DemocracyNews
Monthly Electronic Newsletter of the World Movement for Democracy

*********************************************************************************
CONTENTS

DEMOCRACY ALERTS/APPEALS
1. Internews Loses Battle to Stay in Uzbekistan
2. Singapore NGO Condemns Death Sentence for Non-Violent Crime

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
3. Penn Kemble, Long Time Democracy Advocate, Passes
4. 2006 Fellowships for Threatened Scholars Worldwide
5. Conference on "Burma: Looking Forward" Held
6. Publication: September 2005 Issue of the International Journal for Not-for-Profit Law
7. Africa Network Launches Online Discussion Forum
8. IFES Launches New Web site
9. Publication: October 2005 Issue of the Journal of Democracy

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING

10. Civil Society to Keep Close Watch on Peer Review Process
11. CatComm in South Africa Upgraded its Web Site: Creating a Global Network of Community Solutions

ELECTIONS
12. Voter Education Planning Survey: Afghanistan Election 2004

HUMAN RIGHTS
13.Calls to End Silencing of Human Rights Defenders in Colombia, Nepal and Zimbabwe
14. Human Rights Features Article: Manual Scavenging: Time to Clean Up Our Act
15. Seoul Summit: Promoting Human Rights in North Korea, December 18-12, 2005, Seoul, Korea

INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
16. Global Forum for Media Development Draws Overflow Crowd

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH
17. Youth Movement for Democracy Launches: Global Youth Democracy Campaign
18. Progress Report of Youth Electoral Study

POLITICAL PARTIES AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP
19. John Smith Fellowship Accepting Applications for 2006

RESEARCH
20. Latest Issue of Democracy Research News Available Online

TRANSPARENCY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION
21. Comparing Freedom of Information Legislation in India and Pakistan

WOMEN'S ISSUES
22. Young Female Activist from Burma Named 2005 Asia Hero
23. Women's learning Partnership to Host Panel on Women and Legislative Reform in Muslim-Majority Societies

24. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING NETWORKS, ORGANIZATIONS ANDI NDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

DEMOCRACY ALERTS/APPEALS

1. Internews Loses Battle to Stay in Uzbekistan
Internews, an international media development organization, lost its bid to continue
working in Uzbekistan where it has been operating for ten years supporting independent
media. Only ten minutes of deliberation occurred before the Tashkent Court denied
Internews Network's appeal of a court ruling to shut down its office in Uzbekistan. In
September, Tashkent city court found Internews Network in a number of "gross
violations" of Uzbek law and ordered it to shut down. In August, two Internews
employees were convicted of conspiring to publish information and produce TV
programs without the necessary licenses. The liquidation order was based on these
convictions as well as a number of other violations. In the last 18 months, there has been
a crackdown in the country on foreign non governmental organizations, especially those
supporting the development of democracy.

Go to: www.internews.org/news/2005/20051012_uzbek.html

2. Singapore NGO Condemns Death Sentence for Non-Violent Crime
Think Centre, an independent, multi-partisan non governmental organization in
Singapore, expresses its strong disappointment with the Singapore government's decision
to reject the final pleas of clemency for Australian citizen Nguyen Tuong Van. Nguyen
Tuong Van was convicted of smuggling a large quantity of heroin into Singapore in
December 2002, and faces imminent execution by hanging following the latest decision
by the government. The Think Centre finds the death penalty for Van to be an unfair,
cruel, inhuman, degrading and disproportionate punishment that violates the right to life.
Think Centre calls on the Singapore government and members of parliament to abandon
the use of the death penalty and seek a more humane way to overcome the law
enforcement problem. It also calls on all concerned persons to express their support for
Nguyen Tuong Van, and all others on death row.

Go to: www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=2657

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

3. Penn Kemble, Long Time Democracy Advocate, Passes
Democrats around the world have been greatly saddened to learn of the recent passing of
Penn Kemble, long time democracy advocate who most recently was a senior scholar at
Freedom House and former deputy director of the US Information Agency under
President Clinton. Penn maintained a lifelong commitment to the democratic cause, from
his time as a civil rights activist in the U.S. to his role as a leading architect of the
Community of Democracies. Most recently, he worked closely with colleagues in the
World Movement for Democracy in forming the Transatlantic Democracy Network and
as co-editor of its Democracy Digest. He will be sorely missed and we extend our
condolences to his family and friends.

Go to: www.freedomhouse.org/media/pressrel/101905.htm

4. 2006 Fellowships for Threatened Scholars Worldwide
The Institute of International Education's Scholar Rescue Fund provides fellowships for
scholars whose lives and work are threatened in their home countries. These fellowships
permit scholars to find temporary refuge at universities and colleges anywhere in the
world. When conditions improve, these scholars will return home to help rebuild
universities and societies ravaged by fear, conflict, and repression. Academics,
researchers and independent scholars from any country, field, or discipline may qualify.
Fellowships are awarded to institutions for the support of specific individuals, to be
matched, in most cases, by the institution or a third-party. The application deadline is
December 1, 2005.

Go to: www.iie.org//Content/NavigationMenu/Programs7/SRF/SRF.htm

5. Conference on "Burma: Looking Forward" Held
On October 26, 2005, in Washington, D.C., the Brookings Institution's-Bern Project on
Internal Displacement, the National Endowment for Democracy, and Church World
Service co-sponsored a day-long conference, "Burma: Looking Forward," that discussed
the Burma crisis and international policy responses. Participants included activists,
government officials, researchers, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations.
Sessions focused on "Why Burma Matters," "Responding to Critical Issues Facing Burma
and the Region," "Displaced Persons," and "International Policy Responses." "Burma:
Looking Forward" was held as part of the Thailand-Burma Border Consortium's (TBBC)
annual meeting. The consortium's 10 members take turns hosting the meeting, and
Church World Service is a founding member and supporter.

Go to: www.churchworldservice.org/Immigration/archives/2005/10/82.html

6. Publication: September 2005 Issue of the International Journal for Not-for-Profit Law
The International Center for Not for Profit Law (ICNL) published the September 2005 of
the International Journal for Not-for-Profit Law. This issue featured articles on several
topics, such as "NGO Laws in Selected Arab States," "NGO Regulations in Iran," and
"Comparative Analysis of European Policies and Practices of NGO-Government
Cooperation." The complete texts of these articles as well as others are available online.

Go to: www.icnl.org/JOURNAL/vol7iss4/

7. Africa Network Launches Online Discussion Forum
The African Democracy Forum (ADF) has launched an Online Discussion Forum to
continue the dialogue from its annual ADF meeting in Lagos, Nigeria, in July 2005. The
discussions seek to develop practical plans of action that would be recommended to the
African Union, other regional inter-governmental organizations, and NGOs in Africa.
Currently, there are 6 discussion groups: "Preventing Violations of the Constitution";
Ensuring Democratic, Free, and Fair Elections"; "National Human Rights Commissions:
Providing a Road Map for the African Human Rights Movement"; "Instilling Justice by
Educating Citizens"; "Deepening Linkages between Democracy and Human Rights"; and
"Tackling Human Rights Deficits: Strategies for NGO's in Armed Conflict Situations".
The discussions will end on November 30, and recommendations from the groups will be
published on the ADF Web site and distributed to relevant institutions and groups.

Go to: www.africandemocracyforum.org/forum

8. IFES Launches New Web site
IFES has released an enhanced version of its Web Site. The enhancements include
streamlined access to IFES publications and resources, a comprehensive inventory of
democratization initiatives worldwide, helpful links, photo galleries and feature stories,
and an easy-to-use press site for journalists.

Go to: www.ifes.org

9. Publication: October 2005 Issue of the Journal of Democracy
The October 2005 issue of the Journal of Democracy, published by the National
Endowment for Democracy's International Forum for Democratic Studies, focuses on
"Iran's Peculiar Election." The issue includes several articles assessing the presidential
elections and democratization efforts and challenges in Iran. Other articles include:
"Preempting Democracy: The Case of Belarus," "Cambodia: Getting Away with
Authoritarianism?,""Babel in Democratization Studies," "Nepal: Between Dictatorship
and Anarchy,""Ethiopia's Extended Transition," and "The Caribbean: Democracy
Adrift?"

Go to: www.journalofdemocracy.org/jod.htm

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING

10. Civil Society to Keep Close Watch on Peer Review Process
Despite some initial difficulties, civil society groups in South Africa are still committed
to ensuring that a national self-assessment conducted under the African Peer Review
Mechanism (APRM) will be transparent. Civil society representatives have complained
about the tight timetable, perceived government dominance of the process, and a lack of
information about how the South African review will be managed.

Go to:
www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=49456&SelectRegion=Southern_Africa&Select

11. CatComm in South Africa Upgraded its Web Site: Creating a Global Network of Community Solutions
Frustrated with conditions of poverty in her Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, community, Ivanilde
Araújo Pinto began educating poverty-stricken children on the streets. While this effort,
and many others, found little support financially, it has been successful and has grown.
Catalytic Communities (CatComm) publishes the work of these small community efforts
to inspire others. CatComm is a totally virtual and volunteer initiative to help low-income
community members worldwide solve their local problems and share their practical
solutions through an easy-to-use Internet database and other networking services.
CatComm is announcing the launch of its upgraded Web site, where visitors can consult,
include, or search projects in its Community Solutions Database, which already features
over 100 projects.

Go to: www.catcomm.org

ELECTIONS

12. Voter Education Planning Survey: Afghanistan Election 2004
The Asia Foundation has released the findings of a voter education planning survey from
Afghanistan. The survey was undertaken by The Asia Foundation to provide detailed,
quantified information on the knowledge and attitudes of Afghan citizens regarding their
country's first national elections, which took place in October 2004. The goal was to use
the findings to provide the Foundation, and other nongovernmental organizations
conducting voter education, with information needed to more accurately plan their work
for elections. It builds upon similar surveys conducted by the Foundation in the past few
years prior to elections in Indonesia, Cambodia, and East Timor.

Go to:www.asiafoundation.org/pdf/afghan_voter-ed04.pdf

HUMAN RIGHTS

13. Calls to End Silencing of Human Rights Defenders in Colombia, Nepal and Zimbabwe
Civil society activists from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America have issued a
resolution at the fifth International Human Rights Colloquium in Sao Paulo, Brazil,
urging respect for freedoms of expression, association, and assembly. The Colloquium
was held October 8-15, 2005. The statement calls on civil society organizations to
pressure the governments of Colombia, Nepal, and Zimbabwe to end the harassment of
human rights activists and revise or repeal legislation that curtails fundamental freedoms.
They ask for an environment where activists can operate freely and without fear of
reprisals, as guaranteed by regional and international human rights instruments signed by
the three countries.

Go to: www.civicus.org/new/media/ColloquiumStatement.pdf

14. Human Rights Features Article: Manual Scavenging: Time to Clean Up Our Act
The latest Human Rights Features article published by the South Asia Human Rights
Documentation Centre (SAHRDC) exposes a degrading inhumane practice of "manual
scavenging" used in parts of India today. The practice entails removing of human and
animal excreta using brooms, small tin plates, and baskets from dry latrines and carrying
it - on the head - to disposal grounds some distance away. Mostly women and young
girls, manual scavengers are exposed to inhumane conditions of work that pose serious
health hazards and they are employed at highly exploitative wages. Perceived as
"polluters" and untouchables, scavengers are kept at the margins of society. They are
forced to live in segregated settlements in the outskirts of their villages; denied access to
local temples, community events, and public water taps; and are excluded from
interpersonal relations. The article examines the reasons for government's failure to
abolish this inhumane practice and calls for immediate action toward its elimination.

Go to: www.hrdc.net/sahrdc/hrfeatures/HRF129.htm

15. Seoul Summit on : Promoting Human Rights in North Korea, December 18-12, 2005, Seoul, Korea
"The Seoul Summit: Promoting Human Rights in North Korea," organized by the groups
for North Korean Human Rights, and Freedom House will take place on December 8-12,
2005, in Seoul, Korea. The summit will consist of a series of events focusing on
promoting and improving human rights in North Korea, including a meeting of world
political leaders, a Conference on North Korean Human Rights Improvement Strategy, a
meeting of South Korean and international human rights and other civic society groups,
and a Symposium of International University Students.

Go to: www.freenk2005.com/

INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSIO

16. Global Forum for Media Development Draws Overflow Crowd
On October 2, 2005, in Amman, Jordan, experts from 100 countries met and explored the
relationships between independent media and economic and political development. The
main objective of the Global Forum for Media Development meeting was to demonstrate
the linkages between media and development, including media's role in fostering
political reform with a focus on countries recently experiencing transitions, such as
Georgia, Ecuador, Ukraine, and Lebanon. Eighteen organizations prepared the
conference, including Arab Press Freedom Watch, the International Federation of
Journalists, and Internews. This was the first global gathering of media assistance
practitioners to discuss the issues they face, and potentially to launch a process of
collective action to increase the ability of media aid organizations to contribute to
political and economic development around the world.

Go to: www.internews.org/news/2005/20051003_gfmd.html

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH

17. Youth Movement for Democracy Launches: Global Youth Democracy Campaign
October 18th marked the beginning of the Youth Movement for Democracy's (YMD)
Global Youth Democracy Campaign. This campaign promotes democracy and inspiring
young activists to mobilize and to educate youth and larger communities about the
importance of human rights, and raise awareness of the positive contributions young
people are making to advancing democracy in the world. As part of the campaign, YMD
is hosting an Essay Contest and an international conference. The Essay Contest is open
to talented and inspiring youth around the world who would like to share their stories.
Contestants must answer the question: "What do you see as the most important challenge
to democracy in your world, and what can the youth movement do about it?" The most
important criterion for judging the contest is whether or not the readers find contestants
work interesting, thought provoking, and inspiring. Deadline for essay submissions is
December 1, 2005. The international conference, entitled: Global Youth Conference on
Democracy and Political Participation takes place December 13-15, 2005 in Sao Paulo,
Brazil. The international conference will focus on issues of democracy and political
participation. Questions for discussion will include: What does "democracy" mean to
young people today?; What will it mean to future generations?; What changes do we
want to see in our communities? And in the world?; and What kind of movement do we
want to build? The Youth Movement for Democracy is a global community of youth and
allies working non-violently for democracy affiliated with the World Movement for
Democracy.

Go to: www.ymd.youthlink.org

18. Progress Report of Youth Electoral Study
The Youth Electoral Study's (YES) second progress report reveals that a wide range of
political activities experienced in schools or during adolescent years in community
organizations can have beneficial effects. These effects include more positive attitudes
and intentions to engage in adult political behavior, such as voting. Therefore, the
experiences of young adults in secondary schools are crucial determinants to the kind of
politically aware and active citizens they become as mature adults. The project, led by
Professors Murray Print (University of Sydney) and Larry Saha (Australian National
University), investigates why so many young people are disengaging from democracy,
particularly as indicated by not voting.

Go to: www.civics.edfac.usyd.edu.au/projects_yes.shtml

POLITICAL PARTIES AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

19. John Smith Fellowship Accepting Applications for 2006
The John Smith Memorial Trust is currently accepting applications from potential
candidates for its 2006 Fellowship Program, which takes place in June-July, 2006. The 6-
week study program in the United Kingdom aims to strengthen and deepen democratic
awareness and good governance, and to demonstrate the workings of democratic
organizations and their role within a democratic society. Applicants for the Fellowships
are invited from: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and the
Ukraine. The Fellowship Program is open to political leaders, national or local
government officials, journalists/media experts, lawyers, and influential young leaders
from civil society or the NGO sector.

For further information and application form, go to:
www.johnsmithmemorialtrust.org/Web/Site/Programme/how_to_apply.asp

RESEARCH

20. Latest Issue of Democracy Research News Available Online
The Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI) released the September/October
issue of its e-newsletter, Democracy Research News. The current issue includes
information on the recent NDRI Washington Workshop, a new Master's Degree Program
on Democracy Studies at Georgetown University, recent publications by NDRI members,
and a welcome to two new network members. The NDRI is a functional network of the
World Movement for Democracy.

Go to: www.wmd.org/ndri/ndri-newsletter.htm

TRANSPARENCY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION

21. Comparing Freedom of Information Legislation in India and Pakistan
"Right to Information Legislation: A Comparison of Pakistan's Freedom of Information
Ordinance 2002 and India's Right to Information Act 2005" is the title of publication
from the Center for Peace and Development Pakistan (CPDI). The paper supports
relevant civil society efforts and informs policy processes related to access to information
Pakistan.

To access the publication, go to:fwww.cpdi-pakistan.org/publications/Right%20to%20Information%20Legislation.pdf

Go to: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

WOMEN'S ISSUES

22. Young Female Activist from Burma Named 2005 Asia Hero
In an article entitled: "Educating Burma," the October 10th issue of Time Asia Magazine,
highlighted young Burmese activist Charm Tong's work in the movement to stop human
rights violations by Burma's military regime. Tong started her human rights work at the
early age of 16, and one year later addressed the UN Commission on Human Rights in
Geneva. Now 24, she works with the Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN), an organization that promotes the role of women from Burma in the struggle for democracy and human rights in their country.

Go to: www.time.com/time/asia/2005/heroes/charm_tong.html

23. Panel at Johns Hopkins on Women and Legislative Reform in Muslim-Majority
Societies
On November 17, 2005, women leaders from Muslim-majority societies will discuss
strategies for the creation of egalitarian communities and reform of family law based on
women's capacity to choose. The Women's Learning Partnership, in collaboration with
the SAIS Dialogue Project at the Johns Hopkins University, is hosting the event.

Go to: www.learningpartnership.org/

24. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING NETWORKS, ORGANIZATIONS AND
INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

• African Democracy Forum (ADF) - www.africandemocracyforum.org
• Asia Foundation - www.asiafoundation.org
• Catalytic Communities (CatComm)- www.catcomm.org/
• Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)- www.cipe.org
• CIVICUS (World Alliance for Citizen Participation) - www.civicus.org
• Freedom House- www.freedomhouse.org
• International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) - www.ifes.org
• Internews- www.internews.org
• Journal of Democracy (JOD) - http://www.journalofdemocracy.org/
• Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI)- www.wmd.org/ndri/ndri.html
• Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN)- www.shanwomen.org
• South Asia Human Right Documentation Center (SAHRDC) - www.hrdc.net/sahrdc/about.htm
• Transatlantic Democracy Network - www.demdigest.net/
• Women's Learning Partnership (WLP)- www.learningpartnership.org
• Youth Movement for Democracy - www.wmd.org/youth/youth.html

TOP Please Note: Readers of DemocracyNews will often be referred to Web sites for further information. If you are interested in a particular item, but are unable to access the World Wide Web, please contact the or fax at (202) 378-9889, and we will try to provide the information to you by other means.


c/o National Endowment for Democracy
1025 F Street, NW, Suite 800,
Washington, DC 20004 USA
Tel: (202) 378-9700
Fax: (202) 378-9889
http://www.wmd.org