<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body >I agree with Parminder' s suggested paragragh with one friendly amendment: instead of stating these actions are human rights violations, I suggest "almost certainly human rights violations. " Rather than an absolute assertion, it may be wise to give them a chance to at least offer a defense, if they can.<br><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: parminder <parminder@itforchange.net> <br>Date: <br>To: bestbits@lists.bestbits.net <br>Subject: Re: [bestbits] Delivery of International civil society letter to Congress to follow up from HRC statement <br> <br><br>
<br>
<font face="Verdana">The statement has turned out well. However, I
remain concerned about the fact that the issue of non citizens
related content surveillance has not at all been addressed by the
US authorities. They havent bothered to say a word on it (not that
it is easily defensible). I would like the group to consider
adding the following paragraph somewhere......<br>
<br>
</font><br>
<blockquote><font face="Verdana">"We are extremely disappointed
that, in all the post 'disclosures' statements, US authorities
have only insisted that there was no access obtained to content
related to <i>US citizens</i>, and just their communication
meta-data was collected. There has </font><font face="Verdana">not
</font><font face="Verdana">been a word on the issue of
large-scale access to content related to non US citizens, which
is a violation of their human rights. The focussing of the US
authorities on the difference between treatment of US citizens
and non-citizens on an issue which essentially relates to
violation of human rights is very problematic. Human rights are
universal, and every government must refrain from violating them
for all people, and not merely for its citizens. The current and
future US law and practices on this matter should take note of
this. "</font><br>
</blockquote>
<font face="Verdana">
<br>
I still</font><font face="Verdana"> have</font><font face="Verdana"> issues with the role of the involved companies,
which I will address in a separate email. I am fine though to
address them separately, through a possible second statement. <br>
<br>
Meanwhile the second sentence in the following </font><font face="Verdana">somehow </font><font face="Verdana">looks not
quite right. <br>
<br>
</font>
<blockquote><font face="Verdana">"</font>T<font face="Verdana"><span class="author-a-fpz86zz81zz122zyrz89zz73z6sz84zz74zz65zz72zh">he
introduction of</span><span class="author-a-z67zz68zbqz85zz87zrdez74z4hxz66zz70zz77z s"><s>
untargeted</s></span><span class="author-a-fpz86zz81zz122zyrz89zz73z6sz84zz74zz65zz72zh">
surveillance mechanisms at the heart of global digital
communications severely threatens human rights in the digital
age. <i><b>These new forms of decentralized power reflect
fundamental shifts in the structure of information systems
in modern societies</b></i></span><i><b><span class="author-a-z67zz68zbqz85zz87zrdez74z4hxz66zz70zz77z">.</span></b></i><span class="author-a-fpz86zz81zz122zyrz89zz73z6sz84zz74zz65zz72zh">
[3] </span><span class="author-a-fpz86zz81zz122zyrz89zz73z6sz84zz74zz65zz72zh
s"><s>and a</s></span><span class="author-a-z67zz68zbqz85zz87zrdez74z4hxz66zz70zz77z">A</span><span class="author-a-fpz86zz81zz122zyrz89zz73z6sz84zz74zz65zz72zh">ny
step in this direction needs to be scrutinized </span><span class="author-a-9ulz122z0wue2z75zz87zz76zz90zz79z5z76z">through</span><span class="author-a-fpz86zz81zz122zyrz89zz73z6sz84zz74zz65zz72zh">
ample, deep and transparent debate. Interference with the
human rights of citizens by any government, their own or
foreign, is unacceptable."</span></font><br>
<font face="Verdana"><span class="author-a-fpz86zz81zz122zyrz89zz73z6sz84zz74zz65zz72zh"></span></font></blockquote>
<font face="Verdana"><span class="author-a-fpz86zz81zz122zyrz89zz73z6sz84zz74zz65zz72zh">What
is being referred to as a 'form of decentralised power'? From
the reference I take it, it is about 'arab spring' kind of
people's power, but that doesnt look clear from the way the
sentence is wedged between the other two sentences...<br>
<br>
<br>
parminder <br>
<br>
</span> <br>
<br>
</font>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On Thursday 13 June 2013 05:11 PM, Anja
Kovacs wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:CAJqNAHDfDo83ocSVPx9q2g+KsAEdPT30WSeRK-=DRH=VWZEfSA@mail.gmail.com" type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Also, in response to Parminder's questions: while
we had agreed from the beginning that the focus of this
particular statement would be the US Congress, I feel (and I
just reread it to check) that it does foreground the concerns of
non-US citizens/resident (as it was meant to do in my reading as
well). Parminder, do you really feel that doesn't come out at
all? In that case, we do have some more work to do....<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On 13 June 2013 16:28, Anja Kovacs <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:anja@internetdemocracy.in" target="_blank">anja@internetdemocracy.in</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>Anriette, is there a strong reason why you feel we
should release this tomorrow already? My inclination
would be to agree with Nnenna and others and to wait
until Monday, but would be keen to know why you feel
tomorrow is a better idea. <br>
</div>
<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra">
<div>
<div class="h5"><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On 13 June 2013 14:37, Nnenna
Nwakanma <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:nnenna75@gmail.com" target="_blank">nnenna75@gmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>Hi people<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>I will say submit on Monday. When you
kick off the week with it, you will have ample
time to rave up media attention on it..<br>
</div>
<div>I am hoping Mandela does not give up the
fight.. because that will overshadow any other
Internet news...<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>I am booked for the very first Africa
Internet Summit in Lusaka next week. I do
hope to be able to draw attention to the
statement, as well as some that have been made
by Best Bits.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>Best of the day..<span><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
</font></span></div>
<span><font color="#888888">
<div>Nnenna<br>
</div>
</font></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jun 13,
2013 at 8:51 AM, Anriette Esterhuysen <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:anriette@apc.org" target="_blank">anriette@apc.org</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px
#ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><br>
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----<br>
Hash: SHA1<br>
<br>
Greetings everyone<br>
<br>
Content is coming along well.<br>
<br>
Jeremy, in response to your question,
what about giving people until<br>
21h00 GMT/UTC today, Thursday. Then you
can close the text, finalise it,<br>
and release for sign-ons and give people
until 16h00 GMT/UTC Friday for<br>
sign ons and then we can send it off
before the end of the business day<br>
in Washington DC (will be 12h00 in DC).<br>
<br>
That will accommodate Parminder's
request, but still enable us to get<br>
enough sign ons and get the letter to
Washington DC on Friday. Only<br>
region that will have a shortish period
for sign ons will be the Americas.<br>
<br>
Will this work?<br>
<br>
Anriette<br>
<br>
<br>
On 13/06/2013 08:13, Jeremy Malcolm
wrote:<br>
<br>
<br>
- --<br>
-
------------------------------------------------------<br>
anriette esterhuysen <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:anriette@apc.org" target="_blank">anriette@apc.org</a><br>
executive director, association for
progressive communications<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.apc.org" target="_blank">www.apc.org</a><br>
po box 29755, melville 2109<br>
south africa<br>
tel/fax <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="tel:%2B27%2011%20726%201692" value="+27117261692" target="_blank">+27
11 726 1692</a><br>
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<br>
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<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">-- <br>
Dr. Anja Kovacs<br>
The Internet Democracy Project<br>
<br>
+91 9899028053 | @anjakovacs<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.internetdemocracy.in/" target="_blank">www.internetdemocracy.in</a><br>
</font></span></div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br>
<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
Dr. Anja Kovacs<br>
The Internet Democracy Project<br>
<br>
+91 9899028053 | @anjakovacs<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.internetdemocracy.in/" target="_blank">www.internetdemocracy.in</a><br>
</div>
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