NDI - Zimbabwe

NDI Staff Member Held Illegally for Six Days Is Released by Zimbabwe Authorities

fgalleto — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:27:45 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

04/09/2008

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	134.93 KB

NDI Condemns Violence, Calls on International Community to Take Action in Defending Rights of Zimbabweans

fgalleto — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:27:25 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

06/24/2008

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	84.61 KB

The Backlash Against Democracy

fgalleto — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:08:48 +0000

Source:

Washington Post

Article Link:

Published Date:

03/12/2011

In this opinion piece for the Washington Post, Carl Gershman, president of the National Endowment for Democracy draws attention to the potential backlash that events in the Middle East could create with autocrats in other countries. He warns that leaders in a number of countries including Burma, China or Zimbabwe could crack down on the Internet and social medias in an effort to avert similar uprisings in their own countries.

"While in time this crisis could lead to a fourth wave of democratic expansion, in the short term we can expect a new backlash against popular pressures for democratic change. Responding to this backlash - with a much more focused effort to defend human rights and aid the work of democracy activists, for example - should be high on the agenda of the United States and other democracies. Special attention should also be given to supporting Internet freedom, including helping groups gain secure and free access to the Internet, protect themselves against malware attacks, network with counterparts in other countries, and connect with donors and technology specialists who can address their specific needs."

Imani Countess

fgalleto — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:28:12 +0000

Imani Countess is the Zimbabwe country director for NDI, with responsibility for program development, oversight and implementation of democracy strengthening programs, donor relations and representation. Ms. Countess is a veteran of the U.S.-based Africa advocacy community. A respected political strategist and analyst, she is frequently requested to make presentations regarding U.S.-policy toward Africa, including congressional and expert witness testimony. She has extensive knowledge of African politics, particularly Southern Africa.

Previously, Ms. Countess was the senior director for public affairs at TransAfrica Forum where she functioned as an advisor to the president, conceptualized and implemented the organization's Zimbabwe program, maintained expert knowledge on U.S. policy toward Africa, maintained the organizations external relations, and worked with staff and the board of directors on issue-framing. Prior to joining TransAfrica, Ms. Countess was the national Africa coordinator for the American Friends Service Committee, where she re-vamped a dormant program through the creation of innovative educational, training and outreach activities. Ms. Countess' other professional positions in the non-profit sector include: outreach director at Shared Interest, a New York-based loan guarantee fund; senior outreach fellow with the Africa Policy Information Center; executive director of the Washington office on Africa/Africa Policy Information Center, Washington, D.C.-based legislative and research organizations; program associate with the Namibia Information Service, a U.N.-sponsored news agency; and the Southern Africa program coordinator for the Coalition for a New Foreign Policy, a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy organization.

In addition to her work in the non-profit sector, Ms. Countess also worked as the congressional liaison for the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF).

Ms. Countess is a board member of the African Studies Association, board member of the Association of the Concerned Africa Scholars and former co-chair of the Jubilee USA Network Board of Directors. She is the 2007 recipient of the Bud Day Award for Activist Scholarship on Africa.

Albright Reaffirms Need to Work at Preserving 'Gift of Freedom'

fgalleto — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:38:42 +0000

The fragility of freedom and how to preserve it was one of the themes explored at the 10th anniversary meeting of the Community of Democracies (CoD), a global coalition of democratic countries, meeting July 2-4 in Krakow, Poland.

NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright, who as U.S. secretary of state was an initiator of the organization along with the late Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek, returned to Poland for the gathering. In 2000 in Warsaw, ministerial delegations from 106 countries signed a declaration, "Toward the Community of Democracies," with the aim of demonstrating methods of support to countries striving for democracy and freedom.

The Krakow meeting was attended by 80 official delegations from around the world, including 40 at the ministerial level, as well as 200 civil society activists from Burma, Zimbabwe, China, Russia and Cuba, among other places. Also attending were parliamentarians from Europe, Africa and North America who are participants in the community's Parliamentary Forum, which was launched last March at the initiative of Lithuania, which currently holds the CoD chairmanship.

New Technologies Create Opportunities, Risks in Democracy Support

In the decade since the founding of the Community of Democracies, a major change has been the explosion of technology and the tools it has created, both for those supporting the free flow of ideas and other democratic values and for authoritarian states interested in the opposite, curtailing information and suppressing human rights. Speaking on a panel in Krakow, NDI's chief technology officer, Chris Spence, explored the role of technology in democratic development and the risks its use poses in closed societies.

"Our view is that technologies are clearly a net positive for democracy...because of the important role [they] can play in consolidating democracy in fragile and transitional democratic states," he said.

The Krakow meeting focused on challenges to democracy and, specifically, how to overcome obstacles in the path of building civil society in the contemporary world. The CoD is developing a global democracy work plan focusing on such areas as civil society protections; gender equality and women's rights; poverty, development and democracy; promoting democracy and responding to national and transnational threats; and regional cooperation.

Albright attributed the success of the first gathering in 2000 to Geremek, who died in 2008 and for whom a democracy award has now been named. "In his welcoming remarks," she said, "he declared that 'the emergence of democracy was the most important development of the 20th century.' But he also reminded us that the gift of freedom was never fully safe – because from one direction or another, the principles of freedom will always be opposed. He argued, therefore, that those who are blessed to live in a democracy have an obligation to repay that blessing by upholding free institutions and by teaching, protecting, and cherishing democratic values."

Albright presented the Geremek Award to Father José Conrado Rodriguez of Cuba, a minister in the impoverished city of Santiago de Cuba. Father José, she said, "reminds us that democracy – at its best – is more than just another system of government... Democracy is grounded in a belief that the legitimate power of governance comes not from the barrel of a gun, or from the means to arrest and to brutalize prisoners, or from the capacity to punish those who dare to voice their discontent. Power, to be legitimate, must come from the people."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who delivered a keynote address, noted "three essential elements of a free nation – representative government, a well-functioning market and civil society – that work like three legs of a stool." But "walls are closing in" on civic organizations in an increasing number of countries, she said, citing Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Venezuela, Russia, China and Egypt. "Over the last six years, 50 governments have issued new restrictions against NGOs, and the list of countries where civil society faces resistance is growing longer."

"An attack on civic activism and civil society is an attack on democracy," she said. "...it doesn't matter whether the goal is better laws or lower crime or cleaner air or social justice or consumer protection or entrepreneurship and innovation, societies move forward when the citizens that make up these groups are empowered to transform common interests into common actions that serve the common good."

The next ministerial level meeting will take place in 2011 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Related:

Pictured above: Lech Walesa and Madeleine Albright greet each other at the 10th anniversary meeting of the Community of Democracies. Photo courtesy of Pavol Demes.

Published on July 16, 2010

NDI E-news: Sudan, Nepal, Liberia | April 2010

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:17:18 +0000

April 2010

Citizens Become Involved in Sudan Political Process

Members of SuGDE prepare to submit

accreditation forms for 2,500
election day observers.

Large numbers of Sudanese citizens took part in generally peaceful but deeply flawed elections this month, the nation's first polls in 24 years.

NDI supported the work of two civic networks, the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) and the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE), that joined forces to create the only coordinated Sudan-wide domestic nonpartisan election monitoring effort. With SuGDE covering the north and SuNDE the south, they received more than 13,500 reports from over 4,300 trained and accredited election observers who were deployed to over 2,000 polling stations across all of Sudan’s 25 states. Read more»

The observers found many failings in the election process and the five days of voting. "...the elections did not fulfill the Interim Constitution’s and Comprehensive Peace Agreement's aspirations for democratic transition and did not adequately meet the requirements of the National Elections Commission rules and regulations," the groups said in a joint statement. Particular problems included poor election administration, incidents of violence, harassment and intimidation, and lack of understanding of their roles by some parties, candidates and supporters.

The elections were an important milestone for Sudan and were required by the country's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005, that ended the country's civil war. NDI has worked extensively in Sudan since 2002 with the goal of helping Sudanese citizens develop the tools needed to build a more democratic society.

In the runup to the election, the Institute worked closely with SuGDE, a coalition of eight nonpartisan civil society groups, and SuNDE, a coalition of over 75 community groups. Both networks were created for election observation and SuNDE was also engaged in voter education. Read more about the two groups' preparations for the elections»

SuNDE conducted a two-week voter education campaign in October, holding 375 events in 37 counties in all 10 states of southern Sudan. Events ranged from election briefings for key community leaders to presentations at town markets and community events. Topics included the importance of participating in the elections, what offices were up for election and voter registration procedures. Read more»

A major part of NDI's work in Sudan has been focus group research on problems Sudanese people face in their communities, their understanding of the political process and their vision of the future. Imagining the Election explores what citizens in southern Sudan and the Three Areas knew of and expected from the 2010 elections. Losing Hope looks at citizen perceptions about progress toward peace since the signing of the CPA. Read more»

NDI also produces and broadcasts an ongoing radio program, Let's Talk, an engaging radio drama that explores issues of good governance, civic participation and women's political participation.
Sudanese listen to the broadcasts on 265,000 wind-up, solar-powered radios distributed by the Institute, and take part in listening groups throughout Southern Sudan that bring people together to talk about the lessons in the programs. NDI collaborated with Betsy Levy Paluck, a Princeton University researcher, to conduct a field experiment that demonstrated that the Sudan program’s
design could increase listeners’ interest in politics and improve their civic participation. Learn about the results»

Get Your Tickets!

It's not too late to get your tickets for NDI's 25th anniversary dinner celebration on May 10. NDI will honor Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe, above, with the W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award. The Network of Chocó Women of Colombia will receive the Madeleine K. Albright Grant.

Purchase a table or tickets»

Young Women Leaders Collaborate at North African Regional Conference

With women becoming increasingly prominent in North African politics, NDI brought together women leaders from across the region to discuss the importance of strengthening the role of women in political life. The group met in Casablanca, Morocco, to collaborate on strategies for shaping and strengthening women's political and civic engagement.

Liberian Legislature Building Budget Analysis Capability

The Liberian legislature, seeking to strengthen its oversight of the executive branch, is working to improve its budget analysis skills. The country’s democratic transition — following nearly two decades of conflict and civil war — is dependent on good governance, and a strong legislature is one key component. NDI is working with legislators to help them improve policymaking in a number of areas, including the national budget, anti-corruption efforts and human rights.

"Truth-O-Meter" Encourages Accountability in Serbia

Since the ouster of the Milosevic regime nearly 10 years ago, Serbians are standing up for the notion that government is there for the public good, not private gain. But until recently, there was still no public way to hold government officials and public servants accountable. Recently, a Serbian NGO, LiNet, launched the Truth-O-Meter, a website that analyzes politicians' statements based on truthfulness, consistency and whether they fulfill campaign promises or policy pledges. The effort was spearheaded by Vuka Crnjanski, who has worked with NDI as a political party and civil society trainer.

World Movement for Democracy Explores Political Parties, Technology

The unprecedented opportunities for citizen activism presented by new communications technologies, such as cell phones and social networks, was the subject of an NDI panel at the recent World Movement for Democracy (WMD) assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia. The WMD was initiated by the National Endowment for Democracy and exists to "strengthen democracy where it is weak, to reform and invigorate democracy even where it is longstanding, and to bolster pro-democracy groups in countries that have not yet entered into a process of democratic transition."

The Jakarta meeting, April 11 – 14, brought together over 600 participants from more than 100 countries. NDI also hosted a panel at the assembly on the role of party internationals in fostering democratic parties.

NDI Nepal Staff Member Looks for Lessons in DC to Benefit Women at Home

Ten years ago, Sushmita Subba Manandhar began working as an office assistant for NDI in her native Nepal. As she assisted with logistics at NDI events, she also listened to the discussions among ministers, politicians and activists, and the topics piqued her interest. Now, Manandhar is visiting Washington, D.C., as an Andi Parhamovitch fellow to study how women in the U.S. Congress get their voices heard and will take back what she learns to the Inter Party Women's Alliance in Nepal.

The fellowship honors Andi Parhamovich, an NDI employee who was killed in 2007 in Baghdad. The fellowship is awarded each year to a young woman who is deeply involved in building and consolidating democracy in her own country. It is designed to enhance the skills of young women so they can better organize for full political participation in their societies. Recipients come to NDI in Washington, D.C., for training and research.

Follow NDI on Facebook and Twitter

Become a fan of NDI on Facebook and follow the Institute on Twitter for the latest updates on our work, our partners' work and democratic ideas from around the world. Join the conversation!

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Tsvangirai Receives NDI Award | May 12, 2010

fgalleto — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:30:14 +0000

Voice of America | Link to story »

"The National Democratic Institute, a pro-democracy group, gave one of its highest honors to Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday. NDI's W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated a commitment to democracy and human rights.

"Mr. Tsvangirai received a standing ovation. He was introduced to the audience by NDI chair Madeleine Albright, who told his story of a man working to overcome many obstacles."

Link to story »

Zimbabwe Premier Tsvangirai Sees New Constitution This Year, Elections in 2011 | May 11, 2010

fgalleto — Wed, 12 May 2010 16:02:21 +0000

Voice of America | Link to story »

"Mr. Tsvangirai said the national unity government in Harare has secured enough funds to finance the constitutional revision process and he hopes a referendum on the new basic document can be held by year's end.

"Mr. Tsvangirai was in Washington to receive the W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award from the National Democratic Institute as well as for bilateral meetings with officials of U.S. President Barack Obama's administration."

Link to story »

Prime Minister Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe, Chocó Women of Colombia Honored at NDI 25th Anniversary Dinner

fgalleto — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:58:31 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

05/11/2010

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

2010

English

Attachment	Size
Press Release	21.79 KB

Remarks of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for NDI's 25th Anniversary Dinner Celebration

fgalleto — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:37:36 +0000

Author:

Morgan Tsvangirai

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

05/10/2010

Resource Type:

Speech

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

2010

English

Attachment	Size
Morgan Tsvangirai's Speech	17.63 KB

Prime Minister Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe, Chocó Women of Colombia Honored at NDI 25th Anniversary Dinner

fgalleto — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:10:02 +0000

NDI celebrated its 25th anniversary on May 10 by honoring two champions of democracy, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe and the Network of Chocó Women of Colombia, at an event hosted by NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright.

Albright described Tsvangirai as "a courageous democratic leader of our time" as she presented him with NDI's W. Averell Harriman award, which recognizes individuals and organizations that have exhibited a sustained commitment to democracy and human rights. The award also recognized the democratic aspirations of the Zimbabwean people.

"Truly, building democracy is not for the faint of heart," Albright said, recounting the many hardships that Tsvangirai has endured in Zimbabwe as the founder and leader of the democratic opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change, and as prime minister in a power sharing arrangement with President Robert Mugabe.

"The situation remains difficult, as repression has not ended, but for the first time in many years, the pulse of democracy in Zimbabwe can be felt," Albright said.

"While my personal circumstances have been well documented," Tsvangirai said, "the reality is that many thousands of Zimbabweans have suffered even worse hardships in our struggle for a free society and dignity, and these same Zimbabweans remain committed and determined to continue the peaceful fight until our country is truly democratic."

Tsvangirai quoted Albright in recognizing that democracy is a process, not an event, but said, "We must also acknowledge that it is a process that can also be reversed. Too often, those that form new governments on the wave of democratic promises and aspirations soon begin to mimic those non-democratic regimes they replaced."

"As African leaders we must end the conspiracy of silence that has often allowed repression to continue unchecked," he continued. "We must acknowledge and respect the fundamentals of good governance, respect for the rule of law and property rights and the imperative to invest in developing our human capital. In doing so, we will unleash the full potential of our continent and ensure that Africa takes its rightful place in the world as a fully-fledged partner for progress, prosperity and stability."

The Network of Chocó Women, an umbrella group representing 52 civil society organizations from 18 municipalities in the primarily Afro-Colombian region in the western part of Colombia, received the $25,000 Madeleine K. Albright grant to continue its work providing leadership training and advocacy for women's rights. The region has the nation's highest levels of poverty and illiteracy.

Nimia Teresa Vargas, co-founder of the group, accepted the award with Network Technical Advisor Teresa Ochoa Palacios also present at the event.

"Chocó was born as a territory where 120 slaves declared their freedom, and that has made us citizens who fight for freedom every day, for freedom with guarantees for a better life, so that our children will be happy," Vargas said through an English interpreter. "It is there where we, the members of the network, were born, a network now with more than 1,000 women who in different regions continue to fight for our rights and for the rights of our people."

To mark its 25th anniversary, the Institute created a film, NDI's First Quarter Century: Working for Democracy and Making Democracy Work, which had its premier at the awards dinner. Narrated by Christiane Amanpour, CNN's chief international correspondent, it highlighted the Institute's history of supporting the efforts of political parties, civic groups, parliaments, elections and women's groups in more than 100 countries. The Institute also created an anniversary report tracing NDI’s history and focusing on the work it has done around the world through the last quarter century.

Morgan Tsvangirai's remarks»
Nimia Vargas' remarks in English» | Spanish»
Madeleine K. Albright's remarks»
Kenneth Wollack's remarks»
Lord John Alderdice's remarks»
Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo's remarks»
View a news story aired on television in Colombia highlighting Co-Founder of The Network of Chocó Women Nimia Teresa Vargas»
Read the 25th anniversary report»
Watch the NDI 25th anniversary film, NDI's First Quarter Century: Working for Democracy and Making Democracy Work:

Pictured above: Prime Minister Tsvangirai accepts the W. Averell Harriman award.

Published May 11, 2010

Zimbabwe: Opening Remarks Susan D. Page, Regional Director, Southern and East Africa

jbowen — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:15:40 +0000

Author:

Susan Page

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

09/16/2008

Resource Type:

Speech

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the remarks	60.93 KB

NDI Experts Interviewed on Sub-Saharan Africa, Regional Challenges Facing Obama

ggreene — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:00:44 +0000

In a Voice of America interview, Susan Page, NDI regional director for Southern and East Africa programs, discussed the incoming administration’s potential response to ongoing crises in Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other sub-Saharan countries. Sharing insight from her recent trip to Zimbabwe, Page described the immediate humanitarian challenges in the country as well as the stalemate over the highly anticipated power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Page expressed hope that President-elect Obama will “expand and reinforce” the current administration’s diplomatic efforts across the continent.

Listen: Susan Page on ‘Encounter’ (*.mp3) »

In a separate VOA interview, Chris Fomunyoh, NDI senior associate for Central and West Africa programs, addressed the U.S. presidential election and transition. Discussing the effects of an Obama presidency on U.S.-Africa relations, Fomunyoh remarked that “having a president in the White House who truly understands the realities of the continent will have a definite impact.” He went on to argue that President-elect Obama “has the unique potential to communicate with Africans past their leaders – to interact with Africans at the grassroots level.”

Watch:
Introduction (YouTube format) »
Christopher Fomunyoh on ‘In Focus,’ Part 1 (YouTube format) »
Christopher Fomunyoh on ‘In Focus,’ Part 2 (YouTube format) »

–

Published on Nov. 24, 2008

Zimbabwean Leaders Reflect on Power-Sharing Agreement

ggreene — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:57:17 +0000

Representatives from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and civil society weighed in on the political implications of “Zimbabwe’s New Deal” — a historic agreement between ZANU-PF, the longtime ruling party, and the two formations of the opposition MDC that many hope will lead to an effective unity government.

The representatives participated in a Sept. 16 event organized by NDI and Freedom House.

Speaking via videoconference from Johannesburg were (l to r) Deprose Muchena, economic justice program manager for the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa; George Sibotshiwe, chief spokesperson for opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC; Takura Zhangazha, national coordinator for the Media Institute of Southern Africa; and Romualdo Mavedzenge, director general for the MDC formation led by Arthur Mutambara.

More: Read the opening remarks of NDI Southern & East Africa programs director Susan Page (*.pdf) »

—

Published on Sept. 22, 2008

NDI Calls for Immediate Release of Staff Member Detained in Zimbabwe

jbowen — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:21:24 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC – National Democratic Institute (NDI) issued the following statement today:

NDI requests the immediate release of Dileepan Sivapathasundaram, a United States citizen and a senior program officer with NDI, who is being held by authorities in Zimbabwe. The Institute also calls on the Zimbabwe government to ensure his safety and safe passage from the country.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Kathy Gest
202-294-8025
kgest@ndi.org

WASHINGTON, DC – National Democratic Institute (NDI) issued the following statement today:

Mr. Sivapathasundaram was taken by Zimbabwean authorities at the Harare airport as he was departing the country on Thursday, April 3, at 5 p.m. Harare time, according to eyewitness accounts. For about 22 hours there was no word from Mr. Sivapathasundaram, and police in the capital denied any knowledge of his whereabouts despite efforts by U.S. diplomats and Zimbabwean human rights lawyers to determine his location and status.

At about 3 p.m. Harare time on Friday, April 4, the American Embassy was able to determine that Mr. Sivapathasundaram was being held at the Harare Central Police Station. U.S. diplomats and Zimbabwean human rights lawyers were allowed to see him briefly.

Mr. Sivapathasundaram was in Zimbabwe as part of NDI’s work over the past several years to support the efforts of non-partisan civic groups to monitor the Zimbabwean election process. All of the assistance provided by NDI was in accordance with Zimbabwean law and international standards that recognize the right of nonpartisan civic organizations to observe and monitor election processes. NDI has worked in Zimbabwe since 1999.

NDI is a non-partisan, non-profit, non-governmental organization that aims to support democratic values and practices in more than 60 countries.

–

NDI is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization working to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide. NDI works with democrats in every region of the world to build political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and promote citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government.

–

Released April 4, 2008