Freedom as a number

Jonathan Power (POWERS WORLD) / 7 February 2013

THE COLD War ended and the good times began the big powers stopped using their veto in the UN Security Council, the number of wars fell dramatically, human rights improved all over the world including in Russia and the number of democracies increased substantially.

Where have all the flowers gone? The veto has returned. The number of civil wars has started to rise again. The number of democracies has begun to decrease. Perhaps better human rights practices are still holding their ground in China they are improving slowly, including a more open Press and more freedom for academics in the universities, but in Russia after some opening up under the presidency of Dimitri Medvedev freedoms are now retreating under Vladimir Putin.

The Arab Spring continues its uncertain course with Egypt awash with uncertainty. Only in Tunisia does freedom seem secure.

Freedom House has a long history of measuring progress on some of the key human rights indicators democracy, freedom of the Press and the courts. It has produced some interesting results in its new report.

Still, all is not right with Freedom Houses report. The organisation does have flaws. One mans judgment is another mans poison, although that is to put it too strongly.

When I look at its report on Nigeria, a country I have visited a dozen times over 30 years, I think back on my visits and recall that every time I go I feel astonished by its progress both political and economic. Its only 14 years ago that it was ruled by a brutal dictatorship. Under its first elected government freedom of the Press and assembly were instantly granted. A strong attack was made on its embedded corruption. The courts were freed to do their job and steadily improved their quality.

The first election was flawed but since then there have been three general elections and each time they have become fairer. The legal system has improved and the government has been challenged in the courts, including over the election results when the court in one knife-edged judgment decided there had been a good deal of fraud in the election but that the cheating wouldnt have altered the results. Newspapers have become more daring in their criticisms.

The deeply embedded culture of corruption continues unabated. Prosecutions on Nigerian soil have only netted one imprisonment. But Freedom House dont mention the successful conviction of a big time politician in a UK court, with the evidence supplied by Nigeria. Moreover, the sense of impunity has diminished. The cabinets of the three governments have been almost corruption-free.

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Freedom as a number