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Freedom fighter
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"Freedom fighter" is a term for those engaged in an armed struggle, the main cause of which is to achieve, in their or their supporters' view, freedom for themselves or obtain freedom for others.
Though the literal meaning of the words could include anyone who fights for the cause of freedom, in common use it is restricted to those who are actively involved in an armed rebellion, rather than those who campaign for freedom by peaceful means (though they may use the title in its literal sense).
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Encyclopedia
"Freedom fighter" is a term for those engaged in an armed struggle, the main cause of which is to achieve, in their or their supporters' view, freedom for themselves or obtain freedom for others.
Though the literal meaning of the words could include anyone who fights for the cause of freedom, in common use it is restricted to those who are actively involved in an armed rebellion, rather than those who campaign for freedom by peaceful means (though they may use the title in its literal sense). However, a person who is campaigning for freedom through peaceful means may still be classed as a freedom fighter, though in common usage they are called political activists.
In India, "Freedom Fighter" is a term very popularly used for the followers of Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian Independence movement against British rule, which was fought without the use of arms (Satyagrah). The associations of those freedom fighters in India are called "Freedom Fighter's Association" and they are well recognised and respected countrywide.
Terminology
People who describe themselves (or are described by their supporters) as "freedom fighters" tend to be called assassins, rebels, or terrorists by others. This leads to the aphorism "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter". During the Cold War, the term freedom fighter was used by the United States and other Western Bloc countries to describe rebels in countries controlled by communist states or otherwise under the influence of the Soviet Union, including rebels in Hungary, the anti-communist Contras in Nicaragua, UNITA in Angola and the multi-factional mujahideen in Afghanistan, as well as rebels in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Although the label freedom fighter is associated with specific groups, freedom fighters are seen as people who are using physical force in order to cause a change in the political and or social order. This is done in response to oppression or perceived oppression by a internal or external body.
A freedom fighter is different from a mercenary as they gain no direct material benefit from being involved in a conflict, though they may have no personal reason for being involved. Thus they are not considered mercenaries under the Geneva Convention and thus are protected by it (Mercenaries are not protected under the Geneva Convention and can be tried as criminals).
Media reporting
Many major media agencies, notably the BBC and Reuters, except in attributed quotes, avoid the phrase "terrorist" or
"freedom fighter", in favor of neutral terms such as "militant", "guerrilla",
"assassin", "insurgent", "paramilitary" or "militia" to avoid the editorializing implicit in the use of such words.
See also
External links
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