TOPICS:

• National Projects
• Regional Activities
• Observation Missions and Technical Assistance

Established by the Secretary General through Executive Order No. 90-3, October 15, 1990, pursuant to General

Assembly resolution AG/RES. 1063 (XX-O/90), this Unit participates in the implementation of a support program that provides prompt and efficient advisory services or assistance to the member States that so request for the purpose of preserving or strengthening their political institutions and democratic procedures. The Unit's work plan is carried out under the Program of Support for the Promotion of Democracy, adopted through Permanent Council resolution CP/RES. 572 (882/91).

The guidelines and specific areas of activities of the Unit are spelled out in the "Work Plan of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy", approved by the Permanent Council on March 9, 1994 (CP/CG-1326/93 rev. 3). Under that Plan, support activities for member States are to focus mainly on the election institutions and procedures, including election monitoring, legislative institutions and education for democracy.

In addition to the technical assistance and direct advisory services to democratic institutions, the purpose of a number of the UPD's projects is to cooperate with institutions in generating knowledge and compiling information on the theory and practice of the democratic system of government, creating experts, training officials, and strengthening institutions devoted to studying democracy.

National Projects

Argentina. As part of the "Legislative Improvement" project, conducted by the Center for Legislative Cooperation and Studies (CECOL) of the National Federation of Provincial Legislatures located in the city of Santa Fe, a study has gotten under way to design civic education programs on the role of provincial legislatures and how they function. Between November 14 and 16, the Legislature of the Province of Entre Ríos was the site of a seminar/workshop for legislators, officials and journalists that addressed the topics of politics, communications and public information on parliamentary activity. The results will be published in book form and on video cassette.

As a result of research conducted through the project, CECOL published the book titled "La Crisis de la Representación Política y el Poder Legislativo".

Bolivia. Under the project on "Improvement of the Legislative Process", conducted by the National Congressional Research Center (CICON), support is being provided for a conference to debate the role of CICON in three main functions: a) general research, b) budgetary research, and c) codification of current laws. The Unit is also providing support for a number of training workshops on the following topics: a) modernization of the legislative branch of government; b) the effects of the Participation Law on the general budget of the Nation; and c) codification and systematization of laws.

Colombia. Under the project on "Challenges of Democratization: The Role of National Legislatures in the Andean Countries," support has been provided to the Center for International Studies of the Universidad de los Andes to conduct research to identify the structural, organizational and functional problems that the national legislatures of the Andean countries face. These research papers will be presented and discussed at a seminar that will be held at the Universidad de los Andes next year. The invitees will include academics, students, legislators, legislative officials, and journalists who specialize in legislative affairs. The University will publish the research papers. The project titled "Degree in Democracy and Latin American Political Institutions" was conducted in conjunction with the Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga.

Chile. The project titled "Strengthening of Technical Advisory Services to the Latin American Countries" has gotten under way and is being carried out by the "Legislative Advisory Program" of the "Corporación 2000", a Chilean institution that specializes in this topic. The objective of the project is to conduct a number of diagnostic studies on the legislative advisory services needed and the advisory systems already in place, to develop the general properties of "horizontal" technical assistance modalities that will strengthen and modernize the way national legislatures are organized and operate. The activities conducted under the project include national studies, seminars/workshops for advisors, legislators and congressional officials, and publications.

Grenada. The Unit is assisting the Career Development Foundation, Ltd. with execution of the program titled "Public Information in Strengthening Democracy". A series of radio and television programs provides the public with general information about candidates and matters of interest for Grenada's general elections. The topics addressed in the program include: a) the reasons for general participation in elections; b) analysis of the political agenda of the participating parties; c) live debates on issues of national interest (security, infrastructure development, education, foreign affairs). These programs deal only with educational aspects and are geared to promoting participation and a sense of responsibility in the conduct of public affairs.

Guatemala. The objective of the project titled "Education for Democracy", supported by the UPD, is to produce instructive materials and to provide local community leaders with training opportunities. The activities, carried out by the Institute of International Relations and Research for Peace, are divided into three basic components: a) "Legitimacy and Democracy, Research on Ethics in Politics", which involves research and field work to develop teaching materials about the culture of democracy and citizen participation; b) "Local power, participation and support for rural elections", which involves training programs and assistance for local organizations about the municipal government/central government relationship, the country's election system and the means available to protect human rights; c) "Formation and practice of a democratic culture", which involves workshops and fora in the departments of Totonicapán and Quetzaltenango to create dialogue with local leaders about human and civil rights issues in a democratic society and to train them in methods for settling disputes at the local level.

Nicaragua. The CIAV-OAS Mission continued to carry out its three main programs: a) "Monitoring and Verification Program" (Programa de Seguimiento y Verificación - P.S.V.), "Tripartite Commission" and the "Institutional Support Program" (Programa de Apoyo Institucional - PAI).

As part of the Monitoring and Verification Program, whose purpose is to monitor the pacification process and the reintroduction of former combatants into civilian society, the following activities have been carried out: a) Records have been made of the principal incidents of violence: a record is made of the principal acts of violence, which are then investigated and confirmed in an effort to ascertain the facts in each case; b) observation and mediation: officials of the P.S.V. have observed and verified the disarmament of armed groups in the presence of Nicaraguan authorities. They have also mediated conflicts between the government and differing leaders of the armed groups; c) Negotiation and Disarmament: officials of the P.S.V. mediated negotiations between the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua and the FN 3-80. In the agreement signed between the two parties, the Government pledged to grant plots of land and to implement economic and social programs that will facilitate former combatants' reassimilation into civilian society. The officials witnessed the disarming of armed groups and monitored and patrolled the security zone to verify that the cease-fire was holding, to check on the safety of the combatants and to respond to all incidents that jeopardized the peace process; d) Monitoring of kidnapping and the release of hostages: P.S.V. officials participated in the negotiations for the release of hostages on repeated occasions; e) Monitoring of fighting and other acts of violence: P.S.V. officials confirmed incidents of fighting and other acts of violence between irregulars and the Army; f) Tracking of rearmed groups. The situation as of October was as follows: between March and October 1994, some 180 individuals rearmed themselves and are operating in groups belonging to the former Nicaraguan Resistance, to the Sandinista People's Army and to the former Ministry of the Interior.

During this period, the CIAV-OAS Tripartite Commission Program conducted activities to compile police files and/or court records, case testimony and investigations of kidnapping and homicides. There have been frequent meetings with police and court authorities to keep them abreast of these activities.

As part of the Institutional Support Program (PAI) of CIAV-OAS, support continued to be provided to a number of institutions in the Nicaraguan Government. In March 1994, the monitoring of the final ballot counting for the election of the governments of the Atlantic coast autonomous regions was completed. Thereafter, a report was prepared that was favorable to the performance of the Supreme Electoral Council. There have also been 120 training workshops and seminars to train state officials and community leaders in such topics as education for peace, the culture of nonviolence, and strengthening of the rule of law. Some of the institutions and groups that participated were as follows: The Ministry of the Interior (police, prosecutors, prison officials); the Judiciary (judges, juries, officials); community governments (mayors and town councilors), community leaders, teachers and women's organizations.

Paraguay. A project is being conducted for "Development and Modernization of Democratic Institutions in Paraguay, in the areas of Education, Vital Records, the Vice Presidency and the National Congress." In the area of education, technical advisory services have been provided to the Ministry of Education to help it design a training program geared to technicians, supervisors and teachers, dealing with teaching/learning methods for instruction in democratic values and behaviors, and to assist it in developing a new curriculum and teaching materials. Advisory services have also been provided to the School of Business Administration to establish, within the new Universidad del Cono Sur, a Master's Degree Program in Political Science, with the emphasis on the study of the theory and practice of democratic institutions. The Unit is working with the Inter-American Development Bank to conduct diagnostic studies to modernize national records and create a General National Records System (vital records, national identification records, voting records and public records) and to strengthen and modernize the National Congress.

Under another project titled "Strengthening the Legislative Power," executed during 1993-1994 by the Center of Democratic Studies of Paraguay, and supported by the UPD, a book titled Poder Legislativo en el Cono Sur was published.

Peru. A project titled "Technical Assistance to the National Electoral Board (JNE)" has gotten under way. The purpose of the project is to assist with the organization and management of the April 1995 elections. The support being provided is in the form of three subprojects: a) Institutional strengthening; b) Training; and c) Rapid and effective transmission of election results.

Two experts have done studies and have recommended to the JNE that changes be made in the structure, administration and conduct of elections. The consultants worked closely with the JNE in conducting the first training seminars for provincial voter registration officials, between September 22 and 25. In all, 10 national instructors and 47 provincial registration officials have taken part in the program, which gives training on matters related to the Election Code and Election Administration. Through these activities instruction manuals have been developed for registration officials, as have methods for analyzing and handling legal and administrative situations, and mechanisms for institutional integration. The training of voter registrars continued in October and November while the training seminars for election officials began in January 1995.

International competitive bidding was used to select a specialized private firm to help execute the project on transmitting election results.

Also in Peru, the Unit has worked with the Peruvian Center for International Studies on the project titled "Integral Democracy", which has two components: a) promoting a better understanding of the OAS' role in defending and promoting democracy in the hemisphere; and b) creating and circulating information and knowledge on the theory and practice of democratic government, with particular emphasis on the structural and functional problems of the legislative branch of the Peruvian government. As for the first component, the Center for International Studies has done research and has organized a national round table and an international seminar. The papers presented there will be published.

Uruguay. Currently in progress is a project titled "Modernization of Parliamentary Business", coordinated by the Fundación PAX and the Instituto Wilson Ferreyra Aldunate. The purpose of the project is to modernize and strengthen the Uruguayan parliament by encouraging debate and by creating and circulating knowledge on how the parliament functions, its public image, the role and performance of the Budget Committee and those parliamentary mechanisms that either help or hinder the development of political consensus. The project has done studies on these subjects and has organized seminars/workshops for parliamentarians, political leaders, public officials, academics and journalists. The papers prepared for the seminars/workshops will be published.

Trinidad and Tobago. Through the program titled "Education for Preserving and Strengthening Democracy", the UPD provided support to the Ministry of Education and to the University of the West Indies to conduct a series of seminars and training workshops with a view to preparing updated civics textbooks. The first phase began in November 1993 with a two-day seminar that brought together elementary- and secondary-school teachers to offer their suggestions. In June 1994, the organizers sponsored another seminar to write the first version of the textbooks: "Early Citizenship Education" (elementary school), "How we Govern Ourselves" (junior secondary school), and "Democracy: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" (secondary school). The groups also produced slides and graphic materials. With the June 1994 meeting and the materials prepared, the project's first phase was completed. The second phase includes publication of the material and another round of training workshops for professors.

Suriname. With the "Special Mission to Suriname", the UPD is cooperating with the Government of that country in the peace process and in promoting democracy. The activities on the Mission's program are the following: a) Mine-clearing operation, conducted in February 1994 with the assistance of Brazilian Army officers and troops of the Surinamese army, to remove explosive devices; b) Identification Card Project, to provide identification cards to former members of armed irregular groups, while establishing a database that the Reassimilation Commission can use as a reference point for future activities; c) Projects in the Interior, related to the peace process. As part of the peace process, the Mission is developing maps and doing an inventory of the villages and useable natural resources in the country's interior; d) 1996 Election Process Support and Assistance: at the request of the Chairman of the Independent Election Board, the Mission presented a project involving support and technical assistance for the Office of the Political Advisor to the Ministry of the Interior for the 1996 elections.

Regional activities

The "Conference of Mayors" was held from November 14 through 16, organized in conjunction with the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Federation of Municipal Governments of the Central American Isthmus. The Conference brought together local leaders from throughout the hemisphere to discuss their experiences with the decentralization process in progress in the Americas. The Conference had three topics: a) the role of municipal associations; b) the importance of citizen participation in municipal government and the Public Participation Law in Bolivia; c) municipal government funding and the Colombian system of matching funds.

The project to set up the "Documentation and Information Center (CDI)", which is currently under way, is intended to develop a database on democracy-related institutions and issues that member States may consult. The database will include: constitutions; election codes; information on legislatures; electoral institutions; election monitoring missions; UPD projects. Cooperating on this project are Georgetown University and the Center for Advisory Assistance and Election Promotion (CAPEL).

A book containing the Reports of the OAS Election Observation Missions is now being prepared for publication. This project includes the following reports: Nicaragua, Haiti, Suriname, Paraguay, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru and Venezuela.

Observation missions and technical assistance

Observation of the Presidential Elections in Costa Rica. On January 14, 1994, the Secretary General received an official invitation from the Government of Costa Rica to monitor the general elections that were held on February 6. The OAS Election Observation Mission consisted of three observers who began their work on February 4 and completed it on February 7. The Mission concluded that the elections were conducted openly and honestly and were free and without incident.

Observation of the Registration Process and of the Atlantic Coast Regional Elections in Nicaragua. At the invitation of the Government of Nicaragua, an observation mission consisting of personnel attached to CIAV-OAS in Nicaragua observed voter registration for the Atlantic coast regional elections in Nicaragua. The Nicaraguan Government also invited the OAS to monitor the elections held on February 27. The OAS Mission visited, among other places, Puerto Cabezas and Bluefields. The Missions concluded that on the whole the registration process and elections proceeded relatively without incident and that there were sufficient guarantees for citizens to express their political will.

Observation of the General Elections in Panama. In a communication dated January 11, 1994, the Panamanian Government asked the Secretary General to send a mission of observers to monitor the general elections that took place on May 8. The Mission, which consisted of 27 observers, began its activities on May 1 and completed them on May 14. The mission's finding was that the Election Tribunal had organized and managed the elections in such a way as to instill within the political forces and the general public the sense that these were free and honest elections; it also found that the elections proceeded routinely and without incident.

Observation of the General Elections in the Dominican Republic. The OAS worked with the Central Election Board (Junta Central Electoral - JCE) by assigning a resident technician who began his advisory functions on July 6, 1993. The OAS cooperated in the voter identification process, the voter registration process, the Data Processing Center and the JCE's Internal Coordination.

Apart from the request for technical assistance, the Government of the Dominican Republic and the Central Election Board asked that the OAS send an Election Observation Mission for the elections of May 16, 1994. The Mission, consisting of 27 observers, monitored the election process from April 25 to August 17, 1994.

Because of irregularities that the international observers noted, a small group of OAS observers remained within the country. In coordination with the principal participants in the election process, they encouraged and facilitated dialogue among the political party leaders, which eventually resulted in the "Pact for Democracy", which was the basis for finding a Dominican solution to the situation that emerged in the wake of the elections.

Observation of the Second Round of Presidential Elections in Colombia. In response to a request received from the Colombian Government, the Secretary General ordered that an Election Observation Mission be sent for the second round of presidential elections, held on June 19, 1994. The Mission, composed of 6 observers, worked from June 14 through 22 and found that the elections were conducted freely, transparently and in an atmosphere of calm.

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