11524 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS May 18, 1988 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS STATEMENT OF CARL GERSH­ carried out through our core grantees in In Chile, where the unfolding political MAN ON THE NATIONAL EN­ these fields, the Free Trade Union Institute, process that will result in a plebescite later DOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY the Center for International Private Enter­ this year could bring about the transition to prise, and the National Democratic and the democracy that groups across the democrat­ National Republican Institutes for Interna­ ic political spectrum have been striving to HON. ROBERT J. LAGOMARSINO tional Affairs), as well as civic organizations achieve; OF CALIFORNIA of women and youth, public policy insti­ In South Africa, where black and white IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tutes, cooperatives, and a variety of free democrats, undaunted by the new wave of communications media including newspa­ repression, are working together to replace Wednesday, May 18, 1988 pers, journals, books and films. apartheid with a democratic system; Mr. LAGOMARSINO. Mr. Speaker, as Chair­ Procedurally, in addition to establishing In Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and man of the National Republican Institute for high standards for the careful selection, other countries of Eastern Europe where International Affairs, I take great pride in the monitoring and evaluation of grants, we there has been an extraordinary growth in work of our organization to develop and have adhered to three basic operating prin­ independent democratic action, a process ciples: our grants are open to public scruti­ that is now spreading even to the Soviet strengthen democratic institutions in other ny, our programs are responsive to the Union itself. countries in the world. The work of the Repub­ needs and initiatives of our partners abroad, These are but a few of the countries in lican Institute is strongly supported by the Na­ and our approach is consistent, not veering which we have been active, all of which are tional Endowment for Democracy. Its presi­ to the left or to the right but holding faith­ listed in the annual report that we have dent, Carl Gershman, recently testified before fully to a democratic course. In practice, submitted to the subcommittee. Among the the House Appropriations Subcommittee on this means that we are ready to assist au­ many projects described, there are some Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary on thentic democratic initiatives in a wide vari­ that already have had an especially broad the activities of the endowment and the relat­ ety of circumstances: in authoritarian sys­ and significant impact. I would like to call tems where the goal is transition to democ­ the subcommittee's attention to: ed institutes. His statement follows: racy; in developing democracies where the The Institute for Liberty and Democracy STATEMENT OF CARL GERSHMAN, PRESIDENT, goal is the reinforcement of democratic in Peru, where pioneering work with the NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY structures and values; in closed societies vast informal sector of microentrepreneurs I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, and where the goal is opening the system to in­ has produced a new free-market approach the members of the subcommittee, for dependent activity; and in conflict-ridden to development in the Third World that is giving me the opportunity to testify before countries where the goal is sustaining the beginning to transform development theory you today on behalf of the National Endow­ possibility of democracy when the violence and policy around the world; ment for Democracy. I welcome the chance subsidies. Conciencia in Argentina, a women's civic to respond to your questions, since I am con­ This approach, Mr. Chairman, has been action movement that is spreading to fif­ fident that the more that is known about presided over by a Board of Directors that teen other Latin American Countries and the Endowment's work, the more support reflects the broad diversity and vigorous has been established in the Philippines as there will be for its unique and profoundly pluralism of American society. It has found well; important mission. support in a growing bipartisan majority in Libro Libre in Costa Rica, a movement of From where we stand today, we can look Congress and acceptance here and abroad democratic intellectuals, which has pro­ back upon four years of work-four years of among groups actively working to promote duced a new democratic literature for Cen­ building an institution that has the explicit, democratic ends. The fact that this bold, in­ tral America and which repressents the first unambiguous purpose of advancing democ­ novative and authentically democratic ap­ coherent attempt to promote democratic racy throughout the world. No one, Mr. proach has also been unifying and consensu­ ideas in the region; Chairman, has followed this process more al demonstrates how broad and deep is the The International Coalition for Human closely than your subcommittee, and I hope commitment to democracy in our own coun­ Rights in Cuba, headed by Armando Valla­ you will agree that the progress made by try and indeed throughout the world. dares who just recently led the successful the Endowment has been steady and en­ If we have been successful, Mr. Chairman, fight for the establishment of a United Na­ couraging. it is largely because there exist people tions commission to investigate Cuban This progress-and what I believe will be abroad who are passionately and coura­ human rights violations. the bright and important future of the En­ geously devoted to democracy. For them, de­ The Chinese Intellectual, a journal of in­ dowment-is the result of three fundamen­ mocracy is not something to be taken for dependent opinion circulating in China tal factors. The first is what we have done granted. It is a precious ideal whose value is whose editor has now established a major here to build the Endowment. The second is enhanced by the very precariousness of its intellectual center in Beijing which is work­ that others have done abroad to advance de­ existence in some countries, or by its denial ing to further the process of reform and mocracy. And the third is the very nature of by force in many others. These people, with opening. the world situation in which we find our­ whom the Endowment has established The people who lead these efforts were selves. bonds of solidarity and cooperation, include: among those who spoke at a conference we First, with regard to the Endowment In the Philippines, trade unionists, busi­ organized last year to describe our work. itself: Over the past four years, we have es­ ness leaders, women civic activists and high Their remarks, as well as those of other tablished a durable foundation that is at school students who are struggling to con­ equally remarkable democratic leaders who once conceptually, programmatically and solidate their new democracy under the spoke there, are included in this book, the procedurally sound. Conceptually, our work most difficult conditions; Challenge of Democracy, which I would also has been based upon the view, set forth in In Haiti, democrats who refuse to relin­ like to present to the subcommittee. 1984 in our Statement of Principles and Ob­ quish the political space they have gained Mr. Chairman, the third and final factor jectives, that "the existence of autonomous since the overthrow of Duvalier, and who that accounts for the progress and accept­ economic, political, social and cultural insti­ continue to work for the establishment of ance of the Endowment is the very nature tutions"-in a word, civil society-"is the democracy despite the violence of the past of the world situation in which we find our­ foundation of the democratic process and year; selves. This situation is clearer to us now, the best guarantor of individual rights and In Nicaragua, where the labor, business after the experience of Nicaragua, than it freedoms." and political groups comprising the civic op­ was before. What we have all learned and, I Programmatically, we have acted upon position, along with the editors of La think, can agree upon is that an anti-Com­ this idea by contributing to the develop­ Prensa, the Mother of Political Prisoners, munist dictator (such as Somoza) is not a ment, and in some cases the very survival, of youth activists and many others have re­ bulwark against Communism, nor is the re­ a wide array of free institutions devoted to fused to succumb to fear and repression and moval of such a dictator a guarantee of de­ the values of democracy: trade unions, busi­ may now be in a position to advance their mocracy. If we don't build up the democrat­ ness associations and political parties <work democratic aspirations; ic forces-systematically, over time, with e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. May 18, 1988 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 11525 adequate resources-then there will not be a who will be helped most by H.R. 1834, the other passengers were injured, at least eight strong democratic alternative when the au­ Minimum Wage Restoration Act of 1987. seriously, in the crash. The carnage of pre­ thoritarian system collapses, as inevitably it I believe the facts speak for themselves. A cious human life such as this is unacceptable. must. In a word, we will have only ourselves to blame if we find ourselves with no option person who works full time, 40 hours per We, who value life and respect it, must take other than retreat for the use of force, and week, at $3.35 per hour makes only $6,970 a immediate steps to stop this national epidem­ we will pay the price-as we have-in year, or $4,630 below the poverty level for a ic-this national disgrace-which critically in­ money, in division that strains the political family of four.