During the triple elections held in Yemen on Sept. 20, a group of reform-minded Arab activists, of which we were part, organised an election observation mission that is bound to become a precedent for anchoring similar inter-Arab democratic practices, and for fostering collective work on democracy. Representing four different countries with a recent tradition for timely elections, Palestinian, Egyptian, Moroccan and Lebanese observers launched the first initiative to observe an Arab election by other Arabs.

Working in parallel with international observers, the Arab delegation received high acclaim from Yemeni civil society and election officials alike, and was shown a warm welcome by the Yemeni authorities. Natives to the region, the Arab observers displayed cultural sensitivity and a wide understanding of the local context as well as the intricacies and nuances of the local language -- critical elements missing in outside observers.

The trip also allowed the various electoral actors to discuss their experiences and compare notes on various election processes in the region. Members of the delegation worked in tandem with highly capable Yemeni observers, who displayed unflinching courage and ironclad commitment to ensuring a transparent voting process. To dispel notions of anti-regime bias, members of the delegation held meetings with a variety of political and civil society actors belonging to pro-regime, and to opposition, parties. They also listened carefully to assessments by Yemeni and international civil society organizations.

The delegation was part of a growing critical mass of Arab reformers who insist on blazing the trail and moving forward despite regressions in processes of reform across the Middle East. Members of the Arab delegation were all experienced election monitors and most, if not all, belong to civil society groups and have a long track record of election observation in their own countries and beyond. Their action in Yemen testified to the coming of age of Arab civil society and its increasing capacity to undertake pro-democracy work in neighboring countries.

The presence of the Arab observers in Yemen was also a strong indication that observation missions need not be foreign-inspired or concocted in Western capitals, nor do election observation missions pose a threat to a country's sovereignty. Such initiatives will always benefit from outside help and assistance, however, and in Yemen's case the delegation was supported by the National Democratic Institute, an American institution. This did not, however, preclude the fact that similar such initiatives are now locally developed and "owned" -- as was the Yemeni one -- and can be added to serious ongoing inter-Arab initiatives such as capacity-building training, advocacy and promotion of good governance programs.

This initiative also sought to reflect the region's interconnectedness and the vast common ground shared by civil society activists in virtually every Arab country. Activists face more or less the same challenges to promoting democracy and are finally pooling their collective efforts to deal with these challenges constructively.

The initiative also proved that such precedents can take place without incurring the wrath of regimes or risking the safety of election observers. Hopefully gone are the days of political oppression and secretive democracy struggles. Arab civil society is here to stay and if anything was shown in the Yemeni experience, it was that this civil society is a mature and reliable stakeholder on the slow but sure journey toward democratic reform.

The Arab delegation has officially become the Arab Initiative for Election Observation and is now in the process of publishing a report on its findings in Yemen. It is also planning to field observer missions for upcoming elections in the region and around the globe. This initiative is worthy of the attention that pro-democracy forces internationally have had for the Middle East's future. It is also a precedent that, if supported and nurtured, will be a shining civil society success for some time to come.

(Oussama Safa is general director of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies. Khalil Gebara is co-executive director of the Lebanese Transparency Association. Both were members of the observer delegation to Yemen.

(This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service.)

Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com