MISSIONARIES FOR DEMOCRACY: U.S. AID FOR GLOBAL PLURALISM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000200740001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 18, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 1, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
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NEW YORK TIMES
ON PAM ___AMWL__ 1 June 1986
Missionaries for Democracy:
U. S. Aid for Global Pluralism
By DAVID K. SHIPLER
"aw0YhNwYot111
WASHINGTON, May 31 - For sev-
eral years after Soviet troops entered
Afghanistan in 1'979, a former, editor
and Information Minister in Kabul
tried to get money to restore the village
school system destroyed In rebel-held
areas of his country.
The Afghan, Sabahuddin Itushkaki,
applied unsuccessfully to the Unit"
States Agency for International Devel
opment and to major American
foundations. Every one turned
down, thinking the war would be short.
Then, as the fighting continued, he
and some friends happened upon an or-
ganization with the right combination
of Government money, bureaucratic
flexibility and antirC.enmunist com-
mitment - the NassiiM Endowment
for Democracy.
Using Federal, money, . tt provided
$180,845 to train eeachars, oanaduc.K lit-
eracy courses for rebel fighteM reopen
,Some schools 404. PON& asps text-
books with unflattering accounts of the
Soviet role is Afghan history. "They
have been giving us help without any
strings attached," Mr. Kushkakl said
on a recent visit to Washington.
Public Money, Private Interests
This Is part of an unusual worldwide
campaign, billed as a promotion of
democracy and free enterprise, which
mixes public funds and private inter-
ests. Conceived in a new spirit of ideo-
logical confidence in the United States,
the effort is described by some of those
involved as an expression of the "Rea-
gan Doctrine," which envisions an ag-
gressive Amerlcwl policy is fostering a
move toward democracy in the third
world. After three years, the program
has now taken a clear shape.
The National Endowment for
Dem created
f3TON p0pllse, has channeled a total
of $53.7 million is Government money
to foreign political parties, labor
unions, newspapers, magazines, book
publishers and other institutions in
countries where democracy is deemed
fragile or nonexistent.
The Federal money is being used for
such undertakings as helping the Soli-
darity labor union print underground
publications in Poland. buying materi-
als for an opposition newspaper in
Nicaragua, bolstering the opposition in
South Korea, aiding a party in North-
ern Ireland that is a member of the So-
cialist International and getilgg out the
vote in Grenada and Latin American
countries.
Money is also going to monitor and
publicize human-rights abuses by Viet-
nam, for union-organizing in the Philip.
pines
help p poolitical p"ppartiieesopoppos~the
right-wing dictatorship in Chile.
'.we're engaged in almost mission-
arywork." said Kcal Schuette, head of
the National Republican Institute for
International Aftairs, which convoys
some of the money to foreign politial
parties that share the Republicans'
'views. "We've seen what the Socialists
do for each other. we've seen whst'ehe
Communists do for each other. And
now we've come along. and we have a
broadly democratic movement, a force
for democracy."
In some respects, the program
resembles the aid given by the Central
Intelligence Agency In the 1950's, 1p's
and 70's to bolster pro-American politi-
cal groups. But that aid was clandes-
tine and, subsequent Congressional in.
vestigations found, often used planted
intentionally articles and other form of
misleading information.
The current financing is largely
lic - despite some recipients' wish to
keep some activities secret - and ap-
pears to be given with the objective of
shoring up political pluralism, broader
than the C.I.A.'s goals of fostering pro-
Americanism. Although some grants
go to unions and parties that are close
to the Administration's policy line,
others support groups that disagree
with Washington on the danger of the
Soviet threat, for Instance, or on aid to
the Nicaraguan rebels.
Concept Collects
Praise and Criticism
The concept of a private group as a
conduit for Government funds for such
a program has drawn both praise and
criticism from liberals and conserva-
tives alike.
Supporters praise it for lending a
ravel flexibility to Government-aided
efforts abroad, for doing what official
agencies have never been comfortable
doing in public.
Opponents in Congress have branded
it as more anti-Communist than pro-
democratic and have faulted it for
meddling in other countries' internal
affairs.
The 1 01
National Endowment was
created in 1!p as an anudgam o f vari.
ON sectors of American society, ln-
Cluding . two major political
parties.
Its board of directors reflects that di-
varsity, including such Prominent fig-
ures as former inns President Mao-
dale; faraser Secretary of State Henry
A. Kiaingsr; lane Kirkland, president
of the A.P.L.-C.I.O.; Representative
Dante B. Faecell, the Florida Demo-
crat who heads the House Foreign Af-
fairs Committee; Olip C. Robison,
of Middlebury College;
~AepuWiqun National Cchairman ommittee,
and Garbs T. Manatt, former chair-
man of the Democratic National Com-
adtteL
The endowment'sqairman is John
Richardson, who wrA president in the
1910's of Radio Free Europe, which
was funded by the C.I.A.. He was
AsYtaat Secretary of Sate for Educa-
tional and Odfaral Adele In the 1Pla's,
and has wuxted wifld natproflt agen
des such as Freedom Hare and the 1o-
ternational Rescue Committee.
Them ey, disbtaad to the National
Endowment obyythe United Satels~rlonffo~r--
ocopllex cbaaoals. Sams
complex given di-
rectly by the trap to Bross who use it.
But most alit goes trees the endow-
ment to four "cosy pnoaees." They are
the A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s Free Trade Union
Institute; the Cutter fat' International
Private Enterprise of the Chamber of
Commerce, and the National Republi-
can and National Democratic InW-
tutes for International Affairs, which
are affiliated with the Republican and
Democratic national committees.
These either run programs themselves
or pass the money on to others.
The concept of the endowment took
shape as the country moved from the
dark self-doubts after the Vietnam War
into a new era of confidence in its own
virtues and a conviction that democ-
racy should be supported publicly and
proudly, without the secrecy that
tainted the C.I.A.'s activities.
"We should not have to do this kind of
work covertly," said Carl Gershman,
president of the endowment and an
aide to Jeans J. Kirkpatrick when she
was the chief United States delegate to
the United Nations. "It would be terri-
ble for democratic groups around the
world to be seen as subsidized by the
C.I.A. We saw that in the 90's, and
that's why it has been discontinued. We
have not had the capability of doing
this, and that's why the endowment
was created."
Mr. Gershman insists that there is no
contact between the C.I.A. and the en-
dowment and that before grants are
made, a list of the potential recipients
is sent by the endowment through the
State Department to the C.I.A. to be
sure none is receiving covert funds. No
such can has been reported, Mr.
Gershman said.
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J. Drum Atwood, president of the Na-
tknol Demsexatic Institute for Inter-
nxdmd Aff trN which receives some
of the money, lodes that tpe endow-
nc . 1 work bears any resemblance at
all to earlier C.I.A. activities, which he
said "did terrible damage to our own
values" and "reflected a ml kr.
asa
standing ~ what values about."
cratic
said that "many institutions did-
n't know they were C.I.A.
money," and that those money
from the endowment are supposed to
know where the money comes from
and must agree to have the fact publi-
cized.
Some grants seem at least superfi-
cially similar, however. La Prensa, the
opposition paper in Nicaragua, is re-
calving $100,000 worth of newsprint, ink
and other supplies this year to help it
survive. In the early 1970's, the C.I.A.
~,wthe at least $1.4 million to M major Santiago daily, Mercu-
rio,
also faced economic pressure, from the
Government of President Salvador Al-
lende Goseens. Booltg and magazines
were published with C I.A. money, and
campaign to get out the vote were con.
ducted, as they are now with endow-
ment money.
The prospect of publicity cruses dis-
comfort to some who receive money.
Because Congress has made the en-
dowment subject to the Freedom of In-
formation Act, Eugenia Kemble, head
of the A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s Free Trade
Union Institute, hays expressed uneasi-
ness about providing the detailed finan-
cial statements that are being required
by the General Accounting Office. In a
draft report, the G.A.O. criticized the.
endowment for inadequate monitoring
of expenditures and recommended
tighter procedures. Miss Kemble com-
plained that any report going to the en-
dowment can become public.
Since the end of World War II, the
A.F.L.-C.I.O. has funneled money from
various Government agencies to build
up non-Communist unions abroad. De-
spite Its denials, the labor movement
has been suspected of C.I.A.
money. Miss Kemble eingp~~ worry, that publicity could endanger individu-'
als facing dictatorial governments and
involved In "sensitive" work.
,;!'Them are "ma groateft we are out t is, sue said. tare to
empathize with the people out there in
terms of the political diffe cities in
which they have to operate."
For example, detailed expense re-
ports, including names and
clandestine Solidarity -Ung
oive the Polish police Poland,
enough in-
ably
formation to close down the operation.
Miss Kemble said one European ongatn-
ization had infiltrators in communist
unions to repot on their plan and ac-
tivitiei; making details public would
damage the effort, she said.
But Mr. Schuette, of the Republican
Institute, has a different view. "We .
cannot be secret," he said. "There is
bee public. secret. Our rule Therefore, I'm is, nit's ot going b to
do anything that is going to damage
people if it becomes public."
Ccnp~es*ional Crit
Is Not Uncommon
Although $53.7 million seems a small
amount when compared with the $38.3
allocatst! In
aid over the
last three years some members of
Congress object to the grants in view of
cutbacks in domestic programs. At a
10= sentCOW --- nal ative Barney Frank, Democrat of
To say that
we're not going to fund public transpor-
tation or research on cancer because
we've got to give money to a French
su ern forte ,purposes just doesn't
Representative Hank Brown, Repub-
lican of Colorado, raised questions
about possible conflict of interest, not-
ing that the endowment's board in..,
cludes current or former officers of
some of the major grant recipients, In-
cluding the A.F.L.-C.I.O., the Demo-
cratic and Republican Institutes, and
the Chamber of Commerce. Although
they do not vote on their own programs,
he said, "The board has seat Its job as
one of dividing the public money
among their own organizations."
Mr. Gershman and others involved
counter that the input of such experi-
enced people is essential for a wise pro-
Bu that wisdom has also been chal-
lenged. At a Congressional hearing re-
cently, Representative Frank chided
the Democratic Institute for support-
ipg the Social Democratic and Labor
Party of Northern Ireland, which grew
out of the nonviolent Catholic civil
rights movement. Mr. Atwood called it
"the only major party that is seeking to
work through the democratic process,"
and said it needed help in building a
structure. A total of $85,000 has been al-
located for a training institute and a
seminar on financing, communications
and organization, Mr. Atwood said.
Taxing Americans
To Tell Irish of Politics
Representative Frank raised an
eye-
brow. "Maybe I've been in Massachu-
setts too long," he said, "but the notion
The effort thus provides common
grotmd for diverse American points. "A conservative may see it as a
better way to compete with the Coo.
munists," Mr. Atwood said. "I see it as
a better way to bring about human
rights in the world and a better way to
bring thwabout achange nd development In
This sometimes puts the program at
odds with the Administration's policies
and preferences. The Social Demo-
cratic and Labor Party of Northern
Ireland, for example, is a member of
the Socialist International and a sup.
porter of the Sandinista Government of
Nicaragua, which the Reagan Admin-
istration would like to see overthrown.
State Department
Opposed Seoul Program
Similarly, when the Democrats pro.
pored a conference in Washington of
the South Korean opposition, the State
Department worried about adverse
reaction from the Seoul Government.
The endowment gave the grant any-
way, the conference was held and the
State Department ultimately revised
its assessment.
On May 9-11, the Democrats used
their Caracas money of democratic to up mos a der in from
Venezuela, Chile, A rmyguay
and Spain "to share and spperi-
ences of party leaders who have been
through the same problem - military
dictatorship," Mr. Atwood said.
This kind of activity has two, long-
term benefits, he says: First, to build a
sense of international solidarity imong
those who believe in democ , and
second, to reduce the fear of some lead-
ers in W that friendly mili-
tary dictatorships ma give Wily to
democratically elected governments
prone to Communist influence. "
In Mr. Atwood's view, this can reas-
sure "the people who are status quo-
oriented, who say that we can't get an
the side of change because we, don't
know what will happen."
"The fear of the unknown factor is
less If you know the people who are
pushing for change," he said. " _
The Republican Institute focuses
more narrowly an moderate and con-
teach the Irish about politics seems to I ,servative parties. "We wouldn't get in-
me a very strange one. If people want valved with a Socialist Party," Mr.
to help one party or another in North. Schuette said. Those the Republicans
em Ireland,, that's fine. But I don't have helped have often lost elections -
think the American taxpayers ought to In Portugal, Costa Rica and Bolivia,
be taxed to do that." and most recently in Colombia, where
That Is precisely what is ha _ the Conservative Party's Presidential
however not only in Northern Ire candidate, Alvaro Gbmez Hurtado, lost
but also in Asi, Latin America and
elsewhere. Those involved argue that
democracy cannot be bolstered without
sir engthening democratic institutions.
The Republicans and Democrats ap-
proach the task in different ways. The
Democrats usually hold conferences
and seminars for a variety of parties in
a given country or region, while the Re?
publicans choose a particular party
that seems to share conservative
American positions on foreign policy
and economic issues. The two institutes
worked together to monitor the recent
elections in the Philippines, document-
ing fraud and intimidation.
Vargas of the Liberal Party. me grant
was Intended to increase the participa-
tion of disaffected voters and party
members.
"We do not fund political candidates
in campaigns overseas," Mr. Schuette
said. "Our programs are not designed
or intended to have any effect ad eleec-
tions."
This was seconded by Mr. Fahren-
kopf, the Republican national chair-
man and vice chairman of the etdow-
ment. "We feel we are accomplishing
our purpose if in a country there are
free elections," he declared. "It's
really superfluous whether the particu-
lar parties we're helping are victorious
or not."
.ntmued
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To French Rightists
In an unpublicized move that was
disclosed late last year, a $575,00Q, two-
year grant was authorized to an ex-
trane right wing French grcl , the
Natlanll Inter-University pnion,
known as U.N.I., Its acronym in
French. In 1892, a parliamentary in-
quiry found that U.N.I. had been
created ex-
tremist na l rt a ~-
.
Service d'Action Cl~~ooo lied
which was fotmded tin 94 to provide
order meetings and Gen. CCharles ulle. peon for
S.A.C. was infiltrated by criminal
elements In the 1960's and 70's, the in-
quiry found, and was declared an We-
gal organization after a political Scan-
dal arose around the killing of ssiib~ peo-
ple in the southern French town of
Auriol in 1891. "U.N.I. was, at Its Oegin.
nings, a satellite movement of S.A. .,"
the inquiry concluded, "and it is today
closely associated with it."
U. I. opposed the governing Social-
ists before and during the last election posting over sub-
way m~aps, posters- "Socialism
is a
He and a fraud." It has distributed
pamphlets accuahg a Catholic aid
agency of being a Marxist-Leninist
front, and has camps against
what it sees as Marxist in hhni_
versities.
Last November, after French Jour-
nalists reported the American funding
of U.N.I., the endowment its
grant, Mr. Gersbmans~jeaving
$73,000 of the $575,000 undelivered. The
board is to decide next week whether to
resume payments an the current grant,
but Mr. Gershman said that no further
grant would be made.
It is a new process, Mr. Fahrenkopf
observed, one that is bound to run into
trouble in the beginning, if it is as bold
as it should be. "We're going to make
mistakes," he said. "If we don't make
mistakes, we shouldn't exist."
The lines between promoting democ-
racy and promotion a particuI par-
ty's chances in an election are herd to
draw, however. The A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s
Free Trade Union Institute has chan-
neled money to unions and other organ-
associated with particular par-
ties in Latin America, Africa, Asia and
Western Europe.
Furor Over Aid
a
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