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SRDJA, OTOPRASHKI SMR A.D. (Srđa Popović - SMR A.d.)
SRDJA, OTOPRASHKI SMR A.D. (Srđa Popović - SMR A.d.)
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from Ukraine to Lebanon-earning him and his small band of nonviolent storm troopers a name
as Che-like globe-trotting agitators. "We have the notorious reputation of being capable of
toppling dictatorships all over the world," he said with nonchalance. "We are the world's best
known troublemakers."
But that notoriety has also made it more difficult for the tall, sinewy 37-year-old to slip into
places where his services might be of use. While he boasts that he's never been arrested outside
of his native Serbia, nor deported or even denied a visa, he acknowledges that there are "a few
countries that I would be prohibited to go." Iran, he says with a smirk, "would love me-for
dinner."
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Slobodan Mi losevic's
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was growing restless. He wanted to take his brand of popular rebellion on the road. "I am not a
politician; I am a revolutionary," he says . "I see the world as a big battlefield between those who
believe in the power of the people and those who try to control the power of the people."
With another Otpor founder, Popovic founded the -~~-~-~t~...f.9..~---~-R.R.1..\.~.~-...~.9.~.Y..!.9.!.~.~-~-..~-~-~-i..9..~...~.~.9.
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were already plenty of organizations-the .~..~~i.9.~.~.!...P.~.~.9.ST~!!.~..J.~.?..~.\ .t.~.~-~..J.~.~.8..:./(~~-~:.~9..!.:.~E9.!...t the
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politics. CANVAS offered something new. Instead of talking about civil society and institution
building, it drew on the Serbian experience to give pro-democracy activists the nitty-gritty tools
for nudging intransigent leaders and, if necessary, toppling governments without firing a shot. It
is the only pro-democracy group, says Popovic, where practical knowledge "is transferred to
activists by those who have actually achieved freedom through nonviolent struggle."
CANvAS Is .'. :.~9.r..~....~!:-!.r..r..!.S.~.!.~.~.::..J.~.~~B.:.f!."!..I('!."!..:.~.~-~Y.9..?..<?..8..~.~--i9..:.<?.E.9./.1_~.9..~.~-Y..(f.i.!.~.~(Y.~..~~g-~~/.~.~-~~---~-~--~~-i-~-~-~-~-~~.?.~.~.9.~.~~-~ ....~.?..<?..~.:.8.~D...CPdf) has been translated into six languages, including Farsi and Arabic, and its
coeditor of Civil Resistance and Power Politics, a study of nonviolent action. "It is absolutely to be
admired and replicated . I've seen it myself in Ukraine."
The Popovic model has also caught autocrats' attention. In 2007, Venezuelan president .!::i..~.!ii!9.
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used by Otpor. (CANVAS has met with anti-Chavez activists, but Popovic says the organization
has never worked inside the country.) Following the Orange and Rose revolutions, Belarusian TV
suggested that Otpor-inspired forces were conspiring to bring down President ~.!.~.!5.?..9...!:!.9..~
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wasn't there that evening, but 16 of her coworkers were killed. "Do you think I would ever
collaborate w ith the government that tried to kill my mom?" he once asked.
Democracy Island grew out of Popovic's recent success in the Maldives, where, in 2008, a former
poI iti ca I prisoner named .~.9.b.~.!:n-~.~...~.~.?..h.~.~-~ -J~.~-~.8..=..U~."!..I('!.:.W.~.?..i.9..~.~-<::.Y..~.a..!9..!.Y..~.?..:.9..~.Y..:.~.Y./.~l.?..~.~r~.?..c?.r.9..l
defeated the country's longtime strongman in a multipa r ty election held after three years of
nonviolent agitation. CANVAS had worked closely with Nasheed's .~.!:'1.1.9_!.Y..!.9..~....9.-~.~.9.~.r..?.t.t.!.~...~.?..r..~.
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overthrow governments, they gently suggest visiting Ackerman, who has fewer qualms about lending a
helping hand."
CANVAS may not receive money directly from the US government, but it does receive government money
through flow-through organizations.
Daragahi Borzou reported in The Los Angeles Times of September 2, 2008 (A Georgian soldier of the Velvet
Revolution) that CANVAS has received funding from the International Republican Institute. The IRI receives its
funding from the US government. As Borzou wrote, CANVAS "is funded in part by the International Republ ican
Institute, which many describe as the international arm of the GOP, and Wash ington-based Freedom House,
which receives most of its funding from the U.S. government." Peter Ackerman was not too long ago head of
Freedom House, which Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman, in their Manufacturing Consent, described as
interlocked with the CIA.
The claim, then, that CANVAS is independent of US government funding is false, as is the intimation that its
funding is independent of the US foreign policy establishment .
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lFla g ( #)
ILike II Reply I
Article is PR spin
This article is little short of PR spin, glorifying a new type of tactical warfare that has gained popularity over the
past couple decades within the policy planning circles of the ruling elite. If the author was trying to be critical
and fair, he would have provided even a general outline of what the critics of organizat ions like CANVAS are
arguing. He might have interviewed one of them. Instead, when it comes to learning about this 'critical' side of
the argument, we read a quote from a member of one of the organizations in question, that of Stephen
Zunes, who currently chairs the academic advisory board of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
(ICNC). What standards of journalism are we using here anyway?
To Stephen Zunes, those critics of the nonviolent regime change infrastructure are misguided by all manner of
political delusions and "conspiratorial" fantasies. Which of course cou ld be t rue. I suppose we are not all
blessed with an intuitive grasp of "true" political nuance, no doubt. Maybe he's right.
And, yet, what if one ever decided to scrutinize Zunes's claims more closely? Actually read his published
articles and statements? What would we learn? Anything more than his three-pronged attack of name-calling,
evasiveness from substance, and name-dropping (of numerous "progressive" or " radical" academics and
scholars to establish credibility)? I doubt it. Where is the substance of his defense, one wou ld most likely ask?
Why all the name-dropping? And what IS the difference between "real" or "fantastical" imperialism , according
to Zunes? Does he EVER outline wh at his notion of "real" is? Or are we just going to keep reading about how
"anti-imperialist" and "radical" he is?
Of course this article isn't about Zunes, specifically, it is mostly about the legitimacy of the supposedly
"nonviolent" program being set up; and about what we should think of it . My guess is that a fair article would
have provided a better look into all facets th ese contentious issues. This it did not do. And so people like
Michael Barker, Stephen Gownens and myself must spend our time challenging this lack of balance, with the
implicit understanding that fully-informed readers make better judgments about what it is they're read ing.
In that spirit, I offer a few suggestions (consider these offered to every critical reader). Look closely at the
issu e from all sides. Scrap each of th e misleading labels and empty concepts that weigh you r prejudicial brain
beforehand, they are a hindrance. Words like "progressive" and "leftist" and "revolutionary" and "radical" and
"nonviolent" couldn't be more of a problematic than in cases like these. Instead, be smart, get straight to the
concrete. WHO are these people? WHAT are they doing? HOW are they doing it? WH ERE do they come from ?
Who pays th em? Who benefits? And so on. And so forth.
It's a complex issue. And there's no easy way around original questions and solid research .
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:J. (http:((disg us.com/horedwelll boredwell and 3 more liked t his (#) ILike II Reply I
lag (#)
In t his article the author com pares Popovic to Che Guev ara:
"Popovi c has been credited with givin g activist s the tool s to oust un popu lar regimes from Ukraine to Lebanon earn ing him and his sma ll band of nonviolent storm troopers a name as Che-like globe-t rot t ing agitators."
I find it v ery disturbing that th e auth or mentions nonviolence in th e same breath as mentioning Ch e. I
wond er if th e author knows th at Che Guevara was in charge of executions for Cuba? Or th at Che himself shot
at least one prisoner in t he head at point-blank range?
I rea li ze th at legions of Am erica n college students idolize Che with posters featuring th at cool, iconic im age.
But rea lly, MJ should know better.
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ILike II Reply I
C#comment- 162255628)
Mr. Popovic's avowed success in cross-pollin atin g his Serbian brand of expertise in diverse politica l cl imes is a
heady export indeed. However, OTPOR's advocacy and tutelage could be constru ed as being officious an d
meddlesome. Even if a movem ent is able to morph into its own, OTPOR's assistance in evitably dilutes t he
homegrown n at u re and endemic qualit ies of wh at should remain, quintessentially, locally- inspired grassroots
mov ements. Quite possibly, collaboration with OTPOR could stunt a democratic movement's fut u re growth .
Nation ali sts and oth ers will seek to challenge its authenticit y by accusin g it of being derivative of OTPOR. No
matter how benign OTPOR's intentions.
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ILike I E!iJ
C# comment -
393984723)
Before he left , Popovic dra ined his beer and lea ned t oward m e . . and we kissed ..
Fla g (#)
ILike II Reply I