This month marks the sixth anniversary of Cuban Black Spring – the Cuban government’s arrest and imprisonment of 75 Cuban journalists, librarians, and democracy and human rights activists. These individuals, arrested March 18, 2003, were subjected to summary trials, sentenced to prison terms of up to 28 years, and are currently living under brutal conditions for threatening the Cuban government’s tight grip on society.

As Sierra Leone continues to rebuild after a decade-long civil war, the issue of land reform has emerged as a topic with particular political sensitivity because it cuts across both ethnic and party lines. Moving land reform forward would have positive implications for natural resource management, agricultural production, and addressing the challenges of rapid urbanization in the country.

Key findings of a recent NDI public opinion poll in Montenegro paint a picture of a country progressing toward membership in Euro-Atlantic structures, even while the majority of citizens have yet to see tangible benefits of an improving economy and democratic reforms. The November 2008 poll – the second in a series of four polls to be conducted over a two year period – gauged citizens’ attitudes on such issues as government institutions, reform initiatives, and Euro-Atlantic integration.

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), an NDI partner, reported that its independent parallel vote tabulation (PVT) confirmed the Election Commission’s determination that a presidential runoff election is required in Ghana.  The National Democratic Party (NPP) candidate received more than 49 percent of the vote but was shy of the majority required, while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate received over 47 percent of the vote. The NDC is leading the NPP slightly in the parliamentary election results with a small number of seats going to others.