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News and Views

Commentary from experts on the directions and challenges of democracy assistance programs.


January 19, 2011	After Tunisia, Arab World Gives Up On America GlobalPost Mohamad Bazzi writes in GlobalPost about how the Arab world perceives U.S. commitments to democratic movements, and finds that too often, the U.S. favors stable autocratic regimes over the possibility of democracy that could bring Islamist parties to power. "But one thing is clear from the 'Tunisian example': People in the Middle East have given up any hope that the United States can be a force for democratic change. As the uprising spread in Tunisia, the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama stayed largely silent until the day Ben Ali fled. That was when Obama issued a statement condemning the use of violence against peaceful protesters and applauding 'the courage and dignity' of Tunisians. By then, it was too late: The U.S.-backed dictator was gone, and the Arab world chalked up another example of how Washington favors stability over democracy." Read More
January 17, 2011	How an Arab Autocrat Falls The Huffington Post Writing in The Huffington Post, Sohrab Ahmari, an Iranian-American writer and activist, analyzes the ways social media and online journalists contributed to the uprising in Tunisia. "Impressively deploying the full gamut social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), the Nawaat crew managed to evade aggressive attempts to block access to their site in Tunisia. Thanks to its longstanding reputation for reliability, Newaat's reporting — and on-the-spot analysis — was circulated widely across the Mideast and North Africa region. Other North African activists, who had either been trained by the Nawaat team or had collaborated with it on other campaigns, relayed their information. An electronic pan-Arabism 2.0 of sorts emerged, breaking Ben Ali's firewall." Read More
January 15, 2011	Nigeria's Promise, Africa's Hope New York Times Chinua Achebe, the author of Things Fall Apart, traces the roots of Nigeria's present-day political turmoil to Africa's colonial systems and divisions. After achieving independence, Nigerians had hoped that freedom and democracy would come easily and quickly, but years of corrupt government officials have made that difficult to achieve. He sees increased transparency and accountability as a way towards a more responsive democracy in Nigeria. Read More
January 15, 2011	Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution The Washington Post Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian-born writer and lecturer, writes about the demographic, technological and political circumstances leading up to the ouster of President Ben Ali in Tunisia. In this Washington Post opinion piece, Eltahawy also looks at the similarities between Tunisia and other countries in the region and explores whether something similar could happen elsewhere. "Not so much fathers as grandfathers of their nations, these autocrats cling to office — and are increasingly out of touch with their young populaces. No doubt, every Arab leader has watched Tunisia's revolt in fear while citizens across the Arab world watch in solidarity, elated at that rarity: open revolution." Read More
January 12, 2011	Tunisia Seethes The New York Times This New York Times editorial calls attention to the protests in Tunisia, and the repressive tactics of Tunisia's president, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. "Mr. Ben Ali is now, predictably, blaming unnamed foreign instigators for the riots. And even as he tries to quiet things with promises of new jobs for young Tunisians, he has ordered every school and university in the country to be shut down indefinitely. That will generate more anger and further damage the country's economic future." Read More
January 7, 2011	Africa's Hour Foreign Policy Writing for Foreign Policy James Traub considers the regional implications of the growing political crisis in Côte d'Ivoire. Warning against calling the situation a "test case," he nonetheless argues that this could be a turning point for regional institutions on a continent where historically, they have not been that effective. “Only in Africa, where despots cling to power in the face of rising public aspirations, are such institutions called on to mediate primal conflicts. If Gbagbo successfully defies the pressure, he will make ECOWAS look like a paper tiger, and thus seriously weaken the forces of democracy and the rule of law." Read More
December 23, 2010	Lukashenko the Loser International Herald Tribune In the International Herald Tribune the foreign ministers of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany issue a strong condemnation of the vote and the violence that followed in Belarus. “There can be no business-as-usual between the European Union and Belarus' president, Aleksandr Lukashenko, after what has happened since the presidential election in Belarus last Sunday.” The authors go on to urge other European Union leaders to engage with democrats in Belarus and to uphold democracy and human rights within the country. Read More
December 15, 2010	African Leaders Take a Stand in the Ivory Coast The Washington Post This Washington Post editorial makes the case that democracy in Côte d'Ivoire is best served by respecting election results and not by encouraging a "unity government" as has been the case in Zimbabwe and Kenya. “The positive side of this worrisome situation is that African leaders have clearly sided against the disrupter of democracy. Last week the African Union called on Mr. Gbagbo to accept the election results and suspended the Ivory Coast until 'the democratically elected president effectively assumes state power.'” Read More
November 15, 2010	The Burmese Junta's Latest Ruse International Herald Tribune Bertil Lintner, author of seven books on Burma, looks at the similarities and differences between Aung San Suu Kyi's democratic movement in Burma and Nelson Mandela's in South Africa. In this opinion piece in the International Herald Tribune, Lintner argues that, unless the ruling military forces are ready to make real democratic change — similar to the ruling power's willingness to negotiate in South Africa — that Suu Kyi will have great difficulty in achieving democratic reforms in the country. “In Myanmar there is no such reform process, and no willingness by those in power to engage in any real dialogue with the opposition. Over the years, a few highly publicized meetings — often involving foreign visitors — have taken place between Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi and some of the country's ruling generals. But those have been for P.R. purposes only — and so was her release from house arrest on Saturday.” Read More
November 14, 2010	Burma's New Chance The Washington Post This editorial in the Washington Post calls on the ruling junta in Burma to release the remaining 2,200 political prisoners, in addition to Aung San Suu Kyi who was recently released. The editorial also calls on other nations to support Suu Kyi in her struggle to bring greater democracy to Burma. “They should also make clear that engagement and encouragement are possible if the regime chooses a different path: if, that is, it releases 2,200 other political prisoners, permits citizens to assemble and speak freely, and accepts Aung San Suu Kyi's call for dialogue and reform.” Read More