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Al-Ahram Weekly 29 June - 5 July 2000 Issue No. 488 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 29 June - 5 July 2000 Issue No. 488
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Within the fold
By Dina EzzatIt was in the Polish Parliament, once the venue for harsh anti-Western criticism, that representatives of some 90 countries met this week to talk about how the world could forward its quest for democracy as preached by the West. Participants, however, also debated different definitions of democracy.
"Our conference in Warsaw is a remarkable occurrence because it is the first ever meeting on a global scale devoted solely to the cause of democracy," said Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek. In today's world, Geremek argued, there are five compelling reasons for the world to seek democracy: human rights, peace and security, economic development, justice and solidarity and the participation, responsibility and empowerment of the individual.
The debates in the conference, held under the title: "Towards a community of democracies," were not exactly heated. The drafting of the communiqué meant to reflect the views of the very varied regimes represented was not described as particularly difficult. In the words of one participant: "This gathering was primarily an opportunity to exchange views on issues related to democracy."
During this exchange, many countries -- whose observance of the "international" standards of democracy is often questioned by international human rights organisations -- seemed happy to reiterate the US definition: free and fair elections, freedom from discrimination based on race, colour, sex, language or political views, and the right to freedom of opinion, expression, thought and religion.
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's speech received the most enthusiastic applause from the participating delegations. Still some countries, however few they may have been, were concerned that so little attention was being paid to the Third World definition of democracy, which includes access to food, shelter and health care, and equality among members of the international community. They also voiced apprehension about the consequences of attempting to impose a unified style of democracy.
According to South African Foreign Minister Nkisazaba Dlamini-Zuma, in a "young democracy" like hers, speaking of free and fair elections is insufficient. Any discussion of democracy, she added, should also include clear reference to "food security, access to education and access to shelter." Otherwise, Dlamini-Zuma argued, the very experience of democracy could be jeopardised.
Egypt expressed yet another view. "As a global consensus over the ultimate political meaning of democracy has yet to be formed, the application of the concept should rest on three main components: cultural specificity, economic liberalisation, and political freedom," said Foreign Minister Amr Moussa who headed Egypt's delegation to the conference. Moussa argued that different styles of democracy should be accepted, Islam included. "Islam does not contradict democracy in any possible or conceivable way... [since its] very essence is incompatible with dictatorship... [and is based on] the negation of [all discrimination among] individuals in society in terms of rights and responsibilities."
The final communiqué issued on Monday, at the end of two days of sessions, expressed "common adherence to the purposes and principles of democracies as set in both the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."
Hosted by Poland, "Towards a community of democracies" had five other co-sponsors: the US, India, South Korea, Mali and Chile. These six states chose the participants. No clear criteria were offered to explain the selection. Organisers in Warsaw offered vague guidelines: participating governments, they said, were "democratised or democratising countries that generally apply the principles of human rights." According to the organisers, some countries were invited but refused to take part. Polish Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek told a press conference he hopes that the next time this conference convenes, it will be attended by more countries.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), taking part in an NGO forum that was convened parallel to the official conference, made a fuss over the criteria for participation, however. In an open letter distributed at both the NGO forum and the official conference, HRW criticised the composition of the list of participating states. Five of the eight Arab countries participating, it said, were unworthy of attending: Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Qatar and Kuwait. Charges levelled by the international rights group against these countries focused on the alleged limitations imposed by governments on the individual exercise of political freedoms. These charges were not directed against Algeria, Jordan, or Morocco, however. Nor did HRW criticise Israel's attendance, despite the group's own reports regarding human rights abuses in that country.
HRW also criticised the organisers for including Burkina Faso and Azerbaijan in their gathering. Russia's participation came under fire too, for the "atrocities" committed against civilians in Chechnya "by government troops."
The selection of participants, many NGO figures said, was highly political.
