NDI - Asia

Commune Election Debate Puts Focus on the Future

mglauberman — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:26:50 +0000

Source:

The Phnom Penh Post

Article Link:

Published Date:

05/23/2012

The National Democratic Institute organized a debate between Cambodia’s candidates in the Kandal province, which indicated that voters are “more interested in action and the betterment of their future.” More than 2,500 voters attended the debates, in which their questions about policy and leadership were answered. NDI has been working on the upcoming commune election and has trained about 100 candidates since January in techniques for electoral debates. “It kind of amazes me, the patience an interest of people here,” said NDI Country Director Laura Thornton.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Leap of Faith

fgalleto — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:22:00 +0000

Source:

The New York TImes

Article Link:

Published Date:

05/02/2012

Aung San Suu Kyi's swearing in this week as a member of Burma’s parliament is an important step forward, but the struggle to establish a real democracy is not over. Aung San Suu Kyi, who has never given in to bitterness, has urged the United States and others to encourage more change by lessening the country’s isolation. Last month, she and others in her party won 43 seats in the 500-member parliament, but the military still controls nearly all of the government.

U.S. Policy on Burma

fgalleto — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:05:31 +0000

Source:

Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs

Article Link:

Published Date:

04/26/2012

After decades of military rule and economic stagnation, Burma is beginning to institute political and economic reforms, but these are only beginning, Peter Manikas, NDI senior associate and regional director for Asia programs, said in Senate testimony April 26 before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs. The outcome is not assured, he said. The political situation is fragile and much more needs to be done to help ensure that the democratization process continues.

Drawing on his two recent trips to Burma – in January with a small NDI team to assess the political environment and again as part of a two-member U.S. delegation sent to witness the April 1 by-elections – Manikas discussed the areas the Burmese people and parliament will need to reform to carry on the democratic momentum, including constitutional development, establishing the rule of law, addressing ethnic conflicts and human rights abuses and developing a telecommunications network. “The challenge confronting the international community is in how to calibrate a response to the changes that are occurring,” said Manikas. “That response needs to support the reforms that are taking place and encourage further democratization, while also recognizing that the transition process is a work in progress and that the reforms to date must be expanded and sustained.”

Read the testimony»

More Attention Needed for Parliamentary Reporting | April 16, 2012

fgalleto — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:51:21 +0000

Himalayan Times | Link to story »

Speakers at a talk programme pointed out the need for extra caution and attention while reporting and disseminating news on parliamentary affairs.

At the workshop organised by Parliamentary Journalists' Society with the help of National Democratic Institute (NDI) here on Monday, the media experts and government officials admitted that although only experienced journalists do reporting on parliamentary affairs in the developed countries, the newcomers are doing the same work of reporting on such affairs in Nepal. Therefore, the news about parliament business has been falsely reported here, they added.

Link to story »

A First Step on a Long Road to Democracy | April 2, 2012

fgalleto — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:39:16 +0000

The Jakarta Globe | Link to story »

Myanmar has been in the spotlight these days as a small fraction of voters went to the polls there on Sunday, in what many hoped would be free and fair parliamentary by-elections that could make opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi a legitimate voice in Parliament.

And, if things continue to go smoothly, we can expect a gradual rolling back of international sanctions as the country opens itself up to the world.

Link to story »

US to Send Election Observers to Myanmar | March 29, 2012

fgalleto — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:29:32 +0000

Agence France Presse | Link to story »

The US State Department said on Wednesday it is sending one observer each from two US-funded pro-democracy groups to monitor April 1 elections in Myanmar, citing a "positive advance" over previous polls.

It said it offered slots to the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) after the authorities in Myanmar, also known as Burma, invited Washington to send two observers.

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US Says Observer Conditions Don't Meet Int'l Standards»

Manikas Testifies in Senate on Burma’s Democratic Progress

fgalleto — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:59:28 +0000

Read the testimony»

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Published April 30, 2012

U.S. Policy on Burma, Congressional Testimony by Peter M. Manikas

fgalleto — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:13:35 +0000

Author:

Peter M. Manikas

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

04/27/2012

Resource Type:

Testimony

Language:

English

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Read the statement	182.1 KB

IRI and NDI to Witness Burmese Elections

rrunyan — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:14:20 +0000

NDI and the International Republican Institute (IRI) are pleased to accept an invitation from the United States Government to designate representatives to witness the April 1 by-elections in Burma (Myanmar). The invitation was issued in response to a request by the government of Myanmar. One representative from each institute plans to visit the country from March 28 to April 3 to study the conduct and significance of the polls. They will be Peter Manikas, NDI’s regional director for Asia; and Johanna Kao, an IRI program director in Asia.

IRI and NDI will not conduct a traditional election observation of the by-elections, since such a mission would require adherence to the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which was launched at the United Nations in 2005. The Declaration is now endorsed by 39 leading intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations in the field, including NDI and IRI, and was recognized with appreciation by the United Nations General Assembly. It sets forth fundamental standards for conducting international observation missions, including the need to observe the process in the months leading up to an election, and to deploy a significant number of observers to assess an election nationwide. The present effort cannot meet the principles set forth in the Declaration, and, as a consequence, IRI and NDI do not intend to issue election observation statements.

Both institutes look forward to being present during the brief period around the elections and to continue their engagement there following the polls. NDI and IRI will be particularly interested in how the experience of the elections can contribute to the conduct of national polls in 2015 and to broader reforms in the country.

Related:

Published March 27, 2012

IRI and NDI to Witness Burmese Elections

rrunyan — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:27:57 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

03/27/2012

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the press release	180.22 KB

Forums Show Cambodians Concerned about Inequity and Corruption

ntekeei — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:14:19 +0000

Land disputes, lack of infrastructure and corruption were among the major concerns of more than 11,000 Cambodians who took part in a year-long series of 24 forums with their elected representatives in parliament. The results of the gatherings were published in a recent NDI report.

More than 550 citizens in the Snam Srei District of Siem Reap Province attended one of the 24 forums. Photo Credit: Tassos Coulaloglou

The forums, which have been conducted each year since 2004, provide opportunities for Cambodians to speak face to face with members of Cambodia’s National Assembly (MPs), who they would otherwise rarely get to see. MPs seldom interact with constituents, and there is no formal way for citizens to contact their elected representatives, who spend most of their time in cities and not in the rural areas where the constituents live.

Representatives from all five parties in the National Assembly took part in the NDI-sponsored dialogues, which were held from November 2010 to September 2011. Questions in the sessions, which resemble town hall meetings, focused on issues affecting constituents’ daily lives, such as improving roads to make it easier to transport crops and doing away with bribes that are often needed to get government-issued identification cards. People also said they were unhappy that they had to travel long distances to meet with MPs after local authorities could not or would not solve their problems.

As a result of the dialogues, many legislators took action to address the issues raised. They wrote to government officials, filed reports with ministries and met with local authorities. One MP from Kratie province, working with the National Assembly president, was able to secure compensation for seized land for 16 constituent families.

Because of their lack of contact with MPs, constituents have a narrow understanding of how the legislators can help solve their problems, a situation also addressed by the dialogues. In the same vein, politicians often have little knowledge of constituents’ concerns, so the direct contact provided them with greater insight into what was on voters’ minds.

A villager addresses his parliamentary representatives. Photo Credit: Tassos Coulaloglou

NDI partnered with eight local organizations and community volunteers to prepare for the forums. The Institute met with village chiefs, heads of commune councils and other local authorities to set the stage for the meetings and give the officials a better understanding about the issues affecting their areas.

Inequality was an underlying theme of the dialogues. As one citizen said, “Government policies always favor rich people.”

Key topics at the dialogues included:

Land conflicts. Cambodians spoke of difficulties keeping their property from being taken by powerful local businessman, private companies and military personnel, and said that local authorities failed to help them. In several provinces, citizens said their homes had been razed or they were displaced from their land without compensation. People criticized government concession policies and demanded to know why companies appeared to be favored over citizens. Current policies allow the government to give companies land owned by citizens without appropriately compensating landowners. During the forums, politicians gave their party’s stance on the issue. The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) said that any land concessions followed Cambodian law.
Poor infrastructure and irrigation systems. Citizens described how these problems were keeping them impoverished. They said bad roads prevent farmers from getting their crops to markets and poor irrigation systems make it difficult to grow crops. Citizens asked for more roads, dams and better access to electricity. CPP representatives said that development happens slowly, and some told citizens to “work harder” to improve their living conditions.
Corrupt local authorities and illegal contracts. Constituents said government corruption exacerbated land conflicts and infrastructure concerns because impoverished Cambodians could not receive adequate compensation when they are in a conflict with a wealthy or powerful person or company. Lack of citizens’ rights in these situations was a common refrain. People also brought up bribery and vote buying. Legislators from opposition parties urged unsatisfied voters to choose different leaders in the upcoming elections.

NDI’s constituency dialogues in Cambodia are funded under a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Related:

Published Feb. 24, 2012

Teen Activist Receives Pakistan's National Peace Award

fgalleto — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:17:29 +0000

Malala Yousufzai, a 13-year-old girl from the tribal area of Swat, has been awarded Pakistan’s first ever Peace Award for Youth for her bravery in reporting the details of a bloody Taliban insurgency in the region.

Yousufzai wrote anonymous diaries for the BBC that related how the Taliban were blowing up schools for girls and engaging in killings and beheadings. In the absence of media reports, Yousufzai’s was the only voice the world was hearing from Swat.

Yousufzai (left) address an NDI political parties event.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani presented the National Peace Award to Yousufzai, which he said is now named for her and will be conferred annually on an outstanding Pakistani under the age of 18.

“I convinced my friends and other classmates of the importance of education and told them that our primary education will decide our future,” said Yousufzai. She said she pleaded with girls and their parents not to bow to Taliban threats against girls’ education and successfully convinced many families to continue educating their daughters. “I am thankful not only to the students but also to their parents for honoring my requests and sending their daughters back to school.”

Yousufzai is an active member of Awami National Party, which participates in NDI programs. In June 2011, she participated in an NDI-sponsored youth policy development workshop in Peshawar.

Related:

Published Jan. 26, 2012

Opposition Officials Push US for More Support in Elections | Jan. 10, 2012

fgalleto — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:17:43 +0000

Voice of America | Link to story »

A senior US official met with members of Cambodia’s opposition parties and other government officials on Tuesday to discuss ways forward toward free and fair elections later this year and next.

Free and fair elections will require more funding of pro-democracy groups like the US-based International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, Kem Sokha, president of the minority opposition Human Rights Party, told reporters after his meeting with Baer.

Link to story »

Report on Constituency Dialogues in Cambodia, 2011

ntekeei — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:55:27 +0000

Author:

Laura L. Thornton

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

01/17/2012

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report (English)	501.32 KB
Read the report (Khmer)	1.88 MB

NDI Efforts for Promotion of Democracy Lauded | Dec. 1, 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:27:07 +0000

Pakistan Observer | Link to story »

A delegation of National Democratic Institute (NDI) headed by Mr. Kenneth Wollack, President NDI, Friday called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Country Director NDI Mr. Peter Manikas, Ms. Sandra Houston, country representative, and Deputy Country Director Jumana Ealal, were accompanying Mr. Wollack.Senator Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Leader of the House in Senate, Senator Jahangir Badar, MNA Ms. Fouzia Habib and Spokesperson to the President Mr. Farhatullah Babar were assisting the President during the meeting. Mr. Kenneth Wollack briefed the President about various activities of NDI for strengthening democracy in various countries of the world particularly in Pakistan. The President during the meeting appreciated the work of NDI for promotion of democracy and strengthening democratic institutions around the world and in Pakistan.

Link to story »

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Efforts to Strengthen Democracy Should be Acknowledged by International Community»