US-foreign aid agency infiltrated Cuban hip-hop scene to spark youth unrest

[oxmox 73]

US softpower in action - US agency for International Development (USAid).

US agency infiltrated Cuban hip-hop scene to spark youth unrest (december 11th 2014 - The Guardian)

Investigation finds USAid recruited musicians ‘to break information blockade’ as part of covert social project. For more than two years, the American development aid organisation USAid has been secretly trying to infiltrate Cuba’s underground hip-hop movement, according to records obtained by the Associated Press.

The programme is laid out in documents involving Creative Associates International, a Washington contractor paid millions of dollars to undermine the Cuban government

Hip-hop has emerged as the latest covert weapon in the US government’s hapless attempts to unseat Cuba’s communist government.

At first, the hip-hop operation was run in Cuba by Serbian contractor Rajko Bozic. His project was inspired by the protest concerts of the student movement that helped undermine former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

Contractors would recruit scores of Cuban musicians for projects disguised as cultural initiatives but really aimed at boosting their visibility and stoking a movement of fans to challenge the government.

Like its previous efforts, including exploding cigars, Cuban Twitter and the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, the attempt to co-opt rappers ended in ignominious failure, new documents have shown. The operation followed a familiar pattern to other tactics in America’s secret war in Cuba..

The work included the creation of a “Cuban Twitter†social network and the dispatch of inexperienced Latin American youth to recruit activists, operations that were the focus of previous revelations. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-26872866 (US created 'Cuban Twitter' to stir unrest).

(April 4th 2014 - Associated Press)

The USAid operation also ended up compromising Cuba’s vibrant hip-hop culture, which has produced some of the hardest-hitting grassroots criticism since Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.

Bozic, the Serb, went on to projects in Tunisia, Ukraine, Lebanon and Zimbabwe. He declined to comment on his Cuban operation.

In a written statement, USAID said the programs were part of a four-year contract that ended in 2012, but denied they were clandestine.

complete report:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/11/cuban-hip-hop-scene-infiltrated-us-information-youth

6-pages article from abc-news

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-opted-cubas-hip-hop-scene-spark-change-27519265

Edited December 11, 2014 by oxmox

[mistyronin 1181]

Summarizing the US Gov. funded certain Cuban Hip Hop groups to spread a message against the authoritarian gov. and promoting democracy, on the other hand the Cuban Gov. repressed such groups in the worst authoritarian way ( as it does with anyone who speaks against them ).

A pity, for once the US tried a proper operation to increase support for democracy and failed.

[oxmox 73]

Yeah I would describe that similar or paraphrase it superficial. Otherwise dont you think it is just an interference in a sovereign state with the aim to destabilize, manipulate and overthrow it. In other words to cause trouble and gain influence.

Edited December 11, 2014 by oxmox

[negah 26]

Summarizing the US Gov. funded certain Cuban Hip Hop groups to spread a message against the authoritarian gov. and promoting democracy, on the other hand the Cuban Gov. repressed such groups in the worst authoritarian way ( as it does with anyone who speaks against them ).

A pity, for once the US tried a proper operation to increase support for democracy and failed.

Spreading unrest == supporting democracy?

And assuming they would succeed and it would lead to a civil war with US led bombings leading to hundreds or thousands of civilian casualties, would you also support this action because of "supporting democracy"?

Btw such actions as interfering into internal affairs of other countries are against international law. Though last I heard this law can only be used to condemn other states like Russia...

[mistyronin 1181]

Yeah I would describe that similar or paraphrase it superficial. Otherwise dont you think it is just an interference in a sovereign state with the aim to destabilize, manipulate and overthrow it. In other words to cause trouble and gain influence.

Are you saying that promoting democracy in a dictatorship in a peaceful way is to cause trouble?

I'm sorry but I'm a proud democrat and defender of the human rights, among them the freedom of expression which is not respected at all in Cuba. And of course I'll support by any means all peaceful efforts to overthrow authoritarian regimes.

And assuming they would succeed and it would lead to a civil war with US led bombings leading to hundreds or thousands of civilian casualties, would you also support this action because of "supporting democracy"?

Btw such actions as interfering into internal affairs of other countries are against international law. Though last I heard this law can only be used to condemn other states like Russia...

If Russia decides to promote human rights and democracy funding music groups and creating social networks in other countries I'd be the first supporter. The problem is that Putin ignores most of the democratic principles and human rights.

BTW there have been a lot of peaceful civilian movements to overthrow dictatorships, for example the Carnation Revolution in Portugal. So no, support democracy and human rights doesn't tend to lead to Civil Wars nor US bombings.

Edited December 11, 2014 by MistyRonin

[negah 26]

So no, support democracy and human rights doesn't tend to lead to Civil Wars nor US bombings.

So you think Castro would just give up his regime if someone rebels?

Or do you think that everyone hates Castro and he would stand totally without supporters in case of an uprising?

Just look at what democracy has brought to Lybia. I guess if you ask many lybians now, they would say they were happier when Gadaffi was alive, because you know, the country wasnt ruined by ethnic and religious wars back then.

Our countries have come to democracy mostly by ourselves (e.g. France or Britain), so why do we have to intervene everywhere and export our democracy everywhere.

You talk about how every country has a right to self determination, so why not let Cuba handle things on their own.

If the cuban people want a change, they will get their revolution just like they already did once.

And remember that democracy is just another form of rulership, and its pretty young (we shouldnt compare it to the greek democracy).

Who knows how the history will turn, maybe in a hundred years we will go back to monarchies or aristocracies or will develop a totally new kind of rulership.

You have to understand that many people who are used to their form of government are staunch supporters of that form of government.

For example during the monarchies many people would gladly die (ok maybe not really that many when it would come to that, but still) for their king because they believed his powers came from god.

Or look at Putins approval ratings.

Now some of us believe that democracy is the best way for everyone (then again choosing between two equal parties who never keep their promises is not a democracy), doesnt matter that people are killed in the name of democracy.

Just like it didnt matter when people were killed in the name of god during the crusades.

Edited December 11, 2014 by negah

[oxmox 73]

Are you saying that promoting democracy in a dictatorship in a peaceful way is to cause trouble?

I'm sorry but I'm a proud democrat and defender of the human rights, among them the freedom of expression which is not respected at all in Cuba. And of course I'll support by any means all peaceful efforts to overthrow authoritarian regimes.

Yes, Iam a democrat and defender of the human rights aswell but Iam not a missionary. Iam sorry to say that there are issues to see, that with almost gangster like methodes a nation interferes to topple, destabilize and manipulate souvereign countries. The handwriting is not new, its a big part of the history and its a speciality which did often lead to bloody but not to peaceful results, ignoring most of the democratic principles and human rights itself. Thats why my skepticism.

Edited December 11, 2014 by oxmox

[mistyronin 1181]

It seems BTW that because of that both countries are close to a total war... or not:

( Al Jazeera ) Obama says US restoring ties with Cuba

The United States will restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba more than 50 years after they were severed, US President Barack Obama has said, just hours after Havana announced it had released a US aid worker who had been jailed for five years in Cuba.

"Today the US is changing its relationship with the people of Cuba. We'll begin to normalise relations between our two nations and begin a new chapter," Obama said in Washington.

[VyMajoris_IHS 10]

And yet, the media still turning its back on the numerous occasions of Cuban Intelligence(DGI) infiltration inside the US and the terrorist attacks.

watch?v=fPHw4lHqMZM (can't post links yet)

But I don't think that the lyrics were inciting democracy and western values at all. Just like in Vietnam, the US intelligence office was committed in spreading pornographic and anti-family propaganda. Beyonce and Jay-Z are not exponents of western greatness.

Even if they indeed incited democracy, that doesn't meant that the people would have representatives, for even in my country, Brazil, 80% of the people doesn't have representatives and the voting machines are secretly maintened and manufactured by the Venezuelan-Cuban Agency called "SMARTMATIC".

It seems BTW that because of that both countries are close to a total war... or not:

( Al Jazeera link ) [/b]

]

History repeats itself. The US government did the same with USSR and later, with China. The government helped its own enemy.

[spooky lynx 73]

Summarizing the US Gov. funded certain Cuban Hip Hop groups to spread a message against the authoritarian gov. and promoting democracy, on the other hand the Cuban Gov. repressed such groups in the worst authoritarian way ( as it does with anyone who speaks against them ).

A pity, for once the US tried a proper operation to increase support for democracy and failed.

Excuse me but recent US-style promotions for democracy (for example in Iraq, A-stan, Libya, former Yugoslavia and ex-USSR countries) led only to unrests, civil wars, falls of economics in targeted countries, massive rise of opiates production and so on. So bravo to Cuban govt. And screw such democracy promotions.

[mistyronin 1181]

Excuse me but recent US-style promotions for democracy (for example in Iraq, A-stan, Libya, former Yugoslavia and ex-USSR countries) led only to unrests, civil wars, falls of economics in targeted countries, massive rise of opiates production and so on. So bravo to Cuban govt. And screw such democracy promotions.

Are you comparing wars to a peaceful promotion of democracy?

BTW the situation in the former Yugoslavia and most of ex-USSR countries is better than before.

Iraq, A-Stan and Libya are another kind of fish. Both in Iraq and A-Stan the USA and partners messed it up, losing an awesome opportunity to improve things there ( even if I don't supported the war in Iraq, neither how things were done ). In Libya is a complex situation, it's too early to see what's gonna be the outcome.

Edited December 24, 2014 by MistyRonin

[spooky lynx 73]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't know any peaceful promotion of democracy done by US at recent two decades.

BTW the situation in the former Yugoslavia and most of ex-USSR countries is better than before.

So you name massive raise of poverty, ruining of economies, agriculture and industry, violent and bloody ethnic conflicts with thousands dead, tens of towns and villages destroyed or left, large amount of territory left filled with mines "better than before"? Better for who? For Europe and especially US - yes, indeed. For those who live here - hell no.

[Tonci87 163]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't know any peaceful promotion of democracy done by US at recent two decades.

So you name massive raise of poverty, ruining of economies, agriculture and industry, violent and bloody ethnic conflicts with thousands dead, tens of towns and villages destroyed or left, large amount of territory left filled with mines "better than before"? Better for who? For Europe and especially US - yes, indeed. For those who live here - hell no.

Well, it was better for Croatia, and it would have been even better if the independence came peacefully. I think that for example Bosnia wouldn´t be such a poor country if the war didn´t destroy most of it. But well, rulers just really don´t like when their subjects suddenly ask for independence.

The same applies for most of the former USSR countries, they are generally better off without the Russian overlord ruling them, only the massive corruption (a relict of the former Soviet rule) is holding them back.