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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>This is especially for all those who have passionately argued that ‘access’
was more important than CIRs to discuss at the IGF. I count on their support to
take up this matter with the IGF secretariat. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>In the new draft program ( <a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/">www.intgovforum.org/</a>
) under the theme “access” two important points which were
there in the earlier drafts (enclosed) have mysteriously disappeared. These are
“Market and non-market structures and their relationship to competition
and investment in fostering innovation and alternative business models”
and “Public Infrastructure and the role of public and private finance in
providing access”. As one can see both the formulations were already
quite balanced taking all different .perspectives into consideration. So, what
is the justification in removing them? These issues had come on the agenda because
of civil society inputs. Who would have been instrumental in removing them? Significantly,
this removal has happened while the list of points in each theme has actually
become longer. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Such one-sided ideological distortions are being smuggled into the
agenda of global public policy bodies that have a professed principal orientation
to development, when so many cities in the US and Europe are employing public
funds for wireless connectivity, and many studies indicate that countries like
the US which has no or shrinking government role and light regulation polices are
falling behind in broadband vis a vis countries with greater public sector role
(Korea and Singapore) and stronger regulation (Japan). This is regarding
developed countries, as for developed countries many studies, and much project experience,
have shown that non-market interventions are key to reaching the benefit of the
Internet to all. And most developing countries are already doing something in
this regard (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
for instance). It is also important to note that, despite all these policy/ practice
changes within the developed countries, they still keep giving the prescription
to developing countries of the keeping the public sector and more proactive regulation
away from the telecom sector, which of course is not for serving connectivity
objectives but the business interests of telecom multi-nationals.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Why should even a discussion of non market structures (such community
based structures are mentioned in the WSIS docs, and this came from civil
society contributions to the text), alternative business models and the role of
public finance for connectivity (also mentioned in WSIS docs on basis of CS
inputs) taken off the table even as indicative possible areas of discussion at
the IGF, while they were there in the earlier versions of the draft program. Who
are these actors who are so over active to determine the agenda at the IGF
subverting all ‘progressive’ possibilities, and where are the representations
and the perspectives of civil society. What does it say about the balance of
power in the IGF? Who, one may ask in this light, is supposed to be more
threatened by the way IGF agenda is being determined? <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>So one wonders if it is the MNC telecom operators huge business potential
in developing countries that is important or really the access for the
disadvantaged. Why did those who were so passionate about ‘access’
when the issue of CIRs was sought to be discussed remain silent when these
subjects of vital importance for ensuring access to the disadvantaged, and
which have also been mentioned in WSIS texts, were excluded. Indeed, we all
know that those who actually would have been instrumental in removing these
subjects were a strong part of the ‘access is more important than CIRs’
lobby. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>If this is the way the CS involved in the IG is able to represent the
interests and struggles of wider CS constituencies, we shouldn’t be
surprised if we have low credibility with them, and they doubtful of joining
us. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>This kind of agenda rigging is very disappointing. And we continue to
have development as the main and the overarching theme the forthcoming IGF meeting,
as it was at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Athens</st1:place></st1:City>..
Excuse me to use strong language but I think whoever is responsible for this needs
to be a little less hypocritical. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>And Jeanette, this, incidentally, is a good proof of the power of the
MAG. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Parminder <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>________________________________________________</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>Parminder Jeet
Singh</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>IT for Change, <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangalore</st1:place></st1:City></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>Bridging
Development Realities and Technological Possibilities</span></font></i></em><font
size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial Narrow";color:gray'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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