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In Nonkilling Global Political Science (Xlibris, 2002; CGNK, 2009), Dr. Glenn Paige keeps asking, “Is a nonkilling global society possible?” In many parts of the world, some are answering “Yes.” One of those brave souls was Governor Guillermo Gaviria Correa in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia. Not many of his political stature have been willing to take the risk of embracing nonviolence as a political strategy. Inspired by Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., Governor Gaviria incarnated the nonkilling spirit. The first Global Nonkilling Leadership Forum was held November 1-4, 2007, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and hosted by Dr. Paige. There I had the privilege of meeting Senator Yolanda Pinto de Gaviria, the late governor’s widow. Firsthand accounts were given of the five day march for nonviolence in Antioquia, the governor’s capture by the FARC, and his year-long saga in the jungles of Colombia. These stories were a sobering reminder of the risks involved when moving from nonviolent theory to praxis. Gaviria’s death during a failed rescue attempt brought an untimely end to his efforts of nonviolent transformation. Many in Colombia said this proved it would not work as a political strategy. Dr. Bernard LaFayette Jr., a colleague of Martin Luther King Jr., and a foremost trainer and scholar of nonviolence, accompanied Governor Gaviria on the march. He too was captured by the FARC but released within eight hours. He articulated the radical transcendence of those committed to nonviolence when faced with their own mortality, “The biggest concern is, will the work continue?” The ultimate goal of nonviolence is to end the killing, not self-preservation. The Anabaptist-Mennonite theological stream in which I live and work finds many points of convergence and affinity in the governor’s story and sacrifice. Thanks to the generosity of Akron Mennonite Church and the excellent translating abilities of two members of our congregation, Dr. Hugo and Norma Zorrilla, we were able to move ahead with the project. Michael A. King at Cascadia Publishing House LLC also caught the vision of how compelling this story is. He not only helped bring it to light but also provided valuable coaching as we wrestled with the inevitable translation and editing nuances involve with such a project. These included a tendency to edit more lightly than we otherwise might have plus allowing some latitude for the English syntax to maintain its Spanish tendencies, given the governor’s inability to respond; and the decision throughout the diary to render in Spanish the frequent term of endearment mi vida, which fits Spanish usage well but is less familiar to an English reader when translated as “my life.” We also often chose “fighters” instead of “guerillas” to distinguish between the individuals who guarded the governor and the FARC organization. Diary of a Kidnapped Colombian Governor
invites the reader to dwell in the liminality of captivity. Through the
governor’s eyes we see the day to day existence of the disappeared.
Through his ears we hear the lament of fellow captives and the deep
longing for words of hope. Through his words we speak an abiding faith
of one committed to a higher calling and purpose. Through his suffering
and death we count the cost of our convictions to strive for a
nonkilling global society. Will the work continue? |
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