Post-Conflict Nation-Building

Iraq Project
The world's eye is currently focused on the situation in Iraq. Saddam Hussein and the ruling Ba'ath party have denied basic civil rights and fundamental freedoms to the Iraqi people since coming to power in the late 1960s. Many ethnic and religious minorities, not to mention the majority Shi’a population, have been brutally repressed.

It is necessary to envision the governmental and administrative institutions upon which a free and democratic Iraq may be built after the fall of the Hussein regime. We are now in the process of writing a paper outlining the preferred options for Iraq to successfully make the transition to a free and democratic society, including options for a legislature, executive, democratization and the implementation of special provisions protecting the rights of minorities. Each of these areas will be carefully tailored to reflect Iraqi customs and political realities while promoting the rule of law. It is our hope that this paper can act as a blueprint for those who will create and administer these institutions.

Zimbabwe Project
Since independence from the British in 1980, the economic and political situations in Zimbabwe have deteriorated at an alarming rate. President Mugabe and his political party, ZANU-PF, in power since independence, have been increasingly closed to the international community while the people of Zimbabwe endure critical food shortages, skyrocketing inflation, and state-sponsored terror at the ballot boxes.

With this instability in Zimbabwe, considering a post-Mugabe regime becomes important. We have written a report to be a dependable yet flexible guide for those seeking to rebuild infrastructure and democratic institutions with integrity. This report provides an overview of major areas of conflict in Zimbabwe. Practical recommendations are included for the international community and for those working in Zimbabwe. Topics covered are: AIDS; inflation; rule of law and the judiciary; democracy and elections; land reform; media; and security.