Press Release

Ballots, Bread and Butter
Democracy in
Central America

Stockholm, 1 July 1997 -- “Peace is essential, but not enough. We must have a new economic programme, we must concentrate our efforts and attack poverty,” said Rodrigo Madrigal Nieto, the former Foreign Minister of Costa Rica. Central American politicians made it clear, during the second day of International IDEA’s Democracy Forum, that poverty is the greatest threat to democratization in Central America.

Following the signing of a peace agreement between opposing factions in Guatemala in 1996, all five countries in the region have adopted a system of democratic government. All of the countries are today run by civilian presidents who have been voted into office in elections deemed “free and fair”.

But it is essential, in order to maintain this development that “political democracy be followed closely by economic and social democracy,” said Dr. Gabriel Aguilera, the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala.

“The Guatemalan peace agreement is very positive, but there are many things to do. Taxes must be collected and there must be regional economic solidarity,” stated Ms. Nineth Montenegro a member of the Guatemalan parliament, who was formerly a member of the Grupo Apoyo Mutuo. Montenegro also highlighted another problem for three of the countries in the region, the need to reconcile different sectors of the population while at the same time eradicating impunity.

“For real justice we need a commission of clarification to investigate past abuses, this will not only bring truth and reconciliation but also justice,” she stated.

The former Foreign Minster of El Salvador, Mr. Oscar Santamaria, agreed that now that there is peace, much work remains to be done. “Consolidation of peace and democracy is a fragile process. The rehabilitation of the state, the creation of a new model of a state which is economically sustainable must be created,” he said.

Other issues focused on at International IDEA’s annual Democracy Forum included a panel discussion on the integration and democratization of Central and Eastern European countries. The Secretary of State of Romania, Mr. Lazar Comenescu, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Polish Parliament Mr. Bronislav Geremek, UK Parliamentarian Ms. Phyllis Starkie and others shared views on expanding NATO and the European Union. Geremek explained the difference in mentality between Western European countries and Central and Eastern European countries. “All of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe are afraid of being left behind unlike Western European countries, for example Sweden is outside of NATO, but Swedes do not feel insecure, and Norwegians chose not to join the European Union, but remain financially solvent.”

A panel discussion on reconciliation and justice discussed the factors to consider when balancing the need to establish a true historical record about massive human rights violations, and the need to bring perpetrators to justice to end cycles of impunity.

One issue debated was how the United Nations should respond to the Cambodian Government’s request for assistance in the eventual legal proceedings against Pol Pot. Mr. Aryeh Neier, President of the Open Society Institute, suggested that one possibility would be for the UN Secretary-General to open a new branch of the international tribunal for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

Mr. Peter Eigen, Chairman of Transparency International, presented the new Transparency International bribery index. Last year the Berlin based non-governmental organization produced a corruption index of more than 40 countries. This year they are working on a bribery index. “Corruption is the number one threat to democracies all over the world. It is undermining democratic institutions and creating public distrust in governments. It is a very serious problem,” he explained.

International IDEA’s Electoral Management Bodies concluded their two day annual meeting. Each organization shared its experience on how best to manage elections and other practical administrative matters. The exchange of information among these organizations will be strengthened in the future and solutions to many common problems, such as how to keep down the cost of elections, will be explored over the coming year.

The 1997 Democracy Forum has more than 200 participants from 45 countries. On July 2 the Institute’s Global Report on Voter Turnout will be launched, the Prime Minister in Exile of Burma will join other politicians in a discussion of Stolen Elections: The Case of Burma, and the United Nations Development Programme will present policy documents on “good” governance.

International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) was founded in February 1995. The Institute’s overall objective is to promote and advance sustainable democracy world-wide and to improve and consolidate electoral processes. To date, Members are Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Costa Rica, Chile, Denmark, Finland, India, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, the International Press Institute, and Parliamentarians for Global Action. The Institute also has co-operative agreements with the International Commission of Jurists, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the United Nations Development Programme. Switzerland also contributes to the work of the Institute.