Metamorphosis of a 'social' club

To some the Commonwealth, which Sri Lanka as Ceylon joined some 50 years ago, is nothing more than a group of old buddies, brought together by their colonial heritage, love for cricket, the English language and brown and black 'sahibism'.

The criticism persists even today, though the Commonwealth has, in the last decade, transformed itself into a much more purposeful organisation whose interests go far beyond providing technical assistance and expertise.

Admittedly not everybody is convinced of this change. Recently the new Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Don McKinnon was given a rather torrid time during an interview on BBC's "Hard Talk" programme. Mr. McKinnon, a former New Zealand foreign minister, took a little time to recover from the condescending description of the organisation he now heads, as a kind of old boys' club.

For battle

He conceded that there was a need to popularise the work of the Commonwealth particularly among the youth in member countries. They knew little or nothing of the organisation.

But Mr. McKinnon who had donned his gloves by then was not ready to let the British media dictate the future or agenda of the Commonwealth. He was not ready to pay pooja to the British press.

He was taking a tough enough stance. Living and working in London, it seemed like trying to beard the lion in his den.

But there is much truth in what the new Secretary-General says. Those who are acquainted with the metamorphosis of this organisation from its original agenda which was to keep the old British empire together in some loose form that did not smack too much of racial and cultural superiority, into one with a set of political principles, realise the essential change.

Turning point

The leaders agreed on a set of principles which had as its underpinning a democratic system of governance. Member states agreed to work towards establishing those democratic principles in their own countries. Those principles included the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, human rights and freedom of speech and free and fair elections.

Now it is one thing to set these out on paper. It was an entirely different thing to ensure that these were respected and adopted by member states. After all, almost every constitution one can think of, extends human rights to their people and guarantees the freedoms of expression, association and assembly, among others. But how many of these fundamental freedoms so lavishly promised in constitutional documents are, in fact, extended to the people by those who rule them?

This obviously worried some leaders who had gathered in Harare in 1991. The Commonwealth had in its midst military rulers, civilian dictators, autocrats as well as democratic leaders. How could such a motley group ever agree to accept democratic principles which could eventually undermine their own political power?

Timing

Even within the Commonwealth, member states were divided by Cold War rhetoric and political and economic promises. The Cold War was now officially 'kaput' and western democracies appeared triumphant. It was in this scenario that Commonwealth leaders committed themselves to democracy in 1991.

The significant question at the time was what if a member state failed to keep its promise to further democratic principles? It is in answer to that question that the leaders agreed to set up a ministerial group to monitor the conduct of nations and act against them if there was any slippage from the accepted principles.

C-mag

Pakistan suffered a similar suspension when its elected government was overthrown in a military takeover in 1999. But the Commonwealth has still to decide on certain grey areas. The recent troubles in Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth wondering whether it could act.

It did, but not in the same way that it moved against Nigeria and Pakistan. In Zimbabwe there has been no military takeover. But the democratic principles it agreed to preserve are under severe threat.

So C-mag issued a fairly clear warning to Zimbabwe at a meeting in London this month. Put your act together because the Commonwealth is deeply concerned by the breakdown in law and order, the threat to the rule of law and to democracy.

Mr. McKinnon was in Zimbabwe about two weeks ago to convey the message from the Commonwealth. In the future the Commonwealth might well decide to suspend countries that act in the manner that Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe has done. That is the kind of international stigma that no country would want to suffer.

So member nations that violate democratic principles, the norms by which Commonwealth members are judged right now, had better take serious note. Very soon they may not be welcome in the comity of nations that forms the Commonwealth.

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