Non-violence is Paramount: Hélder Câmara's Legacy in Brazil and Abroad

by Alma Uhlmmann

Brazil in the 1970s

In 1974, the year in which this pamphlet was published, Brazil had been ruled by a military regime for a decade. To tighten its grip on Brazilian citizens, a complex structure of repression was established over the years. It encompassed censorship of the media, arbitrary arrests, imprisonment without trials, kidnapping, and torture to violently crush opposition voices and create a climate of fear. Alleged proponents of communism were especially targeted. The military regime was enthusiastically supported by American and British forces, who created a propaganda offensive against communist threats in Brazil and trained members of the Brazilian military to enhance their torture techniques.

Hélder Câmara

Still, some Brazilians were able to voice their discontent with the military regime. One of them was Hélder Câmara (1909-1999), a humble Catholic priest who became Archbishop of Olinda and Recife in Brazil’s impoverished north-east in 1964, the year in which Brazil transitioned to a military dictatorship. He had already made a name for himself within the Catholic church due to his advocacy for a church serving and supporting the poor rather than protecting its own privilege as a possessor of great influence and vast lands. In one of his most passionate outbursts, Câmara called for a “most excellent” church reform, arguing that “we have had enough of a church that wants to be served and demands to be always the first served … Enough of prince-bishops who keep themselves at a distance from the people”. A skilled organiser, he created a group of bishops from around the world who similarly adhered to liberation theology (promoting the liberation of the oppressed). They exerted great influence on Pope Paul VI who issued a series of papal encyclicals (such as Populorum Progressio) contending that the economy of the world should serve all humankind, not just the few. Yet, in the eyes of the military junta and conservative elements of Brazilian society, Hélder Câmara and many other clerics were ‘subversive’ or ‘communist’ and thus among the first targets of the repressive apparatus. In Brazil and abroad, Câmara spoke out against the torture and killings of Brazilian clerics and members of civil society. As a consequence, the military regime threatened and tried to silence him. His secretary and several of his aides were killed, his house was bombed several times, and sometimes at night he received death threats over the telephone. But Câmara prevailed, and his speeches that gave a ‘voice to the voiceless’ resonated around the world. He became a celebrated figure among the Catholic left and received many prizes, but remained faithful to his modest life in Recife and an outspoken critic of the role of multinational corporations and industrialised nations in the developing world.

The Cover of the Booklet

The cover of this edition of the ‘Non-violence in Action Series’ shows several abstract people with darker and lighter skin looking in the same direction and interlacing their arms to form what appears to be a human chain. This image seems to tell the viewer that when people from different backgrounds come together with the same vision they can peacefully and effectively push for change.

All of the ‘Non-violence in Action Series’ booklets use the same imagery on their covers. Only the colour changes, and I can only speculate why green was chosen for Latin America. Immediately, the continent’s lush rainforests, the ‘green lungs of the world’, come to my mind. Green also commonly represents tranquillity, which might correspond to the focus on non-violence. It is interesting that this secular topic is the pamphlet's overarching theme rather than, for instance, the religious concepts promoted by liberation theology, which Câmara and the Quakers endorsed. The visuals of the cover also use no obvious religious imagery, stressing a holistic approach to non-violence which appeals to a diverse audience.

A Quaker Publication

The booklet was published by the Friends Peace & International Relations Committee (the Society of Friends is informally known as the Quakers) in the UK. Quakers maintain that pacifism, equality, justice, and sustainability are central elements of their beliefs. Throughout the three centuries-long history of this heterogenous protestant Christian movement, Quakers have been outspoken critics of the slave trade, were conscientious objectors during the First and Second World Wars, and,

more recently, joined the protests of Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion. Evidently, they ground their values and beliefs in the Christian religion, which most Quakers interpret as an invitation and obligation to be proactive in accordance with their values to create change. Interestingly though, it seems that many of the Quaker values are held by, and are relevant to, many people around the globe, irrespective of their religious creed or cultural background.

The booklet is clearly written from a Quaker perspective, leaving out the more controversial parts of Câmara’s life, such as his short time as a supporter of the Brazilian far-right movement Integralismo (which he regretted later in his life) or his inclination not to oppose violent tactics against an oppressor (though he explained that this is not ‘his way’).

The British Audience

As the pamphlet is directed at a British audience, the viewer should not forget that the UK found itself in a phase of great upheaval in the 1970s, with a three-day week due to ongoing miners’ strikes, bombings by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), a state of emergency in Northern Ireland, and the bankruptcy of several big British businesses. This may have prompted many people to find new ways of conceptualising the economic system, voice discontent, and connect with others who also felt a need for change. This booklet may have served as a source of inspiration for the British public. It highlights the impact Hélder Câmara had in Brazil and around the world and inspires non-violent direct action such as political strikes, public appeals, symbolic activity, and passive resistance, all of which Câmara endorsed. As the booklet reminds the reader, regardless of their worldview, many people peacefully acting in unison can shape the world. . .