Human Rights and Democracy Movement

{{Infobox political party

| name = Human Rights and Democracy Movement

| logo = Logo of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement.png

| colorcode = {{party color|Human Rights and Democracy Movement}}

| foundation = 1970s (informal)
{{start date|1992}} (formal)

| ideology =

| country = Tonga

| leader = ‘Uliti Uata

}}

The Human Rights and Democracy Movement (HRDM) is a political party in Tonga. Its leader is Uliti Uata. It states its ideology to be democracy, social justice, opposition to corruption, and women's rights.{{cite web |title=Human Rights and Democracy Movement in Tonga |url=http://planet-tonga.com/HRDMT/index.shtml |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008004618/http://www.planet-tonga.com/HRDMT/index.shtml |archivedate=2008-10-08 |accessdate=2010-03-02 |publisher=Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement}}

The HRDM was founded in the late 1970s as an informal group of Tongans interested in democratic reform.{{cite web |url=http://planet-tonga.com/HRDMT/index.shtml |title=Human Rights and Democracy Movement in Tonga |publisher=Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement |accessdate=2010-03-02 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008004618/http://www.planet-tonga.com/HRDMT/index.shtml |archivedate=2008-10-08}} 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.{{cite journal |title=Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999: Political Review: Tonga |author=Kerry James |journal=The Contemporary Pacific |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=249–253 |year=2000 }}

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.{{cite journal |title=The Quest for Constitutional Reform in Tonga |author=Ian Campbell |journal=Journal of Pacific History |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=91–104 |year=2005 |doi=10.1080/00223340500082400}}{{cite web |url=http://planet-tonga.com/HRDMT/Articles/Convention_92/Convention_92.shtml |title=Report on the Convention on Constitution and Democracy in Tonga |date=1992-11-27 |publisher=Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement |accessdate=2010-03-02 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030920070639/http://planet-tonga.com/HRDMT/Articles/Convention_92/Convention_92.shtml |archivedate=2003-09-20}} A follow-up convention was held in 1999, but this was less successful.

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.

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.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4708474.stm |title=Tonga gets first elected leader |publisher=BBC |date=2006-02-13 |accessdate=2009-03-31}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=55717 |title=Another new political party emerges in Tonga as country prepares for 2010 elections |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2010-09-06 |accessdate=2010-09-07}}