Colonial empires feed on fear and trauma. But most of all, they feed on the indifference of their citizens, the quiet acceptance of violence as inevitable, necessary or beyond our responsibility. As long as we normalize, excuse, defend, or ignore state violence, these systems continue. They thrive not only through bombs and weapons, but through the collective silence and moral disengagement of societies that benefit from or turn a blind eye to war.
Watch NVI’s Co-Director Sami Awad’s video on this matter here.
Nonviolence International condemns the accelerating global escalation of militarization and the devastating consequences it continues to impose on civilian populations across the world. The recent attacks carried out by Israel and the United States in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran represent not isolated eruptions of violence, they are part of a systemic escalation of militarized policy that has become a defining feature of global power politics.
The expansion of militarization does not create safety. It entrenches cycles of retaliation, fuels authoritarianism, diverts resources away from social needs, and undermines international law and multilateral norms designed to protect human life. As weapons stockpiles grow and military budgets swell, investments in diplomacy, climate resilience, healthcare, education, and conflict prevention are sidelined, despite being far more effective pathways to lasting peace.
Nonviolence International rejects the false premise that security can be achieved through domination, preemptive strikes, or collective punishment. History has repeatedly shown that militarized responses deepen grievances and prolong conflict rather than resolve it. True security is built through justice, accountability, and the protection of human dignity, not through the expansion of war.
It is not only the immediate loss of life that should concern us, it is the long-term destabilization, trauma, displacement, and erosion of human dignity that follow. We must withdraw our consent from the old model of war and invest our collective energy in alternatives that reflect our stated commitments to peace. As voices for peace have long asked:
- What would a peace economy look like, one that prioritizes human needs over military spending?
- What is a peace community, anchored in mutual respect rather than fear?
- What does it mean to live in peace, not just imagine it?
To answer these questions requires courage. It demands that we challenge comfortable narratives, confront inconvenient truths, stop outsourcing responsibility and reclaim our agency to refuse that indifference continues to be the engine of harm.
At this critical moment, we call on governments, institutions, civil society organizations and citizens to:
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- Halt further military escalation and attacks on civilian populations.
- Uphold international humanitarian and human rights law without exception.
- Center collective security and welfare, not warfare, as the foundation of global security
- Support diplomatic solutions rooted in accountability, justice, and self-determination
Colonial empires feed on fear. Their greatest weapon is our indifference. By refusing to accept violence as necessary, by actively choosing peace and accountability, we weaken their grip and move closer to a world where all lives are protected and valued.
We stand in solidarity with all communities affected by military violence and reaffirm our commitment to nonviolent action as both a moral imperative and a practical strategy.
Nonviolent movements around the world have demonstrated that sustainable change is possible through organized, people-powered resistance, dialogue, and international cooperation.
