Hamdi Shakura

People's Rights Magazine - August 1997

Co-ordinator of the Democratic Development Unit at Palestinian Center for Human Rights

An important issue which has surfaced in most discussions about the role of NGOs in the democratization process is the opening of channels with the newly established Palestinian Authority. NGOs have a vital role to play together with the Authority in building the economic, social, and political institutions of a civil society.

May 1994 marked the first physical presence of a Palestinian government on its own ground. Despite the differences among political factions, most Palestinians envision a specific political system. This is best demonstrated by the PNC Declaration of Independence in Algiers in 1988. According to this declaration, the state of Palestine will adopt a parliamentary political system that will preserve freedom of expression, political diversity, and the protection of minorities. The system will seek to preserve the rule of law, the preservation of justice and equity, the maintenance of rights, and the sovereignty of the judiciary.

Fulfilling this declaration is not only the responsibility of the Executive, it is also the responsibility of the population and the existing institutions. It is here that the role of NGOs is basic and vital.

How does the Authority view NGOs?

With the exception of the Legislative and the Judiciary branches of the PNA the relationship between NGOs and the Executive is not as good as it should be. I would like to highlight two main problematic aspects: the legal framework and the media.

The legal aspect:

The 1995 law for regulating the work of beneficiary, private, and philanthropic organizations issued by the Ministry of Justice did not fulfill the NGOs desire to be independent. On the contrary, the law restricted, marginalized, and controlled all NGO activities. The provisions of the law in its current status do not enhance democratization and are void of a legal framework to protect rights.

The media aspect:

A slander campaign against NGOs has been orchestrated by the institutions of the Executive. One PNA General Director seems to be particularly specialized in spreading and publishing accusations against NGOs. In one article, he called us collaborators, homosexuals, and parasites. This happened under the eyes of the PNA, but no action was taken against him. For these reasons the performance of NGOs has been hampered by the Executive. New strategies and directions must be planned.

The democratization process:

A democratic tradition has already been rooted in Palestinian culture before the arrival of the PNA. This is demonstrated through the political diversity of different Palestinian institutions like universities, syndicates, and unions. The January general elections gave an impetus to this tradition. These elections formed the nucleus of a democratic practice which was crowned in the election of the Legislative Council despite its weak performance to date.

The interim period should be viewed as a critical transitional stage for the establishment of a democratic state. More effort should be placed on realizing such realities. The role of NGOs is vital during the current stage and they must perform to the best of their ability before it is too late. If they fail to do so, they may face more difficulties in the future or even total rejection.

The NGOs’ task is to consolidate the PNA’s performance. This is contrary to fabricated rumors that NGOs seek to undermine the PNA. NGOs demand the maintenance and preservation of the rule of law agreed upon through international standards. Some comments on NGOs

The diverse targets and duties of NGOs should be viewed in a positive sense. It is true that some NGOs aim at financial profits or always take a negative approach to political developments, but this is only a part of the social fabric of a democratic society. It is this diversity that can enhance democracy.

Many NGOs do not show any interest in the general good and the process of democracy. Their objectives are very narrow. NGOs which are active are few, and those who specialize in human rights are even fewer.

The impact of NGOs depends on the following factors: The degree of organization, stability and variety of financial resources, quality and quantity of human resources, and the nature of relations with official and popular levels.

The basic and most important element in the work of NGOs is to strengthen and consolidate the process of democratization This does not exempt other NGOs nor does it distance other political factions from the same duty. Rather, this must be viewed as a national strategy.

This role, in my opinion, should operate on two levels: one is related to the internal operation of NGOs and the other is related to the set of mechanisms and strategies employed.

The internal operation of NGOs:

It is not possible for NGOs to operate effectively if they do not have smooth internal functioning. NGOs should work as independent, open and democratic organisations. If any of these elements are absent, the NGO cannot function properly. An absence of coordination and exchange is characteristic of existing NGOs. This leads to duplicity, overlap, and loss of financial resources.

Mechanisms and strategies:

In order to strengthen democracy, NGOs should try to double their efforts and consolidate their ties on the official and public levels. On the official level, NGOs should try to coordinate with the three main components of government: the executive, legislative, and judicial. The public level is equally important.

At the official level there are three main strategies which I believe NGOs must follow:

· Cooperate with PNA institutions especially those specialized in the preservation of law and encourage them to adopt democratic procedures in their internal procedures.

· Strengthen ties with the Legislative and encourage it to pass motions to help spread democracy and respect of human rights. In this sense, NGOs can lobby for the enforcement of these motions. Moreover, NGOs should try to encourage speedy adoption of the Palestinian Basic Law.

· Work with the judiciary to stop violations of law. The judiciary is one of the most important elements in a democratic system. It is obvious that the Palestinian judicial system needs a lot of support.

At the public level there are also 3 main areas on which to focus the work of NGOs:

· Raising awareness: There is a need to develop concepts and raise awareness of rights, democracy, and responsibilities among the average person. However, difficulties have been encountered by NGOs in targeting sectors of society for which this kind of education is vital. There is no doubt that the main target should be society as a whole. The following are some remarks which may instigate thinking and revision of this issue:

1. Education of this kind requires perseverance and continuity.

2. We should avoid distributing leaflets and booklets that do not attract people’s attention.

3. Involvement of private mass media in the awareness raising campaign.

4. Involvement of specific sectors of society, particularly teachers. Despite the density of lectures by NGOs to students, teachers have often been left out. It is important to involve teachers in this field and encourage them to practice democratic procedures in their classes.

· Legal advice: Legal consultancy is a service offered to those whose civic rights have been violated. The victims are represented by NGOs specialized in legal affairs.

· Elections: NGOs have an important role to play in general and local elections which are both major components of a democratic system. NGOs can form special committees to supervise these elections, raise the electorate’s awareness, and offer legal advice for candidates.

The January 1996 general election proved that NGO involvement in the procedures has been fruitful and constructive despite some negative experiences which can be avoided in the future. NGOs must be well prepared for the coming local elections.

Finally, NGOs share a big responsibility towards state building at this stage. They must double their efforts and dedicate their actions to contribute to the current process of democratization. It is imperative, under the current circumstances, that NGOs become an indispensable part of this process..
Return to contents August 1997