The Role of State Constitutions in Protecting ... - International IDEA
The Role of State Constitutions in Protecting ... - International IDEA
The Role of State Constitutions in Protecting ... - International IDEA
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m<strong>in</strong>orities, the <strong>in</strong>dependence <strong>of</strong> the watchdog <strong>in</strong>stitutions, taxation rights, and<br />
overall control <strong>of</strong> the army, law and order <strong>in</strong> the federal system and at the state<br />
level, regulat<strong>in</strong>g relations <strong>in</strong> between “settlers” and locals, and the overall divisions<br />
<strong>of</strong> power between the national and state level. Even contentious issues such as the<br />
right to secession should be addressed.<br />
Exile groups were encouraged to use the time <strong>of</strong> wait<strong>in</strong>g, creatively; tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
themselves for the political barga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, art <strong>of</strong> compromise that is necessary <strong>in</strong><br />
transitions. <strong>The</strong> draft<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> a constitution is a political act and when negotiat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
political deals one needs to be ready for a compromise. It should be borne <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d<br />
that everybody will be losers if a civil war is the price to pay for non–compromise.<br />
It is worth not<strong>in</strong>g that the African National Congress (ANC) made many<br />
compromises and settled for much less than they expected or which their political<br />
power base could have secured.<br />
Constitution-mak<strong>in</strong>g is both the moment and the process <strong>in</strong> which to improve<br />
women’s political participation. It is more difficult to secure this later. One should<br />
also th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>of</strong> other ways to improve women’s participation <strong>in</strong>stead <strong>of</strong> depend<strong>in</strong>g<br />
only on reservations <strong>in</strong> the parliament.<br />
When determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the legal status and rights <strong>of</strong> m<strong>in</strong>orities, it is wise to be as<br />
generous as one can be towards settlers and for your own m<strong>in</strong>orities with<strong>in</strong> a state.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are, after all, citizens <strong>of</strong> Burma and <strong>in</strong> any event m<strong>in</strong>orities with<strong>in</strong> a state<br />
should be entitled to the rights that m<strong>in</strong>orities with<strong>in</strong> the Union can claim.<br />
<strong>The</strong> choice <strong>of</strong> an electoral system is an important and significant one. Aga<strong>in</strong>, there<br />
is no “best choice” that can be applied. <strong>The</strong> electoral system must be suited to<br />
national conditions and must aim at ensur<strong>in</strong>g broad representation and stable<br />
government.<br />
Questions posed to the panelists <strong>in</strong>cluded:<br />
estions<br />
posed to the panelists <strong>in</strong>cluded:<br />
Should the right to secession be <strong>in</strong> the constitution or not?<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are no simple answers. If secession is outlawed it can lead to agitation and<br />
there is fear that if it is <strong>in</strong>cluded as a right <strong>in</strong> the constitution it can lead to<br />
fragmentation. This should be considered carefully to determ<strong>in</strong>e the full<br />
implications otherwise it can lead to mistrust which could be detrimental.<br />
Is a symmetrical Upper House a good model?<br />
If the Upper House is only deal<strong>in</strong>g with the protection <strong>of</strong> m<strong>in</strong>ority rights, a<br />
symmetrical Upper House may be appropriate. But, if it is go<strong>in</strong>g deal with other<br />
broader issues, it should focus on enabl<strong>in</strong>g democratic nation-build<strong>in</strong>g and it may<br />
be more appropriate for it to be asymmetrical.<br />
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