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<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Robert</font><br>
<br>
On Saturday 11 February 2012 07:08 PM, Robert Guerra wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:7AB7A8D7-8210-4CA8-B01D-A06F1DE03221@privaterra.org"
type="cite">Parminder,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I don't agree with a walk out over the lack of financial support
to participate. <br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
I only asked for a symbolic walkout, not a boycott of the session. It
would simply have been an expression of solidarity by those who are
able to make to the meeting on their own funds with those are not able
to do so. And hopefully, the event would help raise the visibility of
this issue, which for me and many of us in the South is at the heart of
multistakeholderism. And hopefully, this would have allowed those in
the WG on IGF improvements to insist that the WG report makes the
necessary provision.<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:7AB7A8D7-8210-4CA8-B01D-A06F1DE03221@privaterra.org"
type="cite">
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The current economic situation is such that funding of any kind
is hard to obtain. Things will only get worse over the course of the
next 2 years.</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
That is a lame excuse and we can do better than to fall prey to it.
What economic situation are you talking about? Why has this bad
situation not affected private funding for attendees? Why does it only
affect public funding? Every two months or so a large conference seems
to get held in the North on IG issues? Why doesnt the economic
conditions affect this sudden rash of IG meetings and conferences?
Ensuring committed funding for MAG CS members is what, about 30
international tickets and the cost of a few days each of stay in a
year. Even a small university and many NGOs hold a few meetings every
year which will entail such costs, what to speak of governments and
businesses. So lets be a little less patronising on this key and
central issue of global governance. NO, these 30 tickets is not the
issue. The issue is the deeper political economy equation whereby
representative global governance systems are sought to be increasingly
undermined in favour of private/ business led governance systems, where
the seats are allocated according to ones' existing power. We from the
South say a loud and clear NO to this creeping acquisition. This is the
primary issue in contention here.<br>
<br>
And by 'seeking alternative funds' I understand one means looking for
funds provided by businesses and other institutions that have
pre-committed ideology (like all of us) and their funding is steeped in
conditions that arise from this all but natural context. Sorry, I dont
see these 'alternative sources' as the replacement of the needed public
funds that are sina qua non of improving the participation of those who
are otherwise marginalised from these spaces. <br>
<br>
It for the IGC to decide what stand it wants or does not want to take
on this issue, but lets not confuse/shift issues. parminder <br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:7AB7A8D7-8210-4CA8-B01D-A06F1DE03221@privaterra.org"
type="cite">
<div> We need to stay engaged. At this point in time, I think the
meeting will just continue without us.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I'm surprised there hasn't been more of a strategic effort on
behalf of those on this list to develop speaking points well in advance
of the meeting. We should work with those attending to make a strong
statement and concurrently aggressively seek alternate sources of
funding to support CS engagement. Walking away, is in my opinion, is
not the best action at this moment in time.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Robert</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>--</div>
<div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span"
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<div style="word-wrap: break-word;">R. Guerra</div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word;">Phone/Cell: +1 202-905-2081</div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word;">Twitter: <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://twitter.com/netfreedom">twitter.com/netfreedom</a> <br>
Email: <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:rguerra@privaterra.org">rguerra@privaterra.org</a></div>
</span></div>
</span></div>
</span></span></div>
<br>
<div>
<div>On 2012-02-11, at 1:15 AM, parminder wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<blockquote type="cite">
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<div text="#333333" bgcolor="#ffffff">
<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Hi All<br>
<br>
While I appreciate the problems with a 'withdrawal' strategy that some
have mentioned here (I did not mean to propose a full withdrawal at
this stage) we also need to do something concrete with regard to the
existing situation where there is de jure participation of CS but not
de facto. This is the all too familiar old debate of formal versus
substantive rights or negative (merely removing constraints) versus
positive (actually ensuring required results) rights. CS wants
substantive participation not merely a formal right to participate.<br>
<br>
In this regard, I suggest that we adopt two strategies. One, we become
more upfront and clear in our language about how we see this whole
business.... We have gone too soft in our statements I think. The CS
tiger should not lose its stripes becuase if it did it will neither
remains a tiger nor anything else, which unfortunately seem to be
happening in this MS-ist avataar of CS (MS as in multistakeholderism).<br>
<br>
Secondly, the time for letter writing is over, in my view. I was
surprised how our protest about the sudden withdrawal of funding to CS
participants for the WG on Improvements to the IGF was dealt with. We
read out a statement in the last meeting of the WG, and the secretariat
of course gave a technical response that the funder countries had
recently reminded them that only LDC participants could be covered and
therefore.... However the two donor countries who took this decision
were in the room and chose simply to ignore the CS's statement, and the
problem that their decision had caused to CS participation in WG. So
much for their commitment to MSism!<br>
<br>
Therefore I understand that the official response to the CS funding
issue is that funding CS participants (even for the core committees
etc) is not a structural part of MSism. It is a charity which will be
offered as pleases the powers-that-be, and we cannot be whining about
it. In response, we must make our stand clear that funding for <b>CS
participation is a structural part of MSism, we dont accept MSism that
doesnt include this. </b><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">And the best way to make
this
message heard loud and clear, I suggest, is as follows:<br>
<br>
The CS contingent does a symbolic walk out of the MAG meeting for 1-2
hours after reading out a statement that clearly puts out our stance in
this regard. And we let them know that they can well carry on their
business when the CS has left the room, but they must remember that is
is not multistakeholder; the <b>most</b> important part of
non-government stakeholders being not there. With this we also tell
them that if the situation continues like it is, civil society will
have to reconsider their options and strategies with regard to the
whole IG process.<br>
<br>
If feasible, such a symbolic walk out can also be planned in the open
consultations.<br>
<br>
Then, if we do the above, at the WG on Improvements to the IGF meeting
we can bring the CS protest to the notice of the group and insist that
the report of the WG must include clear reference to regular UN funds (<i>plus</i>
long term committed voluntary funds) that always covers CS
participation in MAG etc, but also to the extend possible in the IGF,
as a basic condition of legitimacy of these meetings. If required, we
can also do a symbolic walk out in the WG meeting to stress the point.<br>
<br>
(We can also hope that such a walk out from a UN meeting can draw some
press attention, and raise the heat on this issue.)<br>
<br>
Parminder </font><br>
<br>
<br>
On Friday 10 February 2012 07:58 PM, Miguel Alcaine wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAMnrbsTeYo-H94xXVNzFK4L++tSi5QM9S45OXUE9rviQknaWng@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">Dear All,<br>
<br>
I believe a letter - probably 2 - are in order. There are 2 issues: CS
representation in the upcoming MAG meeting and the overall financial
issue for participation in the IGF process. <br>
<br>
CS representation in the upcoming MAG should be addressed to the Under
Secretary General and I believe asking to allow any attending CS
participation regardless of being in the MAG.<br>
<br>
The financial issue should be addressed to SG, making a recount of the
involution in the topic and remind him of the convenience for the UN
system to find solutions for CS participation in the IG process. CS
colleagues in NY could also help handing the letter in person to the SG.<br>
<br>
I would think CS should unify behind some alternatives for its
financial participation in the process, including one coming from UN
regular budget, and push for it in the CSTD WG as much as possible.<br>
<br>
I believe CS should remain in the process until 2015 because all actors
will consider it has participated anyway and because it can present a
better case from inside the process. <br>
<br>
If withdrawal remains an option, it should be done in a careful way
respect to timing and gain as much visibility as CS can. And before
making such movement, CS should consider which ways will be left to
advocate its positions.<br>
<br>
Best,<br>
<br>
Miguel<br>
<br>
Disclaimer<br>
My ideas are those of my own and does not represent any position of my
employer or any other institution.<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 3:26 AM, Roland
Perry <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:roland@internetpolicyagency.com">roland@internetpolicyagency.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">In
message
<CAPcSPKWiFB_N948B9oxgSC2tCqsvvCN=<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:5VgEmfoYdV3K_nha9Q@mail.gmail.com" target="_blank">5VgEmfoYdV3K_nha9Q@mail.gmail.com</a>>,
at
10:03:09
on Fri, 10 Feb 2012, Baudouin Schombe <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:baudouin.schombe@gmail.com" target="_blank">baudouin.schombe@gmail.com</a>>
writes
<div class="im"><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Specifically,
regarding
the process of Internet governance, it should be<br>
noted that civil society plays a major role in the implementation of ICT<br>
projects and the fight against crime through virtual cyber crime.<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
</div>
This is an area I'm working in at the moment. And while my "free
advice" always seems welcome, there's rarely any funding even for
travelling expenses. It's a big problem that doesn't include just
Cybercrime or Internet Governance issues.<br>
<br>
Pretty much the only concession is that as a speaker at a conference
you will get the entrance fee waived. But we don't currently have fees
to attend any IG conference I can think of (except perhaps some of the
sessions at ITU World).<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
-- <br>
Roland Perry<br>
<br>
</font></span><br>
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