Election Reform for a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh

Election Reform for a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh October 22, 2007 Presentation to General Moeen U. Ahmed Election Reform – PAL 231 – Fall 2007 Professor David C. King Yalda Aoukar, Alagi Jallow, Juan Carlos Jobet, Athanasios Kontogeorgis, Jeremy Kress, Fernando Rodrigues, Eli Rosenbaum, Nalinee Joy Taveesin, David Winterle Legitimizing Democracy ● Acknowledge tradeoffs: - Freedom, Order, Equality - Stability and Representation ● Honor your country’s democratic traditions ● Use “sunshine” as a disinfectant to combat corruption ● Institutionalize a culture of compromise and tolerance Contents Part 1: Election Reform Part 2: Elements of a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh Election Reform Timeframe for Elections Current situation ● Municipal elections expected in early 2008 ● Updated voter list expected by July of 2008 Recommendations ● Finish the voter list within 6 months (using all public resources available) ● Hold municipal elections with the new voter file ● Hold national elections before October 2008 ● Involve international observers during the pre-election, electionday and post-election periods ● National elections expected in October 2008 Election Reform Voter List Current situation ● Voter file is being built with the help of the military ● 80 million voters are expected to be issued identity cards ● Widespread belief of “phantom voters” in the older list Recommendations ● Engage civil society in the building of the voter list ● Seek international assistance in registering voters ● Make the “old” voter list freely accessible to the public on the internet ● Provide access to new voters list upon completion Election Reform Electoral Rules Current situation ● Elections were not held on January 22, 2007 ● Unclear electoral rules for municipal and national elections ● Election Commission currently working under surveillance of caretaker government Recommendations ● Adhere to electoral rules used in previous elections (1) ● Enforce campaign expenditure limits and introduce full transparency for electoral money ● Give equal broadcast time to political parties on stateowned media ● Defer other electoral reforms to a future elected Parliament ---------------(1) Representation of the People Order 1972 and Electoral Code of Conduct 1996 Election Reform Political Parties Current situation ● Several political leaders are in jail ● No organized opposition ● Political parties and civil society seem to have little political input into the Election Commission Recommendations ● Encourage compromise and coalition building among political parties ● Allow ballot access to all parties that took part in the 2001 national elections ● Give new parties ballot access if they fulfill law in place before the 2001 elections Elements of a Sustainable Democracy Elements for a Sustainable Democracy Transition to Elections Current situation ● State of emergency ● Political uncertainty ● Economic instability Recommendations ● Lift the state of emergency ● Make all actions of the transitional government transparent to the public ● Include all political organizations during the transition ● Establish a national education campaign about voting rights Elements for a Sustainable Democracy Rule of Law Current situation ●The Constitution has, essentially, been circumvented ● Many arrests since January 2007 on allegations of corruption. Activists jailed with uncertainty about timing for trials. ● Separation of the Judiciary from the Executive not complete. Recommendations ● Provide fair trials to all political jailed since January 2007 ● Release comprehensive data on all arrests made since the adoption of the state of emergency ● Publicize and adhere to the transitional government’s road map for an independent Judiciary Elements for a Sustainable Democracy Freedom of Expression Current situation ● Allegations of censorship, or self-censorship, due to political pressures ● History of abuse: publishers and journalists sued by politicians over “defamatory” articles in 2006 ● Internet Providers have been asked to release users’ identities and activities Recommendations ● End censorship ● Repeal or amend repressive media decrees ● Ensure transparency in granting licenses to media companies ● Abide by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1) Article 19: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers”. Election Reform for a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh October 22, 2007 Presentation to General Moeen U Ahmed Election Reform – PAL 231 – Fall 2007 Professor David C. King Yalda Aoukar, Alagi Jallow, Juan Carlos Jobet, Athanasios Kontogeorgis, Jeremy Kress, Fernando Rodrigues, Eli Rosenbaum, Nalinee Joy Taveesin, David Winterle