November 16th, 2010 by Evan

On Tuesday, the Foreign Policy Initiative hosted a panel discussion titled “Voicing Dissent: Inside the Fight for Democracy and Human Rights” as part of its “Restoring America’s Leadership of a Democratic World” conference. The Washington Post’s Jackson Diehl moderated a panel composed of Ambassador Michael Kozak, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Win Min, a Burmese activist, and Michele Dunne Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Editor of the Arab Reform Bulletin.

To read full notes, continue below or click here for a pdf copy.

In recent years, Kozak said, authoritarian regimes have learned how to control opposition parties and civil society while simultaneously presenting a democratic façade. To counter this, the Obama Administration has focused on finding ways to give activists tools to overcome repression. Consequentially, U.S. policy over the past two years has been to provide support for civil society organizations and push for greater internet freedom. By opening space for internal debate in close societies, the Administration hopes to put a check on extremism around the world, Kozak said.

According to Kozak, the U.S. has pursued these goals in a multilateral way. He cited recent U.S. involvement in the debate over the controversial UN resolution on defamation of religion. The U.S. has convinced many of the countries that supported the initial resolution that intolerance must be challenged with “more freedom of expression, not less.” Kozak argued that it is worthwhile for the U.S. to engage the UN Human Rights Council and explained that Administration’s recent participation in the Council’s Periodic Review gave the Administration an opportunity to tell the American story and demonstrated that the U.S. is not afraid to face scrutiny. 

Kozak closed by saying that Obama Administration firmly believes that democracy promotion is in line with both America’s values and its interests, and that the White House is committed to increasing capacity to aid “embattled civil society” around the world.

Burmese activist Win Min presented five points on the situation in Burma and the effect of U.S. democracy promotion efforts there. First, Min said that despite government attempts to control dissent, pro-democracy activists have pressed on. Second, activist Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent release does not guarantee that the overall situation will improve; she has been released from prison twice before and little has changed. Third, the ruling junta released Aung San Suu Kyi in response to international pressure. Fourth, international actors must find ways to increase both the strength of sanctions and the prospective rewards of engagement. And fifth, the Obama Administration’s approach to Burma has not been bad, Win Min said, but the U.S. needs to take a stronger position.

Dunne told the audience that today in Egypt there is a growing movement for greater democratization and a burgeoning culture of protest. There is a sense that change is coming, that a different era of some kind is beginning. According to Dunne, consensus on an agenda has emerged. Activists want to limit the power of the executive branch while empowering the legislature.

The U.S.’s relations with Egypt have historically been based on two tenants, Dunne said. First, shared interest in furthering peace and stability in the Middle East and second, assistance for internal developments in Egypt. In recent years, Egypt has experienced some economic development, Dunne said, but political development has lagged behind. The Bush administration made a credible effort to promote democracy in Egypt from 2003 to 2006 and these efforts paid off. In 2005, the Egyptian government allowed domestic electoral monitoring and opened space for media. Unfortunately, the Bush Administration backed off this policy in 2006.

When the Obama Administration initially came to power, it largely ignored the situation in Egypt. This year, the Administration has “picked up some of the threads” and is building its own policy, Dunne said. Since the White House renewed efforts to address political development in Egypt, there have been two main issues. First, the Administration’s public statements have been inconsistent and second, the Administration has failed to provide positive or negative incentives to the Egyptian government. In closing, Dunne said that the U.S. must not remain quiet. Egypt is changing and the U.S. must play a role in steering the future of this vital ally.

During the question and answer session Diehl asked Kozak why the Administration did not publically address democracy and human rights during Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit’s recent visit to Washington. Kozak responded that the focus of the trip was the Middle East peace process and that Secretary Clinton did address domestic issues behind closed doors. In response to a question from Diehl on the Muslim Brotherhood, Dunne said that the organization does not pose as big of a threat as the Egyptian government claims. In fact, the Mubarak regime has deliberately inflated the threat while suppressing liberals in an attempt to make the argument that it is either “us or them.”

Posted in Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Event Notes, Human Rights |