Africa

Across the political and human landscape of sub-Saharan Africa, the United States promoted human rights and democracy as its primary foreign policy objective. It advanced good governance through a variety of approaches, including strong diplomatic representation, trade incentives, and grassroots programs that carried the message of democracy to the village level. In 2005, these initiatives led to numerous gains throughout the region. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, U.S. support to the Independent Electoral Commission helped register 25 million voters across 11 provinces for the country’s successful December 2005 constitutional referendum and the presidential election scheduled to take place before June 30, 2006. U.S. support for national elections in Liberia, which included strengthening political parties, promoting voter registration, and training polling officials, assisted the country’s democratic development.

Despite these accomplishments, serious challenges remained and significant violations of human rights continued. In Darfur, the Sudanese Government, Government-supported militia, and Darfur rebel movements committed serious human rights and humanitarian law abuses. Violence against women and girls, including widespread rape, were serious problems in Sudan. Following strong gains by opposition parties in parliamentary elections in Ethiopia, the Government arrested opposition leaders, journalists, and prominent members of civil society. The Government of Ethiopia charged these individuals with capital offenses ranging from "outrages against the constitution" to genocide. The political crisis continued in Cote d’Ivoire, where the Gbagbo Government made few gains in either peace talks with the rebels or preparations for the country’s planned 2006 presidential election.

To promote human rights in Africa, the United States offered strong incentives for African governments to move toward political openness through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which carries a strong democracy and human rights component and provides significant trade benefits to eligible countries. In addition, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) granted substantial assistance to countries that pursued reforms in the areas of ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering economic freedom. During 2005, 17 African countries qualified for MCC compact or threshold program eligibility.

To promote durable peace and free democracy in Burundi, the United States initiated programs aimed at enhancing media freedom and freedom of speech and played an important role in supporting the country’s successful 2005 elections. With these elections, Burundi became the first sub-Saharan country since South Africa to move from minority rule to democratic majority rule through negotiations and democratic elections. The United States actively supported peace talks in Sudan that led to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, ending 22 years of civil war. The United States continued to support the formation of the Government of National Unity, while vigorously pressing Khartoum and rebel forces alike to end the continuing violence in Darfur.

Many U.S. initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa were designed to chip away at the foundations of totalitarian rule, to open up political space, and to encourage silent voices to speak out. In Zimbabwe, where fraudulent senate elections further tightened President Mugabe’s grip on power, the U.S. Government hosted two conferences that highlighted the lack of press freedom and provided uncensored news to the Zimbabwean public through radio broadcasts of the Voice of America. In addition, U.S.-funded NGOs disseminated information on human rights and civil society. In Equatorial Guinea, U.S. action led to the Government’s signing of a "Social Needs Fund" to accelerate the investment of the country’s vast oil revenues to address health, education, women’s issues, and sanitation. The United States also worked with opposition parties, civil society, youth, and media to encourage their participation in the expansion of democracy and respect for human rights.

In the struggle to promote democracy and respect for human rights and workers’ rights in Africa the closest allies of the United States are the region’s democratic governments themselves. The United States continues to work closely with freely elected governments everywhere to ensure that human freedom becomes an African reality.

Finding Common Ground With Angolan Civil Society

To support Angolans seeking to promote peace and reconciliation in their country following 27 years of civil war, the U.S.-funded NGO Search for Common Ground (SFCG) developed a project aimed to build the capacity of civil society and political institutions to address and resolve conflict. SFCG civil society workshops improved local groups’ conflict resolution abilities by training individuals in skills needed to identify the root causes of conflict; develop strategies for appropriate intervention through mediation, facilitation, and negotiation; and craft community programs to resolve specific conflicts, including resource distribution and returnee reintegration.

In addition, the SFCG project fortified important linkages between civil society, government, political parties, and security forces. By collaborating to solve different problems affecting local communities, Angolan citizens at all levels of society worked to build peace and stability in the country.

Another essential component of the SFCG project was to provide training for Angolan high school students destined to become future police and military personnel. Workshops developed students’ ability to resolve conflicts through nonviolent means and broadened their knowledge and understanding of human rights.

Angola

Since the end of its protracted civil war four years ago, Angola has experienced relative peace and social and political stability. International and domestic efforts contributed to the demobilization and reintegration of National Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) combatants, and UNITA is now a disarmed opposition political party. Resettlement of internally displaced persons to their places of origin and the return of thousands of refugees from neighboring countries continued. While the Government’s human rights record showed improvements in a few areas, serious problems remained. There were reports of unlawful killings, disappearances, torture, and abuse of persons. Arbitrary arrest and lengthy pretrial detention were problems. The court system did not always ensure due process and remained inefficient and overburdened. The Government continued to limit media access in the provinces and to place impediments to some political demonstrations.

The U.S. strategy for improving human rights and democratic governance in Angola focused on preparing stakeholders for upcoming elections, supporting independent media, strengthening civil society, fostering greater transparency, and supporting the rule of law. To reach these goals, the Embassy partnered with the Government and several international and local NGOs.

The establishment of strong democratic norms and institutions is a critical component of U.S. policy in Angola. During a May 2004 meeting with President Bush, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos committed to hold elections by 2006. The Government took important steps during 2005 to prepare for the elections, including the passage of electoral laws and constituting a National Election Commission; however, the electoral calendar has not been announced.

During the year, the United States supported projects to prepare civil society organizations and political parties for national elections. U.S. funds supported the expansion and consolidation of various national election networks critical to broadening citizen involvement in the election process throughout Angola’s 18 provinces. These networks held more than 40 town hall meetings that brought political party officials and 4,150 community members together. The United States also supported training and technical assistance for political parties at the national and provincial levels on issues such as platform development, message delivery, and constituency relations. Other U.S.-funded programs facilitated comprehensive debates over electoral rules and regulations. Both civil society groups and political parties played significant roles in these debates. Civil society organizations successfully lobbied for changes to the law on electoral observation that will allow local NGOs, as well as political parties and international observers, to serve as observers throughout electoral preparations and actual voting. Opposition parties worked with the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party to pass a largely consensual package of electoral laws.

The United States continued to support independent media in 2005. In October, the Embassy, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Communication, organized a high-level training program attended by more than 100 press spokespersons, senior journalists, and media executives. The training session focused on how to manage a press office and work more successfully with international and local press. The Embassy assisted the Angolan Syndicate of Journalists and the Inter-Ecclesiastical Committee for Peace in Angola to provide media training and organize community forums and radio debates in order to prepare more than 100 journalists in four provinces for upcoming elections. Three senior journalists traveled to the United States as part of the International Visitors Leadership Program. The United States supported the establishment of an independent media organization, MultiPress, to produce accurate and timely news and information broadcast by Voice of America. For many Angolans, particularly rural residents, these broadcasts are the only independent source of information on issues that impact their lives. MultiPress established correspondents in all 18 provinces and produced more than 3,060 news broadcasts, information spots, debates, and interviews on key democratic governance issues such as land rights, rights to education, political and electoral processes, access to information, and transparency. In discussions with President dos Santos and the Ministry of Social Communications, the Embassy advocated for the expansion of independent radio broadcasts to the provinces, including those of the largest nongovernmental radio network, Radio Ecclesia. The Embassy helped local NGOs implement human rights awareness programs focusing on critical issues, including transparency, education, and democratic principles. These NGOs reached out to more than 32,000 local citizens through town meetings, seminars, advocacy campaigns, workshops, and debates. The United States funded a monthly educational newsletter on human rights with a circulation of 26,000.

The Embassy began new conflict mitigation and peace building activities at the local level. These programs helped create and train 56 community development groups to work in partnership with local government administrations to define and address their specific needs and priorities.

To foster transparency, the Embassy worked with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to implement a Fiscal Programming Unit (FPU). The mandate of the FPU is to strengthen fiscal management in the MOF throughout the government’s budgeting process. This program recruited five professional staff members, developed a detailed training program, and completed cataloging the Public Administrative Accounts, which represented more than 60 percent of the government’s total expenditures.

Improvement of the legal system is a critical factor in the political and economic development of Angola. To help develop the legal system, the U.S.-funded Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) provided training and consultative services to judges and court clerks. Over the past four years, CLDP has assisted the Ministry of Justice to improve its judicial system by focusing on procedural issues of the courts. CLDP trained 30 senior court clerks to improve court administration in the provincial and municipal courts of Benguela and Lobito, provided technical skills to ensure random assignment of judges, and helped establish a system for the tracking of cases and the continuous accountability of documents. The Embassy, the Ministry of Justice, and the Portuguese Government formalized plans during the year to provide the hardware, software, and training necessary to computerize the Angolan case management system.

The Embassy continued to focus on human rights throughout 2005, consistently underscoring the important connection between support for human rights and a strong relationship with the United States. The Embassy regularly discussed human rights issues with government officials at all levels and frequently traveled outside of the capital to discuss human rights issues.

The Embassy continued to monitor the human rights situation throughout the country, focusing on Cabinda, Lunda Norte, and Lunda Sul provinces. The Ambassador encouraged human rights training for military officials in Cabinda. The United States sent 29 police officers to International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) training and helped an Angolan ILEA alumni group conduct in-service training for colleagues. The United States also supported a program that conducted six human rights training sessions for 195 students in local high schools, whose graduates frequently join the police or military.

Burkina Faso

On November 13, President Blaise Compaore was elected to a third five-year term in elections characterized by observers as generally free but not entirely fair due to the resource advantages held by the President. The country’s human rights record remained poor, but there were improvements in some areas, including significant efforts to combat female genital mutilation and trafficking in persons (TIP). The judiciary is subject to executive influence, and individual members of security forces continue to commit human rights abuses.

The United States focused its strategy to promote democracy and human rights in Burkina Faso on diplomatic and programmatic measures to support free and fair presidential elections in November 2005 and municipal elections in March 2006, and to promote the Government’s compliance with international human rights norms. The United States also emphasized accountability and transparency in governance, enhancing capacity building of political parties, and further easing political tensions.

The United States funded a program to build capacity in political parties and to promote inter-party dialogue in order to maximize the competitiveness of the 2005 presidential and 2006 municipal elections. The program targeted upgrading the political and organizational skills of opposition parties, which had captured 49% of the seats in the May 2002 parliamentary elections. This program generated good will from civil society and political parties while garnering respect from the Government and the ruling party, Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP). The program involved participants from the entire political spectrum, including members of the CDP and members of the moderate and radical opposition.

The United States allocated funds to produce radio programs on human rights as well as television commercials to encourage voting and explain the electoral process. The United States also funded the translation of human rights declarations into local languages, the development of the judicial system as it relates to the rights of women, seminars on electoral law and the proper submission of legal challenges to dubious election results, and the promotion of tolerance through a summer camp for Koranic school students.

As part of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), the Embassy sent a number of professionals in the areas of democracy, good governance, conflict resolution, civic education, and journalism to the United States. The United States also sent three participants on an IVLP about Islam in a democracy.

The United States provided funding to three Burkinabe organizations to monitor the 2005 presidential and 2006 municipal elections. The organizations presented their reports to the public. The United States funded several workshops for children on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and several workshops for women on their rights and the importance of procuring legal documents such as national identification cards.

The United States provided training to military personnel and civilians on maintaining civilian control over the military in a democracy and the legal implications of the war on terror.

The United States sponsored a number of workshops and discussions exploring different religions and the importance of tolerance. The Embassy regularly met with Burkina Faso’s Muslim community for discussions and exchanges. During the recent month of Ramadan, the Embassy hosted three Iftaar dinners during which American-Muslim employees of the Embassy shared experiences as a Muslim in America.

In addition, the United States funded several projects in the fight against TIP. A Burkinabe NGO rehabilitated and reintegrated 70 repatriated children in two U.S.-funded centers. The same NGO is also producing a documentary on local anti-trafficking laws. The United States also funded the translation of already-existing French language anti-trafficking films into local languages. Additionally, the United States is midway through a multi-year project intended to reduce child trafficking by creating locally relevant curricula in rural schools. The United States funded a program to combat child labor in the mining sector with the Interntional Labor Organization (ILO) as an implementing partner.

Burundi

In 2005, Burundi completed its political transition as the first sub-Saharan African country since South Africa to move from minority rule to democratic, majority rule via negotiations and elections. The electoral process began in February with the adoption of a Constitution, continued in May, June, and July with local and legislative elections, and culminated on August 26 with the inauguration of Pierre Nkurunziza as Burundi’s first democratically elected President since 1993. International observers monitored the elections and judged them to have been free and fair. Despite the change in government and an increase in respect for political rights following the adoption of the new Constitution, Burundi’s human rights record remained poor. Security forces continued to commit numerous arbitrary and unlawful killings. There were credible reports of disappearances, and security forces continued to torture, beat, and otherwise abuse persons. Credible reports documented the rape of women and girls by security forces acting with impunity. Despite some improvements, prison conditions remained very poor. Impunity and the continuing lack of accountability for those who committed past abuses remained serious problems. Arbitrary arrest and lengthy pretrial detention were problems, and there were reports of incommunicado detention. The court system did not always ensure due process or provide citizens with fair trials. Freedom of the press worsened, primarily amid electoral tensions. Refugee and asylum seeker rights deteriorated markedly, and the Government cooperated to a much lesser extent with UN agencies and international organizations aiding refugees and asylum seekers. Rebel forces of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the only remaining rebel group, continued to commit numerous serious human rights abuses against civilians, including killings, kidnappings, rapes, theft, extortion, forced labor, and the forcible recruitment and employment of children as child soldiers.

U.S. human rights and democracy goals in Burundi included helping build a just and lasting peace based on democratic principles, protecting human rights, and relieving human suffering. These goals were supported by U.S. efforts to strengthen newly created and newly elected governing bodies, decrease corruption, strengthen civil society, promote ethnic, political, and regional reconciliation, support victims of torture, and reintegrate ex-combatants and former child soldiers. The United States engaged government officials and political party leaders to ensure respect for Burundi’s transitional power-sharing arrangements and directly supported the conduct of free and fair elections. The United States also supported a variety of programs to promote media freedom and the freedom of speech, strengthen civil society, and mitigate local conflicts, including conflicts over national resources. To protect individual rights during the ongoing conflict, the Embassy raised specific cases and broader patterns of abuses with government leaders.

The United States supported the electoral process by providing training, electoral materials, and technical support to the National Independent Election Commission for a constitutional referendum and subsequent local and national level elections. The Embassy also helped coordinate electoral observation with international partners.

The United States advocated respect for freedom of speech and supported the strengthening of independent media organizations. When Etienne Ndikuriyo, a radio journalist and editor of an Internet-based newssheet, was arrested in June for writing that then-President Domitien Ndayizeye suffered from depression, the Embassy lobbied government officials for his release. Faced with increasing local and international condemnation, the Government released Ndikuriyo after nine days of detention.

The United States provided financial and material support to independent radio stations, as well as to the government’s radio and television conglomerate. This financial and material support allowed them to produce programs focused on human rights issues, community reconciliation, conflict mitigation, and the promotion of democratic principles. In addition, U.S.-supported partners joined with other independent media to broadcast candidate debates and provide nationwide reporting throughout the electoral cycle. The Embassy also funded a series of seminars for local journalists and government officials that focused on freedom of the press, ethics in journalism, and media-government relations.

The United States funded programs to promote democracy and human rights through U.S.-based NGOs and supported local civil society organizations. These programs supported community associations that lobbied for women’s rights; trained local officials and citizens in conflict prevention, mitigation, and mediation techniques; and encouraged the participation of civil society organizations in Burundi’s peace process and the process of legislative reforms.

In the provinces of Gitega, Ruyigi, and Karuzi, U.S. assistance to NGOs aided victims of war and former combatants returning to civilian life. Returning refugees and internally displaced persons were assisted in reintegrating into their communities. Former rebel and army soldiers, including child soldiers, were provided with vocational skills training as well as training on human rights and conflict resolution.

The United States also financed a variety of smaller projects that advanced the interests of women, children, and the Twa minority group while promoting democratic values, good governance, human rights, conflict resolution, acceptable prison conditions, peace, and reconciliation.

The United States funded programs that provided medical, legal, and psychological support to victims of torture and rape and supported human rights monitoring and advocacy on issues related to torture.

The United States regularly raised the government’s poor human rights record in meetings with government officials and continued to advocate for increased respect of internationally recognized human rights on the part of the Government and security forces. The United States addressed Burundi’s poor human rights record at the 2005 UN Commission on Human Rights by supporting a technical assistance (known as Item 19) resolution on Burundi.

In 2005, the United States funded a local NGO to assist child soldiers and human trafficking victims. Assistance to child soldiers included the provision of vocational training and psycho-social counseling.

To promote worker rights, the United States funded the second year of a three-year regional initiative by the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor with the goal of demobilizing and rehabilitating child soldiers and reintegrating them into their former communities. The program focused on legislation, appropriate procedures, and monitoring mechanisms, along with building the capacity and expertise of government institutions to address child soldiering. The program facilitated and supported the economic reintegration of the former child combatants through education, training, financial support, and community-strengthening. It also aimed to enhance information sharing on child soldiers in the region.

Cameroon

Cameroon is a republic dominated by a strong presidency. President Paul Biya was reelected in 2004 and has ruled Cameroon since 1982. His party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), has been the dominant party since its inception. Cameroon has held multi-party elections at all levels since 1992. While opposition parties have been able to win some parliamentary and local contests, they have not yet been able to mount a serious challenge to President Biya and the CPDM. The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary but the judiciary is subject to significant executive influence and has suffered from corruption and inefficiency. Despite noteworthy improvements, Cameroon’s human rights record remained poor. Police continued to commit numerous abuses and to use arbitrary arrest and detention. While child labor and trafficking in persons (TIP) remained problems, the Government made some progress by passing anti-TIP legislation in December. To strengthen Cameroon’s democratic institutions and improve respect for human rights, the United States has actively engaged in human rights and democracy discussions at all levels of the Government, and with local and international NGOs, members of civil society, and the media.

The U.S. strategy to promote democracy and human rights focused on strengthening the institutions necessary for a stable democratic Cameroon, such as a transparent electoral process and a free, fair, and professional press. In addition the U.S. strategy focused on assistance for the creation of a human rights education program in schools, and programs to improve protections for human rights, including those focused on worker rights and anti-TIP. The United States also organized speakers, workshops, International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), and electronic conferences on protection of human rights including TIP.

In preparation for the June 2007 municipal and legislative elections, the United States continued its dialogue with key officials in an effort to encourage the creation of a truly independent National Elections Observatory (NEO). The United States supported refresher training by the NEO for all of its observers. The United States continued to work with donor states and the Government on ways to reform the electoral process, including the registration of voters, computerization of registers, and the elaboration of a new electoral code. The Ambassador attended and hosted meetings on elections and successfully lobbied other donors for additional support for electoral reform. On the legislative side, the United States worked with members of the Government and the National Assembly to strengthen the NEO and to encourage it to take an active role in overseeing future elections.

The United States met repeatedly with the President and other high-level officials to encourage concrete progress on the Government’s stated objective of holding free and fair legislative and municipal elections in 2007 and presidential elections in 2011. The Embassy initiated a donors’ working group in 2003 to coordinate policy and assistance expenditures in support of the election. Participants in this group include the UN Development Program, members of the EU, Canada, and Japan.

The Embassy’s highest priority, in addition to promoting democracy, is highlighting the importance of good governance and the negative impact of corruption on all aspects of life in Cameroon. The Ambassador addressed the issue, and repeatedly raised the issue of governance and corruption with the Government and civil society.

In order to promote democracy and decentralization, the United States worked to develop the capacity of local government leaders. In April, the United States organized a two-week U.S. study tour for ten mayors, six ministers, and five Members of Parliament.

The United States supported media development in Cameroon, sponsoring grants to two nationwide media associations for extended training with a Knight Fellow and a major conference on "Media and Corruption" for all media in Yaounde. The United States has been the catalyst in creating and sustaining professional structures in the media. The Embassy sponsored the creation in Douala of an independent media federation for 23 francophone countries – the Society for the Development of Media in Africa – which is becoming an important player in protecting the rights of individual journalists in the region and developing the professionalism and independence of the sector.

Following the 2000 law authorizing the creation of private radio and television stations, the United States has worked closely with private media groups and the Government to ensure the issuance of licenses and to promote a watershed labor standard agreement for journalists in Cameroon. The agreement is now under negotiation between the media industry and two Cameroonian ministries.

To complement U.S. programs with local leaders and the press, the United States supported grassroots groups in the country. The United States funded training and the publication of printed materials for local youth groups as well as a nationwide youth federation. The Embassy promoted volunteerism in the community, partnering with other embassies in a neighborhood water project. The Embassy also issued grants to a community grassroots association in Limbe, and organized shared colloquia.

The United States supported local NGOs that implemented projects on promoting good governance and the rights of children and women. One of the projects educated the people of the three Northern provinces on the consequences of corruption and engaged them in the fight against it. The resulting institution of a culture of ethics and good governance will significantly promote democracy.

The United States supported a project involved in educating teachers and parents on how to adopt patterns of behavior that respect and promote children’s rights. This project was funded as a result of 2000 investigation that revealed that 90% of pupils were beaten at home and 97% at school. According to experts, violence-based education encourages, among other traits, dishonesty, corruption, and irresponsibility. The Embassy also continued its close cooperation with a federation addressing the needs of persons with disabilities and joined with the group in celebrating its tenth anniversary.

The United States worked closely with the military and police to curb abuses by these organizations, and worked to foster more professional security forces by sending members of the Cameroonian Armed Forces to military schools in the United States. These professional education courses addressed civil military relations, military peacekeeping operations, and military subordination to civilian authorities as well as a broad range of legal and human rights topics including the Law of Land Warfare.

In May 2005, the Embassy received the prestigious Vieira de Mello Grand Prize for its unstinting support of human rights, peace, and democracy in Central Africa. The jury consisted of well-known private human rights activists and academics from the region.

The United States worked to advance women’s rights throughout the year by organizing a variety of seminars that included a workshop on "Women as Political and Economic Leaders" and an African Network program on "Women Inspiring Hope and Possibilities," which involved approximately 300 women leaders. In conjunction with the Embassy’s HIV/AIDS Task Force, the United States conducted a series of regional leadership workshops for young women. The United States funded a project to educate women and girls, and inform men, on the inheritance rights of women. Most women in the local traditional society are ignorant of the laws that protect their right to inherit property from parents and spouses and, as a result, can be deprived of their inheritance rights.

The Embassy organized a series of discussions and digital videoconferences on "Islam and Religious Tolerance" and a speaker on "Contemporary Islam in Africa," both of which received national media attention to promote religious freedom and tolerance. The Ambassador also reached out to the Muslim community of Cameroon by hosting an Iftaar dinner during the holy month of Ramadan. This is now an annual tradition at the Ambassador’s residence. In 2005 the event highlighted Muslim women, and included an equal number of male and female guests at the celebration. The Ambassador also engaged Muslim groups and their leadership during his frequent and extensive travels around Cameroon.

The United States funded four projects to combat TIP, including a local NGO educating people on child trafficking, labor, and violence, and two small grants projects within the Center for Rural and Urban Transformation that also focus on educating people, including policy makers and law enforcement officials, on the dangers of TIP and child abuse.

Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) held elections in 2005 that international and domestic election observers judged free and fair, despite irregularities and accusations of fraud by opposition parties. Francois Bozize was elected President in a May 2005 run-off election. In 2005, the country adopted some key legal reforms, including the abolition of prison sentences for libel or slander. Despite marked political progress, the Government’s human rights record remained poor. Security forces continued to commit extrajudicial and other unlawful killings, including government-tolerated executions of suspected bandits, and impunity remained a problem. Other abuses included harsh prison conditions, arbitrary arrest, prolonged detention without trial, and infringements on privacy. The security situation in northern CAR caused 15,000 refugees to flee into Chad during 2005. Although freedom of the press improved in some areas, the Government attempted to impose restrictions. Corruption remained a widespread problem. Violence and discrimination against women, female genital mutilation (FGM), prostitution, trafficking in persons, discrimination against Pygmies, and child labor continued to be problems.

The U.S. strategy to promote democracy and human rights in CAR focused on advancing a more active role for civil society in the political process. Among these institutions was the new National Assembly, which was susceptible to pressure from the Government to act quickly on legislation submitted to it. The United States also focused on supporting the efforts of President Bozize and Prime Minister Dote to address the issue of security and impunity for criminals in and out of military uniform. The United States encouraged the Government to allow trade unions to function independently, pushed employers to honor collective bargaining agreements, and helped build a free, independent, and professional media by supporting the local journalists’ association and newspaper owners. After two and a half years of suspended operations due to security concerns, Embassy Bangui resumed operations in January 2005.

The United States supported the National Electoral Commission and contributed to secure ballots, public information, and miscellaneous electoral equipment.

To support the parliament, the Embassy funded a specially targeted radio program to explain to voters what an elected deputy should and should not do, how to get services from the deputies, and how to contact and visit the parliament.

The United States funded a series of activities sponsored by civil society and judicial institutions. The major activities included a campaign against FGM. The Embassy supported a women’s organization that sponsored the project and developed an awareness campaign on the consequences of genital mutilation in targeted regions.

The Embassy funded the participation of two journalists in a regional conference held in Douala, Cameroon, to reinforce the capacity of the Independent Journalists Association. The conference strengthened professional ethics in journalism and established a continent-wide network. Following this regional conference, the United States sponsored a five-day workshop in Bangui for provincial journalists to discuss ethics and freedom of press.

Since the Government partially relaxed its monopoly of domestic radio broadcasting in the mid-1990s, many private radio stations are operating throughout the country. Some are affiliated with the Catholic or Protestant churches. The Embassy supported Radio Ndeke Luka that set an important precedent for independent media in CAR. The United States purchased and installed a 10 KW short wave transmitter to enable Ndeke Luka’s programming to reach listeners throughout the entire country.

During 2005, the United States supported good governance, transparency, and human rights promotion in CAR by funding a post-election radio series on parliament, and the specific role of elected deputies. Under this program, a private radio station organized a series of live broadcasts called "Your Seat in Parliament" to promote open and free dialog among citizens from different rural areas and their elected deputies at the National Assembly. As the first public diplomacy radio program ever conducted in CAR, it proved to be a significant success reinforcing democracy and helping newly-elected deputies better understand their role.

The United States recruited a local researcher to explore the issue of international child labor and government effort to combat the worst forms of child labor.

Chad

The Government of Chad’s human rights record remained poor. President Idriss Deby, with the support of his clan and the Patriotic Salvation Movement party, has ruled Chad since taking power in a 1990 rebellion. He was reelected president in May 2001. Fraud, vote rigging, and local irregularities marred the 2001 presidential and legislative elections. The Government staged a flawed referendum that removed presidential term limits from Chad’s Constitution in June 2005. Security forces committed extrajudicial killings; tortured, beat, and raped persons; practiced arbitrary arrest and detention; and continued to intimidate the public. The judiciary was subject to executive interference. Corruption was a serious problem. Violence and societal discrimination against women, including female genital mutilation (FGM), was common. Lack of respect for women’s rights and trafficking in persons (TIP), in particular of children, were serious concerns. The Government restricted freedom of the press by harassing and detaining journalists. Civilian authorities did not maintain effective control of the security forces, and there were frequent instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of government authority. Security forces committed or sanctioned serious human rights abuses. Chad continued to host more than 200,000 Sudanese refugees who fled the war and genocide in Darfur. During the year, the security situation in the east grew increasingly tenuous due to the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan on the country’s border, and the Government expressed concern over bandits, Sudanese militias, and growing numbers of rebels that were operating in the east.

The U.S. strategy for promoting democracy and human rights in Chad focused on strengthening the institutions necessary for a stable and democratic Chad such as civil society and a free, fair and professional press. The United States focused on government institutions by promoting a more professional military, promoting transparency in governance, engaging directly with key government officials, and improving interaction between the Government and human rights groups. Efforts were also made to strengthen the credibility and capacity of civil society groups and governmental institutions in addressing human rights abuses, including involving them in visits of high-level U.S. officials. The United States encourages human rights groups and other civil society organizations to become a resource for both the Government and Chadian people on human rights issues.

The United States sought funding from a number of sources to meet its goals, facilitated dialogue by creating opportunities for activists and government officials to interact in professional and social settings. Government ministers, human rights activists, journalists, and opposition politicians attended a reception in honor of a Chadian human rights activist, who won the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Prize.

To strengthen press freedoms and the media’s ability to promote human rights and good governance, the United States provided equipment and training to print and broadcast journalists. Thirty private and public press organizations received material support including computers, generators, and motorbikes to enhance their ability to cover key events. Chadian journalists benefited from three training programs held in Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon. The United States financed the creation of a private radio station in the far north, and promoted civil rights and civil liberties through a radio broadcast on human rights issues and civil liberties and civil rights education. This program was shared with other radio stations and translated into several local languages to help increase public awareness of basic human rights. In addition, the Embassy implemented a program to improve civic education teaching in schools. The Ambassador regularly highlighted press freedom and other human rights issues with government and civil society officials and during public ceremonies. The Ambassador’s Independence Day speech emphasizing the importance of democratic ideals and our hopes of realizing them in Chad garnered applause and widespread attention throughout the country.

In 2005, U.S. support for rule of law, good governance, and transparency included a program on the management of defense resources. The United States provided technical assistance to the Oil Revenue Management College, the mechanism that reviews projects financed by oil revenues in an effort to promote accountability. In addition, the Embassy facilitated exchanges for Chadian parliamentarians with the Council of State Governments and Chadian attendance at a seminar on military budgeting. The Embassy selected an influential traditional leader, leading educator, and prominent administrator for the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) on Democratic Governance and Civil Society, Grassroots Democracy, and Conflict Resolution.

Human rights activists and some officials acknowledged that strengthening the weak judicial system was critical to addressing human rights violations in a systematic and meaningful way. The United States provided manual typewriters and copies of legal codes to the courts as well as training for magistrates. The Embassy also supported legal assistance for victims of human rights abuses through a local NGO.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan deeply affected Chad. More than 200,000 refugees have sought safety in eastern Chad. The United States is the largest donor to the ongoing humanitarian efforts. The Embassy is an active participant in implementation of the Darfur Humanitarian Cease-fire Agreement, which includes regular meetings of a joint commission and contributes personnel to the Inter-Sudanese Peace Talks on Darfur. The Embassy remained a key interlocutor with the Government of Chad, the rebel movements, and the AU on the Darfur peace process. The United States also facilitated the work of human rights organizations and NGOs working on protection issues for refugee women and children. The Embassy facilitated the production of a "Nightline" feature called "Lessons from Rwanda" to raise public awareness of the situation in Darfur from the perspective of Sudanese refugees in Chad.

The United States continued to provide support for the rights of women and children. The Embassy supported the elimination of the practice of FGM. Support to a local NGO resulted in the drafting and enactment of a law that criminalized FGM. And in 2004, the Embassy funded an education program to publicize and distribute copies of the law. The Embassy hosted a public forum on the impact of the proposed Family Code on the promotion of women’s and children’s rights. In addition, Embassy officers hosted a child protection network that brought together concerned government officials, police and NGOs on a range of issues affecting children. Congressional visitors also met with the First Lady, key officials, and NGOs on women’s issues.

The United States used direct contact with Chadian soldiers, including training and visits by U.S. officials, and the sharing of information on human rights violations with high-level government officials to emphasize the importance of working together on human rights. The annual U.S. publication Country Reports on Human Rights Practices was used as a basis for collaboration. To date, government officials have been candid and responsive. Visiting congressional and military delegations supported the U.S. human rights agenda.

The professionalization of Chad’s security forces was a key component of the U.S. strategy for improving the country’s human rights record. The United States funded International Military Education and Training and Counter Terrorism Fellowship programs at U.S. military facilities, where training on human rights is incorporated into the courses. The U.S. Special Forces trained 170 members of the Republican Guard. In June and July, the United States trained a Chadian Air Force unit in February. In addition, 24 Chadian police officers and immigration officials received anti-terrorism training in the United States. The Embassy hosted a reception for the Deputy Commander of U.S. Forces in Europe to bring together civil society and human rights leaders with military officials.

U.S. Muslim outreach continued with a program for bilingual education with a respected local organization that promotes cross-cultural understanding. Two members of the High Islamic Council attended an IVLP on Leadership in the Muslim Community. The Embassy actively supported the Arabic media, including three radio stations, six newspapers, and a nightly television news show.

The United States supported Chad’s efforts to combat TIP and child labor, bolstering the Government’s efforts to protect victims of trafficking and enhance law enforcement’s capacity to respond to trafficking cases. Embassy officers worked closely with Muslim leaders to design programs to combat the abuse of children by marabouts (Muslim teachers).

Congo, Democratic Republic of

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which emerged in 2002 from a war that has claimed an estimated four million lives, has had a Transitional Government since 2003. The Transitional Government made significant progress in unifying the country, although there were still armed groups operating outside government control. These armed groups remained primarily in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Katanga, and the Ituri District of Orientale. The human rights record of the DRC remained poor. Serious human rights violations, including massacres, executions, kidnappings, torture, and rape, were perpetrated both by armed groups operating outside government control and often by the Congolese military itself. In 2005, however, the DRC took important steps toward democratic governance by registering more than 25 million Congolese to vote in a series of elections that are intended to transfer power from the Transitional Government to a government elected by the people. Congolese voters approved a new Constitution in a referendum held on December 18.

The United States addressed the human rights and democracy crisis in the DRC by providing support to the Transitional Government and Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to help to promote democratic elections; working to end the conflict in the eastern DRC; promoting accountability for human rights abuses; and developing the infrastructure and capacity needed to consolidate stability, deter conflict, and prepare the way for a democratic transition in 2006. The United States also provided assistance to victims of human rights violations, funded training and education programs to support a change in the prevailing social climate, and made efforts to restore the crippled justice systems.

In 2005 the United States continued to participate on the International Committee to Accompany the Transition and on several commissions to advance the transition and facilitate elections. The new DRC Constitution, drafted with assistance from U.S. technical experts and since passed by popular vote, includes 77 articles relating to human rights protection, separation of powers, and government decentralization.

The United States supported the National Democratic Institute (NDI), which held capacity-building workshops and forums to strengthen political parties and sponsored a Code of Conduct signed by 187 political parties. It also conducted seminars on internal democracy, transparency, constituency development, and communications. Seminars for 980 civil society participants (230 of whom were women) allowed direct contact with political party representatives.

The DRC’s IEC, which the United States assisted by funding IFES, registered 25 million voters in 11 provinces in a country the size of Western Europe with virtually no infrastructure. IFES worked on operational functions, including the management of employees and transportation and communications capabilities for offices in each of the DRC’s provinces. Voter registration officials were recruited and trained to staff more than 36,000 voter registration centers. On the day of the constitutional referendum, 55 U.S. officials served as referendum observers in Kinshasa and throughout the country.

To promote media freedom and independence, the United States provided funding to NGOs for airtime on national radio and television stations for issues dealing with human rights, elections, and democracy. With embassy support, a youth group in the turbulent eastern part of the country published a magazine on democracy, elections, and political issues. A local media partner developed and provided political and elections information through 82 community radio and television stations, print media, and theatre. Through the International Visitors Leadership Program, the president of the Congolese Radio Owners Association traveled to the United States for an internship. U.S. funding also allowed two Congolese journalists to attend a regional conference on journalism in Africa.

Five Democracy Resource Centers, funded by the United States, became hubs for civil society engagement and facilitated the participation of 350 NGOs in the election process. Partner NGOs implemented activities to resolve local conflicts and empower citizens to promote democratic change in their own communities. The United States also supported 140 community-based conflict resolution programs in seven provinces.

U.S. sponsorship assisted civil society activists in the writing and revision of 66 new articles for the draft Constitution. These articles increase human rights protections and reinforce judicial independence; they will also establish checks and balances among branches of new government, once it has been elected. The Law on Sexual Violence has been added to the list of essential legislation for 2006 as a result of U.S. and partner backing.

The United States funded a comprehensive evaluation of the justice sector through the U.S. NGO Global Rights in four eastern provinces. Multiple U.S.-funded NGOs also provided legal support in 2005 for survivors of gender-based violence. The International Rescue Committee identified more than 100 victims of sexual violence and accompanied victims through the judicial process, from filing cases through court hearings. They educated 2,000 people on victims’ rights and visited more than 100 religious, judicial, administrative, civil society, and traditional institutions to promote justice for sexual violence victims. U.S. support enabled a local NGO to create a book on prisoners’ rights, translated into four local languages, for distribution to prisoners, police, and military personnel at three of the DRC’s notoriously deplorable prisons.

The United States provided rape/sexual mutilation victims (of whom there are estimated to be at least 60,000 in the eastern part of the country) with medical assistance and referrals for services, as well as advocacy, socio-reintegration, and judicial support. U.S.-supported NGOs facilitated more than 30 rape prosecutions in South Kivu province alone. U.S. funding also helped identify sexually abused women and provide them with counselors and transportation to services.

More than 100 human rights groups received U.S. technical assistance and training in 2005, most notably to work with stigmatized children. The reintegration of these children—whether child soldiers, street children, gang members, children accused of witchcraft, internally displaced children, disabled children, or child laborers—remained a high priority. The United States provided support to communities at risk for child separation and abuse in an attempt to halt massive human rights violations against children.

The United States supported training that provided logistical and technical assistance to local Anti-corruption Committees to engage civilian, judicial, religious, and military authorities in the anti-corruption effort and hold public officials responsible for legal taxation practices and ending abuse of public authority.

In 2005, the United Nations addressed human rights issues in the DRC. The Commission on Human Rights passed a technical assistance (known as Item 19) resolution on the DRC, supported by the United States. The UN General Assembly’s Third Committee overwhelmingly adopted a resolution on the DRC, with only Uganda and Rwanda voting against it.

Labor activities were supported through the U.S.-funded Solidarity Center, which promotes industrial harmony and conflict resolution. The center worked with employers, the Government, and unions to settle differences and disputes. The United States also funded the second year of a three-year regional initiative by the International Labor Organization’s International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor with the goal of demobilizing and rehabilitating child soldiers and reintegrating them into their former communities. The multi-faceted program addresses the myriad needs of child soldiers through legislation, monitoring mechanisms, and capacity building of government institutions. It also supports the economic reintegration of former child combatants through education, training, financial support, and community-strengthening. To address the issue of trafficking in persons (TIP), Embassy funding supported an NGO working with young girls at risk of, or already involved in, prostitution in the conflict-plagued eastern regions. The United States also established a TIP fund working through UNICEF for the reintegration of women and girls abducted by armed groups. The intent of the fund is to develop a countrywide reintegration program for abductees that parallels the national Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration program for ex-combatants.

Congo, Republic of

The Republic of Congo is ruled by a government in which most of the decision-making authority is vested in the executive branch. Denis Sassou-Nguesso was elected President in March 2002, and in May and June of that year the country held legislative elections in all jurisdictions except the Pool region, where most of the 1997-2002 civil war was fought. Independent monitors determined that the presidential and legislative elections did not contradict the will of the people.

In March 2003, the Government signed a peace accord with the Ninjas rebel group of Pasteur Ntumi, and the country has been relatively stable since that time. Uncontrolled and unidentified armed elements remained active in the Pool region, despite an ongoing demobilization and reintegration program.

The Government’s human rights record improved in 2005, but significant challenges and problems remained. There were reports that security forces were responsible for extrajudicial killings, rapes, beatings, physical abuse of detainees and citizens, arbitrary arrest and detention, looting, solicitation of bribes, and theft. Prison conditions were poor. The judiciary continued to be overburdened, underfunded, and subject to political influence, bribery, and corruption. Interference with personal privacy, as well as limits on freedoms of movement and the press, continued. Discrimination and violence against women, reported trafficking in persons (TIP), ethnic discrimination, and discrimination against indigenous people were problems.

The United States focused on strengthening and building democratic institutions with the Government, press, NGOs, and international organizations. In 2005, the United States supported numerous programs to improve human rights in the country, including programs to reduce discrimination against indigenous people, repatriate refugees, and provide medical care in the war-torn Pool region.

To build general awareness of human rights among the population, the Embassy focused its efforts on youth, women, and minorities. The United States supported programs to improve understanding and tracking of human rights issues and to train community members to be more active, informed, and engaged in democratic decision-making at the local, provincial, and national levels. Other U.S. grants supported human rights education for the minority Pygmy population and protection of their environment and way of life for future generations. The United States funded workshops on professional journalism, job training for women and orphans, food production, shelter and school supplies for internally displaced persons in the Pool region, and education projects on combating TIP.

Through demarches, discussions with the Government, and cooperation with the international community, the Embassy continued to stress the need for the Government to increase transparency in accounting for oil revenues and other public funds. In 2004, the Government met minimal requirements for a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility designation as a Highly Indebted and Poor Country. In addition to direct engagement with the Government on these subjects, the Embassy regularly partnered with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to promote anticorruption programs and transparency in the budget and the use of government funds.

Through civil-military dialogue and military training exchanges, the United States encouraged greater military discipline, professionalism, and respect for human rights. The 2002 High Commission for the Reintegration of Ex-Combatants was established to reintegrate former rebel militia members into civil society and, for some, into the military. In 2005, reintegration programs continued and the disarmament program for Ninja combatants progressed, though slowly. The Embassy continued to support an English-language training program for military officers intended to facilitate other types of training.

To promote worker rights, the United States funded the second year of a three-year regional initiative by the International Labor Organization’s International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor with the goal of demobilizing and rehabilitating child soldiers and reintegrating them into their former communities. The initiative focused on legislation, appropriate procedures and monitoring mechanisms, along with building capacity and expertise of government institutions, to address child soldiering. The program continued to facilitate and support the economic reintegration of former child combatants through education, training, financial support, and community-strengthening.

Cote d’Ivoire

The Ivoirian political crisis continued throughout 2005, and the north is divided from south. The 2002 coup attempt and aftermath continued to divide the country geographically and politically. The political instability and uncertainty that led to the end of President Gbagbo’s mandate in October increased tensions throughout the country. In October 2005, the AU decided to extend Gbagbo’s term in office by one year. In December, a new prime minister, Charles Konan Banny was designated to lead a power-sharing government with Gbagbo that would work toward October 2006 elections and the disarmament of the rebel New Forces (NF). Little was accomplished on either task. The judiciary did not ensure due process. The 2002 rebellion reduced commerce and investment while unemployment and crime continued to increase. The Government’s human rights record remains poor. Security forces continued to commit rape, torture, and extrajudicial killings, some of which were believed to be politically and ethnically motivated. Violence and threats against political opposition figures and UN peacekeepers continued during the year. The climate of political intimidation and impunity cultivated by pro-government supporters and militia groups intensified.

The NF’s human rights record was also extremely poor. Rebels in the north summarily killed civilians, arbitrarily arrested and detained persons, committed rape, and conducted arbitrary ad hoc justice.

The U.S. strategy to support human rights and democracy focused on supporting national reconciliation, strengthening the democratic process and civil society, and combating trafficking in persons. In addition, the U.S. strategy addressed child labor issues by continued funding for the child labor monitoring system in order to comply with the Harkin-Engel Protocol. The Protocol certifies that cocoa beans and their derivative products have been grown or processed without any of the worst forms of child labor. The Ambassador and other senior U.S. officials frequently stressed these themes with interlocutors in the Government, the NF, and throughout Ivoirian society. The long-term U.S. objective is to help Cote d’Ivoire consolidate a democratic multiparty system in which all Ivoirians have a voice and which is characterized by good governance, respect for fundamental human rights, an independent judiciary, and a strong civil society.

The Ambassador was a key member of the UN’s International Working Group (IWG), charged with ensuring that the Ivoirian parties follow through with the peace process. The Ambassador regularly engaged the Ivoirian President, the rebel NF, and all other political parties to act with good faith to advance the political process, to reconcile the country, and ensure that free and fair elections take place by October 2006.

The United States strongly supported the November 2004 UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1572 calling for sanctions on individuals in Cote d’Ivoire who undermine the peace process, are responsible for serious human rights violations, publicly incite hate and violence, or violate the arms embargo. Since then, the Embassy has closely monitored statements of the Ivoirian parties for violations of the resolution. The United States also supported the October 2005 UNSC Resolution 1633 that called for the designation of a new prime minister and the creation of the IWG to support the peace process. The United States also funded a program in the troubled western part of the country to promote reconciliation and alternative means to resolve disputes.

To promote media freedom and freedom of speech, the Embassy co-sponsored a series of digital video conferences, book discussions, and round tables for reporters and editors that addressed the themes of press freedom and responsibilities. The Ambassador frequently met with the press to discuss these themes, as well as human rights. The Embassy funded a yearlong training program for Ivoirian editors and journalists, intended to help de-politicize the country’s often polarized and hate-filled press. The United States also funded an NGO in a program designed to de-politicize the media and encourage professionalism. The Embassy sent an Ivoirian journalist to a regional conference in Cameroon, where an International Association of Journalists was created to promote, protect, and professionalize media practitioners throughout Africa.

The Embassy used the International Visitors Leadership Program in 2005 to help Ivoirian public and private sector leaders working to strengthen democracy and democratic practices, develop civil society, and protect human rights and diversity. The Embassy sent four Ivoirian mayors to the United States to observe and discuss U.S. practices and policies on good governance and democratic development. Two National Assembly Deputies participated in an exchange program focused on protecting minorities, as well as the challenges and opportunities inherent in legislative duties. In 2005, other Ivoirian NGO activists, local community leaders, and professionals participated in a variety of embassy outreach programs on conflict resolution, civic education, transparency and good governance, and women and development. The Embassy’s outreach also included a targeted distribution of articles and books on human rights and democracy to key Ivoirian contacts throughout the country. In February, the Embassy co-sponsored a major conference in Yamoussoukro that involved national political and civic leaders, including the President of Cote d’Ivoire, to develop proposals for strengthening Ivoirian democracy and democratic institutions.

The Embassy worked with four local NGOs in 2005 to create a counseling center for victims who were raped since the outbreak of the crisis in September 2002. The Embassy also supported a sensitization and training program for community educators to combat female genital mutilation, provide training and education for young girls in Bouake who were forced to drop out of school because of the war and a leadership development program for women who are seeking electoral office.

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected that right. However, after 2002, the Government targeted persons perceived to be perpetrators or supporters of the rebellion, who often were Muslim. Strong efforts by religious and civil society groups have helped prevent the crisis from becoming a religious conflict. The Embassy was instrumental in helping Ivoirian religious leaders form an inter-faith collective that is aggressively working toward peace and respect for human rights in the country.

The United States continued to fund a multi-year International Labor Organization (ILO) program aimed at ending child labor in the cocoa industry. Also in partnership with the ILO, the United States helped to fund the West African Project Against Abusive Child Labor in Commercial Agriculture to help remove children from the worst forms of child labor and enroll them in school.

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea is nominally a multiparty constitutional republic. In practice, however, the ruling party founded by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo after the country’s independence in 1968 dominated all areas of the Government. The 2002 presidential election was marred by extensive fraud and intimidation, and the international community widely criticized the 2004 parliamentary elections as seriously flawed. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were some instances in which security forces acted independently of government authority. The Government’s human rights record remained poor, and the Government continued to commit or condone serious infractions. Physical abuse of prisoners was common, as were instances of arbitrary arrest, detention, and incommunicado detention.

The October 2003 reopening of the small U.S. Embassy, staffed by a single officer, was a tangible symbol of the growing U.S. commitment to democratic development in Equatorial Guinea. The U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon concurrently serves as U.S. Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea. U.S. officials continued to be actively engaged in all substantive and administrative areas, including the human rights agenda.

The U.S. strategy to promote democracy and human rights aimed to strengthen the key government and civil institutions necessary for democratic progress. The strategy focused on anti-corruption efforts and capacity building in the government ministries responsible for the country’s vast oil wealth. In addition, the United States worked with opposition parties, civil society, and the press to strengthen their ability to contribute to the expansion of democracy and the promotion of human rights in the country. The United States pursued these objectives through active engagement with the Government, opposition parties, the media, and community representatives.

The Embassy used an active dialogue with the Government on potential actions to improve its status as a Tier 2 country under the U.S. trafficking in persons (TIP) ratings. The Embassy also used the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) to address a variety of subjects that encompassed a wide cross-section of society, in addition to sponsoring a number of programs promoting human rights, democracy, and good governance. The Embassy advocated on behalf of companies and organizations subject to harassment in the country. The Embassy in Yaounde also provided frequent support to the Embassy in Malabo to strengthen its ability to effectively challenge and encourage the Government to improve its human rights record.

U.S. officials met several times with senior officials, including the Minister of Information and the Director General of the National Radio and TV in an effort to facilitate an affiliation agreement between the Government and the Voice of America. The Minister and the Ambassador signed this agreement in 2005. This agreement will signal a significant advance in conveying U.S. viewpoints in the country, and also in diversifying the sources of information for news and entertainment over the local radio waves. In all of their meetings with Government representatives, Embassy officials reiterated the importance of enhancing the country’s media profile to include independent and private media outlets and finding ways for public broadcasters to air.

For World Press Freedom Day, the Ambassador addressed an audience of 150 calling for the development of independent and responsible news sources and diversified media ownership. The Embassy in Yaounde brought two journalists to Douala in October 2005 for an international conference on "Media in Emerging Democracies," which not only exposed the journalists to media training sessions, but also created contacts with press colleagues from 23 other African countries and gave them insight on an independent media practices. The Ambassador contributed a monthly column in "La Gaceta," a Malabo-based magazine that provided a high profile voice to encourage the advance of independent media in the country.

Privately owned print media was nearly nonexistent in Equatorial Guinea. There were three general-interest periodicals that published irregularly under nominal government control. Foreign entertainment magazines were available at foreign-owned grocery stores, but not newspapers. There were no bookstores or newsstands in the country. The Government continued to restrict domestic press freedom. International journalists, however, were permitted to fully cover the trial of the mercenaries involved in the March 2004 coup attempt. Local journalists worked primarily for state-controlled media and practiced self-censorship to keep their jobs.

There were no effective domestic human rights NGOs, but the Embassy engaged actively with UN organizations promoting human rights and the Government’s new Inter-Ministerial Commission on Human Rights. Unlike in the previous year, the Government did not deny the opposition party Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS) permission to hold a convention. In July, the CPDS was allowed to hold a convention in Bata with relatively little harassment.

In 2005, the United States funded programs aimed at further development of the country’s historically weak civil society. Embassy staff encouraged the involvement of U.S. companies and international organizations to reinforce the importance of transparency, rule of law, and respect for human rights. In 2005, the Embassy sent a member of the Ministry of Justice to the United States as part of an IVLP on transparency and good governance.

The Embassy continued efforts to actively encourage effective and transparent management of the country’s oil wealth for equitable social and economic development. There were concerns regarding the use of irregular payments made by oil companies into bank accounts controlled by the President and the ruling elite; however, the Government denied any misappropriation of funds. In July 2005, the President signed a decree creating a "Social Needs Fund" to accelerate investment of government funds in health, education, women’s issues, and sanitation.

In meetings with high-level government officials, the United States pressed for improved transparency in public finance and the management of the oil sector. Following high-level statements of commitment to transparency in the oil and gas sector, the Government, with technical assistance from the World Bank, declared its intention to participate in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, but has not yet completed all of the prerequisite actions necessary to be a full participant.

In 2004, senior Government officials told foreign diplomats that human rights did not apply to criminals, and that torture of known criminals was not a violation of human rights. There were reports that officials tortured political opposition activists and other persons during 2005. The Government permitted the International Committee of the Red Cross to access penal facilities in the country, including visits to the mercenaries held in the infamous Black Beach prison. During several months in 2005, the Embassy in Malabo was permitted access to prisoners. During that time, family visits were reinstituted and general conditions improved. Progress was made before the end of the year by bringing some political prisoners into the judicial process. Visits were suspended in the last quarter, however, for as yet unexplained reasons. Through media programs, the IVLP, and active dialogue with the Government, the Embassy consistently addressed the issues of rule of law, transparency, due process, and political prosecutions.

The Embassy provided an outlet for vigorous and continuous on-the-ground promotion of respect for human rights addressing violations such as torture, extrajudicial killings, and women’s and minority rights. The Ambassador regularly communicated U.S. concerns to Government officials regarding individual cases of reported abuse of human rights. In-country representation allowed the United States to observe and report local activities directly and accurately.

Staff from the Embassy in Yaounde made regular visits to the island and mainland in 2005, including frequent visits by the Ambassador to both Malabo and the mainland. The Ambassador and other U.S. officials have an ongoing dialogue with the Government on the need for development of true civic institutions and respect for justice and human rights. The Ambassador raised concerns with the President and high-level ministers over TIP, transparency, good governance, prison conditions, the role of the opposition, and fair judicial practices. He also continued to condemn torture and harsh prison practices. The Ambassador and other U.S. officials also held public and private meetings with members of the country’s small opposition movement to address their concerns and subsequently challenged national security officials over unlawful detention of political activists.

Eritrea

In 2005, the Government of Eritrea’s record on human rights worsened as it further restricted basic freedoms. Religious freedom for congregations not registered with the Government was severely constrained, and the United States designated Eritrea as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for the second consecutive year. The Constitution, ratified in 1997, contains considerable safeguards for basic human rights, but remained unimplemented. National elections have not been held since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, and the Government prohibited the existence of any political party other than the ruling party. Parliament did not meet and continued to be more of a concept than a political reality. The Government strictly controlled the media, prohibited independent press from publishing or broadcasting in the country, and continued to detain several independent journalists arrested in 2001. Torture was used as a form of punishment on members of minority religious groups, national service evaders, and government critics. Two local Embassy employees arrested in October 2001 remained in prison. Two additional Embassy employees were detained on August 1; one was subsequently released, but the other continued to be held and denied due process. Lack of due process, arbitrary, and often prolonged detention without charge or trial, and poor prison conditions remained serious problems. The Government cited national security concerns as their primary justification for arresting and detaining individuals, and security forces frequently rounded up men and women for failing to meet national service requirements. In 2005, police and military personnel also began arresting and detaining the parents of national service dodgers, requiring parents to pay fines and also threatening prolonged detention unless their children met their service obligation.

The U.S. strategy to promote respect for human rights and democracy aimed to increase access to information, provide opportunities for dialogue, increase understanding of human rights, and provide the means for citizens to have more control over their daily lives.

While there was initial optimism over the possibility of an expanded bilateral dialogue between the United States and Eritrea on human rights and democracy, this did not occur in 2005. Eritrean Government officials, including the President, unapologetically made it clear that there would be little or no change in the country’s human rights practices until the border dispute with Ethiopia was resolved. In response, the United States made clear that the relationship could not progress until there was real dialogue and demonstrable progress on human rights.

In conversations with Eritrean officials at all levels, U.S. officials repeatedly stressed that addressing the Government’s human rights violations – particularly widespread arbitrary arrests and violations of basic liberties - was vital to improving bilateral ties. U.S. officials also consulted regularly with European diplomats, who have undertaken a formal dialogue with the Government in the context of the EU-Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Cotonou agreement, to ensure a coordinated and consistent international message.

Since February 2004, the Government has imposed restrictions on movement outside of the Makaal region for all NGOs and the diplomatic corps. The Government seized vehicles of aid donors, including those of the UN and the United States. In July 2005, the Government requested the termination of U.S. development activities in Eritrea. The United States phased out development operations by December 2005, and only a small humanitarian liaison office remained as of February 2006.

The termination of U.S. development activities, many of which directly or indirectly supported the U.S. human rights strategy, resulted in fewer resources and opportunities to address human rights through programmatic means. However, the Embassy nonetheless increased its outreach by expanding its American Corner program, extending Internet access hours at the American Center and focusing resources more closely on women, minorities, and Muslim majority communities.
Through the American Center and two American Corners in Keren and Masawa, the Embassy provided access to materials on U.S. values, policies, and culture, as well as daily press releases and free access to the Internet. The Embassy also provided media materials to Embassy contacts. In a country with no independent media, these tools proved vital in promoting democracy and appreciation of human rights through greater access to information from the outside world.

In an effort to build support for democratic reform and human rights among Eritrea’s opinion leaders, the Embassy held regular functions for alumni of U.S. exchange programs to promote discussion of U.S. culture, democracy, human rights, and other issues. The Embassy arranged speaking engagements featuring U.S.-based speakers and broadcasts of the Africa Journal. The Embassy recruited Government officials and others for the International Visitors Leadership Programs.

The United States sought to increase citizens’ political and economic participation. Three U.S.-funded NGOs supported community development programs that extended opportunities for grassroots participation by working with parent-teacher associations, water associations, and local health committees.

The United States funded a program to train workers to fight the stigma of HIV/AIDS in society. The Embassy also addressed Eritrea’s high rate of female genital mutilation by funding high school clubs to educate and build awareness on the issue among youth through the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students.

U.S. officials continued to engage a wide range of Government officials and members of minority religious groups in an effort to promote greater respect for religious freedom. The United States imposed sanctions in response to the Government’s continuing severe violation of religious freedom. U.S. officials consistently emphasized the importance of religious liberty for all faiths, including religious minorities. The Embassy worked with Government officials to promote the creation of mechanisms promoting interfaith dialogue, and support low-key visitors who could address legal and other aspects of respecting minority religious rights; however, this did not occur.

Ethiopia

Although there were some improvements, the Government’s human rights record remained poor and worsened in some cases. Ethnic conflict, lack of capacity, unfamiliarity with democratic concepts, and unrest related to the May 2005 national parliamentary elections threatened the country’s nascent democracy. Inadequately trained federal and local police forces employed excessive force, resulting in unlawful killings, including alleged political killings. Police also beat and mistreated detainees and political opposition supporters. Arbitrary arrest and detention of thousands of persons suspected of sympathizing with or being members of the opposition was common. The judiciary remained overburdened and lacked capacity, resulting in lengthy pretrial detentions. The Government restricted freedom of the press, and harassed, detained, and arrested journalists, editors, and publishers for publishing articles critical of the Government, forcing journalists to practice self-censorship. Societal discrimination and violence against women, abuse of children, and trafficking in persons (TIP) remained serious problems; however, the Government formed a task force and began to address some TIP issues in 2005.

The May 2005 national elections delivered a shock to the country’s emerging democratic system. The Government permitted unprecedented democratic openness, allowing opposition groups campaign freedoms and access to state media in the pre-election period. Opposition parties made an unexpectedly strong showing, increasing their parliamentary representation from 12 seats to 172. The Government subsequently rolled back elements of its pre-election openness. Opposition leaders from the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) questioned the election results, and many newly elected CUD members chose to boycott federal and regional legislatures. The CUD also called for a campaign of civil disobedience that quickly degenerated into violent protests. With most of the opposition leadership imprisoned and the Government struggling to control popular uprisings in urban areas, the environment for promoting democracy became increasingly challenging. Nonetheless, the election results themselves and the process of political dialogue that U.S. officials promoted continued to offer opportunities to make some progress on democratization.

The U.S. human rights and democracy goals in Ethiopia included lowering political and ethnic tensions, improving human rights, broadening representation and participation in Parliament, boosting the credibility and capacity of the National Electoral Board (NEB), and increasing access to the media and the quality of public information. The U.S. strategy to achieve these goals employed a mixture of cooperation and pressure in urging the Government and leading opposition organizations to overcome political confrontation and move toward consensus. To promote democracy and political freedoms, U.S. officials, including the Ambassador, in close partnership with other embassies, engaged the Prime Minister, other senior government officials, and the NEB regarding complaints from opposition political parties about harassment of their members. U.S. officials met regularly with government and opposition party representatives regarding illegal detentions and harassment of opposition party supporters by local ruling party cadres.

In coordination with other international donors, the United States undertook a program of support for the national legislative and regional council elections held in May 2005. The program included a cooperative agreement that brought the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and IFES to Ethiopia, a contribution to a multi-donor fund for election support managed by the UN Development Program (UNDP), and a grant to permit the Carter Center to respond to the Government’s invitation to observe the elections. In addition, a grant partially funded by the United States brought Women’s Campaign International to the country to provide training for women candidates.

Soon after the arrival of NDI, IRI, and IFES, the Government unexpectedly expelled all three organizations. U.S. funding for the UNDP Election Program provided an important alternative to support a wide range of preparatory and follow-up election activities. Advice and assistance were provided to the NEB for administration of the elections and the post-election dispute resolution processes. As a result of this program, the NEB established a website, and senior NEB officials, judges, prosecutors, and police officers received dispute resolution training. Proportional financial, material, and technical assistance was provided to all political parties and independent candidates to enable improved campaigning. The UNDP program established a political party forum that became an important venue for discussion of, and compromise on, difficult electoral issues.

The Embassy used the full range of public-diplomacy programming to support media freedoms and freedom of speech. Public diplomacy funds allowed Ethiopian journalists, academics, religious leaders, and other opinion leaders to participate in Fulbright and International Visitors Leadership Program exchanges.

Through the UNDP election fund, the United States supported the development of codes of conduct to ensure balanced, non-inflammatory election reporting by both state and private media and balanced access by all political parties and candidates to state-run media. The program also provided training for private and public journalists on fair and impartial reporting and established a media-monitoring program with Addis Ababa University’s new graduate School of Journalism and Mass Communication to provide analysis of media coverage during the election campaign.

In advance of Ethiopia’s 2005 national elections, and again in the wake of post-election unrest, the United States funded professional development training seminars (in both English and Amharic) to state and private sector journalists with the specific goal of raising awareness among media practitioners of internationally accepted standards of reporting ethics. A senior U.S. Fulbright recipient provided expertise as acting Dean of Addis Ababa University’s School of Journalism and Communications. The Embassy maintained close relationships with journalists across the political spectrum.

U.S. programs in all sectors sought to strengthen civil society’s capacity to effectively engage local government institutions to improve the planning, implementation, transparency, and accountability of development projects and service delivery. Notable was the Community Government Partnership Program through which 16,176 Parent Teacher Association (PTA) members and education officials received training in school management. The training helped the PTAs rehabilitate their schools and manage educational activities in their communities. The United States continued to provide funding through the UNDP for several civil society organizations, including a grant to the Poverty Action Network of Ethiopia to conduct Citizen Report Cards on the effectiveness of Government services delivery. As part of the U.S.-supported UNDP election program, national NGOs provided civic and voter education to over 6.7 million voters.

The United States supported community reconciliation programs in the conflict-prone Gambella Region, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, which focused on facilitating the establishment and training of government-civil society conflict prevention and reconciliation partnerships. In Gambella, a series of nine dialogues between major ethnic groups (Anuak, Nuer, and Majengar) or sub-groups resulted in local peace agreements and the establishment of peace monitoring committees. The United States assisted the Government in developing the capacity to provide professional law enforcement services based on democratic principles and respect for human rights. The United States continued to fund a training and assistance program designed to enhance professional investigative and forensic capabilities, assist in the development of academic instruction for law enforcement personnel, improve the administrative and management capabilities of law enforcement agencies, improve police-community relations, and create or strengthen the capability to respond to new crime and criminal justice issues. In 2005, the penal code and the Federal Police College curriculum were amended to reflect the program’s recommendations.

In 2005, the Embassy provided funding for six democracy and human rights-related projects that impacted approximately 155,000 people in five of the country’s 11 administrative regions. The projects worked to protect the human rights of several disadvantaged groups, including women and the elderly in Dire Dawa, who received free legal assistance. Disabled and homeless Addis Ababa residents also gained access to overnight shelter, wheelchairs, prosthetics, and orthopedic shoes.

Public diplomacy outreach to Ethiopia’s Muslim community included a high-profile Iftaar dinner hosted by the Ambassador, and a series of events in connection with the visit of an American imam. A highlight of the imam’s visit was his Friday address at Addis Ababa’s principal mosque, giving an audience estimated at 100,000 a window into American Islam.

The United States funded a substantial program focused on the large numbers of citizens that fall victim to TIP. The program promoted prevention by raising general awareness of the problem and conducting anti-trafficking campaigns for the general population and government officials. Counseling services were provided for potential and actual migrants, human trafficking victims, and their families on legal, human rights, psycho-social, health, and financial matters related to labor migration. The program strengthened the institutional capacity of concerned government authorities, local NGOs, and civil society to develop a labor migration policy and anti-trafficking law for the prevention of TIP, protection of victims, and prosecution of traffickers. Shelter, medical care, counseling, clothing, and hygiene items were provided in Addis Ababa to facilitate the return and reintegration of trafficked victims.

The U.S. continued to fund a project that targets over 30,000 HIV/AIDS affected children who are subjected to the worst forms of child labor. The program aims to increase access to quality education for HIV-positive working children through awareness campaigns and support for children, their communities, and institutions.

Gabon

Gabon is a republic dominated by a strong presidency. The Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) came to power in 1968 and has circumscribed political choice. Following a 2003 constitutional amendment eliminating term limits, PDG leader El Hadj Omar Bongo, President since 1967, was reelected for a seven-year term in November 2005. The election was marred by irregularities. The Government’s human rights record remained poor. Security forces disrupted demonstrations and assaulted journalists. Arbitrary arrest and detention were problems, and the judiciary remained subject to Government influence. Opposition parties remained small, disunited, under-funded, and marginalized. Since Gabon adopted a multiparty system in 1990, the ruling party has successfully convinced most opposition parties to join the ruling coalition. The Electoral Commission rejected attempts to form new parties in advance of the 2005 election. Gabon has made some progress in combating child labor and trafficking in persons (TIP), but these issues remained areas of concern.

The U.S. strategy for promoting human rights and democracy in Gabon was targeted in part toward diplomatic engagement in view of the 2005 elections. The strategy also focused on strengthening key institutions such as an independent, fair, and professional media and professionalizing the military. The strategy included advocacy and programs to combat TIP, especially the trafficking of children.

The Ambassador met regularly with Group of 8 (G-8) counterparts to formulate a common strategy for advancing democratic reform. Embassy officials also participated in joint donor efforts to promote good governance and protect vulnerable groups.

In advance of the November 2005 presidential election, Embassy officials discussed the importance of free and fair elections in meetings with national and local election officials, ruling party and opposition leaders and supporters, and other diplomatic missions in Gabon. Embassy officials obtained official accreditation as observers and deployed in teams to major population centers in the country to observe voting. The Embassy maintained contacts and consulted regularly with all major opposition groups.

The shortage of open and independent media sources in Gabon remained a concern. Embassy officials met frequently with members of the National Communications Council and other Government officials to discourage the closure of media outlets and to promote freedom of speech and a free and independent press. The Ambassador hosted a discussion on the life of Martin Luther King at his residence, fostering a free and open dialogue among Government and religious leaders, opposition figures, and prominent academics. When security forces beat two journalists, the Embassy met with a representative of the journalist’s employer and discussed the case with Government officials.

The Embassy regularly discussed human rights with government officials and NGOs at all levels, stressing the important link between respect for human rights and the relationship with the United States. Embassy officials regularly attended seminars and conferences that promoted human rights and democracy.

To promote greater respect for human rights within the law enforcement community, the Embassy maintained regular contact with the National Police and Gendarmerie. The United States sent one official from each organization to the International Law Enforcement Academy in Gaborone, the first time Gabonese law enforcement officials attended the school.

In order to increase respect for human rights within the military, the United States worked to foster professionalism among the security forces by sending members of the Government to military schools in the United States. These professional education courses addressed civil-military relations, military peacekeeping operations, military subordination to civilian authorities, and a broad range of legal and human rights topics.

The United States launched a program to provide training for members of the Gabonese Armed Forces designated to serve in peacekeeping missions. Training for peacekeepers included a special focus on human rights issues and civil-military relations.

The alleged ritual murder of two children in February highlighted a problem in Gabon. Embassy officials met regularly with the founders of a new NGO dedicated to eliminating the tradition, and attended a seminar where a plan of action was developed to fight the practice.

The United States sponsored scholarships in Gabon to help girls from needy families complete their primary education. The program helped both urban and rural students, with a portion allocated to students from remote regions.

The Embassy maintained regular contact with all major religious groups including Muslim organizations and U.S. missionary groups, to support and reinforce the already tolerant environment in Gabon.

The United States made trafficking in persons a high priority. The Ambassador and Embassy officials approached Government officials at all levels, including parliamentary leaders, ministers, and the President, to persuade them of the need for further concrete measures to combat trafficking in persons. Recognizing the logistical difficulties faced by law enforcement agencies in housing, feeding, and eventually repatriating trafficking victims, the United States supported a television and radio public awareness campaign to announce the new anti-trafficking law and sensitize the Gabonese to the plight of trafficked children. The United States also supported the attendance of the commander of the police anti-trafficking brigade in an International Visitors Leadership Program focusing on women, families, and the law in the United States. The Embassy maintained close contacts with activists and NGOs concerned with this issue.

Labor unions are among the strongest NGOs in Gabon, and Embassy representatives regularly attended labor conferences and met union leaders to promote free association and the importance of unions in a democratic society.

Gambia, The

The Gambia is a republic under multiparty democratic rule. The Government of President Alhaji Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, who was re-elected for a five-year term in 2001 in an election considered free and fair, generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas. Arbitrary arrest and detention and denial of due process occurred, and the courts sometimes yielded to executive branch pressure. The Government limited freedom of speech and the press by intimidation and restrictive legislation. Nevertheless, dissident voices were heard and a viable opposition movement exists. Violence and discrimination against women continued. The practice of female genital mutilation remained widespread, although the Government did not endorse the practice. Child labor persisted, mainly on family farms, as did trafficking in persons (TIP). The Government took positive steps to eradicate the problems of TIP and child labor, including passage of a Children’s Act designed to promote the welfare of children.

The U.S. strategy to promote democracy and human rights was to focus diplomatic and programmatic resources to advance the three core values of democratic freedoms, the rule of law, and human dignity. To do this, the United States targeted active engagement with the Government, leveraging economic assistance with concrete improvements in democratic reform and human rights. The U.S. long-term strategy stresses anti-corruption measures for the Government and programs to strengthen civil society and the media.

Embassy officials maintained an active dialogue with all political parties and with civil society representatives, stressing the importance of free and fair elections. The Embassy also actively encouraged regular dialogue and meetings among the donor community to avoid duplication of effort and to ensure effective allocation of resources in election support.

The United States used a large grant to provide support to the relatively weak National Assembly. These funds paid for a major construction and renovation project that dramatically improved the working spaces of the Members of Parliament. This project generated significant goodwill for the United States among the National Assembly members, providing a tangible example of U.S. support for democratic institutions.

Relations between the Government and media were strained. U.S. officials consistently stressed that a free press is an essential part of a democratic society and used grants and the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) to support independent media. The Gambian Press Union used grant funds to purchase a printing press. The United States provided equipment to a city radio station and funded a program that explained the Constitution to listeners in the widely-spoken Wollof language. All media representatives, regardless of political affiliation, had access to Embassy staff for interviews and reports.

The Embassy sent the head of the Gambia Press Union to the 2005 IVLP journalism program and sent two journalists to a regional conference in Cameroon aimed at establishing an African journalism federation. These participants shared their experiences with other members of Gambian media in meetings and, in the case of the head of the Gambia Press Union, through a three-part chronicle of the IVLP published in one of the independent newspapers.

The Embassy supported the Children’s Protection Alliance in its efforts to combat trafficking of children in the country by increasing public awareness and sensitization to this important problem. The Embassy funded NGOs and small cooperatives throughout the country in 2005. These programs, while small in scope, had a large impact and may have been the most popular and highly visible examples of U.S. support for grass-roots democratic development and education in The Gambia. The Embassy supported the National Council for Civic Education’s program to provide civic and human rights education nationwide.

Judicial independence and due process remained areas of concern. The Ambassador took every opportunity to stress to government officials the importance of an independent judiciary in a democratic society, while IVLP exposed promising jurists to the American judicial process.

On the anti-corruption front, the Government’s "Operation No Compromise" continued in 2005, with a number of senior officials removed from office under allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds. While encouraging efforts to combat corruption, the Embassy also stressed the importance of a transparent judicial process in prosecuting these cases.

To foster more professional security forces and reduce any tendency for human rights abuses, the United States resumed non-lethal military assistance to The Gambia immediately after sanctions, which were imposed following the 1994 coup, were lifted in 2002. In the past year, the Embassy arranged for several officers and civilian officials to attend International Military Education and Training (IMET) and expanded IMET programs in the United States. Most senior officers in the military, including the President, have participated in IMET. The United States also funded regional training and workshops for military officials. They, along with civilian officials, participated in conferences sponsored by the African Center for Strategic Studies. Finally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation funded training at their National Academy for a Gambian police officer.

Religious harmony is the norm in the country. To reinforce that harmony and bolster religious freedom and understanding, during Ramadan the Embassy hosted several Iftaar dinners that were attended by many Muslim spiritual leaders as well as members of the minority Christian clergy. The Embassy also hosted an inter-faith panel to discuss Judaism and religious tolerance.

The Gambia’s TIP rating fell to Tier 2 Watch List in 2005. The Embassy responded with a robust anti-TIP program that included both financial support and guidance as the Government worked to improve its record in combating trafficking. The United States funded the Child Protective Alliance to assist efforts to protect and promote children’s rights. This support contributed to the successful passage of the Children’s Act in 2005. This Act contains detailed provisions specifically dealing with the worst forms of child labor and trafficking in persons, mandating stiff penalties for offenders.

Guinea

In the last year, Guinea demonstrated achievement in political reforms and improvement in its human rights record. Sixteen of the 46 registered political parties, including all major opposition parties, participated in the December 2005 nationwide elections for municipal and local government councils. Observers noted some improvements over the 2003 presidential election. The Government continued to restrict citizens’ rights to change their government. While opposition parties had more freedom to campaign and all parties had greater access to the media, numerous citizens were disenfranchised because they did not have identity cards. The authorities arbitrarily detained, and in some cases abused, more than 200 politicians and party supporters. In general, the authorities rarely held political prisoners more than a few days. Police and security forces injured several persons on election day.

The U.S. strategy to promote democracy and human rights focused on laying a foundation for a peaceful and democratic political transformation through support for constitutional processes, continued and expanded national dialogue, and liberalization of broadcast media. The United States encouraged civilian-led power transfer and constitutional succession through heightened military and diplomatic engagement; focused on the potential stabilizing role of the military through engagement across the civilian-military divide; and promoted civil-military relations, including political discussions and social exchanges. A comprehensive U.S. communication and public diplomacy strategy ensured that messages to advance freedom and democracy were included in all activities. The United States also heightened outreach to youth, women, and Muslim religious leaders.

The Embassy consistently presented democracy and human rights as the cornerstone of U.S. policy. U.S. officials highlighted this priority in speeches and meetings with interlocutors. The United States supported democracy by training citizens, locally elected officials, and representatives of government, and by facilitating dialogue through a more informed media and electorate. This assistance encouraged citizen participation in local governance; supported improved political processes, including more transparent elections; and encouraged civil society organizations to provide civic education and advocacy for citizen interests. After consistent Embassy engagement and discussions, opposition party leaders who boycotted past elections decided to participate in the December local elections.

The local governance program and civil society activities increased understanding of the electoral process by generating interest, informed citizens of their voting rights, and equipped NGOs to act as formal election monitors. Nearly two-thirds of the NGOs independently selected to serve as Guinea’s first national election observers received training and technical assistance from the local governance program. On election day, the Embassy deployed 19 observer teams comprised of American and Guinean staff to gain valuable perspectives from the field.

The importance of civilian-military relations in the development of democracy and protection of human rights in Guinea was a major component of security cooperation. In May, the Embassy sponsored a successful five-day seminar bringing together 38 high-ranking military officers and 36 civilians from the parliament, political parties, and various Government ministries to emphasize the benefits of good governance and a responsible military. Ongoing military programs emphasized appreciation for rule of law and human rights.

A presidential decree to open radio and television broadcast media to private ownership was the successful result of diplomatic and programmatic support. Through various training and capacity-building programs for media organizations, the United States worked to speed its implementation. Embassy public diplomacy programs encouraged individuals to express their views freely; utilize rights to public information, especially information about government actions, policies, and programs; and understand and utilize their rights to change the Government. Embassy programs encouraged open discussion on all topics relating to U.S.-Guinean relations and particularly Western concepts of democracy and human rights. The United States sponsored Guineans to participate in International Visitor Leadership Programs (IVLP) with human rights and democracy agendas.

The U.S. funded two one-week journalist training workshops through a small grant to a local organization dedicated to media ethics. The first included more than 40 correspondents from the Guinean Government’s Guinean Press Agency and National Radio. The second included representatives from Guinea’s 12 rural radio stations. Both featured sessions on the participants’ roles and responsibilities in the electoral process. The journalists developed concrete strategies to engage the National Network of Journalists for Good Governance. A digital video conference for journalists provided insights to reporting on corruption from a French-speaking, Paris-based American journalist for media capacity-building.

The United States implemented a program to strengthen NGOs that included a nationwide civic education campaign and a series of town hall meetings, trainings that focused on election procedures for political party officials in the interior, legal trainings for professional associations in Guinea, internal democratic governance, advocacy techniques, and technical training for media professionals. All U.S. activities supported working with and strengthening local organizations. In 2005, the United States trained and strengthened over 2,788 grassroots community-based organizations. In addition, the United States worked with 68 regional or national-level NGOs to help implement U.S. programs. Other donors and the Government acknowledged increased NGO capacity as a result.

The local governance program provided technical assistance, leadership development, and training to foster active citizen participation and improved performance of community management committees of local service institutions and rural organizations. Embassy intervention produced a capable and registered local NGO and a national association of professional organizations that engaged civil society and reached nearly 175,000 persons.

The U.S. focus on strengthening the rule of law highlighted one of Guinea’s most serious issues. As a result of a U.S.-funded program, a national association of professional organizations was created and committed itself to reviewing and revising the laws regulating professional organizations. Although new, it successfully advocated for the release of an arrested lawyer.

A February 2005 program on corruption and good governance featured a representative from the Ministry of Finance and brought together members of the National Assembly, finance analysts, NGO representatives, and the media.

The United States funded projects targeting the promotion of the rights of women, students and teachers, and victims of HIV/AIDS; combating female genital mutilation (FGM); and providing training in conflict resolution and responsible media. This year, the Embassy funded an innovative radio drama series to increase awareness and promote dialogue on human rights and protection for women and girls. The United States financed the creation of a center for conflict resolution in Macenta with a focus on the historically volatile Forest Region. To combat torture and other human rights abuses in prisons, the United States funded several workshops bringing together penitentiary security and administrative staff with selected prisoners in two of the largest prisons in the country.

Promoting the rights of women and minorities is critical. The United States funded a program to reduce FGM in the Mamou and Labe regions. To reinforce these efforts, a returned participant in the IVLP led an April colloquium on AIDS awareness and tolerance for medical practitioners, NGOs, university students, and the media. In June, a high school theater production focused on HIV/AIDS and provided a forum for youth to dispel myths about the disease and combat dis