Advancing Democracy Worldwide
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ADVANCING IRI DEMOCRACY A Report of the International Republican Institute Summer/Fall 2007 IRI Commemorates President Reagan’s Westminster Speech wenty-fi ve years ago, in a speech to the British TParliament, President Ronald Reagan called on Americans “to foster the infrastructure of democracy -- the system of a free press, unions, political parties, universities -- which allows a people to choose their own way, their own culture, to reconcile their own diff erences through peaceful means.” To commemorate this pivotal June 8, 1982, speech, the International Republican Institute (IRI) hosted a panel discussion featuring Richard V. Allen, President Reagan’s fi rst National Security Aff airs Advisor; IRI Board Member Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., Co-Chairman of the Democracy Program study, whose principle Ed Meese speaking at IRI’s celebration of President Reagan’s Westminster Speech. recommendations helped craft the National Endowment for Democracy Honorable Edwin Meese, III, former initiative; Mark Palmer, credited Counselor to the President and U.S. Table of Contents Attorney General. with conceiving some of the core A Message from the Chairman………...2 ideas behind President Reagan’s Westminster speech; and Michael Rich Williamson opened the panel Middle East Democracy Promotion…...2 Samuels, who helped shape the by reminding people of President Research Facility in Iraq……….……....3 Reagan’s long held beliefs. Quoting a ideas that went into the Democracy Nigerian Elections…………………......4 Program study. IRI Board Member 1980 Reagan speech, Williamson said, Cambodian Youth Festivals…..………..6 Richard S. Williamson, who was an “Peace must be such that freedom Assistant to President Reagan at the can fl ourish and justice prevail...Our Bolivia’s Citizen Advisory Boards….......7 foreign policy should be to show by White House and was also Assistant Romania’s Road from Communism.......8 example the greatness of our system Secretary of State for International Democratic Reforms in Georgia….....…9 Organization Aff airs, served as and the strength of American ideals.” moderator. IRI Hosts Democracy Leaders..............10 Richard Allen recalled the impact Democracy’s Heroes.............................11 Th e panel was followed by a dinner Continued on page 5 Staff Update.........................................12 featuring a keynote address by Th e see 25TH ANNIVERSARY 1225 Eye Street NW • Suite 700 • Washington, D.C. • 20005 • www.iri.org IRI A Message from the Chairman A statement by Senator John McCain read at a dinner celebrating the 25th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan’s speech at Westminster. wo and helped chart a new course for our American heart than to accept their a half country and the world. abridgement in our own society. Let Tdecades us reject the idea that our advocacy of have passed With the establishment of the democratic values around the globe is since President National Endowment for Democracy, reckless and in vain, or that freedom Ronald Reagan the IRI, and its allies, and by stating only works for wealthy nations and delivered the forthrightly America’s mission to Western cultures. Such a short- historic speech promote democratic change, President sighted view of American purpose is we have occasion Reagan put America fi rmly on the blind to the futility of building walls to celebrate side of freedom. We must not deviate in a world made remarkably smaller tonight. “We live now at a turning from this course. We see in some because of the success of American point,” he announced, and it was hard places setbacks in the march forward, values. A world where our political then to imagine just what a turning and the path is strewn with obstacles. and economic values have a realistic point it was. Within less than a But democracy promotion should be chance of becoming a global ideal decade, the Berlin Wall fell, the Soviet a question of how, not if. was the principal object of Ronald Union was shattered, and democracy Reagan’s foreign policy. We should was on the march throughout much Th e promotion of freedom is the embrace the consequences of our of the Communist bloc. By calling most authentic expression of our success, and determine the best on America to foster the infrastructure national character. To accept the methods for extending them to lands of democracy, in all countries and abridgement of those rights for other where they remain denied. among all peoples, President Reagan societies should be no less false to the Democracy Promotion in the Middle East: the Right Policy? n the late 1990s, reform in the recent years. In Lebanon, the peaceful countries like Oman has resulted in Middle East was limited to a actions of civil society organizations in signifi cant legislative strengthening and Inumber of monarchies that had 2005 accelerated democratic change. has provided an opening of political decided to allow a gradual opening In 2006, critical elections in Kuwait space for citizens who are eager to of their political systems. Today, extended the vote to women for the participate. In 2007, important throughout the region, people are fi rst time in the country’s history. national elections in both Morocco and openly discussing and debating Th e eff orts of domestic monitors in Jordan are expected to further political democracy, a fact unthinkable only a the face of government interference reforms that are already underway in few years ago. Th e centrality of this helped provide citizen oversight for the both countries. debate is a positive change – one that fi rst time in Egypt’s otherwise fl awed citizens from Afghanistan to Morocco parliamentary elections. For the fi rst time in three decades, welcome after years of internal decay Afghanistan has a democratically and stagnation. Iran’s students and ethnic minorities elected parliament. An ongoing have joined with the broader middle accomplishment of this legislature While there are serious challenges for class to publicly criticize the economic has been to strengthen relationships local democratic activists in places like and social failings of that country’s between constituents and Tunisia, Syria and Iran, there were theocratic regime. An incremental their representatives in Kabul, also gains in a number of countries in yet deliberate approach employed in Continued on next page 2 International Republican Institute Continued from previous page and criticisms of the pace of reform, diffi cult given the lack of both success is being realized in the broader democratic tradition and current Middle East. To judge the progress transportation infrastructure. Reform- of reform, one must look at much less minded elected offi cials now conduct dramatic indicators than elections, their own constituent meetings, such as a maturing of representative modeled after IRI’s town hall meetings bodies and the development of civil in 2006. In Pakistan, a decade of society. democratic rule and multi-party politics was shortened in 1999 by a Th rough its work with political parties, return to military rule. Despite the civil society, women and youth, IRI corruption and personality-based has learned that much of the challenge politics that defi ned democracy during to democracy in the Middle East does this period, IRI’s recent poll found not come from popular resistance to that 80 percent of the Pakistani people reform, but from deeply entrenched believe that democracy will make personalities and groups, usually their lives better. When asked their in current governments that feel intention to vote if elections are held, threatened by reform. Ultimately, it is 94 percent responded affi rmatively. the people of the region who will strike a balance between democratic change A candidate from Ajloun, Jordan practices giving a campaign speech in the traditional Despite the challenges to democracy and tradition. seated style. Research Facility in Iraq Helps New Government in Crafting Policy he January 2005 elections for Directorate, composed of a library and services to members and staff of the the transitional Iraqi National of research, legislative drafting and ICR. TAssembly and the December budget departments, provides support 2005 elections for the permanent In organizing the directorate, IRI Iraqi Council of Representatives hosted a study mission for Iraqis to (ICR) brought many new legislators the Czech parliamentary research into offi ce. Among the challenges unit in Prague. IRI also, organized to the young government are a lack seminars in Baghdad and Amman, led of legislative experience among most by the former Deputy Director and members -- many of whom were Senior Specialist in Public Policy at the victims of Saddam’s prisons or exiles United States Congressional Research newly returned to Iraq -- and an Service, along with the former Research absence of trained professionals to staff Director for the Norwegian parliament. parliament. Experts from the United Kingdom’s House of Commons research unit and Drawing on experience from the Canadian Library of Parliament previous IRI programs, the institute also provided training. helped legislative leaders establish a department within the parliament to Th e directorate has given provide objective, nonpartisan research Continued on page 7 and policy analysis. Th e Research A member of the ICR uses the library to see RESEARCH FACILITY research legislation. 3 IRI April’s Elections Fail the Nigerian People n what was heralded late in a majority of states observers and police offi cials t is not always as the fi rst democratic and often lacked materials instructing voters how transition of as essential as ballots and to vote, a general lack of about coming I I power since Nigeria’s results sheets. Polling in confi dentiality throughout up with new independence in 1960, some areas of the country the balloting process and technologies, but voters went to the polls on did not begin until after the early closings of polling rather applying April 21, 2007, to elect a scheduled closing time of places.