Egypt: Should the U.S. Push Hard for Democratic Reforms?
November 22nd, 2010 by Jason
Amanda Kadlec, writing at International Affairs Review, questions the efficacy of unwavering U.S. support for the Egyptian government. Kadlec agrees with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Egypt is a “‘cornerstone of stability and security in the Middle East,’” but, she asks, “at what cost, and – more critically – is it durable?” While Egypt remains a “central player” in the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians, Kadlec argues that “isolating the peace process as a priority at the expense of democracy is an unwise long-term strategy.” Ultimately, silence on the issue of democracy in Egypt “speaks volumes,” according to Kadlec. “It signals quite loudly to Egyptians that their human, civil, and political rights are trumped by a nebulously defined regional stability that hinges on a Palestinian-Israeli agreement.”
Jay Soloman and Ashraf Khalil write in the Wall Street Journal that “[s]uccessive U.S. administrations have struggled with the dilemma of how hard to push for democracy in Egypt,” noting Egyptian support on both the peace process and anti-terrorism issues as plausible reasons for the indecisiveness. George Ishak, a founder of the Keyafa movement, which advocates for democratic reform in Egypt, told the authors, “‘America doesn’t care about this at all. They feel stability is more important than democracy.’”
Posted in Egypt, Elections, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
Egypt: U.S. Should Have “Positive Impact on Change”
November 19th, 2010 by Jason
In the third and final part of a three-part series (parts one and two) exploring the political environment in Egypt prior to the November 28 parliamentary elections, Dina Guirguis focuses on the role the U.S. should play in pushing for democratic reforms in Egypt. Pointing to numerous “bad omens” including the firing of Ibrahim Eissa, the Egyptian government’s decision to not allow international monitors, and the “major restrictions” placed on domestic monitoring groups by the Shura Council, Guirguis says that “Egyptians are awakening to this reality and demonstrating creative outlets of resistance.” She says that the Obama administration “has thus far proved unwilling to rock the boat on Egypt for the sake of so-called regional interests,” and that “Egypt offers…an opportunity for the United States to have a positive impact on change.” Guirguis recommends “target[ing] known Egyptian human rights abusers” in the same way that recent sanctions have targeted members of the Iranian regime, and that the Obama Administration “should consider dropping its opposition to forward-leaning S. Res. 586 in support of freedom in Egypt,” among other measures.
Posted in Civil Society, Egypt, Elections, Political Parties, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
POMED Notes: “Egypt’s Political Future: The Parliamentary Elections and Beyond”
November 18th, 2010 by Jason
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace held an event on Thursday titled “Egypt’s Political Future: The Parliamentary Elections and Beyond.” The speakers for the event were Michele Dunne, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment and editor of the online journal, the Arab Reform Bulletin, and Amr Hamzawy, research director and senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. The discussion was moderated by Jennifer Windsor, the associate dean for Programs and Studies at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown.
(To read full notes, continue below the fold or click here for pdf)
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Posted in Civil Society, Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Political Parties, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
POMED Notes: “A Changing Middle East: Iran, Turkey, and Prospects for Peace”
November 16th, 2010 by Jason
On Monday evening, as part of the 2010 Foreign Policy Initiative Forum, a panel discussion was held titled “A Changing Middle East: Iran, Turkey, and Prospects for Peace.” The discussants were Elliot Abrams, of the Council on Foreign Relations, Ambassador Eric Edelman, of the Foreign Policy Initiative and Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, and Reuel Gerecht of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. The discussion was moderated by Lee Smith of the Weekly Standard.
(To read full notes, continue below the fold or click here for pdf.)
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Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Islamist movements, Israel, Middle Eastern Media, Palestine, Political Parties, Reform, Turkey, US foreign policy | Comment »
Yemen: The “Closing Window of Opportunity”
November 16th, 2010 by Jason
Marisa L. Porges writes that there “remains a small but rapidly closing window of opportunity to rescue Yemen and, in the process, address pressing security concerns.” Noting the various economic and environmental challenges the country faces, including running out of water and oil, Porges says “[w]hat makes this dire situation all the more tragic is that Yemen was lauded as a model emerging democracy only a few years ago.” Pointing to a National Democratic Institute (NDI) report that called Yemen’s elections in 2006 “not a typical Middle Eastern ’showpiece,’” she argues that Yemen has a diverse political culture that has been “stalled” since 2007 with the renewal of hostilities between the government and rebels in the north, along with a growing al-Qaeda presence. “With threats on all sides, the regime moved to curtail political freedoms and civil liberties and began relying more heavily on tribes and patronage to hold the country together,” Porges writes. She contends that “Washington must balance near-term counterterrorism efforts with political reform and development initiatives,” including “plac[ing] consistent, coordinated pressure on (President) Saleh to advance the reform agenda.”
Update: Brian O’Neill responds: “I am not sold on political reconciliation. I think it is important, and would be ideal, but I don’t know if you can fully reconcile the country to a central government, at least not in the short term […] I think that trying to mold San’a into Washington ignores a lot of Yemeni history and culture […] We need to work within that system, which is in its own way considerably more democratic and egalitarian than Salih’s rule.”
Posted in Foreign Aid, Reform, US foreign policy, Yemen, al-Qaeda | Comment »
The Casablanca Call for Democracy and Human Rights
November 15th, 2010 by Evan
The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy recently published a document titled “The Casablanca Call for Democracy and Human Rights,” imploring governments and activists across the Middle East to continue working toward democratic reforms: “We, the signatories to this call, as politicians, intellectuals and civil society advocates, believe that the achievement of democracy and the embodiment of human rights in the Arab world is an absolute necessity and requires a broader engagement of all citizens and political and social forces. We observe, with great concern, the dramatic and alarming backsliding of political reforms in the Arab world, due to several structural obstacles since the beginning of the new century. We hereby appeal to all parties concerned with the future of democracy - governments, civil society institutions, political organizations, trade unions, and the media - in the belief that the achievement of real and effective reforms is the responsibility of all parties.”
The authors go on to list 12 actions that must be taken to ensure the success of reforms including the release of political prisoners, guarantees for the freedom of expression, and the participation of the private sector in political reforms. To date, over 600 people have signed the document.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Reform | Comment »
“Islamic Feminism and Beyond”
November 15th, 2010 by Jason
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Middle East Program released a new paper (pdf) today, titled “Islamic Feminism and Beyond: The New Frontier.” The introduction is written by Haleh Esfandiari and Margot Badran, and the paper includes six sections covering a range of topics and countries. The articles include “Feminist Activism for Change in Family Laws and Practices: Lessons from the Egyptian Past for the Global Present” by Margot Badran, “Recent Amendments in the Turkish Civil and Criminal Codes and the Role of Feminist NGOs” by Binnaz Toprak, “Women and the Politics of Reform in Morocco” by Souad Eddouada, “Beyond Islamic Feminism: Women and Representation in Iran’s Democracy Movement” by Nayereh Tohidi, “The Personal Status Code and Women’s Celibacy in Tunisia” by Lilia Labidi, and “Analyzing Reform Successes and Failures: The Personal Status Regime in the Arab World” by Amaney Jamal.
Posted in Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Human Rights, Iran, Morocco, Reform, Tunisia, Turkey, Women | Comment »
Egypt: “State-Level” Reforms to Enhance Religious Freedom are Needed
November 10th, 2010 by Anna
Samuel Tadros of the Egyptian Union of Liberal Youth contends in a Heritage Foundation paper that “[t]he Egyptian government has played a major role in creating and maintaining a religiously intolerant environment in Egypt that is hostile to non-Muslims and any Muslims who deviate from government-endorsed religious norms and traditions.” Emphasizing Egypt’s strategic importance to the U.S., Tadros adds that this environment restricts independent thinking and calls on the U.S. government to “use every available avenue to encourage the Egyptian government to enact and enforce laws that protect the religious freedom of all Egyptians.” He calls on the Obama administration to fund organizations working on religious freedom issues in Egypt, promote religious tolerance through diplomatic tools, and investigate cases of religious intolerance. He also calls on Egypt to protect groups’ rights to build places of worship and criminalize attacks on religious minorities, among other reforms. Given the “authoritarian nature of the Egyptian regime,” he concludes, “[a]ny attempt to deal with religious freedom issues in Egypt must therefore begin at the state level.”
Posted in Egypt, Freedom, Islamist movements, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
Jordan: Sub-Districts and Competition Among the Elite
November 8th, 2010 by Jason
In a new article at the Middle East Channel, Andrew Barwig delves into the consequences of Jordan’s recent electoral reforms, giving the Kingdom credit for publishing voter lists, increasing participation among under-represented groups, and allowing international election observers. However, with the main opposition party Islamic Action Front (IAF) boycotting, the elections look to be a test of how powerful elites and tribal leaders manage in a changed electoral landscape. “Provisions in the new law also threaten to reignite conflicts among ruling elites. Lost amidst the recent hubbub are the sub-districts carved out of existing electoral districts, now labeled ‘electoral zones.’ These sub-districts have injected a new dynamic into electoral competition since candidates can only run in, and be elected from, one sub-district. They also narrow the scope of campaign support bases and force candidates to be more localized. As a result, the sub-districts will increase factionalism among pro-government elites and exacerbate conflict within some tribes.” Barwig concludes that the elections bear watching, even in the absence of real opposition, because “[t]he results from Tuesday’s elections will reveal the extent to which loyalists competed against each other and how certain pro-regime factions fared. In the aftermath, estranged elites could soon join the chorus of those calling for fundamental electoral reform.”
Posted in Elections, Jordan, Political Parties, Reform | Comment »
POMED Notes: “Iraq’s Development Challenges”
November 2nd, 2010 by Jason
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a roundtable discussion Tuesday titled “Iraq’s Development Challenges.” The discussants were Christine McNab, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General & UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, John Desrocher, Director, Office of Iraq Affairs, US Department of State, and Leslie Campbell, Regional Director for the Middle East & North Africa, National Democratic Institute (NDI). The discussion was moderated by Frederick Tipson, Director of UNDP/Washington.
(To read full notes, continue below the fold or click here for pdf.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Civil Society, Elections, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Iraq, Political Parties, Public Opinion, Reform, Sectarianism, US foreign policy | Comment »
POMED Notes: “Human Rights in Iran”
October 28th, 2010 by Jason
The Brookings Institution held a panel discussion on Thursday titled “Human Rights in Iran.” The discussion was moderated by Kenneth Pollack, Senior Fellow and Director, Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. The panelists were Geneive Abdo, Director of the Iran Program at the Century Foundation, Philo Dibble, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Markus Löning, Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, and Mojtaba Vahedi, political advisor to former Iranian presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi.
(To read full notes, continue below the fold or click here for pdf.)
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Posted in Civil Society, Diplomacy, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Reform, US foreign policy, sanctions | Comment »
Turkey: Main Opposition Party in Need of Reform
October 28th, 2010 by Jason
Writing at openDemocracy, POMED’s Daphne McCurdy argues that the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has failed to offer a real alternative to the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) policies, especially in regards to the recent referendum supported by the AKP. McCurdy compares the recent failures suffered by CHP to how the party was seen in the past, tracing the rise of the CHP under the leadership of Bulent Ecevit in the 1970s to the ignominious downfall of Deniz Baykal earlier this year. The major problem for CHP in the fight over the referendum was that it “focused on vilifying Erdogan and fear-mongering – tired tactics that missed the point.” Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who took over after Baykal, has begun the process of reform and has “pledged to present a ‘positive opposition’ that will contribute to better governance through compromise and consensus-building.” These are positive signs, McCurdy says, but “for the CHP to regain legitimacy it must figure out an effective way to translate this new rhetoric into deliverables.”
Posted in Political Parties, Reform, Turkey | Comment »
Lebanon: Reform Needed in Elections and Political System
October 28th, 2010 by Anna
Lebanon’s Daily Star reports today that Osama Safa, secretary general of the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE), warned yesterday that the government has six months to implement a series of electoral law reforms. Among the reforms are giving soldiers the right to vote, lowering the voting age to 18, setting a quota for women candidates, and having independent oversight of electoral lists. Last November, the parliament stated that it would finish a draft law on election issues within 18 months. LADE and other organizations have called for changes to Lebanon’s “archaic” election laws, according to the Star, pointing to various types of irregularities in recent elections. Safa called on the government to prioritize electoral reform, saying: “The electoral law is considered the right gateway to any other reform.”
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern yesterday over rising political tensions in Lebanon. In a report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004),which calls for free and fair presidential elections in the country, he said: “Lebanon is currently experiencing a domestic climate of uncertainty and fragility” and called on leaders to work on strengthening institutions and to “transcend sectarian and individual interests and to genuinely promote the future and the interests of the nation.”
Posted in Elections, Lebanon, Legislation, Political Parties, Reform, Sectarianism | Comment »
Are Elections in Bahrain, Jordan, and Egypt Meaningless?
October 27th, 2010 by Jason
Writing at Foreign Policy’s Middle East Channel, Shadi Hamid puts the recent election in Bahrain and the upcoming elections in Jordan and Egypt into context: “Saturday’s elections in Bahrain instead reflected a new and troubling trend in the Arab world: the free but unfair — and rather meaningless — election.” While opposition groups were able to adapt and take advantage of the “Arab spring” of 2005, the regions authoritarians were not far behind in creating a “democratic facade” to present to the international community. Hamid says that “[s]ome might consider this a workable compromise: Arabs get to vote and let out some steam. Friendly Arab regimes get to maintain their grip on power.” This arrangement is not viable in the long term, Hamid contends, because young people are becoming restless with the political theater. “If free but meaningless elections become the new norm, the Arab opposition may be forced to adopt a more impatient and confrontational approach, one that emphasizes civil disobedience, mass protest, and other ‘de-legitimization’ techniques.”
Posted in Bahrain, Civil Society, Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Jordan, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
Jordan: An Interview With Jordan’s First Woman M.P.
October 27th, 2010 by Jason
Toujan Faisal, the first woman elected to Jordan’s Parliament, was recently interviewed by the Arab Reform Initiative. When asked about her understanding of reform, Faisal answered, “I think that the adoption of the constitution in Jordan in 1952 (i.e. without the amendments subsequently made to it) is the basis of such reform.” She added, “I now think that there is something better: the proportional representation list, and the establishment of an interim government without the power to take major financial decisions, until such time a government with real legitimacy can be formed in the presence of a real parliament.” Faisal was also asked about her views on quotas for female candidates. “I am opposed to all forms of quota, because quotas are in conflict with full equality between citizens […] Women are essentially citizens, and the sole criterion for progress is competence. When society as a whole progresses the situation of women automatically improves.”
Posted in Civil Society, Elections, Freedom, Human Rights, Jordan, Reform, Women | Comment »
Egypt: The Economics of Gamal
October 26th, 2010 by Jason
Patrick Martin writes in the Globe and Mail that “Egypt, it seems, is at a political crossroads: The Egypt of old, with its state control and privilege, is running head-on into the fast-moving new Egypt of economic openness and the rule of law.” He goes on to say that Gamal Mubarak has been at the forefront of the movement to liberalize the Egyptian economy and asks whether the president’s son represents the country’s “new moneyed class” that has benefited greatly from the liberal reforms. The author speaks to economist Ahmed Galal, who expresses concern over the growing disparity of wealth and opportunity in the “new Egypt” saying, “‘the government has paid much more attention to the growth side of the economy, and not enough to the equality side.’” Galal says of the upcoming elections,”‘What matters isn’t who the next president will be, but how he’s chosen.’”
Posted in Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Reform | Comment »
Egypt: Aslan Interviews ElBaradei
October 26th, 2010 by Jason
In a new article at the Daily Beast, Reza Aslan speaks to Mohamed ElBaradei about the prospects for change in Egypt. When asked if he would run for president in next year’s election, ElBaradei responded “‘I might run if there is the prospect for a free and fair election, but I will definitely not run if it’s under the present circumstances.’” ElBaradei expressed concern that the situation in Egypt could deteriorate quickly. “‘If things continue the way they are, I don’t exclude that people will resort to violence,’” he said, adding that the violence would not be a result of his push for democracy, but rather a reaction to the harsh conditions many Egyptians live in. “‘When you have half of Caironese in slums, when you don’t have clean water, when you don’t have a sewer system, when you don’t have electricity, and on top of that you live under one of the most repressive regimes right now…Well, put all that together and it’s a ticking bomb.’”
ElBaradei also expressed frustration with the Obama Administration’s failure to use its influence in Egypt to push for reforms. When asked by Aslan if he would like to see more American pressure put on the Mubarak government, ElBaradei responded “‘Well, it is up to Barack Obama. It’s up to any government to decide how to react to the denial of basic human rights anywhere in the world including Egypt. All I can say is this—those who believe that stability comes with repression are really shortsighted and should not be surprise if the Middle East continues to move toward radicalization.’”
Posted in Civil Society, Egypt, Elections, Freedom, Human Rights, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
Transparency International Releases Corruption Rankings
October 26th, 2010 by Evan
Transparency International (TI)
released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index today. In the Middle East, little changed over the past year. Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Iran and Libya continued to experience dangerous levels of corruption all scoring 2.2 or under on TI’s 10 point scale (10 being “very clean” and 3, “very corrupt”). Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Israel once again led the region in transparency, all scoring above 6.
Posted in Iran, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Qatar, Reform, Sudan, UAE, Yemen | Comment »
Tunisia: HRW Reports Continued Abuse of Unionists
October 25th, 2010 by Evan
Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently released a report criticizing the Tunisian government’s repression of trade and student unions. Despite official statements to the contrary, HRW found that Tunisian officials regularly deny the groups legal status and attempt to persecute and subvert their leadership. HRW also reports that abuse and torture remain widespread in Tunisia.
Posted in Freedom, Journalism, Protests, Reform, Tunisia, Unions | Comment »
Challenges to Political Development in the Arab World
October 25th, 2010 by Evan
Writing in The Daily Star, Rami Khouri describes what he believes are the fundamental political challenges facing the Arab world. First, governments across the region have failed to establish credible constitutions to facilitate power sharing. Second, many countries have struggled to build a national identity and, as a result, religious and sectarian divisions continue to plague political life. Third, while economies across the region have grown, economic development is not sustainable or equitable. Fourth, the rule of law is exceptionally weak and limits to state power have not been delineated in many countries. And fifth, political and economic difficulties at home have left many states exceptionally vulnerable to outside influence. Khouri concludes that these issues are evident in Lebanon more so than any other country in the region.
Posted in Freedom, Lebanon, Reform | Comment »
