Sådan lyder advarslen fra FNs tidl. generalsekretær Kofi Annan, i en kommentar onsdag i britiske “Financial Times” med overskriften “Truslen mod Afrikas skrøbelige demokratier”.
Kofi Annan writes, that the desire for freedom and democracy has rarely been clearer. Elections are the indispensable root of democracy. But to be credible, we need to see high standards before, during, and after votes are cast. Too often, these conditions are not met.
The worsening crisis in Ivory Coast is a prime example of abuse (misbrug af valghandlingen) and its consequences. There is a real fear that its impact will be felt well beyond the country’s borders.
With 19 presidential elections scheduled for Africa over the next 18 months, Laurent Gbagbo’s stance risks undermining wider confidence in democracy and emboldening other leaders who confuse personal interests with those of their nation.
If the international community had stood firmly united behind the integrity of the certified election results, all this could have been avoided. A high price is being paid for the African Union’s delay in re-affirming that Alassane Ouattara was the rightful election winner and agreeing a solution to ease Gbagbo out of office.
The international community must understand that every time it turns a blind eye to electoral abuse, it becomes complicit (medvider) in degrading (undergrave) democracy’s potential. We have to raise the costs for those tempted to rig or steal polls.
The bravery of pro-democracy protesters in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and other countries reminds us of what is at stake. It would be a terrible betrayal if their hopes were to be denied by corrupt or rigged elections later this year, Kofi Annan stresses.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
