International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy
Advancing Democracy:
Newsletter of the International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy
Advancing Democracy is the bi-monthly newsletter of the International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy highlighting democratic developments around the world of particular interest to parliamentarians. We hope the information found in this newsletter will be helpful to parliamentarians seeking to strengthen the promotion of democracy in your country and globally. We welcome any suggestions you may have for content in future issues of Advancing Democracy. Please send your suggestion to Tiffany Lynch at jamesb@ned.org. Feel free to share the newsletter with colleagues and encourage them to join the network. More information about the IMPD and how to become a member can be found at www.wmd.org/impd/main.html.
Table of Contents
- Parliamentary Elections
- Indonesia, April 5
- India, April 20-May 10
- Zimbabwe, May 18
- Malawi, May 20
- European Parliament, June 10-13
- Mongolia, June 27
- Canada, June 28
- Government Actions to Promote Democracy
- Duma Abandons Media Restrictions
- European Commission to Support Local Elections in Sierra Leone
- European Parliament Welcomes New Members
- Bill Would Give Women Equal Inheritance Rights as Men
- Campaign Spending Limits Enacted in Kyrgyzstan
- MP Seeks to End Election Petition Disputes
- Botswana Opens Up Labor Unions
- Parliament Considers Giving Women Voting Rights
- Venezuelans Move Forward With Referendum
- U.S. Increases Aid to Haiti
- Anti-Terror Laws Repealed
- Ethiopia to Provide Radio Broadcast Licenses to Private Firms
- EU Adopts Constitution
- Proposal Would Allow Mexicans Abroad to Vote in 2006 Elections
- Anti-Corruption Commission Approved by Parliament
- Government Actions to Restrict Democracy
- Venezuelan Parliament Increases Supreme Court Membership
- Kano State to Expanded Sharia Laws
- Burmese Constitutional Convention Convenes Without NLD Involvement
- Chavez OKs Militias
- Pakistan Deports Opposition Leader
- Zimbabwe Ends Emergency Food Program
- Russia Approves Restrictions to Referendum Law
- Azerbaijan Grants Local Courts Right to Suspend Political Parties
- Liberal Amendments to Election Code Voted Down
- Publications
- Eritrea: ‘You have no right to ask’ – Government resists scrutiny on human rights
- Biting the Somali Bullet
- Turkey: Violence Originating in the Family
- Helping Hands or Shackled Lives?
- In the Name of Security: Counterterrorism and Human Rights Abuses Under Malaysia’s Internal Security Act
- Sudan: Now or Never in Darfur
- Tajikistan’s Politics: Confrontation or Consolidation?
- Nations in Transit 2004
Indonesia, April 5 – After one month of counting, former President Suharto’s Golkar Party defeated current President Megawati Sukarnoputri’s PDI-P party by a margin of 21.6 to 18.5 percent. The election was a disappointment to the PDI-party which garnered more than one-third of the vote in the country’s 1999 elections.
India, April 20-May 10 – In a shocking win, India’s Congress Party defeated the ruling BJP-alliance winning 215 seats of the 543-seat parliament. Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi, wife of assassinated Prime Minister Gandhi, turned down the position of Prime Minster to serve as an MP. Manmohan Singh will serve as Prime Minister.
Zimbabwe, May 18 – The governing Zanu-PF party won a bi-election parliamentary seat by 900 votes in the opposition stronghold city of Lupane. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which has won every seat in the western region of Matabeleland since 2000, contends that several election violations occurred in the ballot vote.
Malawi, May 20 – The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) won more seats than the ruling United Democratic Front, but failed to garner enough votes to form a majority. Instead, the National Democratic Alliance and the United Democratic Front (whose candidate won the presidential election one week earlier) formed a majority alliance. The parliamentary elections were overshadowed by charges to tampering in the presidential elections.
European Parliament, June 10-13 – Low voter turnout in the first European Parliament elections since expansion led to an increase in seats for opposition parties. Germany, France and Poland suffered the worst defeats, while eurosceptic parties garnered surprising victories. Turnout averaged 45.3 percent, but was lower at 26.4 percent in the 10 new member states. Parties to the centre-right maintained their position as the largest single block.
Mongolia, June 27 – In a astonishing turnaround, the opposition Motherland Democratic Coalition increased its seats in the Great Hural from 4 to 36. The Democratic Coalition says it is ready to form a coalition with allies, making it only the second Democratic government after decades of rule from the MPRP. A re-vote at two polling stations will take place due to complaints about irregularities.
Canada, June 28 – The ruling Liberal Party fell 20 seats short of reclaiming its outright majority in parliament, winning 135 sears in the 308-sat House of Commons. The Conservative Party increased its standing from 73 seats to 99. Prime Minister Paul Martin ruled out the formation of a coalition, saying the party would work with other parties on a case-by-case basis.
Duma Abandons Media Restrictions
The Russian State Duma abandoned a media bill which would have banned the televising of terrorist acts without prior approval from law enforcement agencies. Opponents to the bill argued it violated Article 19 of the Russian Constitution which grants citizens’ the right to information.
European Commission to Support Local Elections in Sierra Leone
The European Commission granted €2 million to support local elections in Sierra Leone. The additional funding covered the distribution of ballot materials, informational material for election commissioners, and fees for poll workers.
European Parliament Welcomes New Members
The European Parliament welcomed 162 new deputies from 10 countries following the expansion of the European Union on May 2nd. The new EU deputies represent the following countries: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The European Parliament now contains of 626 members.
Bill Would Give Women Equal Inheritance Rights as Men
As a last act before the new Iranian parliament was sworn in, the reformist parliament approved a bill allowing a woman to inherit all of her late husband’s estate if no other heirs are present. Under the current law, women are only entitled to half of the estate with the state acting as the beneficiary of the other half. To become law, the bill must be approved by the conservative Guardian Council, who many predict will reject it.
Campaign Spending Limits Enacted in Kyrgyzstan
Parliamentary candidates will now see their campaign spending further limited. On May 7th, the Kyrgyzstan president signed legislation reducing campaign spending from $45,000 to $11,000.
MP Seeks to End Election Petition Disputes
Abdoul Oroh, chair of the Nigerian House of Representative Committee on Human Rights, has proposed a constitutional amendment to the Electoral Act to shorten the period of election petitions to three months. The current election law does not mandate a deadline for which decisions on petitions must be made. The proposed amendment came after protests and riots over outstanding petitions from last year’s presidential election.
Botswana Opens Up Labor Unions
Botswana President Festus Mogae signed legislation allowing public service workers to join trade unions. Under the new legislation, only police offices and permanent secretaries would still be prohibited from joining unions. Unions have already begun to organize workshops to teach new members how to operate a union.
Parliament Considers Giving Women Voting Rights
The Kuwaiti parliament is currently reviewing a bill to allow women to vote and contest elections. The bill has the approval of the Council of Ministers and Emir Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmas al-Jabir al-Sabah. A similar proposal was narrowly defeated in parliament in 1999.
Venezuelans Move Forward With Referendum
The National Elections Commission announced that the opposition had collected enough signatures to force a recall referendum of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Voting on the referendum will be held on August 15th, and if President Chavez loses, a presidential election will be held 30 days later.
U.S. Increases Aid to Haiti
The United States government announced it is increasing aid to Haiti by $60 million this year, bringing this year’s total to $160 million. The additional funds will be used to advise Haiti’s government ministers, train police, buoy electricity generation, develop job programs, meet humanitarian needs, and strengthen economic development.
Anti-Terror Laws Repealed
The new Indian government has scrapped the Prevention of Terrorism Act arguing that it has been misused since its implementation in 2002 to discriminate against Muslims. The law expanded the list of crimes which could result in the death penalty, and extended prosecutors’ scope to detain and interrogate suspects.
Ethiopia to Provide Radio Broadcast Licenses to Private Firms
The Ethiopian government has made radio frequencies available to private radio broadcasters for the first time. Broadcast licenses will begin to be issued in August. It is still unclear if international broadcasters will be allowed to apply for a license.
EU Adopts Constitution
The European Union agreed to its first constitution, which spelled out voting procedures, re-organized EU institutions, created the position of a foreign minister, and clarified nations’ rights. All EU member countries must now ratify the constitution within two years.
Proposal Would Allow Mexicans Abroad to Vote in 2006 Elections
President Vicente Fox proposed a bill before Congress that would allow Mexicans living abroad to vote in the 2006 presidential elections, in which Fox cannot run for re-election. Under the current law, Mexicans living abroad (almost 10 million) must return to Mexico to vote. All of Mexico’s leading political parties have voiced their support for some form of this legislation.
Anti-Corruption Commission Approved by Parliament
The Zimbabwean parliament passed legislation to create a commission to investigate corruption at all levels of society. The legislation was widely supported by all parties. The commission, which will include four to nine members appointed by the president, will investigate serious cases of corruption and promote public awareness of corruption and its effects in the society.
Venezuelan Parliament Increases Supreme Court Membership
After a 16-hour debate, the parliament of Venezuela increased the number of judges on the Venezuelan Supreme Court from 20 to 32. The increase came as the Supreme Court reviewed the validity of more than 870,000 signatures collected to force a recall of President Hugo Chavez. The Venezuelan opposition has argued that the increase will allow President Chavez to appoint the court with sympathetic judges.
Kano State to Expanded Sharia Laws
A second Northern Nigerian state has expanded its Sharia laws. The expanded rules outlaw the consumption, manufacturing and selling of alcohol in Kano state. Any Christian found consuming alcohol will either pay N50,000 or face one year in prison, and any Muslim caught for the same offense will receive 80 lashes.
Burmese Constitutional Convention Convenes Without NLD Involvement
The Burmese military government held its constitutional convention the week of May 17th despite a protest from the National League for Democracy (NLD) and several minority groups. The NLD refused to attend the convention due to the military government’s refusal to free party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and re-open all NLD offices. The purpose of the meeting was to decide on steps to a roadmap for democracy, although many international experts did not see a true commitment from the government.
Chavez OKs Militias
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has authorized the military training of civilians to form what he terms as a civil defense force. Opposition members have decried the plan as an attempt to create pro-Chavez militias.
Pakistan Deports Opposition Leader
Almost immediately after returning to Pakistan from more than three years in exile, Mian Shahbaz Sharif was deported to Jidda, Saudi Arabia. Sharif is the brother of former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, whose government was overthrown by current President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in October 1999. Leaders of Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League party were arrested in the lead-up to his brother’s return.
Zimbabwe Ends Emergency Food Program
The government of Zimbabwe has ended an emergency food program by international donors saying it is expecting a large harvest. The move has been criticized by the opposition, who says the government provides food aid only to its supporters. International aid agencies estimate that 5.5m Zimbabweans will require food aid this year.
Russia Approves Restrictions to Referendum Law
The State Duma approved legislation allowing only those groups registered in 45 regions and with at least 100 members to begin the referendum process. Opponents to the Kremlin-backed bill argue that the new restrictions would make it virtually impossible for grassroots groups to call for a referendum. Additionally, the law prohibits the cutting short, or extending of, a president’s or Duma’s term.
Azerbaijan Grants Local Courts Right to Suspend Political Parties
The Azeri parliament approved amendments to the Law on Political Parties granting local courts the right to suspend the registration of political parties. Prior to the amendments, only the Constitutional Court could sanction suspensions.
Liberal Amendments to Election Code Voted Down
The Belarusian Chamber of Representatives voted down several amendments to the Election Code by a margin of 71 to 8. Included in the amendments were stipulations to allow observers to monitor ballot counting and to allow all political parties to have a representative on the election commissions.
Eritrea: ‘You have no right to ask’ – Government resists scrutiny on human rights
A report by Amnesty International found an increase in torture, arbitrary detention, “disappearances,” and maltreatment of political prisoners in Eritrea in the past two-and-a-half years. Additionally, Amnesty International found the Eritrean President, Issayas Afewerki, unwilling to even discuss democracy and human rights violations. The organization calls for the eradication of all forms of political and religious oppression, illegal arrest and detention, and human rights abuses. Amnesty International further calls on the international community to provide greater assistance to Eritrean refugees.
Biting the Somali Bullet
A report by the International Crisis Group calls on the U.S. and EU to provide greater support to Somalia to ensure that a functioning government is put into place. The report says that reluctance by international actors to take more of a role in Somalia has allowed the peace to deadlock, making Somalia a safe haven for terrorist groups. The support says that with U.S. and EU inclusion, a peace deal could be brokered that resolves regional and internal divisions.
Turkey: Violence Originating in the Family
A study by Amnesty International found that at least on third and maybe up to one half of all women in Turkey have been victims of violence, with much of the violence occurring in the home. Instances of violence include beatings, rape, “honor killings,” and in some cases, forced suicides or marriages. The study criticized the Turkish judicial system, which it says often refuses to investigate complaints and reduces sentences of rapists who promise to marry the victim.
Helping Hands or Shackled Lives?
A report by the International Labor Organization found that up to 10 million children are exploited for domestic labor. According to the report, these children, mainly girls under 16, are at risk of sexual abuse, physical exploitation and human trafficking and are denied health care and education. Much of the abuse occurs behind closed doors and is seen as normal by many countries, the report found. Indonesia was found to use the most child labor, with 700,00 children in domestic positions, followed by Brazil, Pakistan, Haiti, Kenya, and Sri Lanka.
In the Name of Security: Counterterrorism and Human Rights Abuses Under Malaysia’s Internal Security Act
A report by Human Rights Watch found that nearly 100 men arrested under the Internal Security Act have been held without charge or trial, and have been victims of abuse. Such abuse consists of beatings, cigarette burnings and psychological abuse. Additionally, the report found that tactics used in Malaysia were influenced by U.S. tactics in Guantanamo. The report calls on the abolition of the Internal Security Act and the Malaysian authorities to permit independent monitors to access to detainees.
Sudan: Now or Never in Darfur
A report by the International Crisis Group argued that a ceasefire signed in April to end the fighting in Darfur has failed both in both military and humanitarian terms. The fighting, which began in February 2003 has already cost 30,000 lives and 1.2 million displaced persons, and UN officials have said that unless the situation is resolved, another 350,000 could die by November. The report calls on the UN Security Council to authorize military intervention to protect IDP camps and deliver assistance to those in need. The report also calls on the EU and U.S. to put more pressure on Khartoum to abide by the mandates in the ceasefire.
Tajikistan’s Politics: Confrontation or Consolidation?
A report by the International Crisis Group warned that Tajikistan’s 2005 parliamentary elections could serve as a turning point for peace and stability in the country. The report said that as President Emomali Rakhmonov attempts to use the elections to consolidate his powers, he does so at the expense of the opposition Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT). The report warns that as the economy continues to weaken and the warlords and IRPT lose power, radical Islamist groups could gain strength with the populace.
Nations in Transit 2004
A report by Freedom House found a growing democratic gap in Europe, with post-Communist countries in Europe and Eurasia drastically needing to extend liberties and free markets in their countries to catch up with the EU countries. The report found that Russia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Ukraine showed the most democratic decline from 2003. Freedom House calls on a renewed effort by the West to expand democratic principles in these countries.
Founded in February 2003, the IMPD is an international coalition of parliamentarians dedicated to the defense and promotion of democracy around the world. Affiliated with the World Movement for Democracy, its current membership is 227 parliamentarians from 33 countries.
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