[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 10, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5511-S5512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
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SENATE RESOLUTION 540--RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 15, 2014, AS THE
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY, AFFIRMING THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY AS
A CORNERSTONE OF DEMOCRACY, AND ENCOURAGING ALL GOVERNMENTS TO STAND
WITH CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE FACE OF MOUNTING RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL
SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. McCain) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 540
Whereas in 2007, September 15 of each year was established
by the United Nations as the International Day of Democracy,
a day set aside to review the state of democracy in the
world;
Whereas democracy is a means of government that makes
manifest the free exercise of certain inalienable rights,
among them being the freedom of assembly, the freedom of
association, the freedom of the press, and the freedom of
speech;
Whereas democracy allows for participatory governance,
mobilizing citizens to strive for their version of the good
and instilling hope that the aspirations of the people may
one day be realized;
Whereas an analysis of 84 independent studies shows that
democracy has a favorable impact on the formation of human
capital, the rate of inflation, the level of economic
freedom, and the stability of political institutions;
Whereas democracy promotes tolerance and respect by
recognizing the human dignity of all people and is necessary
to the full realization of the values enshrined in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Whereas the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) defines ``civil society'' as associations
around which society voluntarily organizes itself and which
represent a wide range of interests and ties, including
community-based organizations, indigenous peoples'
organizations, and non-government organizations (NGOs);
Whereas a vibrant civil society is an essential element of
democratic societies and plays a key role in providing
transparency, ensuring the legitimacy of elections,
advocating for marginalized groups, and making clear the will
of the people;
Whereas, since 2012, the International Center for Not-for-
Profit Law has identified 69 new restrictive measures in over
50 countries hindering the ability of civil society
organizations (CSOs) to freely operate;
Whereas of the 98 countries for which data is available,
research presented in a 2013 article for the Journal of
Democracy explains that 12 prohibit and 39 restrict foreign
funding of domestic NGOs;
Whereas in 2000, the Community of Democracies was founded
``to bring together governments, civil society, and the
private sector in the pursuit of a common goal: supporting
democratic rules and strengthening democratic norms and
institutions around the world'';
Whereas in 2011, the United States joined other like-minded
governments to establish the ``Lifeline: Embattled Civil
Society Organizations Fund'' to provide small grants to CSOs
for immediate needs and to support short-term advocacy
projects;
Whereas, through the Open Government Partnership, 63
countries have committed to protecting the ability of CSOs to
operate in a manner that is consistent with the rights to
freedom of expression, association, and opinion;
Whereas in September 2013, on the sidelines of the United
Nations General Assembly, the United States launched a
coordinated multilateral effort encouraging countries to
stand with civil society and push back against growing
restrictions on CSOs;
Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights
to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association stands on
the front lines of civil society protection, documenting
extensive global threats to civil society and strengthening
international norms; and
Whereas the United States remains committed to its stand
with civil society by developing new mechanisms to combat
restrictions on civil society and bolster civil society's
efforts to support democracy around the world: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of the International Day
of Democracy;
(2) recognizes the importance of civil society to the
healthy development of nations;
(3) celebrates the invaluable contributions civil society
has made to the creation, strength, and preservation of
vibrant democracies and democratic institutions;
(4) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the
protection, advancement, health, and sustainability of
democracy throughout the world;
(5) condemns the use of restrictions, coercion, threats, or
force to impede the activities of civil society
organizations;
(6) recognizes the important multilateral work of the
Community of Democracies, the ``Lifeline: Embattled Civil
Society Organizations Fund'', the Open Government
Partnership, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the
Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association to
protect global civil society;
(7) recognizes the important role diplomacy plays in
defending global civil society and creating new openings for
civic space;
(8) emphasizes the value of programs of the United States
Government in protecting civil society and defending civic
space, including the work by the Senior Advisor for Civil
Society and Emerging Democracies and the Bureau of Democracy,
Human Rights, and Labor of the United States Department of
State, and the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID);
(9) calls on private sector partners and other governments
to develop new tools and leverage existing technologies to
support the efforts of civil society; and
(10) encourages the people of the United States and the
world to observe the International Day of Democracy,
September 15, 2014, with appropriate programs and activities.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the important
role civil society plays in the promotion of democracy as we observe
International Day of Democracy this September 15.
Twenty-five years ago, I stood in Berlin as the wall was coming down.
I will never forget that moment when the will of the people was finally
recognized. It's true that we have seen extraordinary progress over the
years. But in too many parts of the globe, basic rights continued to be
denied to those fighting for democratic ideals.
Today, there is an unprecedented global crackdown on civil society
organizations seeking to express their voice and exercise their rights.
We've seen pervasive restrictions on civil society organizations
enforced around the globe. Russia, in its worst political crackdown in
post-Soviet history, has stamped the label of ``foreign agent'' on any
civil society organization that receives support from other countries.
Ethiopia's 2009 Charities and Societies Proclamation continues to
hinder the work of human rights organizations and other civil society
groups that receive more than 10 percent of their funding from foreign
organizations. In 2012, Sudanese security forces violently attacked
civil society representatives who were protesting against government
restrictions. Egypt has prosecuted over 40 international aid
implementers, sentencing them to prison for up to five years. In Laos,
activist Sombath Somphone--a leader who dedicated his career to
expanding civic space in Laos--has been missing for nearly two years
after video footage documented his abduction at a police checkpoint. In
2013, government harassment in Sri Lanka forced the German Friedrich
Ebert Stiftung Foundation to close its office.
The developments that we see today have several notable features.
First, the pushback against democracy is a global phenomenon and
countries like Russia have established antidemocratic practices that
are being emulated elsewhere. Second, global democratic reversals are
not merely temporary aberrations but are likely to pose challenges for
years to come. Finally, the global response has thus far been
inadequate to meet these threats.
Moreover, democratic achievements cannot be taken for granted. A few
days ago, Hungary's National Investigative Office raided the offices of
two organizations which help distribute civil society funds from the
government of Norway. Thirteen NGOs are currently under investigation
in Budapest, including the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, HCLU, the
local office of Transparency International, and the Roma Media Centre.
These raids signal further deterioration of good governance, the rule
of law, and human rights in Hungary.
I regret that the Hungarian government is pursuing practices at odds
with the historic path to freedom Hungary pursued 25 years ago when
that country opened the door for East German refugees and courageously
helped pave the way for the end of communism. At a time when we need
more democracy in Europe, not less, Hungary's actions are not only
harmful for democracy in Hungary, they undermine efforts to build
democratic institutions throughout the region.
To call attention to widespread infringements upon civil society, I,
as Chair of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the
International Day of Democracy resolution. This resolution urges the
recognition of the International Day of Democracy,
[[Page S5512]]
affirms the role of civil society as a cornerstone of democracy, and
encourages all governments to stand with civil society in the face of
mounting restrictions on civil society organizations.
We cannot take success for granted; every day we must work to protect
democratic progress. As we observe the International Day of Democracy
this September 15, the international community must push back on these
grave threats to civil society as well as protect the efforts by these
organizations to build strong democratic institutions.
I would like to thank my colleagues for joining me in support of the
International Day of Democracy.
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