LACIGF side event - Internet in Venezuela

[Klein, Hans K]

Milton, you may be missing my point.  Sorry if I was unclear.

There is no denigration of good people advocating good values.

The problem is that good people advocating good values can set in motion events that lead to bad outcomes (civil wars).  And we have seen this many, many times in the last ten years. In those other societies I don’t believe that the good people advocating good values sought violence, intended for violence to escalate, or welcomed violence when it engulfed their societies.  But violence did occur and became the dominant dynamic, with horrific consequences.  So it is important to recognize a dangerous situation for what it is, and it is important to develop social change strategies that avoid violence.

I have no doubt that Venezuelan civil society groups would agree that severe and prolonged violent conflict would be an undesirable outcome.  So how can they avoid that?  In other societies such violence was not avoided.

This challenge is relevant to civil society groups everywhere.   How can civil society effect social change, keeping the process peaceful and constructive?  How can domestic social conflict avoid external influences?  These may be the questions of our times.

Hans






From: Mueller, Milton L
Sent: Wednesday, August 2, 2017 11:51 PM
To: Klein, Hans K <hans at gatech.edu>; NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: RE: LACIGF side event - Internet in Venezuela

Hans,
In case you haven’t noticed, things are already violent in Venezuela. Venezuela has been rocked by nonstop street protests since the government’s attempt in late March to strip Congress of its right to legislate<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/30/venezuela-president-nicolas-maduro-national-assembly>. The left-populist regime has wrecked the economy, scapegoated everyone else for its devastation, and is now violently attacking groups that want to change the government.

The event you are detracting is in Panama, not Venezuela, and it is a discussion of internet issues, not a “public demonstration.”  I think you owe Renata an apology.

--MM

From: NCSG-Discuss [mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Klein, Hans K
Sent: Wednesday, August 2, 2017 8:06 PM
To: NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU<mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Subject: Re: LACIGF side event - Internet in Venezuela

I assume this side event on Venezuela, the Internet, and human rights is done with the best of intentions.

But recent histories in other countries might make activists think twice about setting in motion events that can lead in unexpected and horrific directions.

In Libya public demonstrations “quickly became violent” and were eventually followed by bombing by foreign powers; that country is now mired in civil war and many Libyans are risking their lives to escape the country.   In Syria public demonstrations “quickly became violent,” and foreign powers and various foreign-backed “freedom fighters” emerged to engage in what has been called the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II.   In Ukraine public demonstrations also “quickly became violent,” then there was a foreign-associated coup d’etat, and then a civil war began that has claimed an estimated 10,000 lives (so far.)  Even in Venezuela in 2002 public demonstrations “quickly became violent” and led to a foreign-supported coup d’etat (that was later reversed.)

So, pragmatically speaking, the utility of public demonstrations for achieving social justice goals is not above question.   There seems to be a pattern of civil society demonstrations “quickly becoming violent” and devolving into civil wars.  Yes, regimes are changed -- but at the price of social chaos.

(I am doing early-stage research on the topic of information warfare and the transition to violence in civil society movements.)

From what I read in the US media, Venezuela is experiencing serious economic and social problems.  But those problems are nothing like what is going on in Syria or Libya or other places. It would be a shame if well-intentioned demonstrations there led to serious conflict.

Hans Klein
Associate Professor of Public Policy
Georgia Tech
Atlanta, Georgia  USA










From: NCSG-Discuss [mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Renata Aquino Ribeiro
Sent: Tuesday, August 1, 2017 10:30 PM
To: NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU<mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Subject: LACIGF side event - Internet in Venezuela

Hi

An important side event in LAC on Digital Rights and Internet in Venezuela w/ some members
3aug 2pm (Panama time)
Tweets #LACIGF10 #LACIGF

Please share among your networks


https://www.eventbrite.com/e/internet-en-venezuela-tickets-36639262019?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=escb&utm-source=cp&utm-term=listing
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