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South Africa marks the 20th anniversary of post-apartheid democracy
Johannesburg: South Africans today celebrated 20 years of democracy with song, prayer and praise for those who guided their country into a more peaceful, tolerant era, although some noted...
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South Africa marks the 20th anniversary of post-apartheid democracy - Video
KOTA KINABALU, April 28 (Bernama) -- The system of parliamentary democracy in Malaysia has a good future, based on developments in the practice of the democratic principle by the people, who own the system, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.
He said as the principle of democracy was 'government of the people, by the people and for the people', the developments taking place now under the government transformation plan involved the process of imbibing the spirit of democracy by the rakyat (people).
"I am not saying that the principle did not exist before, but I think the system of parliamentary democracy in Malaysia is undergoing transformation in form and approach.
"I also agree with the opinion of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that democracy must have limits. As such, other countries of the world should not be compelled to apply all the elements of democracy practised in certain countries."
Pandikar Amin said this in his talk on 'Malaysia and the Future of Parliamentary Democracy' in conjunction with the Federal Civil Servants Assembly, here Monday.
He said democracy in Malaysia must be upheld, respected and adapted to the the socio-culture and socio-economy of a country with a population comprising various races practising different religions and customs.
"For instance, it's not proper in the name of democracy and freedom of expression, for people to be silent when there are groups such as the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community championing perverse culture in this country," he said.
Pandikar Amin said Malaysia's success in various fields like social, educational and economic was the result of the implementation of democratic principles based on its own mould.
On the claim by the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs (Comango) that Malaysia's system of parliamentary democracy enshrined in the constitution, was undemocratic, he said it was because they were using democracy in certain countries as the yardstick.
On another note, he said civil servants must not neglect the tasks entrusted to them as this would not only tantamount to sabotaging the government but also the country's system of democracy," he said.
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Democracy In Malaysia Has Good Future - Pandikar Amin
In reflecting on 20 years of South Africa's democracy, a group of artists in Johannesburg have tapped into the major themes in our ambient culture to emerge with a fascinating exhibition of artworks that distil some of the key issues dominating our national discourse at this important juncture in South African history.
SACSIS' Fazila Farouk caught up with curator of the exhibition Farieda Nazier at the Ithuba Art Gallery and discovered that violence, censorship, racism, patriarchy and politics are key themes that stood out for the artists.
The exhibition titled "Tension Torsion" was sponsored by the National Arts Council, Ithuba Art Gallery and University of Johannesburg's Centre for Education Rights and Transformation.
Transcript of Interview
FAZILA FAROUK: Welcome to the South African Civil Society Information Service, I'm Fazila Farouk in Johannesburg coming to you this morning from the Ithuba Art Gallery in downtown Johannesburg where we are to talk to the curator of a wonderful exhibition that's been put together to reflect on South Africa's 20 years of democracy.
We're here today to talk to Farieda Nazier, she's a lecturer at the University of Johannesburg and she's the curator of this exhibition and she's going to tell us first - Farieda - a little bit about herself and how it is that she got to put together this exhibition and what her vision was for this exhibition.
Welcome to SACSIS Farieda.
FARIEDA NAZIER: Thank you Fazila.
I as you've said I'm from the University of Johannesburg and I'm a lecturer there but I also, I'm a practicing artist. I'm originally from Cape Town, from the Cape Flats and I feel quite strongly about socio-political issues and psycho-social issues as they reflect a lot of my own experiences.
The exhibition is about 20 years of democracy, but it also goes beyond those 20 years. So into the deeper historical settings of South Africa, and ... .
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South Africa: 20 Years of Democracy Through the Lens of South African Art
More than six people in ten in Swaziland say they are not satisfied with the way democracy works in the kingdom.
This was one of the findings in a report called 'Let the People Have a Say', published this week by Afrobarometer.
The research surveyed 34-countries in Africa and asked a series of questions about what people thought about democracy and how democratic they thought their own country was.
But, only in Swaziland were researchers were not allowed to ask a question about whether people rejected 'one man rule'. In its report Afrobarometer said this was because 'a near-absolute monarch resists democratization' in the kingdom.
Among the report's main findings were that in Swaziland 46 percent of people surveyed said 'democracy is preferable to any other government.'
Only 35 percent of people were 'somewhat or very satisfied' with the way democracy worked in Swaziland.
A total of 22 percent of people said they believed non-democratic governments can be preferable to democracies.
In Swaziland political parties are banned from taking part in elections and political parties that campaigned for democracy in the kingdom have been banned as terrorists. Even so, 70 percent of people strongly disapproved of one-party rule.
Dissent in Swaziland is often put down by police and state forces, but 86 percent of people rejected military rule for Swaziland.
Across the continent seven out of 10 Africans prefer democracy to other political regimes.
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Swaziland: People Unhappy With Swazi Democracy
The late pope, who was canonized today, is remembered in Poland as an architect of the fall of communism a role of new significance in light of the Kremlin's increasing assertiveness.
By Sara Miller Llana,Staff writer, Monika Rbaa,Correspondent / April 27, 2014
Poland has, since the fall of communism, become a more secular country to the point that lawmakers have beendivided over whether to grant a parliamentary declaration to Pope John Paul II, who was canonized today at the Vatican.
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But even as secular forces push for a greater separation of church and state in this still deeply Catholic country, no one denies the fundamental role the Polish-born pontiff played as Poland emerged from Soviet occupation.
And his canonization comes at a time when Poland is once again looking warily at a resurgent Russia, which is engaged in a political game in Ukraine that has prompted uncomfortable parallels with the cold war. Poles sit at the forefront of demanding a tough response from the West to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Today offers a reminder of how Poland arrived at its position in 2014 as a democratic nation firmly embedded in the European Union.
People listened to him, even those who didn't believe in God. He gave us power and hope, he was a symbol of freedom, says Paulina Jelen, a middle-aged resident of Warsaw. Ms. Jelen remembers that during the cold war, her mother worked for the state telecommunications company, which communist authorities used to jam the broadcasts of papal visits.
During pastoral visits to Poland he gave people power and a lot of energy. He talked so many times about responsibility and dignity, and people realized that Communists took these away from them, says Maciej Zieba, a Polish Dominican priest who was a good friend of John Paul II.
The sainthood ceremony is part of an unprecedented, and controversial, double canonization overseen by Pope Francis himself a wildly popular leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope John XXIII, who served from 1958 to 1963, is known as the good pope who attempted to adapt the church to modern realities by calling the Second Vatican Council. And Pope John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in 450 years and who sat from 1978 to his death in 2005, was adored by the masses as he traveled the globe.
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Poland looks to Pope John Paul II with new eyes as Russia stirs (+video)