Human Rights and Democracy Movement
The Human Rights and Democracy Movement (HRDM) is a political party in Tonga. Its leader is Uliti Uata.
The HRDM was founded in the late 1970s as an informal group of Tongans interested in democratic reform.[1] It was formalised in 1992 as the Pro-Democracy Movement, and contested several elections under that name. In October 1998, it changed its name to the Human Rights and Democracy Movement.[2]
In November 1992 the then-Pro-Democracy Movement held a constitutional convention which discussed the structure and history of the Constitution of Tonga and compared it to arrangements overseas.[3][4] A followup convention was held in 1999, but this was less successful.[2]
At the 1999 elections, candidates aligned with the HRDM gained five seats in the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. The results were a disappointment for the HRDM, which had expected to win at least seven seats.[2]
At the 2002 elections, supporters of the HRDM won seven of the nine seats reserved for commoners. At the 2005 elections they also won seven seats, and following the election HRDM-aligned People's Representatives Feleti Sevele and Sione Haukinima were appointed to Cabinet. Sevele later became the first commoner to serve as Prime Minister of Tonga.[5]
At the 2008 elections, the HRDM won only 4 seats.
In the leadup to the 2010 elections several members of the HRDM, including longstanding MP 'Akilisi Pohiva founded the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands as an explicit electoral vehicle.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ "Human Rights and Democracy Movement in Tonga". Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement. http://planet-tonga.com/HRDMT/index.shtml. Retrieved 2010-03-02.[dead link]
- ^ a b c Kerry James (2000). "Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999: Political Review: Tonga". The Contemporary Pacific 12 (1): 249–253.
- ^ Ian Campbell (2005). "The Quest for Constitutional Reform in Tonga". Journal of Pacific History 40 (1): 91–104.
- ^ "Report on the Convention on Constitution and Democracy in Tonga". Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement. 1992-11-27. http://planet-tonga.com/HRDMT/Articles/Convention_92/Convention_92.shtml. Retrieved 2010-03-02.[dead link]
- ^ "Tonga gets first elected leader". BBC. 2006-02-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4708474.stm. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
- ^ "Another new political party emerges in Tonga as country prepares for 2010 elections". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-09-06. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=55717. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
[edit] External links
|
||||||||
 |
This article about an Oceania political party is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 |
This Tonga-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
