U.S. Policy & Issues
Key Reports
Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2006 (Turkmenistan)
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Preface
This report documents the many ways the United States worked in 2006 to foster respect for human rights and promote democracy worldwide.
President Bush has committed us to conduct a foreign policy rooted in freedom, and he has identified the advancement of human rights and democracy as an essential element of our national security strategy. As the President stated: “What every terrorist fears most is human freedom – societies where men and women make their own choices, answer to their own conscience, and live by their hopes instead of their resentments.”
Throughout 2006, in every region of the world, we sought to promote and defend international human rights standards and democratic principles. We helped fellow democracies establish and sustain accountable institutions of government and the rule of law. We fostered free and fair election processes and encouraged the full participation of all citizens, including women and minorities, in the life of their countries. We worked to strengthen civil societies and promote media freedom. Furthermore, where human rights and democratic principles were under siege, we stood in solidarity with those who pressed for peaceful change.
Defending human dignity and supporting the growth of effective democracies across the globe is a long term effort, and it requires strong partnerships with other governments, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector. There will be setbacks, and progress may at times come slowly, but we and our partners will persevere – for it is right and wise to invest in the dreams of men and women of every culture and color, every background and belief, who yearn to secure the blessings of liberty for themselves, for their children, and for the futures of their countries.
With these thoughts, I hereby transmit the Department of State’s Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2006 to the United States Congress.
Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
U.S. Human Rights and Democracy Strategy
Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2006 describes the wide range of diplomatic tools we applied last year to support indigenous reform efforts across the globe.
There is no single formula for advancing personal and democratic freedoms. Our efforts focused on the three core components of a working democracy that must be present if human rights are to be effectively exercised and protected: One -- a free and fair elections process, with a level playing field to ensure genuine competition; Two -- good governance, with representative, transparent and accountable institutions operating under the rule of law, including independent legislatures and judiciaries; and Three -- a robust civil society and independent media that can keep government honest, keep citizens engaged, and keep reforms on track. Where these three essential elements of democracy were weak, we worked to strengthen them; where they were under siege, we sought to defend them, and where they were non-existent due to government repression, we spoke out for those who live in fear yet dream of freedom.
As these reports indicate, we tailored our support for human rights and democracy to the challenges particular to each country and region. In the Western Hemisphere, for example, the principal challenge is democratic development -- helping democracies improve their capacity to deliver on the demands of their citizens for a better life. For many countries in Africa, ending violence remains central to improving human rights conditions and advancing governmental reforms. The challenges for human rights and democracy across South, Central and East Asia and the Pacific are as diverse as the countries in that vast expanse. In many cases, we helped democracies better address issues of governance to deepen the progress that they have made. In other cases, where leaders maintain control at the expense of the rights of their citizens, we spotlighted abuses and worked to expose populations to the global flow of ideas and information. In Europe, we continued to cooperate with our European partners to fulfill the vision of a continent that finally is whole, free and at peace. And in the broader Middle East and North Africa region, we responded to the growing demand for political, economic and educational reform through innovative multilateral and bilateral efforts such as the Forum for the Future and the Middle East Partnership Initiative.
Also in 2006, Secretary of State Rice announced two important initiatives in support of human rights and democracy defenders: a Human Rights Defenders Fund; and ten guiding NGO Principles regarding the treatment by governments of nongovernmental organizations.
The Human Rights Defenders Fund will enable the State Department to quickly disburse small grants to human rights defenders facing extraordinary needs as a result of government repression. This funding, which will begin at $1.5 million and will be replenished each year as needed, could go to cover legal defense or medical costs, or short-term support to meet the pressing needs of activists’ families.
The ten guiding NGO Principles(http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/77771.htm) will guide our own treatment of NGOs, and we also will use them to assess the actions of other governments. The Principles are meant to complement lengthier, more detailed, UN and other international documents addressing NGOs and other human rights defenders. We hope that our contribution of the ten NGO Principles will help to rally worldwide support for embattled NGOs by serving as a handy resource for governments, international organizations, civil society groups and journalists.
Advances for human rights and democracy depend first and foremost on the courage and the commitment of men and women working for reform in their own countries. Progress also will require sustained and concerted efforts by the United States and fellow democracies in every region of the world. The path forward rarely will be linear. Fragile democracies can founder. Countries whose leaders are not fully committed to democracy can backslide. Those pressing for reform inevitably encounter push back from those who do not welcome change. These are sobering realities. At the same time, we believe that our work for freedom’s cause can help to create new, hopeful realities for men and women across the globe.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is an authoritarian state that was dominated by president-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov until his December 21 death. Niyazov became president after Turkmenistan gained independence in 1991 and consolidated his monopoly on political and economic power, controlling the parliament, judicial system, and the Democratic Party, which remained the sole legally recognized political party. The Halk Maslahaty (people’s council) decided on December 26 to select Niyazov’s successor through public elections on February 11, 2007. Under the constitution, Parliament Chairman Ovezgeldy Atayev should have become the interim president, but Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov, the deputy prime minister, was named instead, allegedly because of an ongoing criminal investigation against Atayev. On December 26, the Halk Maslahaty selected six presidential candidates and changed the constitution to allow the candidacy of Interim President Berdimuhammedov. The government continued to commit serious abuses, and its human rights record remained extremely poor. Authorities severely restricted political and civil liberties. Niyazov stifled political dissent and freedom of the press and eroded the educational system. In July and December elections for members of people’s councils at the village, city, and district level took place; contrary to previous elections, independent candidates could run for office with community support. During the 2004 parliamentary elections, only members of the Democratic Party could run. Torture and mistreatment of detainees; incommunicado and prolonged detention; arbitrary arrest and detention, including family members of accused criminals; and denial of due process and a fair trial continued. The government continued to restrict freedoms of speech, press, assembly, travel, and association. While serious violations of religious freedom continued, the government has noticeably reduced harassment of registered minority religious groups since 2004. The government continued to restrict registration of civil society groups, and harass ment of NGOs and community activists who were in contact with foreign embassies became more noticeable later in the year.
The United States maintained a multi-pronged strategy to support the development of democracy and human rights in the country. Throughout the year senior US officials urged the government to promote democratic reform at every opportunity in bilateral meetings with President Niyazov and other senior officials, as well as through multilateral institutions and public statements. Senior officials regularly reiterated the message that respect for human rights is the highest priority of the US Government. The United States regularly advocated on behalf of individual cases of abuse and coordinated closely with other diplomatic missions and international organizations. The United States funded a wide range of programs designed to strengthen civil society and respect for human rights.
During the year the United States used public statements and a range of speaker and exchange programs to convey the importance of freedoms of information, media, and speech. The United States funded seven speakers, including an expert on Islam in America; the author Paul Theroux, who spoke about the importance of self-expression; and a criminal justice and law expert. The United States brought two local journalists to the United States on the Edward Murrow Journalism program and supported programs by US Government exchange program alumni and civic groups that highlighted the importance of media freedom and freedom of speech. In addition to regularly scheduled speakers, a US official addressed 40 state library professionals and administrators on the need to provide public access to government information. The US Government again supported a Model United Nations conference in Ashgabat for more than 100 youth from each of the country’s five provinces, as well as one national and multiple regional debate tournaments.
During the year American Corners collectively attracted more than 48,500 visitors. However, in the spring outreach was hampered when the government closed the American Corner in Turkmenbashy and three Internet Access Training Program sites in Dashoguz, Balkanabat, and Ashgabat’s National Library. US efforts to reopen all sites continued throughout the year. Despite these pressures, programming in the remaining four American Corners, the American Center in Ashgabat, two Internet Access Training Program sites, and the Alumni Resource Center in Ashgabat continued to expand, which provided citizens a critical link to the outside world by offering access to independent sources of information. Outreach in Turkmenbashy continued in a local polyclinic’s classroom, with the help of alumni of US Government exchange programs. The remaining Internet Access Training Program centers supported the Global Connections and Exchange Program, an information technology training program for teachers and students, after the host government rejected efforts to implement the program in state schools. The program trained approximately 81 teachers and 300 students during the year.
The United States opened an enlarged Information Resources Center with high-speed Internet, which had registered more than 1,400 users by the end of the year. The center used its conference space to accommodate partner organizations’ and individual programs, including efforts by state teachers to provide Internet and computer training to their students.
US English-language programming and outreach expanded significantly during the year, providing essential support to democracy programming by providing local audiences access to print and electronic materials in English. Moreover, the US Government’s first resident English Language Fellow, based at the staterun Azadi World Languages Institute, was able to reach audiences usually barred from interaction with US officials—teachers and current students.
Although the United States continued to urge government officials to register NGOs throughout the year, the Ministry of Justice registered no new NGOs. US-funded civil society development programs supported a network of four Civil Society Support Centers that provided training seminars, technical support, information resources, networking opportunities, and professional services to NGOs and grassroots activists to build their capacity in the civic sector. The United States also provided direct legal support and services for NGOs through the network. US-funded civil society development programs focused on grassroots community development and advocacy. During the year these programs implemented 133 community projects with funding from the US Government.
To promote the rule of law, a US-funded program supported the Legal Resource Center at Turkmen State University. Since January 2004, the center has organized training programs on the country’s labor legislation, the development of its criminal legislation, legal guarantees of women’s rights, and the development of civil legislation. More than 1,500 students participated in extracurricular activities during the year, and more than 3,700 visited the center’s facilities and benefited from access to legal information via the Internet. The civil law clinic operating at the university, which was one of the first clinics in the country, provided individual consultation on both civic and criminal legal issues and promoted legal, professional, and ethical standards through seminars and workshops for law faculty and students. Program staff provided ongoing training to clinic staff attorneys on managing a student-run clinical program and addressing practical and pedagogical issues surrounding clinical legal education.
US-funded programs continued to sponsor student participation in national moot court competitions. A program developed in cooperation with Turkmen State University offered young people the opportunity to learn about the law and basic principles of human rights and democracy. Law students involved in the program learned techniques for teaching primary and secondary school students about their rights and responsibilities under the law. The program’s objective was to sensitize students at a young age to the ways in which the law can help solve critical family, social, and political issues. The program effectively promoted practical skills and enhanced the legal knowledge of law student participants and provided legal information to members of the general public. In addition, a Fulbright conference drew more than 110 citizens and highlighted rule of law and criminal justice, international relations, and education.
The United States promoted respect for human rights through diplomacy and programs. The United States actively supported efforts to gain access to all prisoners, including those detained following the armed attack on President Niyazov’s motorcade in 2002. The United States also advocated for improved treatment of relatives of those implicated in the 2002 attack, and urged the government to cease systematically harassing them. The United States continued to promote the rights of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities through programs. The US Government funded a ground-breaking program that offered training to communities, NGOs, and activists for dealing with family abuse. A US program funded training for youth and the disabled on their rights under international and domestic law.
The United States continued to monitor the government’s compliance with its international obligations on freedom of movement. The government formally lifted its exit visa regime in 2004 to avoid Jackson-Vanik sanctions; however, it continued to maintain a “black list” of individuals barred from international travel. During the year the United States raised individual freedom of movement cases with the government, advocated on behalf of relatives of prisoners, and strongly urged the government to allow a noted author to travel to the United States to receive an award.
The United States continued to urge the host government to respect religious freedom. As a result of US efforts, the government further reduced harassment of minority religious groups. In addition, scholars from the United States conducted two outreach meetings on the topic of “Islam in America.” The meetings attracted representatives from the Council of Religious Affairs and individual Imams from all five provinces.
US funding to combat trafficking in persons supported the International Organization for Migration’s work with the State Border Service on a Ministry of Justice-approved program that worked to ascertain the extent and patterns of human trafficking in the country. The US also supported an anti-trafficking public education campaign and provided training to help the Border Service to better combat human trafficking. In addition, the US funded a “Rule of Law” study tour to the United States for ten officials, during which participants met with their counterpart US officials from five law enforcement agencies.
