Community members and area students flexed their political muscles in a demonstration Tuesday to criticize the Durham-based Research Triangle Institute's involvement in rebuilding Iraq.
Tuesday saw protests in approximately 20 cities across the country to denounce United States companies and organizations' involvement in rebuilding Iraq and "war-profiteering." Major national targets were Bechtel Corporation and Halliburton, which is currently under investigation by the Central Intelligence Agency for its pricing of imported oil in Iraq.
However, the target of the Durham protest message was unique because unlike the larger contract recipients RTI is a non-profit organization.
RTI was awarded a $167 million contract to build democracy at the local government level in Iraq's 18 national governorates last April by the United States Agency for International Development. RTI--a research organization that works in a number of fields, notably health, education and training, advanced technology and economic and social development--launched the Local Governance Program, which works with the Coalition Provisional Authority and the military to build Iraqi government capability and strengthen political institutions.
RTI said its programming includes support, training and technical assistance for helping Iraqi citizens petition and affect direct change on the community level and rebuild public infrastructure such as water utilities and educational facilities.
Critics charged that RTI's methodology was undemocratic, pointing to local elections as a better alternative and claiming that although RTI was not profiting from its venture, its "appointee-based" governments opened the door for U.S. corporate interests.
"RTI claims it is building democracy, but what it is actually doing is not election building but selection building," said Rania Masri of the Institute for Southern Studies, a sponsoring organization. "The appointee government will have very little domestic accountability, and this opens avenues to increase United States involvement in Iraqi affairs.
"The process has become tainted politically," Masri added, noting that although various smaller nongovernmental organizations were engaging in democracy building in Iraq, non-U.S. efforts were not widespread.
Demonstrators gathered at the intersection of Apex Highway and East Cornwallis Road--the location was chosen by organizers because of its visibility and proximity to RTI--to express their dissent.
A number of Duke students attended the demonstration and expressed concerns not only about RTI's undertakings but also about the University's involvement in RTI's administration--the institute was incorporated by Duke, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University in 1958.
"I am out here as a Duke student and as a community member," said Rita Bergmann, a sophomore. "I think there needs to be a lot more transparency on what is going on over there.
"[RTI should not] just answer to CPA but to the Iraqi people," she added.
Senior Jessica Rutter agreed. "It is really upsetting that reconstruction is undemocratic just as the war was undemocratic," she said. "All we can do now is promote Iraqi citizens' autonomy over their own lives."
Demonstrators said feedback was positive. "There has been lots of honking and lots of thumbs up," said Fuqua professor Devavrat Purohit of the public response. "I think lots of people are getting fed up with the situation in Iraq."
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