[governance] [Fwd: [WSIS CS-Plenary] IGF/MAG renewal an opaque and non-incluse process / un processus opague et non-inclusif]
Dr. Francis MUGUET
muguet at mdpi.net
Tue Aug 21 18:58:59 EDT 2007
Dear Parminder et al.
>
> Thanks Francis and Jeremy.
>
Since I am referenced by name, since I have the highest esteem for
your intellectual integrity,
I am going to answer to your comments although
this does not mean I am part of this caucus.
In fact, I feel more than ever the need of a separate representation
of Civil Society and the "Internet Community", this would partially
ends the need for the Internet Community to have proxies within
the Civil Society to represent the technico-industrial complex that
has become the "Internet Community or Industry";
> Renewal of the mandate the MAG was I think necessary given that little time
> is left for Rio.
If you read the transcript of the 23 may meeting :
>>CHAIRMAN DESAI: ../.. I would like to clarify one thing, which is
that the Advisory Group has been constituted by the Secretary-General
simply to advise him. It does not really have any other legislative
basis than that. We could have done everything that we did without a
formally constituted Advisory Group, simply by consulting those
individuals individually as a U.N. secretariat....
not a necessity, merely a convenience for some, and a
non-transparent, non inclusive convenience or .. annoyance
And the role of the advisory group was more the fine tuning, the actual
scheduling and this and that and trying to shape it into some coherent
plan. ../.. The role of the group is --because moving from a discussion
like this to actually putting down for or five pages of paper with a
schedule, with titles for the themes and things like that is where the
group starts coming in.
Well this was done by the Secretariat up to now, for Rio,
based on the Consultation meetings, as it was underlined
by the UN SG invitation 24 July.
I see no absolute operational need for a MAG.
And then the group helps in the actual running of the meeting. Because
you need -- you just need bodies, basically. You just need bodies. So
please, somebody has to manage all of the events which are taking place
in that hall. Markus can't be around all over the place.
So the MAG other role should be "bodies" constituting conference
volunteers force... running down the hallways...
<humor>
give me a break... who is going to design the T-shirt for the force...
as one of the few Civil Society WSIS T-shirt designer I am ready
to give an helping hand and a pair of rollers ...
</humor>
However, a governmental co-chair is not at all good news
> for the CS, and this, in practice, can be expected to mean that governmental
> inputs will get more value than even before. I don't understand the need and
> purpose of a co-chair.
> We can think of writing a line of protest.
I believe energy should first better spent in writing
a line of protest concerning the political behaviour
of the "unique" chair that we got until now.
I have been ( and I would say most of the french civil society )
baffled by the lack of enthusiasm of the current chair.
In normal circumstances, the chair of a committee or whatever
grouping is pushing for the full implementation of the mandate
of the grouping, while other stakeholders are dragging their feet.
This is the normal scenario. But here, it is totally the reverse
that happens, the chair actually willfully and craftfully
slows down the process. I have to give him the credit that he felt
the need to gain the confidence of the 'Internet Industry" and its
proxies so that they participate to the process.
My feeling is that they would have participated anyway, but I am ready
to concede that he might have a point.
But now, this strategy is no longer required. Quite a few stakeholders
have came to the conclusion that the problem was the chair's slowing
down process. Therefore I am very happy to see a co-chair, coming from
the LAC region that is unanimously in favor of the full implementation
of the IGF mandate.
> This move
> is a pull-back from the promised multi-stakeholder character of the IGF.
Sharing power is the essence of multi-stakeholderism,
having two co-chairs is better than one...
I would rather support a collective board.
We would need an extra co-chair coming the internet community, one
from business and yet another one from the Civil Society...
Nitin Desai has been partly disawoved, and he should no longer be
able to play his tricks unchecked. The next consultation meeting is
going to be fun.
He is a very clever and talented man, under his grand-daddy guise,
he might have the upper hand....
Nothing may surprise me now anymore at the IGF.
> (I
> know powers-that-be will justify this by saying that MAG is after all a
> program committee, and host country's co-chairman-ship has practical uses. I
> think MAG has more powers than that of a program committee, it shapes the
> IGF, and therefore wields much of whatever power IGF has.)
Well, it seems that you are opening doors to a closet that I would
not dare to open .. you did it...
so far; since it was non-existant, the MAG should have not play any
role... of course, this is the question of the real influence of the
shadow MAG, has the shadow MAG, during the time of its non-existence
has been illegally consulted by the secretariat in a non-transparent
fashion. ?
I have not noticed the representatives of this caucus to the MAG
having reported anything on the caucus list.
As chair of this caucus, it is up to you to investigate the
relationship with the live MAG or the zombie MAG....
Anyway, everybody has made his/her own opinion.
>
> Against such dilution of equality and power the greatest weapon for the CS
> is of putting renewed energy into promoting all process of transparency and
> accountability in IG on which it has any control.
I fully agree...
transparency and acountablity at all levels, including financial
resources of the secretariat, its staff, and consultants
> I find some parts of the proclamation quite useful.. especially
>
> " As part of its mandate, the Advisory Group has been asked to enhance the
> transparency of the preparatory process by ensuring a continuous flow of
> information between its members and the various interested groups."
>
Is it that strange that this HAS to be put in writing ?!...
should it not had to be obvious and natural ?...
> Such transparency and 'continuous flow of information' will greatly obviate
> the need for email leaks,
well observed
> on an recent instance of which some people within
> CS reacted with almost a choking reaction,
the lack of reaction, the law of silence of the IGC members of the MAG
was even more choking...
the "Dispaingate" was more troubling by the ensuing coverup and
minimzation attempts than by the act itself of this member of the
"internet industry" that has not shown any intent of remorse,
apologies, or excuses.
We could analyze things in a conflictual manner and say
that this episode has discredited the IGC MAG members,
but we would remain at the surface of things and it would
not solve things.
Actions of individuals ( and in a sense, it somewhat absolved them )
are the result of a structural conflict.
What it really show that we are not in a sane situation,
that individuals under the flag of the Civil Society,
feel a strong loyalty to their true constituency :
the "Internet Community" that they feel is under attack.
Recognition of the "Internet Community" as the fourth
class of stakeholder would ease up dramatically the tensions,
and would avoid the use of proxies. This was the reason
of the 4-component bureau that Eurolinc proposed.
> that made one wonder whether we
> were the CS, of which the watchdog function
“who will watch the watchers themselves?”
(quis custodiet ipsos custodes as Juvenal wrote )
> is perhaps the most primary. I
> think we need to go back to our CS strengths - and methods, and tools -
> rather than strategizing to side with - including hush-hushing things- some
> strongly entrenched vested interests (you know who!) to make sure other
> entrenched interests (governments) do not usurp more power.
>
exactly, fully agreed ( I am answering as I am reading you )
it is a battle between between two entrenched powers,
the Civil Society must stay neutral and keeps its core value
> The above quote from the proclamation also points to another important point
> - of reaching out to 'various interested groups'(as also envisioned in the
> IGC charter). Our strength and legitimacy will be built over reaching out to
> more CS groups outside the current charmed circles and supporting/triggering
> a progressive movement in IG and IS polices generally, worldwide. This
> legitimacy can't be built over tactical closed arrangements with vested
> interests whose 'progressive-ness' is itself under challenge, and needs to
> be challenged vide the watchdog function of the CS...
>
fully agree
Best
Francis
> Parminder
>
> ________________________________________________
> Parminder Jeet Singh
> IT for Change, Bangalore
> Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities
> Tel: (+91-80) 2665 4134, 2653 6890
> Fax: (+91-80) 4146 1055
> www.ITforChange.net
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jeremy Malcolm [mailto:Jeremy at Malcolm.id.au]
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 9:19 AM
>> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org
>> Subject: [governance] [Fwd: [WSIS CS-Plenary] IGF/MAG renewal an opaque
>> and non-incluse process / un processus opague et non-inclusif]
>>
>> For those who are not also on the WSIS Plenary mailing list...
>>
>> --
>> Jeremy Malcolm LLB (Hons) B Com
>> Internet and Open Source lawyer, IT consultant, actor
>> host -t NAPTR 1.0.8.0.3.1.2.9.8.1.6.e164.org|awk -F! '{print $3}'
>> ____________________________________________________________
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> ____________________________________________________________
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>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subject:
> [WSIS CS-Plenary] IGF/MAG renewal an opaque and non-incluse process / un
> processus opague et non-inclusif
> From:
> "Dr. Francis MUGUET" <muguet at mdpi.org>
> Date:
> Tue, 21 Aug 2007 09:16:58 +0530
> To:
> "WSIS Plenary" <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
>
> To:
> "WSIS Plenary" <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
>
>
> English / Français ( plus bas )
>
> Hello / Bonjour
>
> In what appears to be, I guess to many stakeholders, a completely
> non-transparent, non-inclusive process,
> in contradiction with the statements of the chair during the first
> consultation meetings in 2006, the IGF MAG has been renewed.
> The only thing that seems new ( so far ) is that the host country now
> co-chairs the advisory group.
>
>
> 20 August 2007
>
> Press Release
> PI/1791
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York*
>
>
> ADVISORY GROUP for INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM MEETING IN RIO DE JANEIRO
>
>
> The mandate of the Advisory Group for the Internet Governance Forum has
> been renewed in order to assist in preparations for the next meeting of
> the Internet Governance Forum, to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 12 to
> 15 November 2007. The Secretary-General is very appreciative of the
> work carried out by the Advisory Group in the past and welcomes the
> renewal of its mandate in preparation of the November Forum.
>
>
> The Group is to be chaired by Nitin Desai, the Secretary-General’s
> Special Adviser for Internet Governance, and Hadil da Rocha Vianna,
> Director for Scientific and Technological Affairs in Brazil’s Ministry
> of External Relations, representing the Host Country. The 47 Advisory
> Group members will serve in their personal capacity. They have been
> chosen from Governments, the private sector and civil society, including
> the academic and technical communities, representing all regions.
>
>
> As part of its mandate, the Advisory Group has been asked to enhance the
> transparency of the preparatory process by ensuring a continuous flow of
> information between its members and the various interested groups. It
> has also been requested to make proposals on a suitable rotation among
> its members, based on recommendations from the various interested
> groups. Any decision on how to prepare subsequent meetings will be
> taken after the Rio de Janeiro meeting in an open, inclusive and
> transparent consultative process, taking into account the proposals of
> the Advisory Group.
>
>
> The co-chairmen may also select special advisers to assist them.
>
>
> The Internet Governance Forum is an outcome of the Tunis phase of the
> World Summit on the Information Society, which took place in 2005. In
> the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, Governments asked the
> Secretary-General to convene a “new forum for policy dialogue” to
> discuss issues related to key elements of Internet governance and set
> out the Forum’s mandate.
>
>
> The Forum’s inaugural meeting took place in Athens in November 2006. It
> was attended by 1,350 registered participants, including 397 delegates
> from 97 Member States and 152 accredited journalists. “The meeting
> brought people together who would not normally meet under the same
> roof,” said Markus Kummer, the Executive Coordinator of the Forum’s
> Secretariat. “It encouraged dialogue on issues of common interest among
> people who would not normally interact.”
>
>
> A stock-taking session in Geneva last February showed broad support for
> the multi-stakeholder format of the Athens meeting, which should be
> maintained in the preparations for the Rio de Janeiro meeting. A round
> of open consultations held in Geneva in May showed broad support for
> keeping the four themes discussed at the inaugural meeting -- access,
> diversity, openness and security. In addition, there was widespread
> support for adding a new theme -- critical internet resources -- to the
> agenda of the Rio de Janeiro meeting.
>
>
> For further information, please visit www.intgovforum.org
> <http://www.intgovforum.org/> or contact Markus Kummer, Executive
> Coordinator, Secretariat of the Internet Governance Forum, tel.:
> +41 0 22 917 54 88, e-mail: mkummer at unog.ch <mailto:mkummer at unog.ch>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------
>
> A la suite d'un processus qui, à mon avis semble non transparent et
> non-inclusif pour beaucoup d'acteurs,
> et en tout cas, en contradiction avec les propos de N. Desai lors
> des premières réunions consultatives en 2006.
> La seule chose qui change est que le pays hote est maintenant
> co-président du groupe consultatif.
>
>
> *_LE GROUPE CONSULTATIF DU FORUM SUR LA GOUVERNANCE D’INTERNET_*
>
> *_SE LANCE DANS LES PRÉPARATIFS DE LA RÉUNION DE RIO_*
>
>
> (Adapté de l’anglais)
>
>
> Doté d’un mandat qui vient d’être renouvelé, le Groupe consultatif du
> Forum sur la gouvernance d’Internet est désormais en mesure de
> participer aux préparatifs de la prochaine réunion du Forum, prévue à
> Rio de Janeiro, du 12 au 15 novembre 2007. Conformément à la décision
> prise en mai dernier à Genève, les participants poursuivront les
> discussions qu’ils ont entamées en novembre 2006 à Athènes, sur l’accès,
> la diversité, l’ouverture et la sécurité d’Internet.
>
>
> Le Groupe consultatif est chargé de renforcer la transparence dans le
> processus préparatoire de cette deuxième édition du Forum, en assurant
> un flux continu d’informations entre ses membres et les divers groupes
> concernés. Le Groupe doit également faire des propositions sur la
> rotation de ses membres, en tenant compte des recommandations faites par
> les différentes parties prenantes. Les propositions du Groupe
> concerneront aussi le calendrier des prochaines réunions du Forum.
>
>
> Ce Forum est une création de la deuxième phase du Sommet mondial de la
> société de l’information qui s’était tenue à Tunis en 2005. Quelque 1
> 350 personnes dont des représentants d’États Membres et des journalistes
> avaient participé à la réunion d’Athènes. En février dernier à Genève,
> ce format « diversifié » a été salué lors d’une session-bilan.
>
>
> Le Groupe consultatif est présidé par Nitin Desai, Conseiller spécial du
> Secrétaire général pour la gouvernance d’Internet, et par Hadil da Rocha
> Vianna, Directeur des affaires scientifiques et technologiques au
> Ministère des relations extérieures du Brésil, qui représentera ainsi le
> pays hôte. Choisis par les gouvernements, le secteur privé et la
> société civile de toutes les régions du monde, les 47 membres du Groupe
> siègent en leur capacité personnelle.
>
>
> Pour plus d’informations, prière de visiter le site
> http://www.intgovforum.org <http://www.intgovforum.org/>. Vous pouvez
> aussi contacter Markus Kummer, Coordonnateur exécutif, Secrétariat du
> Forum sur la gouvernance d’Internet au 41 0 22 917 54 88 ou à l’adresse
> électronique suivante: mkummer at unog.ch <mailto:mkummer at unog.ch>.
>
> --
>
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D
>
> MDPI Foundation Open Access Journals
> Associate Publisher
> http://www.mdpi.org http://www.mdpi.net
> muguet at mdpi.org muguet at mdpi.net
>
> ENSTA Paris, France
> KNIS lab. Director
> "Knowledge Networks & Information Society" (KNIS)
> muguet at ensta.fr http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet
>
> World Summit On the Information Society (WSIS)
> Civil Society Working Groups
> Scientific Information : http://www.wsis-si.org chair
> Patents & Copyrights : http://www.wsis-pct.org co-chair
> Financing Mechanismns : http://www.wsis-finance.org web
>
> UNMSP project : http://www.unmsp.org
> WTIS initiative: http://www.wtis.org
> ------------------------------------------------------
>
--
------------------------------------------------------
Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D
MDPI Foundation Open Access Journals
Associate Publisher
http://www.mdpi.org http://www.mdpi.net
muguet at mdpi.org muguet at mdpi.net
ENSTA Paris, France
KNIS lab. Director
"Knowledge Networks & Information Society" (KNIS)
muguet at ensta.fr http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet
World Summit On the Information Society (WSIS)
Civil Society Working Groups
Scientific Information : http://www.wsis-si.org chair
Patents & Copyrights : http://www.wsis-pct.org co-chair
Financing Mechanismns : http://www.wsis-finance.org web
UNMSP project : http://www.unmsp.org
WTIS initiative: http://www.wtis.org
------------------------------------------------------
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