Nine Lives: Making the Impossible Possible

by Peter Braaksma (Editor)

"You can cut the flower, but you cannot stop the coming of spring." Malalai Joya, the young member of the Afghan parliament, refuses to let injustice go unchallenged. Her words reflect the irrepressible attitudes and actions of all the women and men who tell their stories here. As with all the titles in New Internationalist's World Changing imprint, Nine Lives sees opportunity in the midst of adversity and presents the life stories of people who have been confronted with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, opposition, and oppression. Whether it is human rights activist Harry Wu, who spent nineteen years in Chinese labor camps, or Nobel Laureate and President of Costa Rica Oscar Arias Sánchez, each of the nine voices in this collection has confronted an urgent and inescapable need to dig deep, either to rescue themselves or to forge a fresh way forward for others. To understand the key stories behind the headlines, Peter Braaksma believes that it is essential to feel the personal, intimate experience of people working on the frontline of human rights and humanitarian issues; that the stories, uninterrupted and unpolished, must speak for themselves. Reading like nine mini-novels, the nine remarkable stories belong to Bassam Aramin (Palestinian National Authority), Monireh Baradaran (Iran), Youk Chhang (Cambodia), Sompop Jantraka (Thailand), Malalai Joya (Afghanistan), Chaeli Mycroft (South Africa), Oscar Arias Sánchez (Costa Rica), and Harry Wu (China). Peter Braaksma has worked as an editor, communications advisor, and journalist in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Janneke Nijenhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een boek dat mijn kijk op de wereld en de geschiedenis van mensenrechtenactivisten heeft verbreed. De hoofdstukken worden ingeleidt met een stukje context van de schrijver. In de hoofdstukken zijn afzonderlijke paragrafen met extra verdieping bijgevoegd, dit heeft veel toegevoegd naar mijn mening. Klein puntje van kritiek, de interviews zijn eenzijdig en geven daardoor geen volledig beeld van de precieze gebeurtenis (vertel me dat je international studies doet, zonder me te zeggen dat.....)

[Shân Petry · Rating 4 out of 5]

First two chapters were fascinating to read in the light of what is happening in Gaza currently. Focus on the human element of Palestinians and Jews.

[Terry Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nine outstanding individuals who are not perfect, not superheroes, but completely inspirational. This is a really simple concept. Just choose the nine people and let them tell their stpries. From the Israeli and Palestinian fathers who each lost a daughter and chose the fight for peace over the fight for revenge to women who have survived many assassination attempts trying to voice justice in Iran and Afghanistan. I want to read more about each of these people.

[Hélène · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a deeply moving book. I needed to take it in small doses. The courage of the people in this amazing book is truly unimaginable. But I have hope. I trust that humanity is basically good. I trust that the majority of humanity will stay wide awake and keep watch for the well being of the people who cannot speak for themselves. Very symbolic for me to have completed this book on this historic day. May the gods guard us all forever.

[Ilias Bartolini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every chapter is a story of immense achievements reached by simple people. They all share the simple gift of listening to the humanity hidden in our shells. They transform compassion in the courage to stand out for a cause and fighting for human rights. Every chapter is a real personal story of doubts, struggle, fights, tortures, courage, compassion and more... This isn't only a book about human rights but also about the power of humanity. For me it is a mission in life to put cracks in the 'Wall'. What we need is not wall. We need bridges. - Rami Ehlnan, Israel At anytime this is our message 'Don't be be pro any sides, but be pro-peace, pro-humanity, pro-justice' - Bassan Aramin, Palestine In any inhumane situation there is always an act of kindness, of humanity - Youk Chang, Cambodia I will never forget how good I felt when my friends decided to help me get a wheelchair and I would like everyone else in the world to feel that special - Chaeli Mycroft, South Africa I thought 'Humanity has no value here. It has no more importance than a cigarette ask flicked in the wind. But if a person life has no value, than the society that shapes that life has no value either.' - Harry Wu, China Our government was under pressure [...] to reestablish our military. I resisted those calls, believing instead that the best way to ensure our country's future was not only to stay our own course of peace, but also to lead the way to peace for our region. - Oscar Arlas Sanchez, Costa Rica When I went back to the village again, of the 35 girls [victims of sex trade] only 19 were left. [...] I put these girls in the school, but five or six of these daughter could not go back home because of the sexual abuse of their stepfather, drug addicts or gangs. [...] Many times education is approached by bringing in new knowledge from the 'outside-in'. But I believe the best type of education is to learn 'inside out', from what we already have. - Sompop Jantraka, Thailand It would require a whole manifesto to express my dreams for the future. But I must say these things as someone who is always reminding others that silence of good people is worst than the actions od bad people! And I must "say" that many members of parliament are not good people. And I must speak out about the wrong policies of the United States and its allies [...] You can cut a flower but you cannot stop the coming of spring. - Malaiai Joya, Afganistan The problem is not with the books. Wheter it's Iran or eastern Europe, the problem is with the system that allow or disallow them. Books don't make revolutions. They're only there to make people think. - Monireh Baradaran, Iran This is one of the most important and inspiring book I ever red in my life.