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HUMAN RIGHTS - Century a triumph fo
- Subject: HUMAN RIGHTS - Century a triumph fo
- From: m.win@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 05:09:00
Subject: HUMAN RIGHTS - Century a triumph for democracy, says report
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South China Morning Post=20
Thursday, December 23, 1999
=20
HUMAN RIGHTS
Century a triumph for democracy, says report
ASSOCIATED PRESS in Washington=20
The world has made great strides toward democracy in the 20th century, =
according to a new report on political and civil liberties around the =
globe.=20
As the century draws to a close, 119 of the world's 192 nations were =
electoral democracies, said the report by the pro-democracy group =
Freedom House.=20
"Humankind, in fits and starts, is rejecting oppression and opting for =
greater openness and freedom," said the report entitled Democracy's =
Century.=20
"Fits and starts" referred to the rise of fascist and communist =
movements in the first half of the century and the later defeat of Nazi =
totalitarianism, followed by the postwar trend toward decolonisation.=20
Freedom House said that in 1900 there were no states which could be =
judged as electoral democracies based on universal suffrage. The United =
States, Britain and a handful of democratic systems denied voting rights =
to women and, in the case of the US, to blacks.=20
Monarchies and empires predominated in 1900, while 25 states - home to =
12.4 per cent of the world's population - were restricted democracies.=20
The report said 85 nations, or 44 per cent of the world's population, =
were "free" as the year drew to a close and their people enjoyed "a =
broad range of political rights and civil liberties".=20
This year freedom gained ground in 26 nations and suffered setbacks in =
18, it said.=20
"Most significantly, the Islamic world, long resistant to democratic =
change, is beginning to show signs of liberalisation that includes =
modest democratic reforms and in several cases growing democratic =
ferment," the report said.=20
Of the 14 countries in the Middle East, the group rated only Israel as =
free.=20
Among other regions, the group found:=20
In Asia, nine of 26 countries were rated free. China was foremost among =
those not rated free;=20
Of the 53 countries in Africa, eight were free and 20 were democracies.=20
In Central and Eastern Europe, "democracy and freedom prevail" and =
progress had been made on building free-market economies. In the former =
Soviet Union, however, "movement toward open societies has stalled or =
failed".=20
Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists said 86 =
journalists were killed covering conflicts in 1999 - the second-worst =
year on record - pushing the total for the decade past 500.=20
=20
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<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D4><STRONG>South China =
Morning=20
Post </STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Thursday, December 23, 1999<BR> <BR><FONT =
color=3D#800000=20
size=3D4><STRONG>HUMAN RIGHTS</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D4><STRONG>Century a =
triumph for=20
democracy, says report</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><BR>ASSOCIATED PRESS in Washington </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><BR>The world has made great strides toward =
democracy in the=20
20th century, according to a new report on political and civil liberties =
around=20
the globe. <BR>As the century draws to a close, 119 of the world's 192 =
nations=20
were electoral democracies, said the report by the pro-democracy group =
Freedom=20
House. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>"Humankind, in fits and starts, is rejecting =
oppression and=20
opting for greater openness and freedom," said the report entitled =
Democracy's=20
Century. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>"Fits and starts" referred to the rise of fascist =
and=20
communist movements in the first half of the century and the later =
defeat of=20
Nazi totalitarianism, followed by the postwar trend toward =
decolonisation.=20
</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Freedom House said that in 1900 there were no =
states which=20
could be judged as electoral democracies based on universal suffrage. =
The United=20
States, Britain and a handful of democratic systems denied voting rights =
to=20
women and, in the case of the US, to blacks. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Monarchies and empires predominated in 1900, while =
25 states=20
- home to 12.4 per cent of the world's population - were restricted =
democracies.=20
</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>The report said 85 nations, or 44 per cent of the =
world's=20
population, were "free" as the year drew to a close and their people =
enjoyed "a=20
broad range of political rights and civil liberties". </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>This year freedom gained ground in 26 nations and =
suffered=20
setbacks in 18, it said. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>"Most significantly, the Islamic world, long =
resistant to=20
democratic change, is beginning to show signs of liberalisation that =
includes=20
modest democratic reforms and in several cases growing democratic =
ferment," the=20
report said. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Of the 14 countries in the Middle East, the group =
rated only=20
Israel as free. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Among other regions, the group found: </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><BR>In Asia, nine of 26 countries were rated free. =
China was=20
foremost among those not rated free; </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Of the 53 countries in Africa, eight were free and =
20 were=20
democracies. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>In Central and Eastern Europe, "democracy and =
freedom=20
prevail" and progress had been made on building free-market economies. =
In the=20
former Soviet Union, however, "movement toward open societies has =
stalled or=20
failed". <BR>Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists said =
86=20
journalists were killed covering conflicts in 1999 - the second-worst =
year on=20
record - pushing the total for the decade past =
500. <BR> =20
</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>
<HR>
</DIV><BR>
<DIV align=3Djustify></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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