this article in The Progressive, 4 days after the coup, Feb 5, 2021
Listen: "The Backlash Against the Military Coup from Brave Citizens in Myanmar"- Michael Beer featured on Background Briefing with Ian Masters, February 2021
NVI Canada Board member, Yeshua Moser-Puouangsuwan released an article in which he investigated the origin and transfer of Italian shotgun shells to Myanmar that were used to attack an ambulance.
NVI supports solidarity efforts around the world. On Dec 6, 2021, Michael Beer raised awareness about Burma in an interview on KPFK in Los Angeles about the "conviction" of Aung San Suu Kye and two others for violating covid-19 regulations and other spurious charges. All supporters of democracy are encourage to use nonviolent boycotts towards the Myanmar military.
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Join Nonviolence International for a webinar on March 16, Monday, at 11:30am CT and 6:30pm Jerusalem time, entitled Solidarity in Action: Resisting Occupation in Palestine and Minnesota. This will be a conversation among Palestinian and Minnesota activists about nonviolent resistance to occupation and state violence. This webinar brings together organizers from two contexts where communities are confronting intensified state control, displacement and militarized enforcement: one new, in Minnesota, where federal immigration enforcement actions, characterized by a large deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents and have been resisted by community protests, grassroots defense and community building efforts have deeply impacted families and organizers, and veterans in the West Bank, where decades of military occupation shape everyday life and resistance, and have seen an increase of violence in the last months.
While there is no equivalency in duration or depth of violence and impunity, we have an opportunity to learn from people who have resisted occupation their entire lives and from those who may or may not have experienced it comparatively recently. Speakers will share their lived experiences, contrast strategies of resistance, shared learning and explore opportunities for solidarity and collective action. Through this exchange, we aim to center community agency, hope, and shared learning, and uplifting practices of resilience and organizing.
The webinar will be hosted by Mel Duncan, from Minnesota, co-founder of the Nonviolent Peaceforce and organizer of the Unarmed Civilian Protection in Palestine (UCPiP). And speakers include Amira Musallam, Head of Mission of UCPiP, Maddie Moon, Minnesota community organizer, and Emilia Gonzalez Avalos, Executive Director for UNIDOS MN.
Join us for this important conversation by registering here.
Goals:
- Share lessons learned from grassroots resistance in both contexts
- Build and invite compassion and mutual understanding
- Identify opportunities for solidarity and collaboration between movements fighting occupation, displacement, and state violence
Dear friends,
Nonviolence International warmly invites you to join us for two special evenings in Washington DC with Sami Awad, Palestinian activist, author, and NVI Co-Director.
For activists, Palestine has become a powerful lens for understanding injustice in the world. But today it reveals something deeper: the United States is not simply supporting Israel, it sits at the heart of a global system of empire. The same forces shaping domination abroad are also shaping power, repression, and inequality within the United States itself. This means the struggle is not just about changing policy. In these talks and based on his own journey, Sami invites us to expand our resistance, from a liberation struggle focused on one place to confronting the empire itself.
Event 1 - March 12, Thursday
From Occupation to Empire: Rethinking Resistance
All Souls Church Unitarian
Hosted by Souls 4 Palestine
6:30 – 8:30 PM (with Iftar observance)
1500 Harvard Street NW
RSVP here!
Event 2 - March 13, Friday
From Palestine to Empire: Reframing Resistance
Busboys & Poets
7:00 – 9:00 PM
450 K St NW, Mount Vernon Square
RSVP here!
These gatherings are an opportunity for community members, advocates, and anyone interested in nonviolent change to hear directly from a leading voice in Palestinian civil resistance and to explore pathways toward a more just and peaceful future.
We hope you can join us and help spread the word.
With appreciation,
Michael Beer, Co-Director
P.S. These are free events. If you want, please make a donation to Souls 4 Palestine and generously order food and drinks at Busboys and Poets to help them thrive.
Nonviolence International
https://www.nonviolenceinternational.net/
Are you passionate about active nonviolence, social justice, and global movements for change? Do you want hands-on experience in nonprofit management, digital organizing, and international event coordination?
As a small but globally engaged organization, NVI relies on interns as integral members of our work. You will gain meaningful experience supporting programs, communications, digital outreach, and nonprofit operations while contributing directly to global nonviolent movements.
What You’ll Gain
- Direct exposure to global nonviolent activism and movement-building
- Experience in virtual event coordination and webinar production
- Hands-on nonprofit management and operations training
- Opportunity to shape and invest in projects aligned with your interests
Interns work closely with staff while also exercising independence, creativity, and initiative.
With guidance from staff, each intern will split their time between programmatic support, organizational outreach, and administrative tasks. Interns will also have the opportunity to invest significant time and work within their preferred projects of choice.
Internship Structure
- Remote position, from anywhere in the world
- From June to December 2026
- Must be able to commit to 2-3 team meetings per week at 9:30AM ET
- Minimum of 15 hours per week
- $500 USD monthly stipend
- Available to students and non-students
- Can be arranged for academic credit
- Possibility of extension by mutual agreement
Our Commitment to Equity
As nonviolent activists committed to social justice, we recognize that systems of violence disproportionately impact marginalized communities. We are committed to centering these communities in our work and strongly encourage applications from individuals who identify as members of marginalized communities.
Responsibilities
Event Management
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Support organizing and delivering global webinars
- Assist with technical management of live virtual events
- Engage diverse international audiences
Communications & Outreach
- Create website updates and blog posts
- Develop content for YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook
- Monitor and engage with online supporters
- Assist with digital storytelling and movement visibility
Data Management
- Update and expand the Nonviolent Tactics database (MySQL)
- Support maintenance of the nonviolence training archive (Omeka)
Website Maintenance
- Update and manage content using Nation Builder
Operations Support
- Learn internal donation workflows and how to use Zapier
- Understand nonprofit compliance and responsibilities
- Support organizational systems and administrative tasks
Qualifications
We take a holistic approach to applications. We understand that your talents and lived experiences extend far beyond a one-page resume. While educational background and professional experience are considered, we equally value passion, curiosity, initiative, and commitment to nonviolent social change.
How to Apply
Please apply through our Idealist ad and send us the requested information and documents until April 23, 2026.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected].
Dear Friends,
The Middle East (West Asia), and the world, are facing deeply dangerous moments.
The recent war by the United States and Israel on Iran has pushed an already fragile region closer to a wider and potentially devastating war. In moments like this, it can feel as though the machinery of violence moves unchecked, while ordinary people and civil society are left watching helplessly.
But history reminds us that this is precisely when our voices matter most.
Civil society has always carried a sacred responsibility in times of crisis: to speak when others are silent, to insist on humanity when violence dominates the headlines, and to remind the world that another path, embedded in nonviolence, is still possible.
A coalition of organizations is therefore launching an urgent international petition calling for immediate de-escalation, restraint, ceasefire and diplomacy instead of further militarization.
In the midst of despair, this is our moment to act together.
We invite NGOs, human rights organizations, faith communities, peace networks, and civil society groups to add their voices, to affirm that the expansion of the war is not inevitable.
Please sign your organization’s name to the appeal here by Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
This petition recognizes and encourages governments that have shown restraint, while urging all parties to step back from the brink and pursue diplomacy, accountability, and international law. But signing the petition is only the beginning.
At this critical time, we also encourage you to:
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Contact your government representatives and urge them to support immediate de-escalation and ceasefire efforts.
• Share this appeal with partner organizations and networks so that more civil society groups can join.
• Speak publicly for peace and for the protection of civilians across the region.
There are moments in history when the future feels uncertain and dark. Yet those same moments have often become the turning points when ordinary people and courageous organizations refused to accept that violence was inevitable.
We cannot control the decisions of governments or armies. But we can ensure that the voice of humanity, justice, and nonviolence is heard clearly across the world. Hope is not passive. It is something we practice together.
Let us take up that responsibility now.
Feel free to reach us at [email protected] or +1-202-244-0951.
In solidarity,