by M. BJELOVUK
Apparently, during the last week, Otpor was daily picking up between 400 and 1,000 new members for whom "resistance is the only answer".
GJ: Is Otpor aware of the significance it currently has in Serbia?
Marovic: We are aware of Otpor's significance but do not plan to become complacent and arrogant because of that. We are led by the idea of spreading resistance and resistance is a state of mind, not an organization.
Why has Otpor become a significant force?
Because everything is Serbia is a game between the amount of fear and amount of hope. The regime is trying to increase the amount of fear, we the amount of hope. We want to defeat fear. The moment we manage to awaken the hope in the populace that changes are possible and the authorities can be changed without violence, we shall defeat fear and win.
How do you plan to do that?
Repression is directed against Otpor activists and that is why it is important to increase the number of our activists. Mass activism makes repression meaningless. While it is intimidating to arrest 10 people, it is impossible to arrest 1,000 of them, and by its nature that type of intimidation becomes futile.
What are the guarantees that you will not sell out, or join some political party?
We are. If we endured all arrests and persecution, we could only join a political party if that led to a change of the regime. Only one party can do it. Only the Socialist Party of Serbia can change the regime by accepting us in its ranks. Therefore, we are waiting for an offer from the SPS.
What are your plans for defense against repression? What do you demand from the opposition?
We have a proposal for non-violent people's defense against the repression. It has three points. The first one is to gather support from professional associations of philosophers, writers, actors. The other point is directed at the opposition. They should appoint in all municipalities where they are in power teams that would react in case of repression against citizens, to send lawyers to Police stations, inform citizens, organize gatherings in front of Police stations where the arrested individuals are held. It is necessary to print a manual for citizens: what they should do if their loved ones become victims of repression. Furthermore, municipal officials should go to Police stations and demand that the arrested individuals be released. We did not want to present to the opposition a too ambitious plan that would be difficult to implement. Nevertheless, this is sufficiently specific and requires that they do something. Otpor is in charge of the third point: 100 activists will start a hunger strike for each arrested person.
Some of your earlier proposals were rejected by the opposition as well?
We proposed establishment of crisis staffs, use of public transportation vehicles to block the Federal parliament, public broadcasts of news programs produced by Radio B2-92 from all buildings under the jurisdiction of local authorities via public announcement systems, as well as printing of a information bulletin for citizens.