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Publications >> Democracy Newsletter
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National Endowment for Democracy News and Information Fall 2003 Newsletter
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| Inside This Issue |
NED Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Recalling President Reagan, who in 1982 used his now famous Westminster address to predict the failure of communism and call for the creation of an American organization to promote democracy globally, Bush said, "President Reagan said that the day of Soviet tyranny was passing, that freedom had a momentum which would not be halted. He gave this organization its mandate: to add to the momentum of freedom across the world. Your mandate was important 20 years ago; it is equally important today." The 20th anniversary program, made possible with support from The Hurford Foundation, The Sallie Mae Fund, Fannie Mae, AT&T, and AIG, began with opening remarks from NED Chairman Vin Weber, and was followed by congratulatory remarks from Congressional speakers Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN), Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) and Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA).
At the heart of his speech, President Bush asserted a new American commitment to democracy in the Middle East. In making the case for a radical shift in policy, Bush criticized decades of U.S. policy in the Arab Middle East, saying, "[s]ixty years of Western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East did nothing to make us safe -- because in the long run, stability cannot be purchased at the expense of liberty."
Citing examples of recent democratic reform in Bahrain, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Yemen, and Jordan, the President demanded wide scale regional reform. "The good and capable people of the Middle East all deserve responsible leadership," declared Bush. "For too long, many people in that region have been victims and subjects. They deserve to be active citizens."
Bush concluded his comments by stating, "Iraqi democracy will succeed -- and that success will send forth the news, from Damascus to Teheran -- that freedom can be the future of every nation. The establishment of a free Iraq at the heart of the Middle East will be a watershed event in the global democratic revolution…As in Europe, as in Asia, as in every region of the world, the advance of freedom leads to peace."
To view a webcast of the event and read a complete transcript of the President's remarks, visit the NED Website at www.ned.org. [Top]
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NED Expands Work in Iraq After a recent trip to Iraq, NED president Carl Gershman is encouraged by signs of nascent civil society, advances in human rights, and the beginnings of an independent media in Iraq. "The numbers of new civil society NGOs, publications, parties, think tanks, and other groups is impressive, and the people are highly motivated," said Gershman. "But there is a great need to strengthen organizational capacity. People have been living in terror for decades, and they're just beginning to develop a sense that they can now take charge of their own lives. There's no time to waste in getting them the help they need." Gershman's cautions optimism is buoyed by the results of recent public opinion polls conducted in Iraq with assistance from three of NED's core institutes: the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). The reports yielded a wealth of information about Iraqi attitudes on topics encompassing the media, politics, security, and economic development. While there is a mix of excitement and fear about the prospect of freedom and democracy among many Iraqis, there is a strong desire for order and governance. NDI and IRI research also reveals, however, a fog of disinformation and a lack of trust for media reports among Iraqis, and they report that the political discourse is dominated by the rumor mill and conspiracy theories.
In the months and, most likely, years to come the central focus for NED in Iraq will be on strengthening civil society and independent media. "NED hopes to nurture Iraq's new civil society through support for programs that will provide training and leadership development and foster regional partnerships," said Abdulwahab Alkebsi, one of NED's Program Officers for the Middle East and North Africa, who also recently visited Iraq. As for the media, "Developing strong, free, and independent media in a country that has not experienced a free press for over forty-five years will only be accomplished through the cooperation of Iraqi and international efforts," said Alkebsi. NDI, IRI and CIPE are working with local NGOs to aid in the development of emerging political institutions and strengthening indigenous civil society efforts. Technical and material assistance is being given to programs that support democratic education, party building, voter and civic education. While there is no shortage of NGOs in the democracy sector, there are not enough Iraqis who are equipped to lead and develop these organizations into strong, independent entities. NDI, IRI, and CIPE, can help provide the training and capacity building so desperately needed to transform these new civic groups into structured, functional, democracy-building organizations. NDI has quickly become an indispensable resource for Iraqi NGOs seeking technical assistance. NDI holds weekly technical sessions and provides ongoing essential services to an emerging civic community. IRI is currently working with the Iraq Foundation for Development and Democracy's (IFDD) project to assist in the process of writing a new Iraqi constitution. To build a greater awareness within Iraqi society of market and democratic values, CIPE is currently working on programs with the Iraqi business community to strengthen its leadership role in the country's democratic transformation. While the three institutes are establishing their programs, other Iraqi NGOs that have received NED funding for several years in Northern Iraq are continuing and expanding their successful civic education programs. To combat the dearth of accurate information, the party institutes are working along with local media outlets to expand distribution of unbiased media. NDI is also exploring the possibility of establishing "democracy centers" throughout Iraq, which would serve as neutral meeting places, and a vehicle for the dissemination of press releases and other forms of communication. In addition, CIPE has begun a partnership with the Iraqi newspaper, Al Ahali, that will produce a monthly business review to address business practices and economic reforms for Iraqi entrepreneurs. While work ahead for Iraqi democrats is daunting, most Iraqis openly express relief about the demise of Saddam Hussein. As one man interviewed by Alkebsi expressed, "We had a pair of heavy boots pressing our faces to the ground. Now [those] boots are lifted, and we can see around." What the Iraqis will see when they begin to look around is uncertain, but hopefully, with continuous help from NED grantees, the picture will include individual freedoms, democratic institutions, and a competitive independent media. [Top]
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Chairman's Message
It cannot be emphasized too strongly that the precondition for progress is a new birth of will and determination within the Middle East and other non-democratic parts of the Muslim world to strive for human rights, free institutions, and responsible, elected government."
In his address, the President articulated what many are calling the "Bush Doctrine," setting forth a vision of the Middle East where governments "need to confront real problems and serve the interests of their nations." One should never underestimate the power of ideas to help shape events, and by challenging that part of the world to join the democratic revolution that has largely eluded it, the President's words alone have provided much needed encouragement to those struggling to build democratic institutions and respect for the rule of law. But words must be complemented by actions to make them effective, and I am proud that NED and its Institutes have been involved in that region for the past decade, working with moderate political leaders, parties and legislators, encouraging women's participation, promoting good governance and economic reform, training union organizers to defend the rights of workers and the poor, and supporting a wide array of grassroots organizations that defend human rights, spread democratic values, and promote civic education and women's rights in the context of Islamic traditions. Some commentators contend that the President's vision and thus, by implication, the ideas set forth in our strategic plan are unrealistic, that democracy in the Middle East is at best a distant dream. One who disagrees with that assessment is the Egyptian scholar Saad Eddin Ibrahim, whose fifteen month imprisonment by Egyptian authorities for pro-democratic activities might give him reason to be pessimistic. Writing in the current issue of the Journal of Democracy, Ibrahim points to recent modest successes by reformers in Morocco, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Yemen, adding: "From this I take a renewed measure of hope and determination, as do the many people throughout the region who think like me. And make no mistake, there are quite a few of them. They are not all famous or high-profile, but there are plenty of people who are interested in democracy and its possibilities. Those of us who have made a public and systematic commitment to open politics and free societies have an obligation to reach out to these people. We need to engage them and make them partners in the cause of liberty and self-government." During the past twenty years, NED's grantees have helped pave the way to democratic reform in virtually every region of the world. As our Strategy Document makes clear, we will support those in the Middle East who are working to make the President's vision a reality, while not abandoning our global approach, "which assumes that no region where democrats are asking for help should be disregarded, no matter how difficult the challenges there might be."
Vin Weber [Top]
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NED Highlights Work of Soviet Gulag Memorial Museum
Perm-36 is one of only a few labor camps still standing and the only camp restored as a memorial to the tens of millions of people who suffered and died in the Soviet Gulag. The exhibit, displayed in the Rotunda of the Russell Senate building, included pictures from the camp, statistics about the camp prisoners and workforce, and biographies of some of the camp's more famous prisoners, including Vasyl Stus and Natan Sharansky. The roundtable, held in the Russell Caucus Room, included more than a dozen Russian Democracy activists and scholars, including Anne Applebaum, author of Gulag: A History and the Russian human rights activist Yuri Dzhibladze.
The roundtable also featured a portion of a film shot by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) on his visit to Perm-35 in 1987, which highlighted Russia's reluctance to fully disclose the atrocities that were then taking place in the labor camps. [Top]
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Belarusian Grantee Honored by Havel
An Endowment grantee since 1997, Nasha Niva is one of Belarus' leading independent newspapers. First founded in 1906, the Belarusian-language weekly was reestablished in 1991 by a group of reformist intellectuals. Because of its prodemocracy stance, Nasha Niva had to be published in Lithuania from 1991 to 1995; today this important national symbol is based in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. Trained as a linguist, Andrej Dynko is also a well-known publicist, translator, and teacher. He has served as president of Belarusian PEN Club and also oversees Arche, a bimonthly cultural magazine. Mr. Dynko accepted the award on behalf of the independent media in Belarus, which is being repressed by Alexander Lukashenka, "Europe's last dictator." Since 1993, the Endowment has been a leading supporter of independent media in Belarus. [Top]
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Forum Welcomes 2003-04 Reagan-Fascell Fellows
Shahin Abbasov is interested in observing how the U.S. mass media operate in the weeks leading up to and following election day. Abbasov, who is one of eight new Reagan-Fascell fellows at NED's International Forum for Democratic Studies, plans to present his findings in a report documenting the U.S. media's role during elections and examining the ways in which the U.S. experience can be applied in his homeland, Azerbaijan, where he is a journalist.Established by Congress in honor of the two principal founders of NED, former President Ronald Reagan and the late Congressman Dante Fascell, the Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program enables democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of and enhance their ability to promote democracy in their own countries and throughout the world. While founded only two years ago, Reagan-Fascell has quickly become a widely respected program for democrats in the United States and around the world. During their time in residence at NED, fellows are given the opportunity to interact with other fellows and staff in the collegial environment of the Forum, as well as with the policy, media, and academic communities around Washington, D.C. Abbasov is joined by eight other fellows, (bios below) and by current visiting fellows Michael Allen from the United Kingdom, and Ladan Boroumand of Iran. 
Zainab Bangura is the chair and cofounder of the Movement for Progress, a political party that seeks to promote good governance, integrity, and the empowerment of women, youth, and the disabled in Sierra Leone. She is also the cofounder and coordinator of Campaign for Good Governance, Sierra Leone's largest indigenous NGO, which promotes democratic participation, human rights, the rule of law, and the economic and political emancipation of women. Using Sierra Leone as a case study, Ms. Bangura's project will explore the ways in which democratic institutions may be rebuilt in a state weakened by civil war.
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Anahit Bayandur is a leading activist of peace and human rights in Armenia and a former member of the Armenian parliament. She is currently co-chair of the Armenian Committee of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, an international network of civic organizations working to deepen Europe's commitment to democracy and human rights. With her fellowship, Bayandur plans to look at transitions to democracy in the former Soviet states and the role of democracy-assistance organizations, such as NED, in facilitating democratic change.
Anne Mugisha is a founding member of the Reform Agenda, a leading political organization in Uganda, and a former executive director of RESPOND Uganda, a transnational, pro-democracy NGO based in Washington, D.C. Using Uganda as a case study, her fellowship considers the balance between the United States' security and economic interests and its desire to foster democracy in Africa. She also plans to assess the role of the donor community in democratization and conflict resolution.
Albino Okeny is cofounder and former editor-in-chief of the Khartoum Monitor, a leading Sudanese independent daily that publishes articles concerning southern Sudan, the civil war, and peace initiatives. During his fellowship, Mr. Okeny is researching how journalists can cultivate political awareness and civic education in a climate of repression.
Tomas Pojar is director of People in Need Foundation (PINF), a leading Prague-based organization devoted to humanitarian assistance and democracy promotion in repressed societies, crisis areas, and war-torn countries. During his fellowship at the Forum, Mr. Pojar is conducting research on the various Western democracy-assistance programs available to dissidents in authoritarian states, such as Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, and North Korea.
Aqil Shah is a political analyst and columnist who covers national security issues, politics, and civil-military relations in Pakistan and has authored a number of articles and book chapters, including "Pakistan's 'Armored' Democracy," which appeared in the October 2003 issue of the Journal of Democracy. Mr. Shah's fellowship project examines the structural sources of Pakistan's failed transition to democracy in the 1990s.
Vladimir Tismaneanu is professor of government and director of the Center for the Study of Post-Communist Societies at the University of Maryland-College Park. Since 1998, he has been the editor of East European Politics and Societies, a leading quarterly journal in the field. During his fellowship, Dr. Tismaneanu is working on a book that examines the impact of political personalities and their ideological preference on party formation and developments in Romania.
Francisco Villagrán de León is a career diplomat with 18 years of experience in the Guatemalan foreign service. He has served as Guatemalan ambassador to the Organization of American States, the United Nations, Canada, Norway and Germany. Mr. Villagrán's fellowship project explores the linkages between trade agreements and institutional development, with particular emphasis on the opportunities that the current CAFTA negotiations between the U.S. and Central America may present for democratization in that region.