[governance] protest statement drafted by Avri

[William Drake]

Hi,

Fine with at least one awake gringo...

Bill

> -----Original Message-----
> From: governance-bounces at lists.cpsr.org
> [mailto:governance-bounces at lists.cpsr.org]On Behalf Of Jeanette Hofmann
> Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 10:42 AM
> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org
> Subject: [governance] protest statement drafted by Avri
>
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> Avri has redrafted our statement on exclusion of stakeholders from the
> drafting groups. We weren't be able to discuss it in plenary this
> morning due to lack of time. We would thus like to read this statement
> this morning on behalf of the IG caucus. Any objections to that? I know,
> you americans are still sleeping. Sorry...
> jeanette
>
> Internet Governance Statement on the Decision to Exclude
> Non-governmental stakeholders from Drafting Groups
>
> September 27, 2005
>
> 0. We want to thank the chair for your personal efforts to ensure
> transparency and inclusion. We also want to thank the many nations that
> have supported the non-governmental organizations in our quest to fully
> participate in this Prepcom.  Now that it has become the practice of
> some drafting groups to expel non-governmental participants, Civil
> society is forced to protest
>
> Civil Society believes all non-governmental partners should be able to
> make statements on the same basis as agreed for the subcommittees, to
> remain in the room as observers for the entire session and to further
> contribute at the discretion of the chair of the drafting groups.  Such
> procedures would put into practice the commitment to the “full
> participation of all stakeholders” (e.g. Para 39.)
>
> 1. The decisions to exclude non-governmental stakeholders from
> meaningful participation in the drafting groups are not acceptable as a
> matter of principle. The WSIS and the WGIG have affirmed that governance
> of the Internet must be based on real partnerships with the
> participation of all stakeholders in an open, inclusive and transparent
> manner. These principles are central to the Geneva documents.
>
>   The decisions made to exclude non-governmental stakeholders from
> meaningful participation in the drafting groups breaks these fundamental
> conditions and undermines the legitimacy of all outcomes of the WSIS.
> The sincerity of commitments made by some governments to these
> principles is now open to question.
>
> 2. The decisions to exclude non-governmental stakeholders from the
> drafting groups are not about rules and procedure, but rather a matter
> of political courage and principle. In each meeting you have the choice:
> to be inclusive or exclusive, to work in partnership, with transparency
> and openness, or to chose not to do so. There was a great opportunity
> here to move forward with all the progress we have made within the UN
> and WSIS, but this has been a move backwards.
>
> 3. The Internet is the creation of the multi-stakeholder cooperation of
> academia, civil society, governments, private sector and technologists.
> There has never been a more successful multi-stakeholder partnership
> than the one that has created and nurtured the Internet. Governments in
> Geneva risk jeopardizing this partnership.
>
> 4. The WGIG process demonstrated that civil society organizations
> contribute positively. Our exclusion deprives the Prepcom of valuable
> knowledge, expertise and perspectives. Civil society has been, and will
> continue to be, the main force for promoting capacity building and
> development of the Internet in developing countries. Civil society
> understands what is needed in order to continue that work, and exclusion
> from the drafting groups makes it more difficult for us to continue that
> work effectively.
>
> 5. The WSIS Plan of Action cannot be implemented by governments alone:
> the active engagement of civil society actors is needed in the follow-up
> stage; our exclusion today would discourage many from engaging after
> Tunis and would therefore reduce the chances of effectively implementing
> the ambitious Plan of Action of Geneva.
>
> 6. We strongly protest the decisions to exclude non-governmental
> observers from the drafting groups. The Tunis declaration will be
> meaningless if it is not seen as legitimate by all those involved in the
> creation and evolution of the  Internet, its applications, services and
> content.
>

_______________________________________________
governance mailing list
governance at lists.cpsr.org
https://ssl.cpsr.org/mailman/listinfo/governance