Why Democracy

Why Democracy, Letter by Jeff Anderson to L-Orizzont, originally appeared on 3 April 2006.

Why Democracy?

I am writing in reference to your commentary in the March 27 issue of L-Orizzont titled, "How can they be believed about democracy," and would like to make a number of observations to the comments in the newspaper.

The ideal of democracy and human rights is universal--it is not a privilege reserved for Americans and Europeans. Indeed, according to Freedom House, a non governmental organization that looks at democracy around the world, there are now 122 democratic nations in world.

Democratic advances often do not come easily, or all at once. Different societies will find forms of democracy that work for them. When the United States and other countries talk about the universal values of democracy, we are referring to governments that protect certain basic rights for all their citizens -- among these, the right to speak freely; the right to associate; the right to worship as you wish; and the freedom to educate your children.

Freedom and democracy are essential pillars of a more peaceful world, void of terrorism and violence. As President George W. Bush noted, "The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world." This is what is happening in Afghanistan, and also in Iraq, where despite the deliberate violent attacks by those who oppose democracy, the Iraqi people have made their voice heard on no less than three occasions during the past few years.

During recent elections in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Palestine, governments have unlocked the door for change. But, half a democracy is not a democracy. With the privilege of governing comes the responsibility to provide, promote and protect the rights of citizens.

With regards to your comments about the situation in Ukraine, the electoral process we have witnessed a few days ago is a result of a free and fair democratic process, the seeds of which were sown in 2005. Without the Orange Revolution, this result would not have been possible.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for Belarus where the electoral process was far from democratic. It suffices to say that the Belarus authorities did not allow foreign observers, including a Maltese European Member of Parliament, to oversee and ensure a free electoral process.

Beyond the absence of free and fair elections, Belarus’ leaders have chosen the path of repression and totalitarianism at the expense of basic rights. The government suppresses opposition political parties, it has shut down numerous independent media outlets, it fails to account for political opposition leaders who have disappeared, and it has imprisoned citizens for speaking against the government. Clearly, the government of Belarus has bolted shut the door of democracy.

The United States and the European Union have condemned the actions by Belarusian security services who have forcibly seized and detained Belarusian citizens who were peacefully demonstrating against the fraudulent March 19 election results. The United States is imposing targeted travel restrictions and is planning financial sanctions against individuals responsible for the recent electoral fraud and human rights abuses in Belarus

Citizens of democratic countries have the continuous responsibility to speak up for those values, to speak up for the fact that those values are universal, and to provide an international context and international support so that people can find their own voice.

 

Sur Editur:

Qed niktiblek b’referenza ghall-kummentarju tieghek li deher fil-harga tal-Orizzont tas-28 ta’ Marzu taht it-titlu, "Kif jistghu jitwemmnu dwar id-demokrazija?" u nixtieq naghmel xi osservazzjonijiet ghall-kummenti li dehru fil-gazzetta.

Id-demokrazija u drittijiet umani huma idejali univesali, u mhux xi privilegg riservat ghall-Amerikani u l-Ewropej biss. Tabilhaqq, skond Freedom House, ghaqda mhux governattiva, li thares lejn id-demokrazija madwar id-dinja, bhalissa fid-dinja hawn 122 nazzjon demokratiku.

Hafna drabi, il-progress fid-demokrazija la hu hafif, u lanqas jista’ jinkiseb f’daqqa. Socjetajiet differenti ifittxu ghamliet differenti ta’ demokrazija li jistghu japplikaw ghalihom. Meta l-Istati Uniti tal-Amerka u pajjizi ohra jitkellmu fuq il-valuri universali tad-demokrazija, qed jirreferu ghall-gvernijiet li jharsu certi drittijiet fundamentali tac-cittadini taghhom – fosthom, id-dritt ghall-liberta’ tal-kelma, id-dritt ghall-assocjazzjoni, id-dritt hieles ta’ twemmin religjuz , u l-liberta’ li teduka lil uliedek.

Il-helsien u d-demokrazija huma l-pedamenti ghat-tkattir tal-paci fid-dinja, hielsa mit-terrorizmu u l-vjolenza. Fi kliem il-President George W. Bush, "L-aktar tama ghal paci fid-dinja taghna huwa t-tkattir tal-liberta fid-dinja kollha." Qed jigri hekk fl-Afganistan, kif ukoll fl-Iraq, fejn minkejja sensiela sistematika ta’ attakki vjolenti minn dawk li jopponu d-demokrazija, il-poplu tal-Iraq semma’ lehnu f’xejn anqas minn tliet okkazjonijiet different f’dawn l-ahhar snin.

Waqt elezjonijiet fis-Sawdi Arabja, l-Egittu, u l-Palestina dan l-ahhar, il-gvernijiet fethu l-bibien ghall-bidla. Imma nofs demokrazija, m’hi demokrazija xejn. Mal-privilegg li tiggverna, jigi d-dmir li tippovdi, iggib ‘il quddiem, u thares id-drittijiet tac-cittadini.

Dwar il-kummenti tieghek fuq l-Ukrajna, il-process elettorali li rajna xi jiem ilu huwa rizultat ta’ process hieles, gust u demokratiku, liema zerriegha inzerghet fl-2005. Minghajr ir-Rivoluzzjoni Orangjo, dan ir-rizultat ma kienx ikun possibli.

Huwa ta’ dispjacir tinnota li ma tistax tghid l-istess ghall-Belarus, fejn il-process elettorali kien hafna l-boghod mid-demokrazija. Ta’ min wiehed isemmi li l-awtoritajiet tal-Belarus ma hallewx osservaturi barranin, fosthom Membru tal-Parlament Ewropew Malti, biex josservaw u jizguraw li l-process ikun hieles u bla mittiefes.

Fin-nuqqas ta’ elezzjonijiet hielsa u gusti, il-mexxejja tal-Belarus ghazlu t-triq tar-ripressjoni u t-totalitarizmu a skapitu tad-drittijiet bazici. Il-gvern honoq il-partiti politici tal-oppozizzjoni, ghalaq ghadd ta’ postijiet tal-media indipendenti, naqas li jaghti rendi kont ghall-ghajbien ta’ xi mexxejja tal-oppozizzjoni, u tefa’ l-habs dawk ic-cattadini li tkelmu kontra l-gvern. Huwa car, li l-gvern tal-Belarus ghalaq il-bieb ghad-demokrazija.

L-Istati Uniti u l-Unjoni Ewropeja ikkundannaw l-azzjonijiet tas-servizzi tas-sigurta’ tal-Belarus talli bil-forza qabdu u arrestaw cittadini tal-Belarus li kienu qeghdin jipprotestaw pacifikament kontra ir-rizultat imbaghbas tal-elezzjonijet ta’ 19 ta’ Marzu. L-Istati Uniti qieghda timponi xi restrizzjonijiet fuq is-safar, kif ukoll sanzjonijiet finanzjarji kontra individwi li kienu risponsabbli ghall-frodi elettorali ricenti u abbuzi tad-drittijiet umani fil-Belarus.

Ic-cittadini tal-pajjizi demokratici huwa fid-dmir li il-hin kollu isemmghu lehinhom favur dawk il-kwalitajiet ta’ valuri ghall-fatt li huma universali, u jinsistu fuqhom, joholqu kuntest u ghaqda internazzjonali biex dawk in-nies li m’ghandhomx lehen, isibu l-vuci taghhom.

 

Dejjem tieghek

 

Jeffrey Anderson

Attache’, Press and Cultural Affairs

Embassy of the United States of America