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The Logic and Limits of Nonviolent Conflict
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Written By: Karina Böckmann/ipsnews
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Posted Date: 1/26/2012 9:58:16 AM
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Today marks the one-year anniversary of the uprisings in Egypt that unseated
an authoritarian regime and rekindled the spark of nonviolent resistance
around the world.
The mass demonstrations that began on Jan. 25 in Cairo appeared spontaneous, ignited by the
Tunisian Jasmine Revolution some weeks before. But according to Srdja Popovic, a seasoned organiser
and founder of the 'Centre
for Applied NonViolent Action & Strategies' (CANVAS) in Belgrade, that assumption is far from the
truth.
A consultancy group for nonviolent resistance movements around the world, CANVAS prides itself on
having trained pro-democracy activists from almost 40 countries in nonviolent techniques and
strategies.
Members of Egypt's April 6 Youth Movement, a decisive force in bringing down former Egyptian
president Hosni Mubarak, were disciples of the organisation, which has been dubbed the 'Revolution
Academy'.
In CANVAS workshops, members of April 6 became familiar with forms of peaceful protest, creative
provocation measures and practical advice on how to behave in critical situations. They took classes in
fundraising and recruitment and gained valuable advice on how to attract new supporters to the
movement.
Coupled with the revolutionary fervour that swept across Egypt throughout 2011 and is still visible on
the streets today, CANVAS’ training of key young members of the resistance bore fruits of a legendary
nature.
"2011 was the worst year for the bad guys ever," said Popovic at a discussion in Berlin entitled,
'Democracy Promotion – Democracy Export – Regime Change?', referring to the many pro-democracy
uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East that have come to be known as the Arab Spring.
Popovic easily counts himself as one of the 'good guys', given that he was a driving force behind the
Serbian student movement Otpor! (meaning resistance) that peacefully toppled the 'butcher of Belgrade'
Slobodan Milosevic from power in the year 2000.
Solid Strategies
Popovic is the executive director of CANVAS and, by extension, the chief trainer at the 'Revolution
Academy'.
A veteran organiser, he inspires professionalism, assertiveness and confidence when he speaks about
the techniques of "how to get rid of a dictator" and of the importance of unity, planning and nonviolent
discipline as "the universal principles of success."
Assuming that a successful pro-democracy movement needs the support of just three to eight percent
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