"States claiming the mantle of democracy, including Kenya and Pakistan, should guarantee the human rights that are central to it, including the rights to free expression, assembly and association, as well as free and fair elections," it said. "By allowing autocrats to pose as democrats... the United States, the European Union and other influential democracies risk undermining human rights worldwide." ..."Too many Western governments insist on elections and leave it at that," said Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch. "It seems Washington and European governments will accept even the most dubious election so long as the 'victor' is a strategic or commercial ally."
(Independent, 1 February) RD
Boy am I fed up of hearing about Western Democrcay and how it is held up as the Shining Beacon Of Light for The rest Of The World to follow - in the US they have 2 parties, in the UK we manage to get 3. Hardly makes either country a bastion of choice does it?
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