CMS and RAND stress that actions of students are in total coherence with non-violent acting, thus their activities cannot be, in any way, categorized as ‘violent’ or ‘non-democratic resistance’ which is trying to be imposed by certain part of Croatian public.
Seeing students’ activities, it is noticeable that they:
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attack problems, not persons ;
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use the space efficiently and creatively ;
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do not jeopardize the property ;
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are determined to react non-violently on any kind of violence towards them by using the method of passive resistance ;
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have clear message regarding non-violent acting and prevention of physical violence ;
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fight for common good not only of their generation, but next generations of students as well.
The situation of students’ who are blocking faculties is important step taken forward to democratization of the whole country. Civic rebellion of Zadar and Zagreb students is democratic form of non-violent resistance. It jeopardizes only the positions / functions of the people responsible for the problem that students are struggling against.
Civic disobedience Is not violence. However, spreading untruth leads to violent, and not peaceful problem resolution. CMS and RAND reckon that it is unjust to misinform public and call students’ rebellion violent or non-democratic.
Instead, CMS and RAND invite all responsible persons to focus on the problem that students point out, support the methods of non-violent acting and have confidence in their own capabilities of peaceful resolution of accumulated conflicts.
