15 Minutes interviews: The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

Minivan News spends 15 minutes with Clare Doube of the NGO, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
1) Could I start by asking you to explain what the Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Secretariat is?
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent states. It has 53 member countries. Historically, the Commonwealth comes from the British Commonwealth which was an association of British colonies but nowadays the Commonwealth is made up of independent states.
There are four regions represented in the Commonwealth: Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Caribbean. Unusually, there are only four developed countries in this inter-governmental club: Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The rest of the countries are developing states. Ninety percent of Commonwealth countries are either developing countries or Small States (mostly either islands or landlocked), which means the needs of these states are a particular focus of the Commonwealth.
As an intergovernmental association, the Commonwealth works through a series of inter-governmental meetings, the most important of which is the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which sets the policy for the association. This policy is then implemented by the inter-governmental agencies, the most important of which is the Commonwealth Secretariat. The Commonwealth Secretariat is based in London and includes staff from across the Commonwealth divided into different programme divisions.
2) The Commonwealth Secretariat have recently been in the Maldives and the Maldivian Government has announced that the Commonwealth are to send election observers to the Maldives for the upcoming Majlis elections this December. Can you explain what the observers might do?
On invitation of a member-government of the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth will at times send elections observer teams. Often these teams will observe the preparation for the election such as voter registration, as well as the day of the vote itself.
The observer mission is made up of experts from other Commonwealth countries and will make a public report on the election. Sometimes it is decided that an observer team is not appropriate for a situation and instead that Commonwealth might provide other assistance to that country such as technical assistance, to try and ensure the election is run in a more free and fair manner.
3) So the Commonwealth will do a preparatory assessment and if it finds that elections cannot be free and fair, they will send a technical team rather than an observer team? In other words, if the Commonwealth does not send an observer team it means that the election will not be free and fair.
There may be many reasons not to send an election observer team, one of which certainly is that having assessed the situation, the Commonwealth believes a free and fair election will not happen and therefore they have decided that a more appropriate response would be to send a technical team. It must be remembered that at times voting on the day may be conducted in an effective manner but intimidation prior to the election day may mean that the results are not the true will of the people.
4) You say that the Commonwealth is a club of member states. Does the Commonwealth find it difficult to openly criticise a member even if that member does something to breaches the club rules?
All members of the Commonwealth are obliged to abide by the Harare Principles [a set of democratic, human rights and good governance principles which make up the club rules]. However, if a country contravenes these principles, the approach of the Commonwealth – as a largely inter-governmental association – is generally one of quiet diplomacy.
Whilst organisations like CHRI believe that quiet diplomacy does have a place we do also believe that more public engagement with erring governments can also be effective.
CMAG, as the body which monitors adherence to the Harare Principles, needs to take a more active role in ensuring compliance with democracy, human rights and good governance.
5) Does the Maldives always adhere to the Harare Principles?
CHRI believes that the Maldives, along with some other countries in the Commonwealth, including Pakistan, is not honouring the Harare Principles [on democracy and human rights] and we have called on CMAG to add the Maldives to their agenda. We have called on the Commonwealth to engage with the Maldives to bring about an active, participatory democracy in that country.
6) Should the democracy movement in the Maldives welcome Commonwealth involvement in the Maldives?
Yes. The Commonwealth – in particular as an organisation with an active interest in small states – has a lot to offer the people of the Maldives and the democracy movement. Whilst the Commonwealth does not have a lot of funding it is able to provide technical assistance in key areas.
7) What are the opportunities for the Commonwealth involvement in the Maldives after the forthcoming elections?
There are many opportunities for such involvement. We would hope, for example, that the Commonwealth would assist the Maldivian government in ensuring that the constitutional reform process is participatory and transparent, leading to reforms that will bring about a more democratic society in the Maldives that respects human rights.
Another area is in supporting civil society. The Commonwealth is after all not just an association of states but also of people and I hope the Commonwealth will support the growth of an active and engaged civil society in the Maldives.

Minivan News spends 15 minutes with Clare Doube of the NGO, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.

1) Could I start by asking you to explain what the Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Secretariat is?

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent states. It has 53 member countries. Historically, the Commonwealth comes from the British Commonwealth which was an association of British colonies but nowadays the Commonwealth is made up of independent states.

There are four regions represented in the Commonwealth: Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Caribbean. Unusually, there are only four developed countries in this inter-governmental club: Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The rest of the countries are developing states. Ninety percent of Commonwealth countries are either developing countries or Small States (mostly either islands or landlocked), which means the needs of these states are a particular focus of the Commonwealth.

As an intergovernmental association, the Commonwealth works through a series of inter-governmental meetings, the most important of which is the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which sets the policy for the association. This policy is then implemented by the inter-governmental agencies, the most important of which is the Commonwealth Secretariat. The Commonwealth Secretariat is based in London and includes staff from across the Commonwealth divided into different programme divisions.

2) The Commonwealth Secretariat have recently been in the Maldives and the Maldivian Government has announced that the Commonwealth are to send election observers to the Maldives for the upcoming Majlis elections this December. Can you explain what the observers might do?

On invitation of a member-government of the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth will at times send elections observer teams. Often these teams will observe the preparation for the election such as voter registration, as well as the day of the vote itself.

The observer mission is made up of experts from other Commonwealth countries and will make a public report on the election. Sometimes it is decided that an observer team is not appropriate for a situation and instead that Commonwealth might provide other assistance to that country such as technical assistance, to try and ensure the election is run in a more free and fair manner.

3) So the Commonwealth will do a preparatory assessment and if it finds that elections cannot be free and fair, they will send a technical team rather than an observer team? In other words, if the Commonwealth does not send an observer team it means that the election will not be free and fair.

There may be many reasons not to send an election observer team, one of which certainly is that having assessed the situation, the Commonwealth believes a free and fair election will not happen and therefore they have decided that a more appropriate response would be to send a technical team. It must be remembered that at times voting on the day may be conducted in an effective manner but intimidation prior to the election day may mean that the results are not the true will of the people.

4) You say that the Commonwealth is a club of member states. Does the Commonwealth find it difficult to openly criticise a member even if that member does something to breaches the club rules?

All members of the Commonwealth are obliged to abide by the Harare Principles [a set of democratic, human rights and good governance principles which make up the club rules]. However, if a country contravenes these principles, the approach of the Commonwealth – as a largely inter-governmental association – is generally one of quiet diplomacy.

Whilst organisations like CHRI believe that quiet diplomacy does have a place we do also believe that more public engagement with erring governments can also be effective.

CMAG, as the body which monitors adherence to the Harare Principles, needs to take a more active role in ensuring compliance with democracy, human rights and good governance.

5) Does the Maldives always adhere to the Harare Principles?

CHRI believes that the Maldives, along with some other countries in the Commonwealth, including Pakistan, is not honouring the Harare Principles [on democracy and human rights] and we have called on CMAG to add the Maldives to their agenda. We have called on the Commonwealth to engage with the Maldives to bring about an active, participatory democracy in that country.

6) Should the democracy movement in the Maldives welcome Commonwealth involvement in the Maldives?

Yes. The Commonwealth – in particular as an organisation with an active interest in small states – has a lot to offer the people of the Maldives and the democracy movement. Whilst the Commonwealth does not have a lot of funding it is able to provide technical assistance in key areas.

7) What are the opportunities for the Commonwealth involvement in the Maldives after the forthcoming elections?

There are many opportunities for such involvement. We would hope, for example, that the Commonwealth would assist the Maldivian government in ensuring that the constitutional reform process is participatory and transparent, leading to reforms that will bring about a more democratic society in the Maldives that respects human rights.

Another area is in supporting civil society. The Commonwealth is after all not just an association of states but also of people and I hope the Commonwealth will support the growth of an active and engaged civil society in the Maldives.

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