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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT face=Arial size=2>FROM THE DESK OF THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>CSW Monthly Bulletin provides a global forum to protect the rights of
civil society</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><STRONG></STRONG></SPAN><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><BR></SPAN></B><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">By</SPAN>
<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 /><ST1:PERSONNAME><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB">Kumi
Naidoo</ST1:PERSONNAME>, CIVICUS Secretary General and Chief Executive
Officer<BR>While we may welcome the rise of democratically
elected governments (even though there are deep flaws in the quality of
those elections including in long standing electoral democracies) in
various parts of the world where civil society has played a substantial role for
change, we also witness with great sadness a pattern of illiberal democracies
where the right to basic civil liberties and political rights are being
increasingly constrained and infringed upon. </FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><FONT
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"></SPAN><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=2>CIVICUS believes that a strong, active and vibrant civil
society can play a crucial role in the vitality of participatory democracy and
thus the need for special attention to protect civil society, especially where
it comes under grave threat. The realisation that international exposure of
violations and pressure on violators is an effective means to bring about change
has inspired CIVICUS to monitor and disseminate information about these
situations through our Civil Society Watch (CSW) Programme and through its new
CSW Monthly Bulletin.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><FONT face=Arial
size=2><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">
<DIV><BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>Read more at </FONT><A
href="http://www.civicus.org/new/content/deskofthesecretarygeneral12.htm"><FONT
face=Arial
size=2>www.civicus.org/new/content/deskofthesecretarygeneral12.htm</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>-----------------------------------------------------------------<BR>Eric
Muragana<BR>Communications Associate <BR>CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen
Participation<BR>24 Gwigwi Mrwebi Street ( former Pim) corner Quinn St.,
Newtown<BR>2001 Johannesburg, South Africa<BR>Tel: +27 11 833-5959 ext no.
136<BR>Fax: +27 11 833-7997<BR>Skype: muragana<BR>Cell: +27 83
758-1032<BR><BR>Join CIVICUS. Visit </FONT><A href="http://www.civicus.org"
target=_blank><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none"><FONT
face=Arial size=2>www.civicus.org</FONT></SPAN></A><BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>-----------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>