[bestbits] Delivery of International civil society letter to Congress to follow up from HRC statement

Thu Jun 13 10:32:11 EDT 2013

I can take a look for style and grammar. Just alert me when there is a
"finalized" text. I'm out and about all day today so won't likely get to in
until tonight (East coast Canada time) or tomorrow morning.

M

From: bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net
[mailto:bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net] On Behalf Of Carolina Rossini
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2013 10:16 AM
To: parminder
Cc: bestbits at lists.bestbits.net
Subject: Re: [bestbits] Delivery of International civil society letter to
Congress to follow up from HRC statement

I like parminder suggestions on non-US citizens. 

I also agree with suggestion on delivering this on Monday.

Who could take a final look for style and grammar? Much of it was lost
during the editing process. I can try, but it would be better if a native
english speaker take the lead on the final round. 

Carol

On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 10:08 AM, parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>
wrote:

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......

"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 US citizens, and just their communication
meta-data was collected. There has not 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. "

I  still have 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. 

Meanwhile the second sentence in the following somehow looks not quite
right. 

"The introduction of untargeted surveillance mechanisms at the heart of
global digital communications severely threatens human rights in the digital
age. These new forms of decentralized power reflect fundamental shifts in
the structure of information systems in modern societies. [3] and aAny step
in this direction needs to be scrutinized through ample, deep and
transparent debate. Interference with the human rights of citizens by any
government, their own or foreign, is unacceptable."

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...

parminder 

On Thursday 13 June 2013 05:11 PM, Anja Kovacs wrote:

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....

On 13 June 2013 16:28, Anja Kovacs <anja at internetdemocracy.in> wrote:

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. 

On 13 June 2013 14:37, Nnenna Nwakanma <nnenna75 at gmail.com> wrote:

Hi people

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..

I am hoping Mandela does not give up the fight.. because that will
overshadow any other Internet news...

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.

Best of the day..

Nnenna

On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 8:51 AM, Anriette Esterhuysen <anriette at apc.org>
wrote:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Greetings everyone

Content is coming along well.

Jeremy, in response to your question, what about giving people until
21h00 GMT/UTC today, Thursday. Then you can close the text, finalise it,
and release for sign-ons and give people until 16h00 GMT/UTC Friday for
sign ons and then we can send it off before the end of the business day
in Washington DC (will be 12h00 in DC).

That will accommodate Parminder's request, but still enable us to get
enough sign ons and get the letter to Washington DC on Friday. Only
region that will have a shortish period for sign ons will be the Americas.

Will this work?

Anriette

On 13/06/2013 08:13, Jeremy Malcolm wrote:

- --
- ------------------------------------------------------
anriette esterhuysen anriette at apc.org
executive director, association for progressive communications
www.apc.org
po box 29755, melville 2109
south africa
tel/fax +27 11 726 1692 <tel:%2B27%2011%20726%201692> 
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-- 
Dr. Anja Kovacs
The Internet Democracy Project

+91 9899028053 <tel:%2B91%209899028053>  | @anjakovacs
www.internetdemocracy.in <http://www.internetdemocracy.in/> 

-- 
Dr. Anja Kovacs
The Internet Democracy Project

+91 9899028053 <tel:%2B91%209899028053>  | @anjakovacs
www.internetdemocracy.in <http://www.internetdemocracy.in/> 

-- 

Carolina Rossini 

http://carolinarossini.net/

+ 1 6176979389
* <mailto:carolina.rossini at gmail.com> carolina.rossini at gmail.com*

skype: carolrossini

@carolinarossini

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