New Borders and Anomalies in the Balkans: Croatia's Diaspora Constituency

On November 25, Croatian citizens will go to the polls to elect a new government. Included among the voters are over 350,000 members of the Croatian Diaspora who live mainly in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina. The election campaign thus far has focused on this non-geographical electoral constituency, which has historically awarded a unique advantage to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the current ruling party which designed the system. Without the support of this vital group of voters, the HDZ may not win a majority of seats in the upcoming elections.

The HDZ and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the main opposition party, are sharply divided on the issue of this non-geographical constituency. The ruling HDZ is reluctant to reform the system, and the main opposition party has pledged to do away with it if they win. For the first time, the SDP is going so far as to 'boycott' this constituency to highlight its perception of bias. As past elections have already demonstrated, and as the November elections are likely to confirm, the disproportional influence that Croatian citizens in Bosnia exert over election results in Croatia may make a gradual reform inevitable. If the Diaspora seats decide victory in November, the HDZ will have to balance the wishes of the electorate in Croatia with its supporters in Bosnia. If the SDP wins, it will likely need the support of the HDZ to garner enough votes to implement their proposed reform.

Over a series of two roundtable discussions, Ms. Bartulac-Blanc led a discussion on how to institute reform, exploring possible models for changing the system gradually and in a way that better reflects the democratic values to which Croatia subscribes. She also discussed the election results.

Ms. Bartulac-Blanc has worked in the planning and management of international elections since 1996, including the elections in Bosnia, Kosovo, and most recently Iraq. She has managed voter registration and elections for refugees and displaced persons, drafted electoral procedures and helped draft election laws, and designed and implemented training and voter education programs. As IFES Deputy Chief of Party for Programs in Iraq, she served as a senior manager for the international electoral assistance team. During her fellowship, Ms. Bartulac-Blanc is working on a project on minorities and elections in post-Yugoslav jurisdictions.

[view powerpoint presentation / view Special Report]

Iran's Resilient Civil Society

Many Western observers perceived the 2005 presidential election of hard-line Islamist Mahmoud Ahmedinejad as a sign of a weak and defeated civil society in Iran. The growing number of protests and subsequent crackdowns by the regime show that this belief was mistaken. Activists for gender and ethnic rights, journalists, and religious leaders, as well as teachers and other workers, have continued to demonstrate their opposition to the regime. Drawing upon her October 2007 Journal of Democracy article, "Iran's Resilient Civil Society: The Untold Story of the Fight for Human Rights," Dr. Boroumand explored the many indicators of a strong civil society in Iran. She also updated the findings in her article to take account of new developments and discussed the growing controversy over the merits of Western funding to Iranian civil society organizations.

Dr. Ladan Boroumand is cofounder and research director of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy in Iran, a nongovernmental organization that seeks to promote human rights awareness through education and the dissemination of information as a necessary basis for the eventual establishment of a stable democracy in Iran. The Foundation is best known as the home of Omid (www.abfiran.org), a website that details the human rights abuses committed by the Islamic Republic and memorializes its victims. Dr. Bouroumand is the author of articles on the French Revolution, the Islamic revolution in Iran, and the nature of Islamist terrorism. She is also the author of La Guerre des Principes (1999), an extensive study of the tensions throughout the French Revolution between human rights and the sovereignty of the nation.

[view event]

Alejandro Toledo Briefs Latin Leaders on New Initiative

Former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo, who recently established the Global Center for Development and Democracy (GCDD) with seed funding from NED, met on November 26 in Washington with six former heads of state to discuss the mission of his new organization, which aims to forge a new social agenda for Latin America. President Toledo was joined by Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar from Spain, President Vicente Fox from Mexico, President Carlos Mesa from Bolivia, President Ricardo Maduro from Honduras, and President Rodrigo Carazo from Costa Rica, as well as Secretary-General of the Organization of American States Jose Miguel Insulza and José Ignacio Salafranca from the European Parliament.

[read more]

Pierre Hassner delivered Fourth Annual Lipset Lecture

On November 15, the Embassy of Canada in Washington, DC hosted the fourth annual Seymour Martin Lipset Lecture on Democracy in the World featuring Pierre Hassner, research director emeritus at CERI (the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales) in Paris, who addressed the topic: Russia's Transition to Autocracy: The Implications for World Politics. [read more]

Welcoming Remarks

• Kevin O'Shea, Minister, Political Affairs, Embassy of Canada [view event]
  Carl Gershman, President, National Endowment for Democracy [view event]

Introduction

• Marc Plattner, Vice President, Research and Studies, National Endowment for Democracy and Co-Editor, Journal of Democracy

Lecture

• Pierre Hassner, Research Director Emeritus, Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales, Paris, France [view event]

Question & Answer Session [view event]

Rule of Law and Democracy in Central America: The 2007 Central American Report on Legal and Institutional Governance

There is broad consensus among policymakers and academics that a political and legal system that guarantees the rule of law is essential for a functioning democracy. However, laws that are not properly formulated and institutionally enforced make even the best legal systems irrelevant. Based on this assumption, the Observatory of Democracy in Central America designed a system of indicators on legal and institutional governance in Central America and compiled the information into the five volume 2007 Central American Report on Legal and Institutional Governance. With nearly 100 variables and 475 legal indicators that measure issues such as constitutional law, judiciary and parliamentary powers, checks and balances, human rights, and other relevant issues, the new report provides a comprehensive tool in assessing the health of Central American governance and legal system. In his presentation Editor-in-Chief Jaime Ordóñez discussed the main findings of the recently released volume. Mr. Olav Kjorven and Dr. Adrian Torrealba provided comments.

Dr. Jaime Ordóñez is director of Centro Estudios Para el Futuro, a San-Jose-based institute that promotes democracy, human rights, and state reform in Central America. He is also director of the department of state theory at the University of Costa Rica's Law School. From 2000 to 2001, he was Costa Rica's special ambassador to the Organization of American States, where he directed its country's negotiations related to the Inter-American Democratic Charter. He has taught constitutional and human rights law at a number of U.S. universities, including Columbia, Tulane, and the University of Maryland at College Park. In addition to writing over ten books in Spanish, including Democracy Without Rules (2004), Security, Military Forces, and Human Rights in Latin America (1999), and Human Rights: Indigenous Peoples (1995), he also has drafted ombudsman laws for Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay. From March to July 2007 Dr. Ordóñez was a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at NED, where he continued to work on compiling the 2007 Central American Report on Legal and Institutional Governance. Mr. Olav Kjorven is director of the Development Policy Bureau at the UNDP in New York and one of the executive coordinators of the UN Commission for the Legal Empowerment for the Poor. Dr. Adrian Torrealba is member of the Latin American Association of Tax Law and former general director of the Costa Rican Revenue Office (Director de Tributación Directa).

[view event]

At the Heart of Change

The Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) and Panos London launched the Panos Institute's report entitled At the Heart of Change: The Role of Communication in Sustainable Development. This event featured presentations by Mark Wilson, Executive Director of Panos London; Meg Gaydosik, Senior Media Development Advisor at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); and Shanthi Kalathil, Consultant to Communication for Governance and Accountability Program at the World Bank.

[view the report / view event]

Democracy Dinner honoring President Bachelet

The New York Democracy Forum Dinner was held on September 24 in honor of Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile. Bachelet is the first female president of Chile and previously served as Chile's Defense Minister and Health Minister under President Ricardo Lagos. She is also a trained pediatrician and public health specialist with degrees in military science. Bachelet addressed the New York Democracy Forum on Chile's transition to democracy over the past 20 years and the challenges Chile faces today. Bachelet was introduced by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

[read the transcript / view this event]

2007 Democracy Award to Spotlight Press Freedom Activists from Egypt, Thailand, Russia and Venezuela honored by NED

The National Endowment for Democracy presented its annual Democracy Award to an organization and three individuals who have bravely contributed to increasing and preserving press freedom and independent media in Egypt, Southeast Asia, Venezuela, and Russia.
[read more]

Panel

• Overview by David Lowe [view]
• Christopher Walker, Freedom House [view]
• Kavi Chongkittavorn [view]
• Ewald Scharfenberg (Spanish) [view]
• Hisham Kassem [view]
• Elena Milashina (Russian) [view]
• Marguerite Sullivan, Center for International Media Assistance [view]
• Q&A [view]

Award Presentation

• Welcome by NED Chairman Vin Weber [view]
• Congressman Tom Lantos presents Award to Anna Politkovskaya, accepted by Elena Milsahina [view]
• Congressman Adam Schiff presents Award to Hisham Kassem [view]
  Remarks by Senator Richard Lugar [view]
• Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen presents Award to Instituto Prensa y Socicedad - Venezuela, accepted by Ewald Scharfenberg [view]
• Congressman Gregory Meeks presents Award to Kavi Chongkittavorn [view]
  
• Closing remarks by NED President Carl Gershman [view]

Democratic Recession in the Philippines: What Went Wrong?

Since the 1986 "People Power" movement toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, the Philippines has become known as a democratic success story in the region. Two decades after this historic breakthrough, however, the country finds itself in a democratic recession: elections marred by irregularities, political polarization, and low public trust in key institutions now characterize the political landscape. Signs of creeping authoritarianism indicate that Philippine democracy is at risk, and Southeast Asia, in turn, stands to lose one of its few democratic governments. How did the Philippines regress to this current state of affairs, and what can be done to regain democratic momentum? Drawing upon his experience as a democratic activist, Mr. Jose Luis Gascon examined the causes of this democratic deterioration and offered recommendations to revitalize Philippine democracy. In particular, he assessed the viability of constitutional reform as a means of redressing institutional weaknesses and engaging the public on issues of democracy and governance. He also suggested ways in which the international community can focus its efforts to bolster democracy in the Philippines. His presentation was followed by comments from Dr. Robin Broad of American University.

Mr. Jose Luis Gascon is executive director of LIBERTAS (Lawyer's League for Liberty), a Manila-based network of civic-minded legal professionals committed to the promotion of freedom, equality, and the rule of law in the Philippines. He also lectures in the political science departments of Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University, and is corporate secretary of the International Center for Innovation, Transformation, & Excellence in Governance (INCITEGov). The youngest member to both the 1986 Constitutional Commission and the first Congress following the end of martial law, Mr. Gascon has also served as peace negotiator and undersecretary of education. Dr. Robin Broad is a professor of international development at American University, where she teaches courses on economic globalization and development with a focus on social, environmental, and economic accountability, and has written extensively on the Philippines.

[view powerpoint presentation / view this event]

Education and Democracy in Burma: Decentralization and Classroom-Level Educational Reform

Over the past sixty years, Burma has experienced several periods of political upheaval, each of which has affected the country's educational system. In 1948, the country transitioned from colonial education to a nationalist orientation, and later adopted a socialist-based system following the 1962 military coup. In his presentation, Dr. Lwin analyzed these historical periods and, anticipating Burma's eventual transition to democracy, suggested a plan to decentralize its educational system, focusing on elementary and secondary schooling at the local, regional, and national levels. His presentation drew upon his seven years of teaching displaced Burmese young people along the Thai-Burma border and upon his research on education and democracy. Dr. Lwin also discussed strategies for strengthening cultural and national identities within the context of a multi-ethnic transition to democracy. His presentation was followed by comments by Dr. Sein Win and Mr. Brian Joseph.

Dr. Thein Lwin is director of the Teacher Training Center for Burmese Teachers, a nonprofit educational organization that seeks to improve education in refugee camps and remote regions of Burma. A leading proponent of the importance of education in promoting democracy, he holds a doctorate in education from the University of Newcastle, UK. Amongst his many accomplishments, Dr. Lwin serves as a trustee of Prospect Burma, a British charity that offers study-abroad scholarships to Burmese students. Dr. Sein Win is the elected Prime Minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. Mr. Brian Joseph is director of the South and Southeast Asia Program at the National Endowment for Democracy.

[view powerpoint presentation / view this event]

Redesigning the "Social Contract": Toward Political Empowerment of Women in the Arab Gulf

Over the past few years, women have earned important political rights in the countries of the Arab Gulf region and Yemen. In Kuwait, women first gained the right to vote in 2005; in the United Arab Emirates, women ran for public office for the first time in 2006; and in the same year, Yemen produced four female candidates for the presidency. Despite these gains, however, significant roadblocks remain to the full participation of women in the Arab Gulf. For instance, on average, women constitute less than one percent of the region's legislatures and less than eight percent of its ministerial cabinets. What are the social, political, religious, and economic challenges that women face in their quest for political voice? What can be done to boost their numbers at the ballot box and in public office? In her presentation, Rahma Hugaira discussed the dominance of Salafi ideology, tribal culture, and the role of monarchy in explaining the relative absence of women in the region's politics. Drawing on her experience as a leading women's rights activist, she made the case for redesigning the "social contract" in Gulf society to enable women to occupy their rightful place in political life. Ms. Hugaira's presentation was followed by comments by Dalal Hasan.

Ms. Rahma Hugaira is co-founder and chairwoman of the Yemeni Female Media Forum, a nongovernmental organization that promotes women's rights and gender equality in the media throughout the Middle East. One of Yemen's most respected journalists and a steadfast proponent of women's rights, Ms. Hugaira has written for numerous Arabic newspapers and magazines, including Saba News, Al-Nas, Zahrat Al-Khaleej, and Al-Ahram. Among her other affiliations, she is director of the Rights and Freedom Defense section of the Yemen-based Foundation for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom, and has previously served as president of the Yemeni League to Defend Journalists. During her fellowship, Ms. Hugaira is examining the role of women in reform projects in the Middle East. She plans to establish an interactive Arabic-language website that would facilitate networking among women's rights groups in the Middle East. Ms. Dalal Hasan is program officer for the Gulf and Yemen at the National Endowment for Democracy.

[view powerpoint presentation / view this event]

Identity Politics in Zanzibar and the Challenges of Democratic Consolidation in Tanzania

A group of islands off the coast of East Africa, Zanzibar has been a semi-autonomous part of the United Republic of Tanzania since 1964. Despite a common language (Swahili), religion (Islam), and a high rate of intermarriage among the islands' multi-racial communities (including Africans and individuals of Arab, Persian, and Indian descent), politics in Zanzibar has been marred by interethnic conflict, even after Tanzania's return to multi-party democracy in 1992. At the core of these conflicts is the politicization of racial identity by leaders seeking the legitimacy to rule. This political instability threatens not only Zanzibar's relatively new democratic institutions, but also the democratic consolidation of Tanzania as a whole. In her presentation, Dr. Bernadeta Killian discussed the implications of Zanzibar's divisive politics for the state of Zanzibar, the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, and the prospects for the country's democratic consolidation. Her presentation was followed by comments by Ms. Shari Bryan.

Dr. Bernadeta Killian is senior lecturer in the department of political science at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She is also Zanzibar North Coordinator at Research and Education for Democracy (REDET), a research and advocacy program based at the University of Dar es Salaam. Dr. Killian has previously served as coordinator of the Tanzania Election Monitoring Committee (TEMCO) in Zanzibar. The winner of a Rockefeller Foundation African Dissertation Award for her research on democratization in Tanzania, she has published numerous articles on democratization and transitional politics in Tanzania and East Africa, as well as consultancy reports for the Tanzanian government and nongovernmental organizations such as UNDP, DANIDA, and SIDA. During her fellowship, Dr. Killian is drawing upon both qualitative and quantitative data to prepare an article on political identity and democratic consolidation in Zanzibar. She is also expanding into book form her dissertation on democratization in Tanzania. Ms. Shari Bryan is senior associate and regional director for Southern and East Africa at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI).

[view powerpoint presentation / view this event]

The June 2007 local elections: Did Moldova pass the test?

On June 27, key members of Moldova's Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections ("Coalition 2007"), representatives of international monitoring groups, US diplomats and academics met to discuss the conduct and outcome of the recent elections in Moldova and their impact on country's progress toward democracy.

[view this event]

An Imperative to Innovate: Sustainable Journalism Training in Central and Eastern Europe

The Center for International Media Assistance hosted a presentation of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation report entitled An Imperative to Innovate: Sustainable Journalism Training in Central and Eastern Europe. The panelists for this discussion were Eric Newton, vice president for the journalism program at the Knight Foundation; report team leader Aaron Presnall, director of studies at the Jefferson Institute; and Joyce Barnathan, president of the International Center for Journalists.

Along with the report's express topic of journalism training, the panelists discussed the future role of journalism institutions and the foundations that fund them. Newton described the Knight Foundation's initiatives that led to An Imperative to Innovate. "We're in such a period of change that we really need to modernize the institutions that deal with journalism," Newton said.

Presnall presented the findings of the report, which was authored by the Jefferson Institute. Presnall explained that direct endowments to training centers are ineffective. A monthly grant to a media outlet does not encourage them to become self-sustaining and "takes away the imperative to innovate," he said. "Training is a necessary but insufficient method of building media, and training needs are highly context-driven." He said each country demands a certain type of training and this demand cannot be met by foreign experts or other cookie-cutter methods.

Barnathan described the efforts of Knight Foundation International Journalism Fellowship recipients to improve media sustainability at the local level. Each Knight fellow is sent to an area where there is an opportunity for real change with concrete and focused goals. "Every Knight fellow leaves behind a group of journalists who can carry on the work," which makes the training self-sustaining, Barnathan said.

Presnall underscored the role of media assistance in democratization throughout the world. "We looked at where the interests of democratizing organizations fit into media development," he said. "Democratization will fail unless bolstered by strong, independent media, and democratization actors need to understand that."

An Imperative to Innovate looks in-depth at four countries–Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia–to examine issues of institution-building or a lack thereof, endowment of journalism training and concrete mechanisms for implementation.

[view this event]

Natasa Kandic discusses the film "Scorpions"

Natasa Kandic, a tireless activist for human rights and director of the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC), was present on June 12 to discuss "Scorpions," a film produced by the HLC documenting Serbian war crimes. The film sheds light on atrocities committed during the Bosnian war by the Scorpions, a notorious Serbian military unit. Kandic herself tracked down shocking footage of the Scorpions executing six Bosniak civilians in Trnovo in 1995 and submitted this footage to Serbia's war crimes prosecutor. On April 10, 2007, four of the murderers on the tape were convicted of war crimes and sentenced to a collective 58 years in prison. That same day, the HLC released the film "Scorpions," which juxtaposes the Scorpions footage from 1995 with present day interviews with original members of the unit.

[read more]

NED Donates Founding Papers to the Library of Congress
Congressional Leaders Praise NED

On Thursday, June 7, NED officially donated its early papers to the Library of Congress and marked the occasion with a panel discussion and reception that included a wide range of speakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams. The event also commemorated the 25th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan's Westminster Address to the British Parliament, in which he called upon the world's democracies to launch "a global campaign for freedom" and proposed an initiative that led to the founding of the National Endowment for Democracy.

[read more]

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Dilemmas of Democracy in Paraguay

Before the "third wave" of democratization swept through Latin America in the late 1970s, only a handful of countries in the region could be considered democratic. Since then, the region's authoritarian states and military regimes have gradually been replaced by electoral democracies. Despite this impressive transformation, the quality of democracy in some Latin American countries remains dangerously low, particularly in small states such as Paraguay. In his presentation, Diego Abente-Brun examined the sources of this malaise, including the socio-economic structure, the role of political parties, and social capital. He explored the consequences of democratic disillusionment for the upcoming April 2008 elections in Paraguay, and concluded with reflections on their implications for the cases of Ecuador and Bolivia. His presentation was followed by comments by Cynthia McClintock.

Dr. Diego Abente-Brun is professor of sociology and politics at the Catholic University of Paraguay and senior research fellow at the Centro de Análisis y Difusión de la Economía Paraguaya (CADEP), a nongovernmental organization dedicated to the research and study of economic and social issues in Paraguay. In addition to his distinguished record as a scholar and published author, Dr. Abente-Brun has served as a senator (1993–2003), as Paraguay's ambassador to the Organization of American States (1999–2002), as senior cabinet advisor to the Minister of Finance (2003–2005), and as Minister of Justice and Labor (2002). Dr. Cynthia McClintock is professor of political science and international affairs at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs.

[view powerpoint presentation / view this event]

NGOs and War: The Case of Tajikistan

Following independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Tajikistan plunged into a devastating civil war that claimed tens of thousands of lives and ended in a peace agreement in 1997. Tajik civil society, particularly the NGO sector, developed in response to the widespread ethnic and clan violence and the imperative to meet the basic needs of the civilian population. In recent years, new legislative initiatives and political structures have emerged to protect the rights of citizens and encourage a burgeoning civil society. Yet many challenges remain before Tajikistan can be said to ensure the full range of basic human rights. In her presentation, Nigina Bakhrieva examined the impact of the civil war on Tajik nongovernmental organizations and considered their post-conflict institutionalization, including the role of international donors. Drawing upon her experience as director of the country's leading human rights organization, the Republican Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, Ms. Bakhrieva offered perspectives on the evolution of Tajikistan's civil society since statehood. Her presentation was followed by comments by Miriam Lanskoy, who discussed Tajikistan's NGOs in a regional context.

Ms. Nigina Bakhrieva is founder and director of the Republican Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, a Dushanbe-based nongovernmental organization working to promote human rights, press freedom, and the rule of law in Tajikistan. She is also the chair of a network of Tajik NGOs that has prepared a series of reports on human rights in Tajikistan for the UN Human Rights Committee. She has previously taught civil, commercial, and private law for six years as assistant professor of civil law at Tajik State National University in Dushanbe. Dr. Miriam Lanskoy is a senior program officer for Central Asia and the Caucasus at the National Endowment for Democracy.

[view powerpoint presentation / view this event]

The Congressional Elections in the Philippines: An Initial Assessment

Despite the success of the People Power movement and the transition from authoritarianism in 1986, the Philippines continues to grapple with the dilemmas of democratic consolidation. As such, the midterm congressional elections of May 14, 2007 are an important crossroads–one that could usher in either a period of equilibrium, with restored public trust in the democratic process, or a period of instability, with the specter of political polarization, increased human rights violations, and corruption. In his presentation, Mr. Gascon discussed the context, issues, and results of the midterm elections, and analyzed their implications for democracy in the Philippines. His presentation was followed by comments by Mr. Laoc.

Currently in residence at the Endowment as a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow, Mr. Jose Luis ("Chito") Gascon is executive director of the Manila-based LIBERTAS (Lawyer's League for Liberty) and lecturer in the political science departments of Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University. The youngest member of both the 1986 Constitutional Commission and the first Congress following the end of martial law, Mr. Gascon has also served as a peace negotiator and undersecretary of education. During his fellowship at NED, he is examining the challenges of Philippine democracy, with a particular focus on the strengthening of political institutions. Mr. Telibert Laoc is the National Democratic Institute's resident director in East Timor. He previously served as executive director of the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections, a nonpartisan volunteer organization that monitors Philippine elections.

[view Powerpoint presentation]

The International Role of the Media in Exposing Corruption and Promoting Good Governance

A forum sponsored by the NED's Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA). The panel discussion in honor of World Press Freedom Day took place on May 2nd at the US Capitol. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), one of the event's honorary co-hosts, moderated the discussion among panelists: Daniel Kauffman of the World Bank, Myroslava Gongadze of the Voice of America; Mauricio Herrera Ulloa of the Costa Rican daily La Nación; and Joyce Barnathan, president of the International Center for Journalists and former executive editor of BusinessWeek. [read more]

• Introduction, Carl Gershman, President, National Endowment for Democracy [view this]
  
  
• The Honorable Adam Schiff, U.S. House of Representatives, 29th District of California [view this]
  
  
• Mark Helmke, Senior Professional Staff Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee [view this]
  
  
• Panel – Moderated by Rep. Schiff
  Daniel Kaufman, Director of Global Programs and Governance, World Bank Institute [view this]
  Myroslava Gongadze, Correspondent, Voice of America [view this]
  Mauricio Herrera Ulloa, Investigative Journalist, La Nación [view this]
  Joyce Barnathan, President, International Center for Journalists, Former Executive Editor, BusinessWeek [view this]
  
  
• Remarks on Media Matters [view this]
  Mark Pomar, President, IREX [view this]
  David Hoffman, President, Internews [view this]
  
  
• Closing, Carl Gershman: Closing Remarks [view this]
  
  
• Moderated Q&A [view this]

Democracy or Populism: Responding to the Crisis in Latin America

The New York Democracy Forum held a lecture on "Democracy or Populism: Responding to the Crisis in Latin America," featuring The Honorable Alejandro Toledo President of Peru 2001-2006.

Born in a small Andean village, former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo financed his undergraduate degree at the University of San Francisco with a soccer scholarship and by pumping gas. Toledo went on to earn three advanced degrees at Stanford University, including a Master in Economics and a Ph.D. in Education.

Toledo's professional career focused on economic development, with positions at the United Nations, the World Bank, and Harvard's Institute for International Development. Following an initial defeat, he won the Presidential election in 2001 after allegations of electoral fraud and political scandal forced President Fujimori to call new elections.

As President, Toledo oversaw a transition back to stability in Peru, pursuing policies marrying free markets and social justice. Following his presidential term in 2006, he returned to the United States to spend a year at Stanford University, where he is writing and lecturing on democracy and economic development. [view this event]

North of the DMZ: A Human Rights Perspective

On April 18, the International Forum for Democratic Studies and the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea co-sponsored a breakfast event on "North of the DMZ: A Human Rights Perspective," featuring Dr. Andrei Lankov, Kookmin University, and Tom Malinowski, Human Rights Watch. National Endowment for Democracy President Carl Gershman moderated the event.

Dr. Andrei Lankov, associate professor at Kookmin University and author of numerous books on North Korea, discussed the latest developments inside North Korea and offered his recommendations on how to improve the human rights situation in the country. Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, served as a discussant and provided his perspective on what role the international community can play in improving the lives of the North Korean people.

Dr. Lankov's main research interests are North Korean political and social history, with a special emphasis on the state's formative periods (1945-1965), and Soviet and Chinese policy toward the Korean Peninsula, as well as the modern Korean city and social and cultural aspects of modernization in Korea. He has published numerous books on North and South Korea including P'yongyang-ui chibung mit' (Under the Roofs of Pyongyang); From Stalin to Kim Il Sung; and North of the DMZ: Essays on Daily Life in North Korea (forthcoming). Tom Malinowski has been with Human Rights Watch since April 2001. He previously served as special assistant to President Bill Clinton and senior director for foreign policy speechwriting at the National Security Council.

[view this event]

Lipset Memorial Tribute

On February 28, NED, the School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University, and the George Mason University (GMU) School of Public Policy held a Memorial Tribute Program honoring the life and work of Seymour Martin Lipset. Lipset was a leading scholar of democracy and one of the most influential social scientists of the past half-century. The program included remarks and remembrances by several of Lipset's colleagues and friends, including:

• Carl Gershman, NED
• Francis Fukuyama, SAIS
• Don Kash, GMU
• William Schneider, American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
• Karlyn Bowman, AEI
• Ambassador Max Kampelman
• Marc Plattner, Journal of Democracy and NED
• Irving Kristol, AEI
• Michael Barone, U.S. News & World Report
• Tom Edsall, Columbia University School of Journalism and The New Republic
• Larry Diamond, Stanford University's Hoover Institution and Journal of Democracy

[view this event]

The Challenge of Democratization in Iran

Democracy faces many obstacles in Iran, as despotic leaders, unaccountable institutions, and an illiberal constitution continue to dominate all aspects of political life. Yet the roots of authoritarianism in Iran date back to long before the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979. A patriarchal culture, a history of political uprisings, chronic socioeconomic underdevelopment, and an undemocratic interpretation of Shi'ite Islam are some of the major problems the country must address if it is to embark on a path toward liberalization. Drawing upon his experience as a leading human rights activist and his research as a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow, Mr. Ali Afshari analyzed the origins of these antidemocratic forces and their implications for the people of Iran. Following his analysis, he offered recommendations for how the democracy movement in Iran might overcome these obstacles and suggested ways the international community can assist in its efforts. Mr. Afshari's presentation was followed by comments from Dr. Mohsen Sazegara and Dr. Mehrdad Mashayekhi.

Mr. Ali Afshari is a leading Iranian political activist who has championed the cause of democracy for over a decade. Beginning with his involvement in 1995 with the Islamic Student Association at Amir Kabir University, of which he was the secretary for three years, Mr. Afshari has been a tireless advocate of freedom, human rights and democracy in Iran. He has published more than fifty essays, conducted numerous interviews, and delivered over 100 speeches on topics relating to democracy in Iran. Imprisoned for his activities in 2000 and 2003, he spent 400 days in solitary confinement. Dr. Mohsen Sazegara is a visiting researcher at Harvard Law School's International Legal Studies Program. Dr. Mehrdad Mashayekhi is a visiting assistant professor of sociology at Georgetown University.

Dissidents and the Fight for Freedom

Václav Haclav, human rights advocate and former Czech President, gathered with eight dissidents and activists from around the world to discuss the struggle for human rights and democracy in Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Speakers:

• Oksana Chelysheva, spokesperson, Russian Chechen Friendship Society, Russia
• Min Zin, journalist and democracy activist, Burma
• Ramon Humberto Colas, founder, Independent Libraries Movement, Cuba
• Ales Mihalevic, vice chairman, Belarusian Popular Front, Belarus
• Rebiya Kadeer, democracy activist/Uyghur rights advocate, East Turkistan/China
• Kim Seung Min, founder, Free North Korea Radio, North Korea
• Ali Afshari, democracy activist, Iran
• Manouchehr Mohammadi, democracy activist, Iran

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What Is "Free & Fair"? International Law as a Norm for Assessing Elections

For the past six decades, international and nongovernmental organizations have been formally evaluating elections, traditionally in "developing" democracies, but in recent years in "established" democracies as well. While "free and fair" has most often been espoused as the baseline for judging an election's success or failure, a widely accepted definition of the term has not yet emerged. Michael Boda considered this problem in the light of public international law. Drawing on his scholarly research and experience as an election consultant, he offered an approach to assessing elections that allows for an expansion and refinement of election-related international obligations and proposed a method by which observers might better connect these obligations to actual electoral practice. Comments on his presentation were offered by David Carroll and Patrick Merloe.

Michael Boda, an international election consultant, has worked with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the OSCE, the Carter Center, and the U.S. National Association of Secretaries of State on election standards and administration. In 2003–2004, he was a visiting research fellow at the Brookings Institution, where he conducted research on electoral processes. Between 1995 and 2000, he served as senior editor and deputy director of information resources at IFES, where he established and managed three global web-based election resources, the Administration and Cost of Elections Encyclopedia, CNN-IFES Election Watch, and ElectionGuide.org. He is the author and editor of various publications on election administration and observation, including Revisiting Free and Fair Elections (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2005). David Carroll is director of the Democracy Program at the Carter Center. Patrick Merloe is a senior associate at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, where he directs programs on electoral processes.

Garry Kasparov - "The Prospects for Russian Democracy"

A New York Democracy Forum event. As Russian parliamentary and presidential elections approach in 2007 - 2008, the Kremlin-backed United Russia party has passed a series of laws curtailing media freedom; restricting nongovernmental organizations, religious communities, and other civil society groups; and restricting freedom of assembly and the use of popular referenda. The democratic parties, SPS and Yabloko, have been almost entirely marginalized. Existing nongovernmental organizations have, however, been loath to give up their independence, and new organizations like The Other Russia and a thriving youth movement have arisen. Garry Kasparov, who abdicated his #1 chess ranking in 2005 to devote his intellect and energy to Russian democracy and was a principal organizer of The Other Russia's inaugural meeting in July 2006, will discuss the role of these and other pro-democracy forces in the coming 2007-2008 election cycle. [read the transcript / view this event]

Poland's "Fourth Republic": A New Beginning or an Endangered Democracy?

With the spectacular defeat of the postcommunist Democratic Left Alliance in a series of recent elections between 2004 and 2006, the balance of power in Poland has shifted toward two rival "post-Solidarity" parties, the center-left Law and Justice party (PiS), currently part of the governing coalition, and the center-right Civic Platform (PO), now in opposition. While the PiS campaigned on a pledge to protect Polish citizens against the vicissitudes of economic transition, the PiS-led government has instead given priority to breaking with the country's communist past, an enterprise often referred to as the "Fourth Republic" project. In the eyes of the opposition, the ruling coalition has shaken the very foundations of Polish democracy by pursuing its goals through undemocratic means and by including in its ranks two extremist political parties. How have the people of Poland perceived the debates involving the country's political elites? What do public attitudes tell us about the strength and stability of the current political system? In his presentation, Krzysztof Jasiewicz considered these questions and the role of public opinion in general as a measure of the state of democracy in Poland today.

Dr. Krzysztof Jasiewicz is professor of sociology at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, where he teaches courses in sociology and comparative politics, with a focus on communism, postcommunism, and European politics. A leading expert on voting behavior and political change in Poland, he was the founder and first director of electoral studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences's Institute for Political Studies. He has authored or edited over ten books and numerous articles, in Polish and English, on the politics of Poland and East-Central Europe. During his fellowship, Dr. Jasiewicz is writing a manuscript on the role of religion as both a facilitator of and a potential obstacle to the development of civil society and pluralist democracy in Poland.

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"How Democracies Emerge: The 'Sequencing' Fallacy"

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Journal of Democracy co-sponsored a panel discussion based on Thomas Carothers' new article in the January 2007 Journal of Democracy.

Democracy is clearly struggling in many countries that have attempted democratic transitions in recent years. Is the problem that these countries were not ready for democracy? Should they have waited on elections and open political competition until the rule of law and a well-functioning state were established? Should the United States and other actors interested in democracy promotion back away from support for elections and political party strengthening in many parts of the developing world, concentrating instead on supporting rule-of-law development and state-building? Thomas Carothers, Vice President for International Politics and Governance, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace addressed these questions at the seminar. Jack Snyder, Professor of Political Science, Columbia University and co-author of Electing to Fight: Why Emerging Democracies Go to War and Francis Fukuyama, Bernard L. Schwartz Professor of International Political Economy, The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University provided comments.

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Women and Power: The Case of Moldova

Despite the widespread movement toward democratization across much of the world, women in many countries still remain underrepresented at most levels of government. Although women were granted "legal equality" in the Soviet Union, many obstacles limited their ability to achieve real political power. With the collapse of communism in the former Soviet Union, women are grappling with this unique legacy and seeking new opportunities to advance to positions of leadership. As a former Soviet republic tackling the challenges of a democratic transition, Moldova offers an illuminating case study of women in the postcommunist world striving to achieve political power. Drawing on her experience as a politician and advocate of women's rights, Ms. Olga Nicolenco charted the evolution of the women's movement in Moldova, with a special emphasis on women's involvement in politics at the local administrative level. She made the case that, notwithstanding the strides her country has made toward the advancement of women at the state level, much remains to be done to achieve full equality at the local level of administration. She concluded with recommendations on how the international community can help to promote the participation of women in Moldova's political process.

Ms. Olga Nicolenco is head of the Chisinau chapter and permanent bureau member of the center-right Social-Liberal Party (SLP), one of Moldova's most forward-thinking, democratically minded political parties. A staunch proponent of democratic freedoms and social equality, particularly vis-à-vis women's participation in politics, she has been instrumental in the establishment of the SLP's women's caucus and in an educational campaign to deliver children's books to schools and kindergartens in the breakaway Transnistria region of Moldova. During her fellowship, Ms. Nicolenco is developing strategies to increase women's involvement in local public administration in Moldova.

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Embracing Euro-Atlantic Values: NATO Membership and the Future of Ukraine

Two years after the Orange Revolution, Ukraine once again finds itself at a crossroads. The values and beliefs expressed by the majority of Ukrainians at the time of the upheaval have met with resistance by the ruling elite, while the democratic gains promised by the revolution have yet to be consolidated. Despite welcome political developments in recent years, the underlying question that the country faced on the eve of the revolution–whether Ukraine's future lies westward with the Euro-Atlantic community or eastward with Russia–remains unresolved. In his presentation, Ilko Kucheriv surveyed the current political landscape in Ukraine and made the case for membership in NATO as an essential step toward the country's acceptance into the Euro-Atlantic community. Drawing on his personal experience as a leading civil society activist in Ukraine and current research as a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow, Mr. Kucheriv discussed Ukrainian public opinion and expert analysis regarding NATO and shared his thoughts on a planned information campaign designed to counter Cold War–era misconceptions concerning the alliance. Mr. Kucheriv's presentation was followed by comments by Taras Kuzio and Elehie Skoczylas.

Mr. Ilko Kucheriv is founder and director of the Kiev-based Democratic Initiatives Foundation, a leading think tank that focuses on deepening democracy in Ukraine. Widely recognized as one of Ukraine's most prominent nongovernmental activists, Mr. Kucheriv has been active in Ukrainian civil society for over twenty-five years. During his fellowship, he is developing a communications campaign aimed at introducing Ukrainian citizens to the Euro-Atlantic movement and at helping them better understand and embrace Euro-Atlantic values. Dr. Taras Kuzio is a visiting professor at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. Ms. Elehie Skoczylas is vice president for international affairs at QEV Analytics and has worked with the Democratic Initiatives Foundation on several projects. Dr. Nadia Diuk is senior director for Europe and Eurasia at the National Endowment for Democracy.

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Kasparov, Aron, Sestanovich Assess future of Russian Democracy

As Russian parliamentary and presidential elections approach in 2007 - 2008, the Kremlin-backed United Russia party has passed a series of laws curtailing media freedom; restricting nongovernmental organizations, religious communities, and other civil society groups; and restricting freedom of assembly and the use of popular referenda. The democratic parties, SPS and Yabloko, have been almost entirely marginalized. Existing nongovernmental organizations have, however, been loath to give up their independence, and new organizations like The Other Russia and a thriving youth movement have arisen. On January 12, renowned chess champion turned democracy activist Garry Kasparov, who was a principal organizer of the Other Russia's inaugural meeting in July 2006, discussed the role of these and other pro-democracy forces in the coming 2007-2008 election cycle. Dr. Leon Aron and Amb. Stephen Sestanovich commented on Mr. Kasparov's observations and offered their own insights on this important period for Russian democrats.

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Perspectives on Press Freedom in the Arab World

Journalists are widely considered to be at the forefront of the democratic movement in the Arab world. As a result, they are often the target of attacks and intimidation by their governments, societies, and even the media. Despite the moral and political support that Arab journalists receive from international organizations, many media workers still feel that the violations of freedom they experience are difficult to report and even more difficult for third parties to document. Contributing to these challenges is the absence in the region of a local, independent, specialized organization that tracks and reports on the working conditions of journalists. Drawing on his research and personal experience, Mr. Hafez Al-Bukari described the current environment in which Arab media operate and highlighted ways in which standards of press freedom may be monitored and documented. His presentation was followed by comments by Dr. Amr Hamzawy and Ms. Joanne Levine.

Mr. Hafez Al-Bukari is chairman of the Yemeni Polling Center, an NGO that fosters political and electoral awareness, and general secretary of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate. He has written numerous articles in Yemeni and U.S. newspapers, including the Yemen Times, Yemen Observer, the Washington Times, and the National Review. In addition, he is a member of the informal advisory board of the American Enterprise Institute's Arab Reform program and coordinator of the International Federation of Journalists' Project in Yemen. Dr. Amr Hamzawy is a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Ms. Joanne Levine is executive producer of programming for the Americas at Al-Jazeera International.

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