Press Release

Botswana, Namibia and
the International Federation
of Journalists join IDEA

Stockholm, 2 July 1997 -- Botswana, Namibia and the International Federation of Journalists joined the Council of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) today. This was the second time since the founding conference in February 1995 that the Institute accepted new members. The Institute now has 16 governments as members and four international non-governmental organizations.

The Foreign Minister of Botswana, Lt. Gen. Mompati Sebogodi Merafhe thanked members of IDEA’s council for welcoming his government. "As a practising democracy, Botswana fully supports and associates with the Institute’s objective of promoting and advancing sustainable democracy world-wide. We are glad we have been given an opportunity to make our humble contribution to this noble endeavour."

Ms. Bience Gawanas, Ombudsperson for Namibia, represented her government as International IDEA’s fourth Council meeting began its proceedings. "Namibia is one of the youngest democracies in the world today, and its membership in International IDEA will provide it with ample opportunity to strengthen its own democracy. Democracy is a process which needs sustenance as it can easily be reversed. Membership in this Institute will be a great assistance to the people of Namibia."

The General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the largest organization of journalists in the world, Mr. Aidan White, expressed the interest of the organization that he represents following the acceptance announcement. "I hope very much that as a member of the Institute the Federation will be able to bring the work of IDEA closer to journalists and to citizens around the world."

International IDEA brings together in its governing body, on an equal footing, governments and professional international non-governmental organizations. Officially governments are members and non-governmental organizations are associate members, but both have the same role as Council members. The fourth Council meeting of the Institute will continue for one more day, during the week-long 1997 Democracy Forum.

During the third day of the Democracy Forum International IDEA’s global report on voter turnout was launched and there was a discussion of the importance of political participation. Members of Electoral Commissions from India, South Africa, Namibia, Belgian, and many other countries took part in the debate.

The Forum also had a panel discussion on stolen elections, and specifically the case of Burma. Dr. Sein Win, Prime-Minister-in-Exile of Burma, Mr. Harn Yawnghwe, the Programme Director of Burma Alert, Dr. Morton H. Halperin of the US Council of Foreign Relations and the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Mr. Jan Eliasson all addressed the question of what can be done when elections are stolen.

Participants and panellists felt that there was a pressing need to have mechanisms in place to rectify a case when an election is stolen.

"Though stolen elections are not as bad as genocide, it is close. Stealing an election should be considered a crime against humanity, because it denies the individual the right to live under the government of his or her choice. I believe that we should have a convention that makes it illegal under international jurisprudence for any individual or regime to steal an election," stated Halperin.

Eliasson agreed, and stated that Sweden actively sought ways to return elections to their rightful owners.

The Prime Minister-in-exile of Burma Dr. Win concluded the discussion by stating that "the history of Burma would have been different if this concept of stolen elections had existed in 1990. We would have had a different type of government in Burma today."

The cases of Algeria, Serbia and Haiti were highlighted, and one of the important mechanisms that has aided is regional support. Mr. Yawnghwe noted that even the question of regional support for the case of Burma is impossible.

"The Burmese democracy movement would very much appreciate speaking with governments in our region, but we cannot, because none of these countries, neither China, nor India, nor Indonesia, nor Malaysia, nor Singapore will give members of the democracy movement visas. So it is impossible to begin a dialogue on democratic values and issues of mutual interest with our neighbours. Maybe other governments in the world could help us to receive these visas so that we can begin a dialogue."

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy in Burma, who is a board member of the Institue, has been impossible to contact over the last weeks. Members of the Board of the Institute and the IDEA secretariat will continue to try to make phone contact with Suu Kyi.

The 1997 Democracy Forum, with more than 200 politicians, civil servants, media professionals, judicial authorities, researchers and others, will continue until Friday 4 July. On Thursday 3 July the Council of the Institute, with its new members, will continue its deliberations. There will also be panel discussions on "Women in Politics - Women Changing Politics" and "Media, Democracy and Ethics".

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.