Espaņol en mensaje aparte.
Enslish:
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
SPECIAL EDITION
WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY (WSIS)
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
*APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the
Association for Progressive Communications (APC)*
- November 2005 No. 58 -
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- ON THE ISSUES: INTERNET GOVERNANCE --
-- ON THE ISSUES: HUMAN RIGHTS IN TUNISIA --
-- ON THE ISSUES: FINANCING OF ICT4D --
-- APC AT WSIS --
-- WSIS BLOGS --
-- SNAPSHOTS FROM WSIS --
-- INTERESTING READING --
-- USEFUL SITES ON THE WSIS --
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
The second World Summit on the Information Society has started. Today,
Wednesday November 2005, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and
Tunisian President Ben Ali opened the summit which has focussed
primarily on the twin issues of financing of ICT for development in
developing countries and internet governance since the first summit was
held in Geneva in December 2003. A controversial host for an
international 'information summit' given its well-documented suppression
of freedom of expression including on the internet, the Tunisian
authorities were openly criticised by Swiss President Samuel Schmid and
civil society representative Shirin Ebadi for their repressive acts
against local and international civil society prior to the summit
opening. The Tunis Agenda and the Tunis Commitment -the two summit
documents- were finalised on Tuesday after long negotiations.
APC is producing two APCNews and APCNoticias specials direct from WSIS
and for the first time, original content in French. Here's the first on
Day One of the WSIS Summit. The next APCNews will appear on Day Three,
the last day of the Summit.
Keep informed about the WSIS with APC. We covering events on the ground
from Tunis and logging it all on our blogs in English, French and Spanish.
English blog: http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog
Spanish blog: http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog
French blog: http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog
RSS feeds also available from each blog page.
Detailed coverage in Spanish comes from APC's Latin America and
Caribbean ICT Policy Monitor. Http://lac.derechos.apc.org/wsis
All stories in this APCNews Special are from the APC WSIS blogs.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- ON THE ISSUES: INTERNET GOVERNANCE --
The Tunis Commitment almost signed [By APCNews]
APCNews writing from TUNIS, Tunisia, 16/11/2005 09:15 -- By 10 pm
Tuesday, the chairperson, ambassador Khan, had concluded negotiations on
chapter 3 on internet governance and received a standing ovation from
all attending delegates. The outcome of the internet governance process
is to have a forum that will take up broad public policy issues on the
one hand, and a process of cooperation on the narrow principles that
relate to domain name, numbers and the root zone file on the other.
"This outcome has to be evaluated in terms of the balance of power in
the community of nations," said Willie Currie, APC's Communications and
Information Policy Programme Manager. "The U.S. clearly saw that its
strategic interest with regard to the war on terror and its dominant
role in the global economy meant that it had to retain its oversight
over the primary form of communications in the world, which today is the
internet," Currie added.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2466414
Who will control the internet? Negotiations appear to be pointing
towards a multi-stakeholder, multi-lateral forum [By APCNews]
Heated discussions between governments meeting in Tunisia at the World
Summit on the Information Society seem to reaching results which could
change the face of how the internet is managed for the next several
years. APCNews reports.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2452593
APC... recommendations on internet governance [By APC]
APC crystallizes a set of recommendations with regard to internet
governance for the final Summit in Tunis in November 2005 including for
an internet governance forum that has become reality in the Tunis
declaration. Recommendations available in English, Spanish and French.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2379688
IPS, WSIS and paedophile issues [By FN]
From my RSS-feed, I just came across this story from one of my
favourite news sources -- IPS filing from Bangkok -- that makes a case
on why the information society must block paedophiles.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2378624
Who gets the credit, and who controls? [By FN]
Here's an articulate post by a journalist colleague from India -one of
the few that makes sense of the issues at Tunis. It was written by Anand
Parthasarathy of The Hindu, a prominent Indian newspaper, and reproduced
via the One World South Asia network. BytesForAll mailing list, an APC
member, reproduced it... and it raised a (brief but interesting)
discussion. http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2447992
Crucial drafting session in Tunis [By APCNews]
Late on Sunday night, November 13, 2005, an assembly of about 100 people
agreed to a series of minimal points of common ground related
to internet governance in Tunis. These points were then to be reported
back to the general plenary of what is called the resumed PrepCom 3
meeting of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) for
definitive negotiation and implementation.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2418539
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- ON THE ISSUES: HUMAN RIGHTS IN TUNISIA --
NEWS ALERT: Censorship by the host of THE UN summit on information?
People in Tunisia cannot access a number of websites because they are
being blocked. And the Citizens' Summit on the Information Society has
also been taken 'offline' for Tunisians. List of filtered websites:
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2436066
Flagrant violation of human rights at Tunis [By APCNews]
Under the incredulous eyes of the participants at the World Summit on
the Information Society (WSIS), journalists and human rights defenders
were manhandled, insulted, and then violently beaten. APCNews reports
from Tunis. http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2431813
Many civil society activities cancelled [By Markus Beckedahl]
Many international NGOs taking part in WSIS have collectively decided to
cancel their activities planned for today at WSIS. This measure is
intended to make government, private sector and civil society delegates
aware of the human rights violations that have been adding up since the
beginning of PrepCom3 resumed. It is also a clear showing of solidarity
with all independent NGOs in Tunisia who
seem to have to put up with police repression on a daily basis.
Interview with Anriette Esterhuysen of the APC.
In OGG format:
http://www.netzpolitik.org/wp-upload/Interview_with_Anriette.ogg In MP3
format: http://www.netzpolitik.org/wp-upload/Interview_with_Anriette.mp3
Utsumi happy about security... despite attacks on journalists and UN
staff [By Pavelan]
The internet should be more democratic and more international, says
the WSIS' chief organizer. More than 80% of the goals of WSIS have
already been achieved, says ITU chief Yoshio Utsumi at his opening press
conference for the summit's currently-underway second phase in Tunisia.
He however skipped answering whether ITU has communicated concern to
Tunisia's government regarding the safety of journalists and human
rights' campaigners. Utsumi also announced that over 300 parallel events
planned. Some 12,000 delegates are meanwhile in Tunis on the eve of the
summit opening.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2451281
Obstacles ...and whose security? [By Jac sm Kee]
Took a cab to the Kram Palexbo, where the Summit and IT 4 All exhibition
was happening[...] When we finally got to the site, we were stopped 5
times at security checks at every turn of the road and I had to flash my
registration card and a big smile to calm the security that I was
indeed, a legitimate subject to attend this conference, accredited
(somehow) and all.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2447599
Cause for concern: how free is free? [By FN]
IFEX Action Alert Network, the International Freedom of eXpression
Clearing House has come out with a statement quoting Article 19 to point
to attacks on journalists and others at the WSIS by the authorities.
This statement is being distributed on behalf of the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) Civil Society's Media Caucus.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2446625
Online protest ... an alternative home [By Neila Charchour Hachicha]
Since the official website of the Online Protest is censored as you
can check for yourself here http://www.yezzi.org. I copied all pics
from the protest on flickr cause I thought you might like to discover
this online protest http://flickr.com/photos/yezzi/sets/1366354/. It is
a virtual online protest to say "Yezzi...Fock" which means "Enough is
Enough". They just cannot say we are disturbing the public order and
protesting is
a constitutional right. The Keyboard Revolution is doing its way so
help us keep the internet free from censorship.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2438705
In Tunis, internet governance rhymes with state control [By APCNews]
Today, the website of the Citizens' Summit on the Information Society
(CSIS) was effectively off-line for all web users in Tunisia. It appears
that Tunisian authorities have started to intensify their crackdown on
legitimate initiatives related to the World Summit on the information
Society (WSIS). Blocking the access to the www.citizens-summit.org is
the latest in a series of measures
introduced to silence voices critical of the government and its human
right record. http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2436066
Don't take pictures@WSIS-Tunis [By Shahzad BytesForAll, Pakistan]
Maxigas -- a friend from Hungary -- and myself had the opportunity to go
to the Tunis City Centre last afternoon, just to have a feel
of the city and get to know a little more about Tunis. The atmosphere
seemed quite festive, and preparations for the WSIS are in full swing.
Green plants are being transported in numbers and transplanted on
roadsides and important squares, large pictures of the Tunisian
President are installed everywhere, and even most of the banners also
carry his pictures welcoming the WSIS delegates ;)
But questions remain....
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2415647
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- ON THE ISSUES: FINANCING OF ICT4D --
Making the ride to cyberspace affordable [By APCNews]
En route to the promised global village, the information superhighway is
plagued by poor access and high fares that the bulk of this planet
simply cannot afford. Reducing international internet costs is an
important priority, underlined in a set of recommendations from the APC
made to the WSIS stresses.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2427753
Some figures... and hard facts [By FN]
Some figures, and hard facts, from a Highway Africa article, titled
ICT4 All expo to attract 40,000 participants: "According to the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the 942 million people
living in the world's developed economies enjoy five times better access
to fixed and mobile phone services, nine times better access to Internet
services, and own 13 times more personal computers than the 85 per cent
of the world's population living in low and lower-middle income
countries. ITU also estimates that 800,000 villages still lack
connection by telephone line, the internet or any other modern ICTs."
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2418346
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- APC AT WSIS --
Programme of APC events in Tunis:
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/apc_wsis_programme.pdf (pdf to download
and print out)
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- WSIS BLOGS --
APC blogs are open to anyone in Tunis or around the world who wants to
write or comment on the World Summit on the Information Society. Here
are some highlights.
WSIS II: A walking dead [By maxigas]
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a pseudo-transcript of the proceedings
of the Civil Society press conference held on November 15, 2005
(Tuesday) at 16:30. The second round of WSIS has not even started yet
but hearing the pronouncements below one would think that it is
already over!
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2452532
ICT for All? Really? [By Jac sm Kee]
At the end of the day, Maxigas and I decided to take a walk and survey
the images of women, men, elderly people, young people and disabled
people at the ICT 4 All Exhibition hall. Afterall, the claim is that ICT
is for all right? So who is this 'all' we are talking about.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2447600
Hope remains forever... Tunis vignettes [Shahzad BytesForAll, Pakistan]
Have just gotten out of the Global Knowledge Partnership or GKP's
partnership building workshop at the El-Hana Hotel in Tunis City Centre.
It indeed was a pleasant experience. Frankly, had no clue earlier that
how GKP works and what kind of partnerships they have all around the
world ... http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2439181
It's another world out there... [By FN]
Inter-Press Service, the alternative news agency, has these stories
related to the WSIS. Given its alternative perspective, it reminds us of
some diverse perspectives which the first-to-break-the-news Western
media often overlooks... or simply prefers not to highlight. One
interesting piece is Media Enemies to
Share UN Spotlight by Marty Logan.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2436316
Groggy at Tunis... another view [By Jac sm Kee]
The plane ride was as all plane rides become after awhile, uncomfortable
and far too long. Once getting off, there were large posters everywhere
advertising WSIS, especially about the IT 4 All exhibition, where the
tagline -- complete with pictures of multi-gendered and 'raced' children
smiling at a computer screen - promises to forefront the human dimension
of information communications technologies development. I think I
snorted audibly. http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2431649
Gender voices from Tunis [By Katerina Fialova]
Here's some information about GenderIT.org coverage planned for the
WSIS at Tunis in mid-November 2005. See details of what's expected via
websites, blogs, RSS feeds and more, to keep cyberspace informed about
what's emerging. http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2386770
Looking for environmental activists [By Milena B.]
Just curious whether environmental sustainability and ICTs is taking
place somewhere in the WSIS docs at all ;-) It will be good to know
if apart from BlueLink, whether there are other NGOs interested to stand
up for the issue of environmental sustainability in Tunis.
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2376151
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- SNAPSHOTS FROM WSIS --
[Thanks to maxigas of Hungary, you can read more snapshots on the APC
WSIS blog and here
http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2452532]
Jeanette Hofmann (Member of the German Civil Society Coordination Group):
The U.S. is not willing to talk about internet government oversight.
Most likely the Summit will ask Kofi Annan the Secretary General of the
U.N. to set up a Forum on internet governance and the U.S. is expected
to participate. The Forum would take up a range of issues including
Information Technology for Development and political oversight.
Rikke Frank Jorgensen (Civil Society Human Rights Caucus):
"Many have asked about the human rights situation. [...] 10-15 of us
were to hold a coordination meeting at the Goethe Institute yesterday.
The Tunisian civil society people were not allowed to enter, and were
kept out by men in civilian clothes who introduced themselves as
"security personel". I am not sure what kind of police it was. When
myself and other members of the international civil society stayed
outside in solidarity, we were forcefully removed. Then we walked around
the city to find another place to peacefully gather - to exercise our
right for peaceful assembly. Each time we were removed again, we were
pushed, and some people were even tried to be taken into cars and taken
away. In the end the German ambassador arrived and tried to enter these
premises with his guests of his own choice but he was not allowed. After
that each of us contacted our respective delegations, and asked for
support from the governments to basically provide for a space where we
can have this Citizens' Summit."
Parmindeer Jeet Singh (Coordinator of the Civil Society Caucus for
Follow-up and Implementation):
"I am presenting the specific disappointment of the civil society. The
Tunis round was presented as a "Summit of Solutions" by its organisers.
We did not find any effective solutions to the problems that brought us
here, of using the new communication opportunities for more adequate
development in the developing countries. Countries of the North did not
show the political will to getting forward with the policy of internet
governance and did not establish any follow-up process. Financing ITC4D
(Information Technology for Development), which is a very important
issue, was not addressed at all and no commitments were made. At present
the governments are trying to cover up the possibility of a complete
failure of the implementation of the WSIS process."
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- INTERESTING READING --
Indepth: WSIS by Choike
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/703.html
RWB presents electronic dissidents at the WSIS
http://committeetoprotectbloggers.blogspot.com/2005/02/rwb-presents-electronic-dissidents-at.html
Humanity will survive information deluge ?·Sir Arthur C Clarke
http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/74591/1
Who owns and controls the information societies? FSF Europe 2003
http://www.germany.fsfeurope.org/projects/wsis/issues.de.html
WSIS and Beyond : A dialogue between Soenke Zehle & Geert Lovink
http://www.worldsummit2005.de/en/web/810.htm
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- USEFUL SITES ON THE WSIS --
The WSIS documents:
Tunis Agenda:http://www.ngocongo.org/ngomeet/WSIS/TunisAgenda.htm
Tunis Commitment: http://www.ngocongo.org/ngomeet/WSIS/TunisCommitment.htm
Citizens' Summit on the Information Society
http://citizens-summit.org
This website has been blocked in Tunisia since Monday November 14, 2005.
It is only accessible from WSIS Media Center but the rest of us around
the world can still visit it.
WSIS official site from the ITU
http://www.itu.int/wsis/
United Nations Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships
http://www.unmsp.org/
Summit Newsroom, Tunis Phase
http://www.itu.int/wsis/tunis/newsroom/index_print.html
IPS on WSIS - the progressive Global News Agency
http://www.ipsnews.net/
WSIS Wire
http://www.wsis-wire.net/
ITU's ICT success story home page
http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/wsis-themes/ict_stories/index.phtml
Unesco WSIS publication series
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=10592&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Gender at Tunis: from GenderIT.org
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f--e--
The World Summit on the Information Society Civil Society Meeting Point
http://www.wsis-cs.org/
Germany-based site on WSIS (also in German)
http://www.worldsummit2005.de/en/nav/14.htm
Heinrich-Boll-Stiftung (German Greens Party-linked foundation) on
WSIS. Some sections of the site in Spanish too.
http://www.boell.de/en/04_thema/3800.html
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
APCNews, in English, and APCNoticias, in Spanish, are
distributed monthly by APC -- a worldwide network supporting the
use of internet and ICTs for social justice and sustainable
development since 1990. APCNews Archive:
http://www.apc.org/english/news/apcnews/
Some rights reserved: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Licence 2.0 - 2005 Association for Progressive Communications
(APC)
_______________________________________________
APCNews mailing list
[log in to unmask]
http://lists.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/apcnews
_______________________________________________
Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS)
For more information see http://www.crisinfo.org/ [log in to unmask]
CRIS Info is a public list for information and questions about the campaign for Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS).
CRIS also has a Latin American regional list at: http://comunica.org/mailman/listinfo/crisal_comunica.org
________________________________________
Crisinfo mailing list
Send contributions to [log in to unmask]
CRIS Info archives are at:
http://comunica.org/mailman/listinfo/crisinfo_comunica.org
This list is provided courtesy of Comunica - http://comunica.org
Clemencia Rodriguez
Associate Professor
Department of Communication
University of Oklahoma
610 Elm Ave Room 101
Norman OK 73019
[log in to unmask]
Phone 405 325 1570
Fax 405 325 7625
|
