[bestbits] Letter to Pres. Rousseff, was, Re: [governance] Dilma Rousseff's speech at UN

Carlos A. Afonso ca at cafonso.ca
Wed Sep 25 12:02:04 EDT 2013 

Rousseff sees "multilateral" as "among nations", not "among
governments". But I do understand the term in the international
diplomatic scene takes a meaning opposed to what civil society defends
and each government has its own particular interpretation -- BTW, as do
different civil society "tribes".

My IMHO advice: let us not be black-and-white on this. Let us think of
the ways in which we can build bridges. Rousseff has opened a wonderful
window of opportunity, let us not just dismiss it because there is that
"12-letter word" in her statement.

fraternal regards

--c.a.

On 09/25/2013 12:37 PM, Anja Kovacs wrote:
> I agree with Anne that the speech was clever in many ways, but am also a
> little worried about how the continuous references to multilateralism will
> be read in our own domestic context, where the importance of these
> statements from a Brazilian perspective is not necessarily fully
> appreciated or understood in its nuances. The whole debate about whether a
> reformed Internet governance should take a multilateral or multistakeholder
> route *is* gaining momentum at the moment, and if we as international civil
> society are going to make a comment on the Brazilian president's speech, I
> do think we have to comment on her remarks on this issue as well - or our
> own stance on the question of multistakeholderism might be misunderstood in
> our own countries.
> 
> Isn't there a way in which we can do so without undermining the Brazilian
> national agenda (or even better, by supporting that agenda)? If so, I'll be
> very happy to support a letter but if this is not noted at all, it might be
> difficult for us to do so, as silence could be read as implicit approval.
> 
> Thanks and best,
> Anja
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 25 September 2013 20:33, Anne Jellema <anne at webfoundation.org> wrote:
> 
>> I support Anriette's suggestion and I hope the international letter could
>> help Brazilian colleagues to secure a meeting with Rousseff's advisors in
>> the near future to better understand her position and lobby on the best
>> ways for Brazil to show international leadership in this area.
>>
>> As I read Joana and Carlos's remarks, I was remembering that on other
>> global issues (such as trade justice and climate change), Brazil has often
>> managed to punch well above its weight diplomatically by positioning itself
>> very strategically as a bridge-builder between "South" and "North" blocs
>> (to caricature them very crudely).  Reading her speech, and the clever way
>> it managed to pick up on key demands and buzzwords from both sides of the
>> internet governance divide, I did wonder whether Brazil is once again
>> angling to set itself up as the player that can broker pragmatic
>> compromises between competing ideologies. If so, I think that's probably
>> good news, especially given that the PT in power has usually been
>> relatively open to working with civil society.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Anne
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 4:11 PM, Anriette Esterhuysen <anriette at apc.org>wrote:
>>
>>>  Dear all
>>>
>>> I would like to propose that we do a letter from civil society commending
>>> her on her speech. We could mention our support and wishes for the Marco
>>> Civil, and, if we want, the multi-lateral vs. multi-stakeholder question.
>>>
>>> Anriette
>>>
>>> On 25/09/2013 15:41, Gene Kimmelman wrote:
>>>
>>> Having been in these situations in the U.S., I fully understand the need
>>> to accept and fully embrace progress; I do not want to interfere in what
>>> our Brazilian friends are fully capable of handling, other than to say I
>>> fully support the sentiment expressed by Joana and Carlos!
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 9:04 AM, Joana Varon <joana at varonferraz.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>>   Dear all,
>>>>
>>>> I totally support Carlos Afonso's view.
>>>>
>>>>  One step at the time.
>>>>
>>>> What matters now is that Dilma has clearly mentioned the CGI.br
>>>> principles, including the support for net neutrality. It means a LOT for
>>>> our national scenario and for years of fight to try to pass Marco Civil.
>>>> Meaning it wont be easy for telcos to take down net neutrality provisions
>>>> from the draft bill.
>>>>
>>>> Even better, this all has happened right after she opened a channel of
>>>> communication/consulation with CGI.br. That's THE dynamics for internet
>>>> public policies we dreamed about in Brazil. The issue on using the word
>>>> "multilateral" shall NOT be used to loose the focus on this major
>>>> achievement.
>>>>
>>>>  It is indeed an issue of concern. But it's not actually something new.
>>>> It has been highlighted in several opportunities in the Brazilian positions
>>>> at ITU, held by Anatel, our regulatory agency.  For instance, in our
>>>> previous opinion on the role of States. Nevertheless, positions from our
>>>> Ministry of Foreign Affairs towards multistakeholderism are very clear and
>>>> positive. And now CGI.br has the door open with the president to correct
>>>> explain all the important debate of multistakeholder approach on IG. So we
>>>> have opportunities to correct this schizophrenic aspect and there is hope.
>>>>
>>>>  So, please, people, let's be positive and understand that having the
>>>> President referring to these principles - an to Internet Policies - in the
>>>> UNGA is not a minor thing. I had the lucky to be in a panel at the Council
>>>> of Europe a few minutes after she delivered the speech and managed to
>>>> incorporate some of her quotes in my presentation. The public got really
>>>> impressed.
>>>>
>>>>  all the best
>>>>
>>>> joana
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Joana Varon Ferraz
>>>> @joana_varon
>>>> PGP 0x016B8E73
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 2:28 PM, Carlos A. Afonso <ca at cafonso.ca> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Dear people,
>>>>>
>>>>> I am not sure we will go too far (although philosophers can really be
>>>>> far-fetched in this exercise) in doing an exegesis of her discourse. Let
>>>>> us see how the practice goes. The signs are good: she entered the room
>>>>> to talk to us CGI.br folk with our 10 Principles in hand and the first
>>>>> thing she told us was she agreed with them.
>>>>>
>>>>> She also mentioned the Marco Civil as proposed by the rapporteur (result
>>>>> of a 4-year public dialogue) is the one she agrees with (which is the
>>>>> one CGI.br formally supported), and was going to fight for it, although
>>>>> recognizing that as bill of law transiting through Congress it might
>>>>> suffer modifications which she might veto but Congress could reverse and
>>>>> so on -- in summary, normal practice in a democratic State. The big
>>>>> challenge now is the process in Congress, where the transnational telcos
>>>>> and big media have enormous power.
>>>>>
>>>>> frt rgds
>>>>>
>>>>> --c.a.
>>>>>
>>>>> On 09/24/2013 09:58 PM, Diego Rafael Canabarro wrote:
>>>>>> the Steering Committee principle reads as "Internet governance must be
>>>>>> exercised in a transparent, multilateral and democratic manner, with
>>>>> the
>>>>>> participation of the various sectors of society, thereby preserving
>>>>> and
>>>>>> encouraging its character as a collective creation."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Her wording for the UNGA says: "Open, multilateral and democratic
>>>>>> governance, carried out with transparency by stimulating collective
>>>>>> creativity and the participation of society, Governments and the
>>>>> private
>>>>>> sector."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My reading of that is that: (1) it does not repeat the idea that
>>>>> Internet
>>>>>> governance as a collective creation and (2) the first one defines
>>>>> Internet
>>>>>> governance as something "with the participation of the various
>>>>> sectors of
>>>>>> society", and the second only mentions it should be carried out with
>>>>>> stimuli for "the participation of society, governments and the private
>>>>>> sector."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Can you see my point?
>>>>>> Em português o trem funciona do mesmo jeito.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, Sep 24, 2013 at 11:34 AM, Carolina Rossini <
>>>>>> carolina.rossini at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Via Renata Avila, segue discurso da Dilma na UN.
>>>>>>> Coming from Renata Avila, see attached Dilma draft speech at UN.
>>>>>>> C
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>  >> *Carolina Rossini*
>>>>>>> *Project Director, Latin America Resource Center*
>>>>>>> Open Technology Institute
>>>>>>> *New America Foundation*
>>>>>  >> //
>>>>>>> http://carolinarossini.net/
>>>>>>> + 1 6176979389 <%2B%201%206176979389>
>>>>>>> *carolina.rossini at gmail.com*
>>>>>>> skype: carolrossini
>>>>>>> @carolinarossini
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>> --
>>> ------------------------------------------------------
>>> anriette esterhuysen anriette at apc.org
>>> executive director, association for progressive communicationswww.apc.org
>>> po box 29755, melville 2109
>>> south africa
>>> tel/fax +27 11 726 1692
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Anne Jellema
>> Chief Executive Officer
>> Cape Town, RSA
>> mob (ZA) +27 61 036 9652
>> tel (ZA) +27 21 788 4585
>> tel (US) +1 202 684 6885
>>  Skype anne.jellema
>> @afjellema
>>
>> World Wide Web Foundation | 1889 F Street NW, Washington DC, 20006, USA |
>> www.webfoundation.org | Twitter: @webfoundation
>>
> 
> 
>

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