The Democratic Piece

Congress Passes Lantos, Wolf Legislation to Promote Democracy, Human Rights Abroad

Congress has passed legislation co-authored by Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) to strengthen and secure America’s commitment to the expansion of freedom and the protection of human rights around the world. The legislation passed by the House today (H.R. 1) and the Senate last night, which implements the remaining recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, also includes provisions of the ADVANCE Democracy Act of 2007. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation was co-authored by Lantos and Wolf in the House and Senators Joseph Lieberman (I/D-CT) and John McCain (R-AZ) in the Senate. “Promoting democracy and protecting human rights are core aspects of the American moral compass, and these aims are crucial to our national security interest,” Lantos said. “With this legislation, we take another step toward ensuring that we focus on the long-term, difficult work of fostering budding democracies and those who support them around the world.”The ADVANCE Democracy Act requires the State Department to develop new, written strategies for the promotion of democracy in all countries that are currently non-democratic or transitioning to democracy. These strategies will help ensure that America’s democracy promotion efforts are carefully tailored to the unique, long-term challenges presented by each country, and that they are focused on more than just holding elections, but on building democratic institutions and fostering democratic values.

Read the full press release here.

The MCC, one of President Bush’s key foreign aid initiatives, is facing severe budget cuts from Congressional appropriators.   Although the president requested $3 billion for the fund for FY2008, the Senate markup of the FY2008 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill left the MCC with $1.2 billion.  House appropriators had cut it to $1.8 billion.  The fund, which operates under the apparently innovative principle that “aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people,” has had its critics since its inception, but defenders claim it needs “time and money” to prove itself. As a budget fight, even one over foreign aid, the MCC budget isn’t too hot a topic. However, one of the more interesting tactics used by MCC defenders is linking of U.S. foreign aid cuts to the foreign policy of rising “star” (as Lou Dobbs likes to jingoize it) China, which “is making inroads in Africa and the rest of the developing world by offering funding in return for resources like oil and minerals to feed its rapidly growing economy.”  The budget issue is unlikely to be resolved until the fall.

Presidential Candidate and Putin Critic Arrested

The mayor of the Russian city of Arkhangelsk was dragged from his apartment in his underwear in the middle of the night by masked  federal police officers and charged with corruption. He is one of more than a dozen Russian mayors who have been arrested on various sets of charges. These moves are seen by Russia watchers as a strategy by the Kremlin to strengthen the vertical power structure controlled by the Putin’s inner-circle. The mayor remains one of the last positions directly elected by the population that can appeal to a broad single electorate. Last year the Kremlin altered the Russian constitution so that the president appoints regional governors instead of being directly elected. Reportedly, after the 2007 Duma elections the Russian legislature will seek to change the constitution again to make the mayor’s position subject removal by the governor’s whim.

Hamas Installs Its Own Judicial System

This week Hamas announced that it would form a three-member committee to begin  hearing legal cases and  resolving disputes in Gaza. The committee will be made up of a Islamic law scholar, a military lawyer, and a the head of the main prison in Gaza. Hamas leadership indicated that this was a band-aid solution until a more permanent institution could take over. After the violence broke out in the Palestinian territories, President Abbas ordered the Fatah aligned judges and police staff to stop cooperating with Hamas.

Mugabe Lashes Out at the Critical Catholic Church

As Mugabe’s government cracked down on opposition groups this spring, the Zimbabwean Catholic Bishops Conference released a public statement deploring Mugabe for ignoring his Catholic faith when dealing harshly with the opposition groups and governing the country. This week the state-controlled television station ran a story accusing the Archbishop of Zimbabwe of having an affair with a married woman. The Archbishop did not directly address the allegations but his supporters have labeled the reporting as a Mugabe led-smear.

Bid to Move Bolivian Capital Draws Protests

The a recent proposal to unite the functions of the Bolivian government into a single capitol has drawn wide protests. Bolivia, one of only twelve countries to have two capitals, has had the functions of the government divided between La Paz and Sucre. La Paz is the seat of the executive and legislative branches while Sucre is home to the judicial branch. The division originates from a the political unrest and stalemate in the late 1890s. The suggested reform is part of a broader  move to change the constitution and would unite the powers of government in Sucre. Supporters of Evo Morales, the first Bolivian President of indigenous American decent, view this suggestion as a move to weaken the power of President Morales.

India Elects First Woman Present

Pratibha Patil, a 72 year-old woman was elected as President of India by Congress on Saturday. She gained the support of more than two-thirds of congress and became the first woman to hold the mostly ceremonial position. The Indian presidency is traditionally held by a representative of one of India’s “disadvantaged groups.” Although India has had a number of prominent woman in politics, they still face widespread discrimination.

Polls Open in Turkey

After a political showdown a few months ago between the AK party in congress and the President of Turkey and his secular supporting parties lead to gridlock, early elections were called and polls are scheduled to open at 7am in eastern Turkey. This election is structured to be a watershed in Turkish politics as the Islamic AK party is poised to win as the struggle over Turkish identity continues. While the Demokrat party has long held a center part in Turkish politics as the keeper of Ataturk’s secular political approach, a growing segment of the population has sought closer ties to their traditional Muslim heritage and viewed the stringent secular approach of the political system too cumbersome. Additionally, some moderate parties see the constant influence of the Turkish military, which views itself as the guard of secularism and has overthrown elected governments four times, as a obstacle to the consolidation of democratic politics in Turkey.

In testimony given today before the House Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight, Freedom House Executive Director, Jennifer Windsor, criticized the United States’ track record of promoting democracy and human rights in its bilateral relations with other states, citing Azerbaijan, Cuba, and Egypt as examples.  From a Freedom House press release:

“The U.S. should never retreat from its role as a defender of human rights, one whose support struggling democratic activists around the globe have looked to for decades,” said Ms. Windsor. “While adherence to democratic principles and respect for human rights cannot always be the sole foreign policy consideration for the U.S. in its bilateral relations, they can and should always be a key element of U.S. relations with all countries. The U.S. should demonstrate a preference for democracy whenever it can.”

Windsor’s comments come in light of remarks President Bush made this week in support of his good friend, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, calling him a partner in the promotion of democracy.  Pervez, a military general who took power in 1999 as a result of a coup, has been a consistent recipient of praise and support from President Bush for his cooperation with America’s global war on terror.  Unfortunately for America’s credibility abroad, he has also been a consistent autocrat, who has made no serious attempt to bring about a return of democratic government in his country.

Windsor’s comments bring this serious disjuncture between rhetoric and policy into clear focus, as she points out a continuous lack of commitment to promoting democracy and human rights that is manifested in our foreign policy stances on Azerbaijan, Cuba, and Egypt - three countries in which security, economic, or ideological interests have caused us to look the other way. 

 In words reminiscent of President Bush describing America’s commitment to freedom in his second inaugural address, Jennifor Windsor extolls policymakers to renew their commitment to that noble ideal, which has been cheapened by America’s recent inconsistencies in applying it:

“In our dealings with foreign governments and their citizens, we should never allow our core values of human rights and democracy to fall off the table. Instead of ignoring this commitment because it appears to be too difficult, we should renew our efforts and consider new and innovative ways to help those who need it most.” 

Vladimir Putin had been suggesting for some time that Russia move to a 100% proportional representation system for lower house elections. This December’s cycle will mark the end of Duma elections in single-member districts.

Via Moscow News Weekly (emphasis mine):

[Putin] did, however touch upon the subject of parliamentary elections, saying that the introduction of a system of proportional representation would ensure a fair result in this December’s lower house election. Russia’s strategic direction will depend directly on the new parliament, Putin said.

These upcoming parliamentary elections will see seats distributed entirely on a party-list basis, eliminating the opportunity for small parties to win seats through strong local support in particular district - a change that critics say is among the measures to smother opposition.

But Putin, in his speech, said it was part of “a revolutionary step modernizing the elections system … (it will) help the opposition widen its representation.”

Russia emerged from state socialism with a mixed member majoritarian (MMM or “parallel”) system - half list PR (5% threshold), half SMD seats. Apparently this was the result of compromise among power brokers and the NGO community, the latter of which advocated for PR:

The development of Russia’s new electoral system was characterized by compromises among parliamentarians, the Russian president, and the legacy of past practice, see The Process of Choice. At first Boris Yeltsin decreed that one-third of the Duma would be elected by party-list PR, and the remainder elected from single-member districts as in the former Soviet Union. However, a number of pro-democracy groups in the previous parliament favoured List PR, seeing an advantage for their mostly Moscow-based organizations. After apparently being persuaded that well-organized communist parties would benefit from single-member districts, Yeltsin adopted an evenly-split plurality-PR system in October 1993. At the same time there was substantial agreement on the method of electing the President and the Federation Council, but in 1995 the election of Federation Council members was decentralised so that elections would be held according to each region’s electoral laws.

According to Putin, greater district magnitude will yield “fairer” results (i.e. more proportionality of seats-to-votes) and greater opportunity for opposition forces to enter parliament. According to critics, eliminating the candidate-centric tier will strengthen party leaders’ control over individual members (through placement on lists, et cetera). Either may be true. Whether PR in Russia is reform or a power-grab will depend on how party elites use their new tools.

Pakistan Slowly Boils

Pakistan continues its slow boil of unrest as the Musharraf government laid siege to an extremist mosque and school in Islamabad at the end of last week. The mosque is the headquarters for a group of extremist Islamists who seek to enact their strict version of Islamic law in Pakistan. The mosque has utilized students to harass local businesses, officials, and Chinese immigrants. Reportedly, over 1,000 students have emerged from the mosque in the last few days, but the government assumes that hundreds may still be holed up inside.

Tensions continue to escalate as Musharraf had his own personal “bring it on” moment when he announced that militants should surrender or be prepared to die. Today President Musharraf appointed a former prime minister to broker peace talks with the remaining holdouts. However, the Al Jazeera story also notes that a consensus has emerged at the top of the government that the standoff needs to be brought to an end quickly, and reportedly Musharraf has given the go ahead for a final assault.

Additionally, Musharraf’s plane was fired upon as it took off and three Chinese workers were shot dead. The police recovered two anti-aircraft guns and a heavy machine gun from the roof of a building less than a mile from the runway. It is unclear right now if plane incident is tied to the mosque siege, but there has been an increase in calls around the country for people to take up arms against the state to defend the mosque and the students. The shooting of Chinese workers has been tied back to Islamic militants

Albanian Parliament Fails to Elect President

The Albanian parliament failed to elect a president for the third time this weekend. A presidential candidate requires 84 votes out of the 140 total to win. Currently, the majority party in the Albanian parliament only holds 80 seats. There are conflicting reports about what this means overall. The International Herald Tribune reports that a snap general election is called if the parliament does not select a president after three rounds of voting, while Reuters states that there must be five rounds of voting before an election.

Thai Constitutional Assembly Approves Draft

A constitutional assembly in Thailand approved a draft of the new constitution last week, taking a significant step towards a planned referendum on August 19th. Some of the most contentious clauses in the original draft have been changed. Instead of all sentators being appointed, 76 will be elected and 74 will be appointed. Interestingly, the new constitution is also more “liberal” in the sense that it recognizes and protects transsexual citizens from harassment. If a constitution is approved during the August 19th referendum, a general election is planned for November 25th. However, if the referendum fails the military as said that it will utilize one of the previous constitutions to hold elections.

Africa Union Talks Go No Where

A summit regarding the establishment of a single African state ended this week with little accomplished. Few expected any meaningful agreement to arise from the talks and they were not disappointed. The group agreed to set a time table to discuss a future continent-wide agreement. Disagreements exist over whether the pan-African organization should be limited to economic integration or seek a larger political arrangement.

Stores Empty as Zimbabwe Implements Price Controls

Mugabe’s government began to crack down this week on stores and merchants that failed to implement the price controls announced last week. Stores have begun to run out of supplies as people have taken advantage of the artificially low prices. Over twenty shop keepers have been arrested for not complying with the orders. These orders are unsustainable in the long-run and shortages may lead to increased unrest.

Elections in Conflict Areas Are Invalid

Jarrett Blanc of the Council on Foreign Relations and the US Institute of Peace gave an interesting interview to Radio Free Europe about the validity of elections in conflict situations. An important feature that Blanc returns to is the absence of the rule of law in the electoral environment. Furthermore, consideration of the broader context of the conflict and that elections may destabilize or alter the balance in a dangerous manner, especially when the legal institutions necessary for a rule of law are nonexistent. This is a very interesting read.

Snap Elections in Kazakhstan

The Jamestown Foundations’ Eurasia Daily Monitor covers the snap elections recently called in Kazakhstan. In May 2007 President Nazarbayev pressed through constitutional changes that increased the number of members in each chamber of the Kazakh legislature, shortened the presidential term from seven-years to five years, removed term limits on the first president of Kazakhstan, which just so happens to President Nazarbayev.

According to the new constitutional changes, the lower chamber (Majilis) will be elected according by a PR voting system. While this new system may facilitate the creation of new political parties, the Kazakh legislature is still beholden to the whims of the president as he can disband it at any time and many of the Majilis’ powers have been transfered to the Senate and the Senate will assume all of the Majilis’ responsibilities when it is dissolved by the president. Kazakhstan has requested that the OSCE send an observation mission for the elections.

In an odd move, the Majilis petitioned the president to dissolve itself so that it may stand for election according to the new system. The next election is scheduled for August 18 and 20, catching opposition groups and parties by surprise and will be unable any resemblance of a challenge to Nazarbayev’s  Nur Otan Party which enjoys access to state resources. The developments in Kazakhstan are a good illustration of seemingly democratic reforms which actually bolster  incumbent executives and do little to resolve deeper systemic issues.

Pakistani Chief Justice Wins Important Ruling

The  Pakistani Chief Justice Chaudhry received an important win in is ongoing legal struggle against President Musharraf. Musharraf dismissed the chief justice in May under charges of misconduct; the chief justice has vigorously fought the charges. In a ruling yesterday, the court dismissed a large portion of the Musharraf government’s evidence and ordered a sweep of all court buildings and all justices’ homes for listening devices and other spy equipment. Reportedly, the government’s evidence file contained information gather by the Pakistani intelligence service.

In two related items, there are new reports that President General Musharraf may officially decide to step down as head of the army in October before he stands for reelection. Musharraf has served as both president and head of the army since the coup in 1999, it is constitutional to hold both positions in Pakistan. Also, the US may reportedly back the return to power of former Prime Minister Bhutto. Bhutto, the first female prime minister of a Muslim country, may be a way for a negotiated transition for Musharraf who may seek to stay on as president with Bhutto returning to seek the prime minister position.

“Foreigners Should Remove Mugabe”

A Catholic Archbishop in Zimbabwe stated publicly that Britain or other foreign powers should intervene in the increasingly dismal situation in Zimbabwe to remove Robert Mugabe. The declaration is a ratcheting up of rhetoric from the Catholic church in Zimbabwe which released a letter in May criticizing the regime. After the previous letter, Mugabe warned the Catholic church that it would be in a precarious situation if it become too political. We’ll see what type of response Mugabe follows up with.

A little late to be posting it here, but the State Department recently released its Trafficking in Persons report. Among the highlights: Forced Child Labor, Child Soldiers, Supply and Demand, and, of course, Involuntary Domestic Servitude in Diplomatic Residences. Of course, there’s more! The full report is available online here. Perfect summer reading.

Our colleague Jennifer Hollinger is spending the summer working with trafficked women in Albania, and will certainly post about her experiences when she returns. In the meantime, you can follow her blog at The Advocacy Project.

Also, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Jeffrey Krilla is answering questions about the President’s Freedom Agenda online.