Luis Felipe Rojas, Translator: Raul G.
What can be done to strengthen the civil society of a nation? Part of
the answer is a polyphonic chorus among dozens of Cuban human rights
activists. As this week begins, the engineer Librado Linares wraps up a
course on non-violent leadership which he taught in the form of a
workshop in Baracoa, Guantanamo. With daily 5 hour long sessions, the
students learned of the different historical stages which non-violent
struggle has gone through, both in Cuba and in the world. Some of the
most notable examples of society confronting totalitarian regimes come
from Serbia and Chile, while emphasis was also made on the teachings of
King and Gandhi and the threats against freedom stemming from certain
dark forces. It was a brief map of human will.
In a repressive setting such as Eastern Cuba, Librado Linares' approach
reinforces the necessity of proactive activism on the island. It also
points out just how important it is for resistance leaders to look ahead
and see that the social framework is more complex than what may appear
at first glance. Linares, recently released from a 20 year sentence, of
which he only served 8 thanks to the pressures exerted on the Castro
regime, and also member of the group of the 75, has committed himself to
teaching his fellow countrymen to use tools which would implement a
strategy leading to the unfolding of a peaceful change in our country.
Moving from the symbolic stage we are currently at to the denominated
selective resistance and from there towards an exponential scale is the
desire of many. Because of this, according to the evaluations of
Librado Linares, the grand strategy course should be inclusive and avoid
being the contrary. It should also work with international solidarity,
through the decisive exile forces, and construct, for once and for all,
a civil society that is autonomous and firm.
A chat, a debate enriched by experience, a determination to turn
obsession for freedom into definite freedom.
Translated by Raul G.
1 November 2011
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