[governance] Inputs for synthesis paper

[Jeanette Hofmann]

Parminder wrote:
> Jeannette
> 
>> A narrow interpretation restricts rights to those that enable rights
>> holders to file a suit against those who violate the right. I don't see
>> who could be held accountable for the lack of "an Internet in ones own
>> language". The latter might be a political goal but it certainly doesn't
>> sound like a right to me.
> 
> How do you see 'right to education' then - a question that has come up here
> earlier? Do you or do you not believe in such a right?

If a national constitution contains proivisions to that effect, then 
there is a right to education that should enable citizens to bring 
action against the state.
In Germany, citizens can submit cases to the constitutional court if 
they think their constitutional rights have been violated.
I remember a long debate in Germany about a "right to work". This wasn't 
added to the constitution because it was said that the government is not 
in a position to guarantee a sufficient number of jobs. I mention this 
here as it seems to describe a similar situation.
jeanette
> 
> Who could be held accountable for lack of 'educational facilities'? In the
> same way that the state and other political formations can be held
> 'accountable' for lack of educational facilities, and thereby 'violating'
> ones right to education, these political entities can be held 'accountable'
> for other things if they are collectively found to be 'basic' to worthwhile
> human existence and such. 
> 
> On another note, the language of rights is often used to develop alternative
> conceptions to state centered notions of development, security, culture etc
> to move toward a more people-centric one. The problem with global Internet
> policy making is that it is not desirable to leave it to state-centric
> notions. The alternative is that we propose a people-centric one which is
> built on people's rights vis a vis the Internet. This is what we are trying
> to do, and, accordingly, this debate is not an idle one.  
> 
> (For instance the logic of 'security' used by many repressive countries in a
> state-centric manner in order to take control of the Internet may need to be
> countered by use of language of 'right to human security' on the Internet as
> it is being used in the offline world.)
> 
> (1)There could be a global Internet policy regime that, as today, remains
> centered on existing hegemonies. 
> 
> (2) It could move towards a state-centric system which can break existing
> hegemonies, but as we all know it would be as bad, or worse.
> 
> (3) We can try alternative political frameworks. My view is that such a
> framework needs to be based on, and built over, a strong conception of human
> rights in the new Internet era. However, restrictive definitions that serve
> those who are at present politically dominant will neither be legitimate not
> acceptable to the big majority. And we won't make any process. Accordingly,
> we will remain caught in situation (1) above or move towards(2). 
> 
> 
> Parminder 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jeanette Hofmann [mailto:jeanette at wzb.eu]
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 4:38 PM
>> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Parminder
>> Cc: 'McTim'; 'Milton L Mueller'
>> Subject: Re: [governance] Inputs for synthesis paper
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> it seems this is a debate we have to repeat again and again. I am no
>> expert on matters of right but I lean towards a narrow interpretation of
>> the term right. It makes sense to me to protect its meaning against an
>> inflating use to avoid devaluation.
>> A narrow interpretation restricts rights to those that enable rights
>> holders to file a suit against those who violate the right. I don't see
>> who could be held accountable for the lack of "an Internet in ones own
>> language". The latter might be a political goal but it certainly doesn't
>> sound like a right to me.
>>
>> jeanette
>>
>> Parminder wrote:
>>> This was before the notion of a "right to the Internet in
>>>> every language" language, that is my "bridge too far".
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Cheers,
>>>>
>>>> McTim
>>>
>>> I did not propose that part (though I agree with it). Hanane did, who
>> being
>>> from an Arab country may have felt its necessity more strongly than many
>>> others. You may give your reasons and deliberate with her and we can
>> proceed
>>> accordingly.
>>>
>>> BTW, the 'right to have an Internet in ones own language' has its
>> equivalent
>>> in the 'right to have education in ones mother tongue' which is spoken
>> of
>>> inter alia in the framework of 'education for all'. The IGF, Hyderabad's
>>> overall theme 'Internet for All' was taken from this concept.
>>>
>>> Parminder
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: McTim [mailto:dogwallah at gmail.com]
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 2:36 PM
>>>> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Parminder
>>>> Cc: Milton L Mueller
>>>> Subject: Re: [governance] Inputs for synthesis paper
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Sep 3, 2008 at 11:43 AM, Parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> pen. McTim, who
>>>>> now supports you on this, did use the pen on the draft text.
>>>> I edited for length and a bit of style, cutting out some strong
>>>> rhetoric.  This was before the notion of a "right to the Internet in
>>>> every language" language, that is my "bridge too far".
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Cheers,
>>>>
>>>> McTim
>>>> mctim.blogspot.com
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>>>
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> 
> 
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