Hoping for an invitation to the second summit for weak democracies

A closer look will show that the citizens of the invited countries had the scope to at least cast their votes and also that the US state department and Congress have not raised any questions about the credibility of the elections in these countries. And it is only natural that the US state department will also take into cognizance their own annual human rights report

Flags of USA and Bangladesh
File photo

With the passing of each day, we become increasingly impressed with foreign minister AK Abdul Momen's creativity. His latest elucidation certainly deserves mention. He offered this clarification when questioned why Bangladesh had not been invited to the Democracy Summit organised by the US president Biden on 9 and 10 December, though the decision had been taken by the organisers, that is, the Biden administration.

As it is, it is hardly courteous to ask why someone hadn't been invited to any particular event. But our curiosity knows no bounds. So instead of waiting for an explanation from the organisers, the question was made to foreign minister Abdul Momen. According to a report of the media outlet funded by the organiser country's state department, Voice of America, foreign minister Abdul Momen said the US had invited relatively weaker democracies to the Democracy Summit and that is why Bangladesh was not on the list of invitees.

To ensure that no one could harbour any doubt that we are a developed democracy, the foreign minister alluded to the example of neighbouring Myanmar's elections, clearly stating that many people there hadn't been allowed to cast their votes. It was the same in Afghanistan. There is military rule in Myanmar at present and Taliban in Afghanistan. Neither of them can be called democracies in any sense of the word. Surely, in a comparative sense, we are a more developed democracy than Myanmar and Afghanistan. The manner in which he spontaneously came up with this explanation and this example certainly warrants praise. Certain critics, however, pointed out that the voting in both Myanmar and Afghanistan were held during daylight and if, respectively, the military and the Taliban hadn't taken over, their elected leaders would certainly have been high on the list of invitees.

Since, according to foreign minister Abdul Momen we are not a weak democracy, we can smugly envision ourselves on par with China and Russia

On the list of 110 countries invited to the Summit for Democracy, the countries from South Asia include India, Pakistan, Nepal and the Maldives. And the four countries of South Asia who have not been invited to this summit which will be held virtually, include Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bhutan. The US state department's separate website for the Democracy Summit highlights the objectives of the meet in President Biden's words: 1. Defending against authoritarianism, 2. Addressing and fighting corruption, 3. Promoting respect for human rights. It was also mentioned that the US was eager to work with countries that expressed genuine interest in achieving the objectives of the summit.

In reply to an e-mail from Prothom Alo in this regard, the US state department spokesperson declined to respond to why certain countries had been invited and why certain countries hadn't, saying that the summit would have representation of countries that were recognised as established and rising democracies. He also mentioned that the invited countries were attending with the understanding that no democracy was perfect.

A closer look will show that the citizens of the invited countries had the scope to at least cast their votes and also that the US state department and Congress have not raised any questions about the credibility of the elections in these countries. And it is only natural that the US state department will also take into cognizance their own annual human rights report. They could not even include on the list Saudi Arabia or Egypt, their trusted friends of the Middle East.

There is no doubt that the Democracy Summit is part of the global politics of the US. President Biden's predecessor Donald Trump had pulled the US backwards in two areas, democracy and climate change. The flurry of diplomatic activities by president Biden's special envoy John Kerry regarding the recent COP26 showed just how earnest the US was to regain confidence of the global community in the area of climate change. He even visited Bangladesh and Bangladesh was included among the 40 countries invited by president Biden to join the special climate change summit. Bangladesh is in the fore among countries to bear the brunt of climate change. And Bangladesh's prime minister is presently the chair of the climate change-related Vulnerable Countries Forum (VCF). So it cannot be conceived of having any climate conference without Bangladesh.

The latest report on the state of democracy 2021 by Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDA), creates concern. Their report no longer terms Bangladesh a 'hybrid democracy'. It places Bangladesh on the list of 'authoritarian rule'.

The Democracy Summit, therefore, can in no way be compared to a climate conference. Some quarters try to say that this initiative by the US is an effort to elbow out China, its rival on the global scene. China and Russia have not been invited to the summit and their official response has been that this is an attempt by the US to expand its sphere of influence.

Since, according to foreign minister Abdul Momen we are not a weak democracy, we can smugly envision ourselves on par with China and Russia.

Then there are some who try to say that Bangladesh has not been invited to the summit because of its proximity with China and its dependence on China for development. Perhaps they feel that the people of Bangladesh are not aware of how much more than us, Pakistan is dependent on China.

Many try to take consolation in the fact that Sri Lanka hasn't been invited either. In their estimation, Sri Lanka's democracy can't be questioned and no one questions the free and fair elections there. Perhaps they have forgotten the concern of the international community concerning the state of human rights in Sri Lanka. The western world is stepping up pressure on the Sri Lankan government because of its reluctance and prevarication regarding investigation and trial of the genocide carried out during the crackdown on the Tamil rebellion. In fact, when Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, accused of war crimes, was made Sri Lanka's army chief, the US in February 2020 placed an entry bar on him and his family.

Our foreign minister Abdul Momen also said that it would be incorrect to say that Bangladesh has been left out. Perhaps they will ask Bangladesh later. This statement of the foreign minister is an expression of hope. The Democracy Summit website says that the second summit will be held in a year's time. But without democratic reforms, will BGR, the lobbyists hired by our foreign ministry for almost a decade now, be able to ensure an invite to the second summit? The latest report on the state of democracy 2021 by Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDA), creates concern. Their report no longer terms Bangladesh a 'hybrid democracy'. It places Bangladesh on the list of 'authoritarian rule'.

* Kamal Ahmed is a senior journalist.

* This column appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir