Afreedom fighter is a person engaged in a struggle to achievepolitical freedom, particularly against an established government.[1][2] The term is typically reserved for those who are actively involved inarmed or otherwise violentrebellion.[3]
Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight? They never mention that part to us, do they?
Generally speaking, freedom fighters are people who use physical force to cause a change in the political and or social order. Notable examples includeuMkhonto we Sizwe in South Africa, theSons of Liberty in theAmerican Revolution, theIrish Republican Army in Ireland andNorthern Ireland, theEritrean People's Liberation Front in Eritrea, theMukti Bahini inBangladesh Liberation War, and theNational Resistance Army in Uganda, which were considered freedom fighters by supporters. 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 calledpolitical activists, as in the case of theBlack Consciousness Movement. In India, "Freedom fighter" is an officially recognized category by theIndian government covering those who took part in thecountry's independence movement; people in this category, which can also include dependant family members,[5] get pensions and other benefits like special railway counters.[6]
People who are described as "freedom fighters" are often also referenced asassassins,rebels,insurgents, orterrorists. This leads to theaphorism "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter".[7] The degree to which this occurs depends on a variety of factors specific to the struggle in which a given freedom fighter group in engaged. During theCold War,freedom fighter was first used with reference to theHungarian rebels in 1956.[8]Ronald Reagan picked up the term to explainAmerica's support of rebels in countries controlled bycommunist states or otherwise perceived to be under the influence of the Soviet Union, including theContras in Nicaragua,UNITA in Angola and the multi-factionalmujahideen in Afghanistan.[8]
A freedom fighter is different from amercenary 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 may in certain circumstances be protected by it (Mercenaries are not protected under the Geneva Convention and can be tried as criminals).[citation needed] In the media, theBBC tries to avoid the phrases "terrorist" or "freedom fighter", except in attributed quotes, in favor of more neutral terms such as "militant", "guerrilla", "assassin", "insurgent", "rebel", "paramilitary", or "militia".[9]
