王力雄：武器消灭不了仇恨

这篇文章，王力雄写于911发生之后不久，在此时重贴，正如文中所言：“战争可以消灭恐怖分子的营地和武器，却不能摧毁滋生恐怖主义的仇恨。恐怖主义的最终源头是人心中的仇恨，仇恨是无法被武器消灭的。反而战争只能增加新的仇恨，消灭了老的恐怖分子，也会同时制造出的新恐怖分子前仆后继。”

王力雄：武器消灭不了仇恨

911袭击发生时，我正在青海藏区做环境教育的项目。消息让我十分震惊。我在当地的藏族寺庙为遇害者进行了默祷。世界舆论对恐怖分子的谴责，我都同意，这里不必重复。我想讲的，是另外一些思考。

在为美国死者默祷的时候，我同时想到了藏区发生的一系列爆炸。就在911前的一个多月，位于康定城的中共甘孜州党委大门刚刚被炸。跟911相比，那爆炸的效果不算什么——轻伤了两个守门武警。但是二者之间有没有相通之处？

藏人是佛教徒，讲慈悲与和平，不讲圣战，他们的精神领袖达赖喇嘛也一再告诫藏人走非暴力之路，然而为什么还有人进行暴力活动，而且持续不断（仅康定一地今年已有三次爆炸）？我想对此我可以理解（虽然我完全反对）——那是因为绝望。当人的所有出路都被堵死，没有任何可能改变自身处境之时，剩下的唯一选择就是暴力。暴力虽然仍旧改变不了处境，但至少可以表达反抗，可以抒缓心中积累的仇恨。恐怖主义炸药的爆炸，首先必然是仇恨的爆炸。

恐怖主义是弱势者的行为。虽说本·拉登财产不少，组织严密，人员众多，但是相对他的敌人——美国和西方世界而言，仍然弱到不成比例。整个阿拉伯甚至整个穆斯林世界对西方而言都是弱势。维吾尔族和藏族相对汉族也同样弱小之极。我这里不想讨论谁是谁非的问题，也不是说弱者一定拥有正义，但我可以比较肯定一点——在强弱之间的对抗中，绝望只能产生于弱势一方，仇恨也最容易在弱者心里爆发，而恐怖主义，往往也就成了仇恨满腔的弱者除了屈服和耻辱以外的唯一选择。

恐怖主义者漠视规则，往往以平民或民用设施为对象，这无疑是罪恶。然而正因为他们的弱势，如果遵守规则的话，就什么也做不成，只能憋死。试想一下，以弱者之力，如何能做到只去攻击强大一方的军队和防守严密的军事目标呢？本·拉登如果强过美国，他何必搞恐怖活动，直接挥兵攻打美国就是了。

仇恨达到一定程度，会使人走向极端，甚至愿意以自己生命换取对敌人的惩罚。不能简单地说恐怖分子没有道德，能够献身的人往往都不乏道德支持，只不过那是另外立场上的道德。做一下换位思考，当世界谴责911攻击者杀害平民的时候，攻击者一定会做出这样的回答——美国对伊拉克的封锁造成了数十万儿童死亡，只杀掉美国几千平民远不够偿还！

极端的民族主义一定程度就是这样产生的，它提供一种精神上的正义性，帮助复仇者用更为神圣的道德压倒良心层面的道德。尽管那正义和神圣可能虚假，却使复仇者可以安心地从事不分对象的毁灭，使其从事的报复达到最大化。这种极端主义往往会和宗教结合在一起，以允诺另一个世界的报偿来吸引不惜生命的献身，制造出毛泽东当年夸耀的“精神原子弹”。

古老宗教激发的牺牲加上当今飞跃发展的科技，使得少数恐怖分子以微小之力可以做出惊天动地之举。911事件是迄今的典范，然而还不能说它已达到极致，就像学术发展是站在前人肩膀上一样，恐怖主义也会不断超越前面的榜样。继续进步的科学技术同时将给“恐怖大王”们提供更多能量。

相比之下，恐怖活动的直接打击是较小破坏，大的破坏是通过扩散效应造成的间接打击，而最大破坏是整个社会安全感的丧失。恐怖分子藏在暗处，防不胜防。为了提防少数几人不知何时可能进行的攻击，社会必须无止境地付出昂贵成本。然而百密一疏，总会有松懈之时，那就是恐怖再次降临之机。如此下去，社会将永无宁日，人类无法维系生存的意义与信心。因此，如果不能消灭恐怖主义，人类永远不能解脱。

那么如何才能消灭恐怖主义？是否消灭掉恐怖势力和恐怖分子，恐怖主义就随之消失？目前在阿富汗的战争似乎就是这种这种思路。然而战争可以消灭恐怖分子的营地和武器，却不能摧毁滋生恐怖主义的仇恨。恐怖主义的最终源头是人心中的仇恨，仇恨是无法被武器消灭的。反而战争只能增加新的仇恨，消灭了老的恐怖分子，也会同时制造出的新恐怖分子前仆后继。

我不太相信关于文明冲突的谈论，也不能苟同从伊斯兰教的角度解释恐怖主义。不错，目前恐怖主义活动多来自穆斯林地区，且常披有伊斯兰教外衣，然而文明和宗教只不过是被用来当作旗帜，聚汇在其下的仇恨并非产生于文明和宗教本身，而是产生于以族群为单位的人群所经受的失败、屈辱与绝望的无奈。

我这样讲的目的不是要为恐怖主义辩护，而是在考虑如何才能最终消灭恐怖主义。在我看来，根本的解决之道只能是化解仇恨。因为仇恨消失了，恐怖主义流淌报复和仇杀毒汁的源头也就随之枯竭。我相信有人会嘲讽这纯属不务实际的幻想，如此之大的世界，怎么会完全消灭仇恨？再美好的社会也做不到这一点。而哪怕只剩下再少的仇恨者，发生恐怖活动的可能就仍然无法避免。

我不否认人类社会可能无法消除所有仇恨，但我认为至少可以从消除族群之间的仇恨着手。我所说的族群可以按照民族、阶级、信仰等做出不同划分——从整体的穆斯林到其中的小教派，从西藏人到法轮功，从下岗工人到台湾居民……每个族群都被特有的命运、历史和感情，以及理想与追求所凝聚。我在这里单独提出族群的仇恨，是因为类似911袭击那种大规模的恐怖活动，只有在族群仇恨的基础上才有可能形成。

没有恐怖主义的恐怖活动只是一般的刑事犯罪。911袭击的成功要同时具备很多条件——严密的组织，巨额资金，长久系统的安排与配合，是单枪匹马的恐怖分子或黑社会式的团伙罪犯无法做到的。尤其是其中关键一环——自愿牺牲者，更是需要宗教或意识形态的激励，以及民族英雄荣誉的感召才能形成。恐怖主义是一个系统，只有在族群中才能形成和保持，也只有整个族群的仇恨能将其驱动，并且靠族群所凝聚的资源来供养。以经常与恐怖主义共生的极端宗教势力为例，如果没有族群仇恨的驱使，宗教在本质上总是鼓励和平为善的，不会鼓励杀戮和给杀手许诺美好天堂。正是族群仇恨使极端势力成了正义化身，使得宗教也变成复仇的武器。恐怖主义与宗教的结合，能够最大程度地汲取资源和整合组织，并获得愿意舍身求死的战士。911袭击者受的是西方教育，习惯西方生活，得到西方的好处，平时他们可能是温文有礼的公民、同事和邻里，却能在最后时刻冷酷无情地带着一飞机平民撞进钢架水泥中。他们不是出于个人恩怨，正是为了族群的仇恨，才冷血地踏上那种亡命之途。

我相信，只要我们这个世界不再有族群之间的仇恨，恐怖主义就会不复存在，911那种大型恐怖活动也就不能发生。而那些没有主义支撑的恐怖活动，或属于个人报复，没有系统，成不了规模；或出于黑社会团伙的利益之求，不会舍身求死，容易把握和防范。那类恐怖活动过去从来有，未来也构不成大威胁，不会造成波及世界的连锁反应。我们这个世界从此就会安全得多。

如果同意消灭族群仇恨是消灭恐怖主义的最佳途径，当前就应该把握这样的原则：第一，不能让911事件造成的愤怒把国际社会引导到仅仅是以暴易暴，更多应该考虑战争以外之事。对世界存在的族群冲突，各方都要自我反省，把主要精力和资源投入到消除族群仇恨、而不是继续加剧族群仇恨上；第二，要防止反恐怖成为国家政权进一步对内进行族群镇压的口实。中国政府借911之机正式宣布维吾尔族的反抗活动是恐怖主义，已经开始显示端倪。对此需要保持高度警惕。尽管目前各种现象重叠交错，难以截然区分，但至少可以把握这样一个标准——凡是有可能继续增加族群仇恨的行为，不管打出的反恐怖理由多么充分，都不能给予支持。这不仅是国际社会应坚持的道义，对当事国本身也有长远好处。因为镇压只会一时有效，继续加深的族群仇恨却是为将来埋设更危险的恐怖炸弹。

在化解仇恨方面，强势族群应该作为主动一方。一方面族群仇恨往往出自强势族群的历史遗产和现实政策；另一方面弱势族群存在着可以理解的自尊敏感，不易超越。强势族群的主动不能仅以物质方式体现。有关物质的事以往已做了不少，其中美国做的最多。中国政府无论对西藏还是新疆，都送去了可观的物质。然而物质不能做到一切，尤其不能替代精神和情感。仇恨不是物质，恰恰是精神情感。强势族群要做的事情，首先应该是让弱势族群在精神上感受正义与平等，感受被尊重和被维护，而不是被征服和被压倒，以及被侮辱和被歧视。在这种看似“无形”的事情上下功夫，效果将会远远超过物质方面的施舍。

我不相信恐怖主义能够打倒美国。911再惊天动地，也不会像有人说的那样“改变历史”。恐怖主义既然是弱者的绝望，无论怎样铤而走险，对强大一方只是造成麻烦，不再像以往那么舒坦而已，改变不了强弱关系的对比。当前热门谈论的“回祸”也难成立。伊斯兰世界虽然人多地大，却不是一个民族，分属多个政府，彼此充满分歧制约，无法成为与西方抗衡的统一力量。相反，虽然中国政府巧妙地利用911事件与美国改善关系，西方社会却不会由此对中国转为信任，我甚至担心疑惧可能进一步加强——一个人口超过全球穆斯林总和的最大民族，对袭击中数千生命的丧失表达出集体性的幸灾乐祸，这一现象一定会给西方世界留下梦魇般的印象。在西方人心目中，只有撒旦才会为这样的灾难兴高采烈，而这个东方撒旦如此庞大，如果让它崛起，岂不就将成为西方世界的末日！

一些同胞还在火上浇油，不乏得意地把911袭击冠以中国专利的“超限战”，似乎是替未来中国打败美国进行的一次演习。然而稍微有点头脑就可以想到，恐怖分子可以使用“超限战”，是因为他们躲在暗处，能逃避惩罚，一个主权国家从事“超限战”却是冤有头债有主。你对人家超限，人家难道不会对你超限？超限对超限，弱者还得失败。而规则被破坏，弱国受保护的屏障也就失掉。历史上弱国所以能够生存，对规则的依赖远多于强国。弱国主动破坏规则，只能是一种愚蠢的自杀。

“超限战”作为中国对外的军事战略没有价值，相反却可以被国内反对势力所用。尤其是在镇压下感到绝望的少数民族极端分子，一旦接受“超限战”思想，走上恐怖主义之路，在境内上演中国版的911袭击，完全不是没有可能。因而，中国政府和中国的知识分子应该懂得，不能鼓励那类只供口头过瘾的思潮，对中国负责任而且有好处的，只能是普及人道、博爱与和平的精神。当然，那首先需要从自己做起。

同时，西方国家也不要被中国的表象迷惑。在我看来，当前所谓中国的民族主义只是一种“足球流氓式”的宣泄——为己方球队加油助威和起哄辱骂对方球队而已，没有真值得世界畏惧的威胁。真正的民族主义是一种信仰，是要像911死士那样为之舍生取义的。而经过百年翻饼最终坠入全民逐利的中国，早已失去信仰立足的基础，起哄时可以比赛踊跃，上战场则会找不到人影。一旦中国进入一个信息开放、言论自由的多元社会，不再受一党专政的政治煽动和洗脑，中国今日展现在世界面前的不可理喻，很快就会发生变化。应当明白，中国的问题不是中国人民的问题，是中国专制权力的问题。要避免未来中国成为世界的“黄祸”，唯有转变中国的专制权力。

2001年10月20日 北京

【转自王力雄文库http://wlx.sowiki.net/?action=show&id=246】

Weapons Cannot Destroy Hatred

Written by Wang Lixiong

Translated by Ogyen

At the time of 11/9 attacks, I was on an Environmental Education program in a Tibetan area in Qinghai. I was so shocked by the news and silently prayed for the victims in a local Tibetan temple. I agree with the international criticisms against the terrorists, which I am not going to repeat here but I want to share some other thoughts.

While praying for the American victims, I recalled the series of blasts that had taken place in Tibet. The explosion that destroyed Karzey prefecture government gate in Khangding city more than a month before 11/9 incident, which is nothing as compared to 11/9--- slightly injured two guards. But is there anything common between the two?

Being Buddhists, Tibetans believe in compassion and peace, not jihad. Their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama also repeatedly emphasizes Tibetans to follow non-violent paths. Then why are there still people resort to violence, even continuously (three blasts in Khangding alone this year)? I can understand this (though I completely oppose it) --- that is because of desperation. Violence is the only option left when people are forced to a limit of desperation where no other solution is available. Though violence cannot change the situation, it can at least express resistance to relieve the mind that is filled with hatred. The first explosion from the terrorists is the explosion of their hatred.

Terrorism is a behavior of the weak. Although Osama Bin Laden is wealthy, Al-Qaida is well organized and having a large membership, as compared to his enemy --- the US and the western world, he is too weak to be compared. The entire Arab, even the Islamic world is weaker than the west. Likewise, Uyghurs and Tibetans are too weak to be compared to the Chinese. I am not going to discuss here who is right and wrong, and it is not necessary that justice is always with the weak, but what can be ensured is that in the fight between the strong and weak, desperation always comes from the weaker side and hatred also most likely grows in the mind of the weak. Thus, apart from surrendering and being humiliated, terrorism becomes the only option for the hateful weak.

By violating the law, terrorists usually target civilians and public properties, which are undoubtedly crimes. However, being the weaker side, they can do nothing but to suffocate to death if they abide by the law. Imagine, how can the weak go and attack the army and strictly guarded military compound of the strong? Why would Bin Laden involve in terrorist activities if he is stronger than the US, he can simply order his army to fight the US.

When hatred reaches a definite level, it makes man go to extremes, even by sacrificing one's own life to punish the enemy. We cannot simply say terrorists are unethical and immoral; those who can sacrifice their lives are not short of moral support, but theirs are different standards of morality. On contrary, when so many innocent civilians were killed in 11/9, those extremists would definitely say America’s blockading Iraq killed more than ten thousand Iraqi children, killing few thousands Americans is far from being compensated.

This is how extreme fundamentalism is usually formed, it provides some kind of spiritual justice that justifies the avengers to deploy more sacred ethics to cover up the ethics at the conscience level. Irrespective of the justice and sacredness being unfounded, they would comfortably go and take revenge to the maximum effect indiscriminately. This type of extremism is often tied with religious faith that promises compensation in next life that enables them to dedicate lives for the cause, and thus produces what Mao Zedong used to flaunt as “spiritual atom bomb”.

Life sacrifices inspired by the ancient religious thoughts combined with swiftly developing science and technology can make a small section of people with negligible power do unimaginable destructions. 11/9 is an epitome though, it is not yet the most extreme act, like present academic development is far more advanced than that of the past, the extremists also keep trying to exceed past examples of revenge. Continuous development of science and technology, meanwhile, provides the "terror leaders" more capabilities.

Comparatively, direct attacks by the terrorists are lesser destructions, bigger destructions are indirect attacks created by diffusing the effects, and the biggest is the absence of security sense for the entire society. Terrorists are hidden and so cannot be guarded against. For guarding against few terrorists without knowing when they would sneak out and attack, society has to endlessly pay a high price. It is their opportunity to attack again whenever the protection loosens. This way, society would never be in peace and mankind would not find meaning and confidence for existence.

Then how can we eliminate terrorism? Will terrorism disappear with the elimination of terrorists and their power? This is how they likely think of the current Afghan war. However, war can destroy terrorists’ camps and their weapons but it can never destroy deep-rooted enmity bred in their hearts. Human heart is the only original source of hatred for terrorism and no weapon can destroy this hatred. In turn, wars breed fresh hatred, eliminating older terrorists creates new generations of young terrorists to succeed.

I do not believe in talks of cultural conflicts and I cannot agree explaining terrorism from Islamic point of view. It is right that most of the terror activities are from Muslim regions with Islamic cover. However, religion and culture are merely used as flags, consolidated hatred below this flag has not been borne out of religion and culture but has grown from experienced failures, humiliation, desperation and hopelessness of group of individuals.

Speaking thus, I am not protecting terrorism but pondering over how to eliminate it. According to me, the only option is to resolve hatred as when there is no hatred, there is no reason to take revenge and so acts of revenge like killing and destroying would not be necessary. I am sure some people would laugh at this unrealistic illusion and ask that the world is so vast and how would it be possible to eliminate hatred completely. Even the best society cannot do this. Even though there is the least possible hatred, we still cannot avoid the possibility of terror attacks.

I do not deny human society possibly cannot eliminate all hatreds, but we can start with eliminating group hatred at least. My so-called group can be classified on the basis of nations, classes, faiths etc --- the entire Muslims to internal sects among them, Tibet to Falun Kong, laid-off workers to residents of Taiwan etc. Each group is integrated with specific destiny, history and feelings, dreams and pursuits. I singularly talk about group hatred here because large-scale terror activities like 11/9 would only be possible with its foundation being group hatred.

Terror activities in the absence of terrorism are just normal criminal offences. Terror attacks such as 11/9 would need multiple conditions to succeed --- well-organization, huge amount of capital, long-term system planning and coordination, a few terrorists with guns or underground criminal gangs cannot succeed it. Especially the final requirement --- suicide attackers, who have to be inspired by religion and ideology, appeal with the honor of national hero can only transform them willing to donate lives. Terrorism is a system which can only be formed and maintained within a group, can be driven only with the collective hatred of the group and can only thrive with resources accumulated by the entire group. Terrorists are usually extreme religious forces, without group hatred to drive, the faith itself essentially advocates peace and promotes compassion but never encourages killing and promises heaven after death. It is group hatred that embodies extreme forces with justice and thus makes religion the weapon of revenge. The combination of extremism and religion can acquire resources and organize integration to the maximum level, and even acquires brave soldiers to sacrifice lives. 11/9 attackers were western educated people adapted to western way of life and got western benefits, they must normally be polite citizens, colleagues and neighbors, but eventually flew planes full of civilians ruthlessly into those concrete walls of cement and steel. These startling acts were not driven by individual grievances but group hatred that made them cold-bloodedly sacrifice their lives.

I believe eradicating hatred among groups in the world would end terrorism without which large-scale terror destructions like 11/9 would not take place. Those terror activities not sustained by specific doctrines, like personal revenges are not systems and so would not be of that scale; or underground gangs pursuing selfish interests would not meet their demands by committing suicides and would thus be easily grasped and prevented. This type of terror activities was always there in the past and so will not pose much of a threat in future to the extent of chain reactions the world over. Our world would ever since be much safer to live in.

If we agree eliminating group hatred being the best way to eradicate terrorism, we should now be sure of these principles: Firstly we should not let the extreme anger created by the 11/9 attacks lead the international community to respond violently but to find ways other than wars to resolve the issue. When there is a group conflict, both sides should self-reflect and invest all energy and resource to removing the group hatred but not intensifying it. Secondly we should prevent the political regime using anti-terrorism as a pretext to internally oppress specific groups of people. There are clues of Chinese government currently taking the opportunity of 11/9 to openly announce that the Uyghur rebels are terrorists. Though it is difficult to have a complete differentiation at this current period of complex phenomena but we should always be careful and at least be clear of such a standard --- though however satisfying the reasons are to prove terrorism, if it is a behavior intensifying group hatred, we should not support it. This standard should not only be the international standard of moral justice, but also the country in question, for oppression can only be effective temporarily, continuously intensifying group hatred buries much more dangerous terror explosives for future.

While resolving hatred, the stronger side should be more proactive since this hatred is usually because of historical inheritance or current policies of the stronger side; on the other hand, the weaker group is more sensitive and ready to accept themselves being respected. This mending of relationship should not only be material that has already done a lot in the past especially America. China has also visibly brought so much material progress in Tibet and East Turkistan. However, material development cannot solve all problems, especially it cannot replace spiritual needs and feelings as hatred is exactly a spiritual feeling and not material needs. So the powerful group, instead of conquering and repressing, humiliating and insulting the weaker group, they should first let the weaker group emotionally feel equal and just, respected and protected. This “invisible” initiative actually is much more effective than material compensation.

I do not believe terrorism can defeat America. However more earth-shaking 11/9 was, it would not "change history" like people presume. Terrorism is a desperate state of the weak, however desperate, what they can do is to create some troubles to the strong and the strong cannot live as comfortable as used to be, but they can never change the power imbalance between the two. Islamic world is so vast and populated though, it is not composed of only one nation and there are many governments, full of constraints and differences among them and so it is impossible to unite into a single force to challenge the west. In contrary, though China is applying 11/9 to improve its relations with the US but the western community will not trust China easily because of that, I think they will become even more suspicious of China --- a nation with a population more than all Muslims in the world combined, who collectively expressed joy and celebrated over the loss of thousands of lives in the attacks, which must have left impressions of nightmares to the west. To the western world, only Satan would enjoy such disasters, but this eastern Satan is so gigantic, letting this rise would mean the end of the west!

There are people even adding fuels to the fire by proudly calling the11/9 attacks “unrestricted warfare”, as if these attacks are just exercises of China defeating America in the future. However, people with a little insight can understand that terrorists use “unrestricted warfare” as they are hidden and can escape punishments, but a sovereign country involving in "restricted warfare" would mean fatal. You wage an unrestricted war on them and can they not do the same on you? Unrestricted wars from both sides would again mean the defeat of the weaker side. When laws are broken, the weaker side loses their protective shelters. The weak could manage to survive through the history just because they relied more on laws than the strong did. So proactive breaking of laws by the weak is a foolish suicide.

Making “unrestricted warfare” China’s external military strategy is worthless, conversely it could be used by the internal opposition forces, especially by the desperate minority extremists resulted from the government’s oppressions, who once grab “unrestricted warfare” ideology and choose terror path, creating Chinese version of 11/9 inside China is not impossible. Therefore, Chinese government and Chinese intelligentsia should realize that the ideological trend of those who speak irresponsibly should not be encouraged, but only peace, love and universal humanitarianism. Certainly, first we should start these from ourselves.

At the same time, there is no need for the western countries to be confused of Chinese appearance. According to me, the present Chinese nationalism is merely a “football hooligan style” behavior --- only cheering for one’s own team while abusing the other, it is not worth for the world to feel threatened and fear. Real nationalism is a faith like those 11/9 attackers sacrificing lives for justice. Coming to this present age of fame after centuries of upheavals, China has already lost its foundation of faith, people jostle for jeering but no one wants to join the battle. Once China becomes a pluralistic society with free information, freedom of expression, no political propaganda and brain-washing by this one-party rule, the China displayed before the world would be unimaginable, I believe this change will come soon. It should be understood that the Chinese problem is not the problem of Chinese people but that of the government. Only by changing this autocratic power, we can avoid China becoming a "disaster" to the world.

20/10/2001 Beijing.