The World Today:
Human Rights and Democracy
This Congress applauds the continuing movement towards democracy that can be witnessed in many parts of the world, but deplores the proliferation of ethnic, religious and regional conflicts which are causing the displacement of millions of people and all over the world equal rights and possibilities for women have not yet been realised nor extreme poverty and famine been conquered. It urges the promotion of a frame of mind that respects human rights, promotes democracy, good governance and the establishment of institutions to monitor developments in the world, empowered with the authority to intervene if necessary.
This Congress holds the view that a country can only be considered to be a genuine democracy if it satisfies all the following conditions: periodical free elections; freedom of assembly and speech; participation of more than one political party in the electoral process; an independent judiciary; transparency of government; freedom of the media; independence of the electoral commission; recognition of election results; restricted influence of the military in matters of state; and respect for human rights.
In many countries democracy has advanced, although enormous problems still have to be overcome. At the same time the Liberal International expresses its concern over the deteriorating political situation in many countries. In Iran religious and political freedoms are outlawed. East Timor continues to be a serious cause for concern despite recent hopeful developments. In North Korea, there is no relaxation of the communist regime, although the country has been afflicted by famine. The developments in Hong Kong and the position of Martin Lee, who has been awarded the 1996 Prize for Freedom, deserve our continuing attention. Also the situation in Kurdistan and Tibet is a matter of on-going concern.
In Guatemala the murderers of Jorge Carpio have still not been punished, and the murder of human rights activists continues. In several European countries attempts to establish democracy run the risk of foundering, such as in Serbia, Croatia, Albania and Belarus. Liberal International welcomes the political developments in Montenegro, which could lead to the establishment of a democratic society.
In Burma the repression, including forced labour and environmental degradation, by the ruling military junta has deepened. Liberal International urges Burmaís State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to begin political dialogue with the ethnic nationality forces and the pro-democracy forces, led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, with the aim of establishing genuine national reconciliation. We support the NLD and the National Council of the Union of Burmaís continued non-violent efforts to engage the SLORC in dialogue.
Despite the remarkable development towards democracy in Latin America in the past decade we see the continuation of a dictatorship in Cuba. International pressure for democratic change must be maintained and increased, but still the Castro regime appears unwilling to put an end to dictatorial rule on the island. Liberal International calls upon the Cuban regime to put its policies to the test in free, fair and pluralist elections, and to allow the peaceful transformation towards becoming a democratic society ruled by respect for human rights as proposed by the democratic opposition but the isolation of Cuba must end.
We note that eight years after the Gulf War most countries in the region are still ruled undemocratically and many of them violate human rights. Even if the UN Security Council has moderated its position towards the Iraqi government, we note that the latter still violates fundamental human rights. This Congress requests the continuation of sanctions until the government of Iraq has implemented all UNSC resolutions. The UN should ensure that these measures do not affect the food supply or the medical care.
The LI Congress:
Recognises the struggle of African peoples who, despite known difficulties, aspire to genuine democracy to international standards. In particular deplores measures taken by some ruling parties to amend constitutional provisions limiting the terms of office of heads of state, effectively negating democracy by imposing life presidents, and by rendering impossible the removal of the party in power.
Notes that whereas in some countries there has been real progress towards democracy, in others the situation continues to deteriorate. Congress in particular condemns the practice of false democracy, where opposition parties are denied access to the state, in some cases even private media and also funding and voting fraud negates the democratic procedures.
Demands that international election monitors should undertake more thorough investigations of all stages of the democratic process, devoting the time and human resources necessary. Countries who are found to have flouted democratic norms should no longer be treated as democracies by the international community. The Congress expresses serious concern over the human rights situation in Sudan, and urges the government of Sudan and all parties concerned to give free access to the country, in particular to the Nuba mountains area, for all human rights organisations and independent observers. The Congress of the Liberal International also urges the government of Sudan to fully co-operate with all UN mechanisms and provide free and unimpeded access and all the conditions necessary for a monitoring of the situation of human rights, including the permanent presence in the country of UN human rights officers. This Congress calls upon the Sudanese Government to pursue policies of religious toleration and to promote mutual respect between the different religious and ethnic groups within the country.
In Algeria a dialogue between all political forces acknowledging the requirements for a free and open democratic society is vital to end violence and start reconciliation in order to build democracy and promote economic and social progress in Algeria.
Liberal International requests immediate action by the Algerian government to respect human rights. The Government must therefore abandon the use of torture and extra-judicial killings, and improve the legal system and the police force. Effective measures must also be taken to protect Algerian citizens from the murders and abductions carried out by religious terrorists or others. Furthermore Liberal International calls on Algeria to ratify and to really implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Abolition of the Death Penalty. This applies to all governments.
In general this Congress calls upon governments to take action on the following issues:
We urge states to sign and ratify the treaty establishing a permanent International Criminal Court to bring those who committed crimes against humanity or who have violated humanitarian law to justice.
Governments should integrate foreign affairs, economic development, trade and human rights policies. Governments are therefore urged to increasingly direct development assistance and programmes specifically at improving human rights, market economy, private sector, good governance and democratic development. We are appalled by the rise of violence, trafficking of persons, violence against women, sexism, racism, anti-Semitism and extremism in both developed and developing countries. We urge governments and political parties everywhere to promote a climate of tolerance in favour of diversity and multi-cultural societies and to condemn extremism and xenophobia in all its forms.
We call upon governments to cooperate on a global scale to facilitate the war against international crime.
We note the continuing gap between the recognition and realisation of human rights and that only 82 countries have ratified the Optional Protocol to the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We urge UN members to ratify existing individual complaint mechanisms for human rights treaties and to add protocols to the International Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights and to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. It is not sufficient to ratify treaties it is also necessary to suggest concrete mechanisms. Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women can be achieved by means of enabling women equal representation in all decision making positions: in parliaments, courts of justice, local authorities, boards of directors of public companies and other public and governmental institutions. In order to achieve equal opportunities, affirmative action must be implemented as a temporary measure to achieving full equality.
Capital punishment is a serious violation of human rights. Therefore we urge all governments to ban capital punishment.
