TEDGlobal 2011
Jarreth Merz: Filming democracy in Ghana
Džaret Merc (Jarreth Merz): Snimanje demokratije u Gani
Filmed:
Readability: 4.2
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Džaret Merc, švajvarski režiser poreklom iz Gane, došao je 2008. u Ganu da snimi državne izbore. Ono što je video naučilo ga je novim stvarima u vezi sa demokratijom, i samim sobom.
Jarreth Merz - Filmmaker
Jarreth Merz' new film, "An African Election," follows the 2008 presidential elections in Ghana from start to finish. Full bio
Jarreth Merz' new film, "An African Election," follows the 2008 presidential elections in Ghana from start to finish. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:15
I was born in Switzerland
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Rođen sam u Švajcarskoj,
00:19
and raised in Ghana, West Africa.
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a odrastao u Gani,
u zapadnoj Africi.
u zapadnoj Africi.
00:22
Ghana felt safe to me as a child.
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Kao detetu, Gana mi
se činila bezbednom.
se činila bezbednom.
00:24
I was free, I was happy.
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Bio sam slobodan.
Bio sam srećan.
Bio sam srećan.
00:28
The early 70s
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Rane sedamdesete
00:30
marked a time of musical and artistic excellence in Ghana.
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su obeležile period muzičke
i umetničke izvrsnosti u Gani.
i umetničke izvrsnosti u Gani.
00:33
But then by the end of the decade,
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A onda,
na kraju te decenije,
na kraju te decenije,
00:35
the country had fallen back into political instability
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država je ponovo pala
u političku nestabilnost
u političku nestabilnost
00:38
and mismanagement.
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i loše rukovodstvo.
00:42
In 1979,
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Godine 1979.
00:44
I witnessed my first military coup.
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po prvi put bio sam svedok
vojnog državnog udara.
vojnog državnog udara.
00:48
We the children had gathered at a friend's house.
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Mi, deca, okupili smo se
u prijateljevoj kući.
u prijateljevoj kući.
00:51
It was a dimly lit shack.
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Bila je to loše osvetljena koliba.
00:53
There was a beaten up black and white television
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U njoj je bio stari, crno-beli televizor
00:55
flickering in the background,
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koji je treperio u pozadini,
00:58
and a former head of state and general
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a bivši šef države i general
01:00
was being blindfolded
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imao je povez na očima
01:02
and tied to the pole.
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i bio je zavezan za stub.
01:04
The firing squad aimed, fired --
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Streljački vod je nanišanio i pucao.
01:07
the general was dead.
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General je bio mrtav.
01:09
Now this was being broadcast live.
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Ovo se sve prenosilo uživo.
01:12
And shortly after, we left the country,
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Nedugo nakon toga,
otišli smo iz države
otišli smo iz države
01:15
and we returned to Switzerland.
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i vratili se u Švajcarsku.
01:17
Now Europe came as a shock to me,
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Evropa je bila šok za mene
01:20
and I think I started feeling the need
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i počeo sam da osećam potrebu
01:23
to shed my skin in order to fit in.
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da odbacim svoju kožu
kako bih se uklopio.
kako bih se uklopio.
01:26
I wanted to blend in like a chameleon.
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Hteo sam da se utopim
u masi kao kameleon.
u masi kao kameleon.
01:28
I think it was a tactic of survival.
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Mislim da je to bila
taktika preživljavanja.
taktika preživljavanja.
01:31
And it worked, or so I believed.
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Upalilo je, ili sam tako verovao.
01:34
So here I was in 2008
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Tu sam bio 2008.
01:39
wondering where I was in my life.
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i pitao sam se gde stojim u životu.
01:42
And I felt I was being typecast as an actor.
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Osećao sam se kao glumac
koji uvek dobija iste uloge.
koji uvek dobija iste uloge.
01:45
I was always playing the exotic African.
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Glumio sam egzotičnog Afrikanca.
01:48
I was playing the violent African,
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Glumio sam nasilnog Afrikanca,
01:50
the African terrorist.
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afričkog teroristu.
01:52
And I was thinking,
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I pomislio sam
01:54
how many terrorists could I possibly play
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koliko terorista sam mogao da odglumim
01:56
before turning into one myself?
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pre nego što se pretvorim
u jednog takvog?
u jednog takvog?
01:59
And I had become ashamed of the other,
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Počeo sam da se stidim onog drugog,
02:02
the African in me.
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Afrikanca u sebi.
02:05
And fortunately I decided in 2008
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Na sreću, 2008. sam odlučio
02:08
to return to Ghana,
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da se vratim u Ganu,
02:10
after 28 years of absence.
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posle 28 godina odsustvo.
02:13
I wanted to document on film
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Hteo sam da snimim dokumentarac
02:15
the 2008 presidential elections.
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o predsedničkim izborima 2008.
02:18
And there, I started by searching
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Počeo sam tako što sam krenuo
02:21
for the footprints in my childhood.
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stopama svog detinjstva.
02:23
And before I even knew it,
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Nedugo zatim
02:25
I was suddenly on a stage
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odjednom sam se našao na bini
02:27
surrounded by thousands of cheering people
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okružen hiljadama ljudi koji kliču
02:29
during a political rally.
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u toku jednog političkog skupa.
02:31
And I realized that, when I'd left the country,
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Shvatio sam da, kada sam napustio državu,
02:34
free and fair elections in a democratic environment
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slobodni i pošteni izbori
u demokratskom okruženju
u demokratskom okruženju
02:37
were a dream.
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su bili san.
02:39
And now that I'd returned, that dream had become reality,
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Sada kada sam se vratio taj san
je postao stvarnost,
je postao stvarnost,
02:42
though a fragile reality.
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ali krhka stvarnost.
02:44
And I was thinking,
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I pitao sam se
02:46
was Ghana searching for its identity
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da li je Gana tražila svoj identitet
02:48
like I was looking for my identity?
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kao što sam i ja?
Da li je ono što
se dešavalo u Gani metafora
se dešavalo u Gani metafora
02:50
Was what was happening in Ghana a metaphor
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02:52
for what was happening in me?
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za ono što se dešavalo meni?
02:56
And it was as if through the standards of my Western life,
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Činilo se kao da kroz standarde
svog Zapadnjačkog života
svog Zapadnjačkog života
03:02
I hadn't lived up to my full potential.
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nisam uspeo da ostvarim
svoj pun potencijal.
svoj pun potencijal.
03:05
I mean, nor had Ghana,
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Nije ni Gana
03:07
even though we had been trying very hard.
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iako smo se jako trudili.
03:09
Now in 1957,
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Godine 1957.
03:11
Ghana was the first sub-Saharan country
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Gana je bila prva subsaharaska država
03:13
to gain its independence.
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koja je dobila nezavisnost.
03:15
In the late 50s,
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U kasnim pedesetima
03:17
Ghana and Singapore had the same GDP.
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Gana i Singapur su imali isti BDP.
03:20
I mean, today, Singapore is a First World country
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Singapur je danas zemlja prvog sveta
03:23
and Ghana is not.
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a Gana nije.
03:26
But maybe it was time to prove to myself,
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Možda je bilo vreme da dokažem sebi
03:29
yes, it's important to understand the past,
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da, jeste bitno da se prošlost razume,
03:31
it is important to look at it in a different light,
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bitno je da se ona sagleda
iz drugog ugla,
iz drugog ugla,
03:35
but maybe we should look at the strengths in our own culture
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ali možda bismo trebali
da sagledamo jače strane naše kulture
da sagledamo jače strane naše kulture
03:39
and build on those foundations in the present.
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i gradimo na osnovu
temelja u sadašnjosti.
temelja u sadašnjosti.
03:43
So here I was, December 7th, 2008.
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Sedmog decembra 2008. bio sam tu.
03:48
The polling stations opened to the voters at 7:00 AM,
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Glasačka mesta su se otvorila u 7 ujutro,
03:53
but voters, eager to take their own political fate into their hands,
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ali u želji da uzmu političku
sudbinu u svoje ruke
sudbinu u svoje ruke
03:57
were starting to line up at 4:00 AM in the morning.
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glasači su počeli da
se okupljaju u 4 ujutro.
se okupljaju u 4 ujutro.
04:00
And they had traveled from near, they had traveled from far,
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Neki su došli iz obližnjih mesta,
neki izdaleka
neki izdaleka
04:03
because they wanted to make their voices heard.
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jer su hteli da se njihov glas čuje.
04:05
And I asked one of the voters, I said, "Whom are you going to vote for?"
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Pitao sam jednog od glasača:
"Za koga ćete da glasate"?
"Za koga ćete da glasate"?
04:08
And he said, "I'm sorry, I can't tell you."
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A on je rekao:
"Izvini, ne mogu da ti kažem".
"Izvini, ne mogu da ti kažem".
04:11
He said that his vote was in his heart.
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Rekao je da je njegov glas
u njegovom srcu.
u njegovom srcu.
04:14
And I understood, this was their election,
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I shvatio sam. Ovo su bili njihovi izbori
04:17
and they weren't going to let anyone
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i nisu hteli nikome da dozvole
04:19
take it away from them.
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da ih oduzmu od njih.
04:21
Now the first round of the voting didn't bring forth a clear winner --
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Prvi krug glasanja
nije doneo jasne pobednike
nije doneo jasne pobednike
04:24
so nobody had achieved the absolute majority --
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pa niko nije imao apsolutnu većinu
04:28
so voting went into a second round three weeks later.
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tako da je 3 nedelje posle
održan drugi krug.
održan drugi krug.
04:31
The candidates were back on the road; they were campaigning.
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Kandidati su se vratili na ulice
sa kampanjama.
sa kampanjama.
04:34
The rhetoric of the candidates, of course, changed.
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Retorika kandidata se naravno promenila.
04:36
The heat was on.
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Došlo je do usijanja.
04:38
And then the cliche came to haunt us.
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A onda je kliše počeo da nas proganja.
04:43
There were claims of intimidation
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Širile su se tvrdnje o zastrašivanju
04:45
at the polling stations,
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na glasačkim mestima
04:47
of ballot boxes being stolen.
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i tvrdnje o ukradenim glasačkim kutijama.
04:51
Inflated results started coming in
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Počeli su da se pojavljuju lažni listići
04:54
and the mob was starting to get out of control.
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i mase su se izmicale kontroli.
04:57
We witnessed the eruption of violence in the streets.
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Bili smo svedoci
erupcije nasilja na ulicama.
erupcije nasilja na ulicama.
05:01
People were being beaten brutally.
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Ljudi su bili brutalno pretučeni.
05:04
The army started firing their guns. People were scrambling.
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Vojska je otvorila vatru.
Ljudi su bežali.
Ljudi su bežali.
05:07
It was complete chaos.
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Nastao je pravi haos.
05:09
And my heart sank,
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Srce mi se slomilo
jer sam pomislio
da smo se vratili na staro.
da smo se vratili na staro.
05:11
because I thought, here we are again.
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05:13
Here is another proof
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Još jedan dokaz
05:15
that the African is not capable of governing himself.
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da su Afrikanci nesposobni
da se sami vode.
da se sami vode.
05:18
And not only that, I am documenting it --
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I ne samo to. Ja sam sve to snimao,
05:21
documenting my own cultural shortcomings.
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snimao sam mane vlastite kulture.
05:25
So when the echo of the gunshots
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Kada je eho hitaca
05:28
had lingered,
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bio sveprisutan
05:30
it was soon drowned by the chanting of the mob,
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ubrzo su ga zaglušili povici mase.
05:32
and I didn't believe what I was hearing.
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Nisam verovao šta sam čuo.
05:34
They were chanting, "We want peace.
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Vikali su: "Želimo mir.
05:36
We want peace."
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Želimo mir."
05:39
And I realized it had to come from the people.
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Shvatio sam da je to dolazilo iz ljudi.
05:42
After all, they decide,
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Na kraju krajeva, oni odlučuju
05:44
and they did.
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i oni su to i uradili.
05:46
So the sounds that were before distorted and loud,
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Izopačeni i glasni zvuci odjednom su se
05:50
were suddenly a melody.
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pretvorili u melodiju.
05:53
The sounds of the voices were harmonious.
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Zvuci glasova su postali harmonični.
05:56
So it could happen.
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Znači moglo je da se to desi.
05:59
A democracy could be upheld peacefully.
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Bilo je moguće održati
demokratiju mirnim putem.
demokratiju mirnim putem.
06:02
It could be, by the will of the masses
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Volja masa je to dozvolila,
06:05
who were now urgently pressing
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mase koje su svim
06:07
with all their heart and all their will
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svojim srcima i voljom
06:09
for peace.
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proklamovale mir.
06:11
Now here's an interesting comparison.
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Evo zanimljivog poređenja.
06:14
We in the West,
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Mi na Zapadu
06:16
we preach the values,
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propovedamo o vrednostima
06:18
the golden light of democracy,
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i zlatnoj svetlosti demokratije
06:21
that we are the shining example of how it's done.
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i mi smo sjajni primer
kako se ona postiže.
kako se ona postiže.
06:24
But when it comes down to it,
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Kada je to u pitanju,
06:27
Ghana found itself in the same place
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Gana se našla u istoj poziciji
06:31
in which the U.S. election stalled
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kao i SAD kada su se izbori odužili
06:33
in the 2000 presidential elections --
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tokom predsedničkih izbora 2000.
06:35
Bush versus Gore.
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u duelu između Buša i Gora.
06:38
But instead of the unwillingness of the candidates
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Za razliku od nevoljnosti kandidata
06:41
to allow the system to proceed and the people to decide,
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da dozvole sistemu da se nastavi
i ljudima da odluče,
i ljudima da odluče,
06:44
Ghana honored democracy
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Gana je cenila demokratiju
06:47
and its people.
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i svoje ljude.
06:49
It didn't leave it up to the Supreme Court to decide;
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Nije prepustila odluku Vrhovnom sudu
06:52
the people did.
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nego svojim ljudima.
06:55
Now the second round of voting
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Ni drugi krug glasanja
06:58
did not bring forth a clear winner either.
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nije doneo jasnog pobednika.
07:00
I mean, it was so incredibly close.
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Bilo je jako blizu.
07:02
The electoral commissioner declared,
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Izborni poverenik je uz saglasnost
07:05
with the consent of the parties,
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stranaka doneo odluku
07:07
to run an unprecedented
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da se po prvi put održi
07:09
second re-run.
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ponovljeni drugi krug.
07:11
So the people went back to the polls
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Ljudi su se vratili na birališta
07:15
to determine their own president,
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kako bi oni odabrali svog predsednika
07:17
not the legal system.
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a ne pravosudni sistem.
07:19
And guess what, it worked.
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I pogodite šta? Upalilo je.
07:23
The defeated candidate
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Potučeni kandidat
07:25
gave up power
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se odrekao moći
07:27
and made way for Ghana to move into a new democratic cycle.
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a prokrčio put za Ganin
napredak ka novom demokratskom krugu.
napredak ka novom demokratskom krugu.
07:30
I mean, at the absolute time
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U vreme
07:32
for the absolute need of democracy,
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apsolutne potrebe za demokratijom
07:34
they did not abuse their power.
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oni nisu zloupotrebili moć.
07:39
The belief in true democracy and in the people runs deep,
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Verovanje u pravu demokratiju
i ljude ima duboko korenje
i ljude ima duboko korenje
07:43
proving that the African is capable of governing himself.
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što dokazuje da su Afrikanci
sposobni da sami sebe vode.
sposobni da sami sebe vode.
07:48
Now the uphill battle for Ghana and for Africa
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Sizifova borba za Ganu i Afriku
07:51
is not over,
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nije završena,
07:53
but I have proof that the other side of democracy exists,
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ali ja imam dokaz da druga
strana demokratije postoji
strana demokratije postoji
07:57
and that we must not take it for granted.
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i da je ne treba uzimati
zdravo za gotovo.
zdravo za gotovo.
08:00
Now I have learned
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Naučio sam
08:02
that my place is not just in the West or in Africa,
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da ja ne pripadam samo na
Zapadu ili u Africi
Zapadu ili u Africi
08:06
and I'm still searching
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i da još uvek tragam
08:08
for my identity,
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za svojim identitetom,
08:10
but I saw Ghana
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ali video sam Ganu
08:13
create democracy better.
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kako čini demokratiju boljom.
08:15
Ghana taught me
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Gana me je naučila
08:17
to look at people differently
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da gledam na ljude drugačije
08:19
and to look at myself differently.
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i da gledam na sebe drugačije.
08:22
And yes,
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I da,
08:24
we Africans can.
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mi, Afrikanci, to možemo.
08:26
Thank you.
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Hvala.
(Aplauz)
08:28
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jarreth Merz - FilmmakerJarreth Merz' new film, "An African Election," follows the 2008 presidential elections in Ghana from start to finish.
Why you should listen
Raised in Ghana, Switzerland and Germany, Jarreth Merz is a filmmaker and actor (you may remember him in the role of Simon of Cyrene in The Passion of the Christ). As a director, his work is rooted in observing life as it presents itself in all its complexities -- as shown in his latest documentary, An African Election, which follows the 2008 presidential elections in Ghana, West Africa.
Merz's stepfather, a political player on Ghana, helped him get access behind the scenes; then Jarreth and his cameraman brother Kevin followed the presidential candidates in the unpredictable months leading up to the final night. In chronicling the rough-and-tumble process of a democratic election, the documentary becomes a meditation on the dream of democracy itself. The film screened in the World Documentary competition at Sundance earlier this year. Merz is now working on a “political safari” in Africa.
He says: "An African Election challenges the preconceived notion we have about politics in Ghana or Africa without hiding the brutal realities."
Jarreth Merz | Speaker | TED.com