Asia Program Highlights (2008)

The state of democracy in Asia in 2008 was marked to a large extent by the re-emergence of electoral politics across the region. Elections in Pakistan in February and in Bangladesh in December marked the end of military backed-rule and the return to elected, civilian governments.

In Nepal, Constituent Assembly elections in April brought to power a civilian-led government that quickly moved to abolish the monarchy and declare Nepal a democratic republic.

In Bhutan and the Maldives, national elections resulted for the first time in the peaceful transfer of power. Moreover, the electoral success of the democratic opposition in the March elections in Malaysia offers hope that yet another country may be shedding its authoritarian past. All told, six Asian countries comprising over 400 million people made significant, electoral advances in 2008, although significant challenges to democratic consolidation remain.

The advance of democracy across the region, however, was negated in part by political setbacks in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Thailand, until recently seen as among the freest most democratic states in the region. In Sri Lanka, the ceasefire between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam officially collapsed in January, resulting in increased fighting, massive displacement of civilian populations, and restrictions of press and association. In the Philippines, entrenched corruption, extrajudicial killings, internal armed conflicts, and low public support for political institutions combined to threaten one of Southeast Asia’s few standing democracies.

Meanwhile, Thailand remained mired in a political swamp as factions fought for political power, driven in large measure by a desire to deny former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his successor candidates from assuming power, despite their electoral success in December 2007 elections.

China, Vietnam, and Singapore retained their status as the world’s most economically successful authoritarian countries, providing an alternative development model for states seeking to reduce poverty while preventing the emergence of a genuinely open society and democratic politics.

And, in Burma, where national-level voting was held in May for the first time since 1990, the blatantly non-democratic referendum on a draft constitution reinforced the regime’s grip on power while laying the foundation for equally problematic national-level elections in 2010.

In 2008, the Endowment continued to concentrate resources in one or two critical countries in each sub-region of Asia, while also expanding its programming in a handful of countries where democracy is losing ground.

In the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, the Endowment increased support for human rights monitoring, independent media, and a variety of civil society efforts addressing governance, transparency, accountability, and public participation issues in China. These efforts aimed to foster more open policy debate on a wide range of governance failures linked to the closed political system, including environmental and public health-related problems, disability rights, land and property rights, women’s rights, worker rights, access to justice, and ethnic rights.

NED grantees took advantage of the takeoff of the Chinese blogosphere and the civic power of Internet communications within China. China Free Press successfully hosted several dozen outspoken websites banned in China, though even the U.S.-based sites faced near-constant cyber attacks. The website of the Princeton China Initiative’s China Digital Network program, www.ChinaDigitalTimes.net, highlighted key moments when blog commentary in China went “viral” and jump-started nationwide public concern on issues that had been completely censored in the state-controlled mass media.

In response to increased Chinese government control over the Tibetan plateau following the March uprising and the failure of the Sino-Tibetan talks to yield any results, the Tibetan exile leadership convened an unprecedented assembly of Tibetan leaders in Dharamsala, India to chart the future of the movement. In Tibet, the Endowment supported human rights, civic and democracy education, Chinese-Tibetan outreach and dialogue, and independent media projects, as well as increased its support for a number of membership-based advocacy organizations, including the Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet and the Tibetan Women’s Association, which led efforts to advance the cause of Tibet internationally.

In North Korea, NED continued to support radio broadcasting that seeks to provide North Koreans with independent news. Additionally, NED supported nascent North Korean-run democracy and human rights groups that are emerging from the growing North Korean popula-tion in South Korea, which has reached more than 12,000.

In Burma, the Endowment continued to respond to the “Saffron Revolution” and subsequent crackdown by providing support for activists inside Burma who continued to engage in organizing, mobilizing, and information dissemination. And, in the run-up to the May 2008 referendum, the Endowment provided support to a country-wide effort to educate and inform citizens inside Burma about the draft constitution and its anti-democratic characteristics.

Endowment support allowed individuals and groups to rebuild networks inside Burma; replace confiscated communication technology equipment; increase communication; and support the travel, communication, and emergency health needs of dissident networks in Burma. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners documented and reported on political prisoners and provided increased support to political prisoners and their families. Organizations such as the Forum for Democracy in Burma and the Women’s League of Burma and its member organizations worked to raise awareness about democratic principles in Burma and the human rights situation internationally. In addition, the Democratic Voice of Burma satellite TV station expanded rapidly, increasing both its airtime and original news production, to provide viewers inside Burma with timely, independent news and information.

In Thailand and the Philippines, the Endowment expanded its programming to include projects which seek to address the erosion of independent democratic institutions and look to capitalize on recently or soon to be held national elections. NED provided support to networks of volunteer lawyers in both countries that looked to strengthen the rule of law and respect for human rights with new grants to the Manila-based Lawyers League for Liberty and the Bangkok-based Cross Cultural Foundation.

NED also continued its work in Malaysia, which includes human rights monitoring and support for independent media. In Indonesia, NED supported union and political party strengthening and corporate good governance initiatives. Vietnam programs included support for human rights monitoring, legal reform, democratic civic education, and an Internet radio program.

In Pakistan, the Endowment looked for opportunities to strengthen democratic institutions and practices following the February 2008 elections and subsequent resignation of President Musharraf in August. In 2008, the Endowment concentrated on fighting extremism through civic education and community organizing, addressing public accountability through the development of institutional mechanisms to make government more transparent and accountable, and empowering citizens through grassroots mobilizing and organizing efforts in rural communities throughout the country. The Balochistan-based Institute for Development Studies and Practices expanded its innovative and successful women’s empowerment program while the Northwest Frontier Province-based Omar Ashgar Khan Development Foundation strengthened its community organizing and public accountability efforts.

In Nepal, the Endowment concentrated its resources on efforts to educate and inform citizens about the ongoing constitution drafting process, deepen political parties’ commitment to human rights and democracy, and ensure the inclusion of traditionally-disadvantaged groups in the political process. The Nepal National Dalit Social Welfare Organization worked to encourage the full participation of Dalits in Nepali society and ensure Dalit participation in the political process.

The NED also supported programs in Sri Lanka to increase civil society’s capacity to represent constituent interests and advocate for political reform and greater accountability, including promoting worker, women’s, and voter rights. In Bangladesh, the Endowment supported the work of the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) to facilitate the participation of women entrepreneurs in the formal economy and to promote a more open and transparent economic environment.