[governance] Question 6: Comments on Shiva's proposed paras

Jeanette Hofmann jeanette at wzb.eu
Mon Jul 13 16:53:58 EDT 2009


Hi Ginger, what is wrong with Wolfgang's suggestion:

With regard to IGF funding: This should be addressed to UN Member States 
who have created the IGF. The IGF is not a legal person in such a sense 
that it could collect money on a regular basis. But UN member states can 
do this.

jeanette

Ginger Paque wrote:
> Shiva has had to run to catch a train, and has asked me to continue this 
> discussion. I have tried to find a middle ground, which is the 
> following. Do please comment and suggest revisions.
> 
> The Internet Governance Caucus calls upon the IGF Secretariat to apply 
> to the UN General Assembly for substantial funding for IGF programs and 
> participation to further enhance the quality of programs to foster 
> greater diversity of participation.
> 
> There are two aspects to be considered in this regard: a) Present IGF 
> participants representing various stakeholder groups are highly 
> qualified individuals with diverse accomplishments but it is also true 
> that IGF participation needs to be further expanded to include more 
> Civil Society participants known for their commitment and 
> accomplishments outside the IGF arena on various Civil Society causes. 
> And b) The present attendees of the IGF do not represent all participant 
> segments and geographic regions. We mention in for example: Indigenous 
> peoples worldwide, people with disabilities, rural people and 
> particularly those who are the poorest of
> the poor, landless or migrants; those concerned with promoting 
> peer-to-peer and open access governance structures built on an 
> electronic platform, those looking to alternative modes of Internet 
> governance as ways of responding to specific localized opportunities and 
> limitations, and those working as practitioners and activists in 
> implementing the Internet as a primary resource in support of 
> broad-based economic and social development. Funding possibilities need 
> to be improved and it requires various efforts, but availability of 
> various categories of travel grants for participants may help improve 
> attendance by those not yet seen at the IGF for want of funds. The IGF 
> already has made some funds available for representation from Less 
> Developed Countries, but such funding achieves a limited objective.
> 
> The true cost of the IGF (including all visible and invisible costs to 
> the IGF Secretariat, participating Governments, organizations and 
> individual participants) would be several times that of the actual 
> outflow from the IGF Secretariat in organizing the IGF, as reflected in 
> the IGF book of accounts. If an economist estimates the total visible 
> and invisible costs of the IGF, it would be an enormous sum, which is 
> already being spent each year. With an increment in funding for travel 
> support to panel speaker and participants, which would amount to a small 
> proportion of the true total cost of the IGF, the quality of panels and 
> the diversity of participation could be significantly improved.
> 
> With this rationale, the Internet Governance Caucus recommends that the 
> IGF should consider budgetary allocations supported by grants from 
> business, governments, well funded non-governmental and international 
> organizations and the United Nations. The fund could extend travel 
> grants to 200 lead participants (panel speakers, program organizers), 
> full and partial fellowships to a greater number of participants with 
> special attention to participants from unrepresented categories 
> (unrepresented geographic regions and/or unrepresented participant 
> segments and even to those from affluent, represented regions if there 
> is an individual need).
> 
> Jeanette Hofmann wrote:
>> As I said before, I support funding the participation of people from 
>> least developed countries. I do think that the IGF secretariat should 
>> have a reliable funding that ensure independence from private sector 
>> donations.
>>
>> I don't support the funding of business leaders, business class 
>> flights and expensive hotels. Since I don't think we agree on this 
>> latter part, I suggested to omit such details.
>> jeanette
>>
>> Sivasubramanian Muthusamy wrote:
>>> Hello Jeanette Hoffmann
>>>
>>> The IGC which makes this statement is fully aware of the PRESENT 
>>> realities and the statement stems from a positive outlook 
>>> unconstrained by the present situation. Another million or two or ten 
>>> or twenty for that matter, isn't way beyond the reach of the IGF body.
>>>
>>> 1. When IGC calls for funds it is implied that the IGF will find a 
>>> way to find funds to answer thiso call.
>>>
>>> 2. We need to make this statement if we do not wish to keep the IGF 
>>> in eternal poverty,
>>>
>>> I am looking at your later response and notice that I would like it 
>>> not mentioned what is funded. The statement is complete only with 
>>> such a suggestion and in its present form, is there anything 
>>> seriously objectionable with what it says about enhancing the quality 
>>> of programs with greater diversity of participation?
>>>
>>> Thank you.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 10:08 PM, Jeanette Hofmann <jeanette at wzb.eu> 
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>     Hi, the issue is not that I would like to create another California
>>>     as Michael G. suggests.
>>>     Of course, it would be good if the IGF had more means to support
>>>     people's participation. The issue is whether it makes sense to call
>>>     upon somebody for funding who has no funding and spends a
>>>     significant amount of time on soliciting donations for its own
>>>     functioning.
>>>     If we ask for money, we should specificy where this money should
>>>     come from or how it could be generated.
>>>     jeanette
>>>
>>>
>>>     Ginger Paque wrote:
>>>
>>>         Shiva... you need to address this concern. It is not only
>>>         Jeanette who holds this view.
>>>
>>>         Thanks, gp
>>>
>>>         Jeanette Hofmann wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>             Ginger Paque wrote:
>>>
>>>                 Thank you Shiva, I can see that you made a serious
>>>                 effort at compromise. However, there are still areas I
>>>                 cannot agree with. Please consider the following
>>>                 counter-proposal, and of course, we hope for comments
>>>                 from others as well:
>>>
>>>                 [The following text was re-submitted by Shiva, and then
>>>                 edited by Ginger]
>>>
>>>                 The Internet Governance Caucus calls upon the IGF
>>>                 Secretariat to substantially fund IGF programs and
>>>                 participation to further enhance the quality of programs
>>>                 with greater diversity of participation.
>>>
>>>
>>>             The IGF secretariat has no budget to fund the expenses
>>>             listed below. I don't understand why we would want to "call
>>>             upon the IGF Secretariat to
>>>              > substantially fund IGF programs and participation" in
>>>             light of the lack of such funds.
>>>
>>>             jeanette
>>>
>>>
>>>                 There are two aspects to be considered in this regard:
>>>                 a) Present IGF participants representing various
>>>                 stakeholder groups are highly qualified individuals with
>>>                 diverse accomplishments but it is also true that IGF
>>>                 participation needs to be further expanded to include
>>>                 more Civil Society participants known for their
>>>                 commitment and accomplishments outside the IGF arena on
>>>                 various Civil Society causes.  Business leaders who are
>>>                 otherwise committed to social and other governance
>>>                 issues are not seen at the IGF, and not all governments
>>>                 are represented at the IGF. And b) The present attendees
>>>                 of the IGF do not represent all participant segments and
>>>                 geographic regions. This needs to be improved and it
>>>                 requires various efforts, but availability of various
>>>                 categories of travel grants for participants may help
>>>                 improve participation by those not attending the IGF for
>>>                 want of funds. IGF already has made some funds available
>>>                 for representation from Less Developed Countries, but
>>>                 such funding achieves a limited objective.
>>>
>>>                 The true cost of the IGF (including all visible and
>>>                 invisible costs to the IGF Secretariat, participating
>>>                 Governments, organizations and individual participants)
>>>                 would be several times that of the actual outflow from
>>>                 the IGF Secretariat in organizing the IGF, as reflected
>>>                 in the IGF book of accounts. If an economist estimates
>>>                 the total visible and invisible costs of the IGF, it
>>>                 would be an enormous sum, which is already spent. With
>>>                 an increment in funding for travel support to panel
>>>                 speaker and participants, which would amount to a small
>>>                 proportion of the true cost of the IGF, the quality of
>>>                 panels and the diversity of participation could be 
>>> improved.
>>>
>>>                 With this rationale, the Internet Governance Caucus
>>>                 recommends that the IGF should consider budgetary
>>>                 allocations supported by grants from business,
>>>                 governments, well funded non-governmental and
>>>                 international organizations and the United Nations. The
>>>                 fund may extend travel grants to 200 lead participants
>>>                 (panel speakers, program organizers), full and partial
>>>                 fellowships to a greater number of participants with
>>>                 special attention to participants from unrepresented
>>>                 categories (unrepresented geographic regions and/or
>>>                 unrepresented participant segments and even to those
>>>                 from affluent, represented regions if there is an
>>>                 individual need ).
>>>
>>>                 Such a fund would enable the IGF to bring in more
>>>                 diverse opinions to the IGF from experts who would add
>>>                 further value to the IGF. It is especially recommended
>>>                 that such a fund carry no link as to the positions or
>>>                 content proposed by the presenter (as opposed to a grant
>>>                 from a business trust with stated or implied conditions
>>>                 about the positions to be taken). It is recommended that
>>>                 the IGF create a fund large enough to have significant
>>>                 impact in further enhancing quality and diversity of
>>>                 participation.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>                 Sivasubramanian Muthusamy wrote:
>>>
>>>                     Hello Ginger, Michael Guerstein and All,
>>>
>>>                     Have revised the statement and the changes made are
>>>                     highlighted. This mail is best viewed with html /
>>>                     mime settings. ( for the convenience of those whose
>>>                     mail settings are plain text, I am attaching the
>>>                     text as a PDF file which would show the highlighted
>>>                     changes )
>>>
>>>                     Thank you
>>>
>>>                     Sivasubramanian Muthusamy
>>>
>>>                        The Internet Governance Caucus calls upon the IGF
>>>                     Secretariat to
>>>                        fund the IGF programs and participation
>>>                     substantially and
>>>                        significantly to further enhance the quality of
>>>                     programs with
>>>                        greater diversity of participation. * *There are
>>>                     two aspects to be
>>>                        considered in this regard: a) WSIS/ present IGF
>>>                     participants
>>>                        representing various stakeholder groups are
>>>                     highly qualified
>>>                        individuals with diverse accomplishments but it
>>>                     is also true that
>>>                        IGF participation needs to be further expanded to
>>>                     invite and
>>>                        include more Civil Society participants known for
>>>                     their commitment
>>>                        and accomplishments outside the IGF arena on
>>>                     various Civil Society
>>>                        causes ; business leaders who are otherwise
>>>                     committed to social
>>>                        and other governance issues are not seen at the
>>>                     IGF, and not all
>>>                        governments are represented at the IGF ( and
>>>                     though not for
>>>                        financial reasons, the present participants from
>>>                     Government are
>>>                        not represented on a high enough level ) - [ this
>>>                     sentence in
>>>                        parenthesis may be deleted if unnecessary as it
>>>                     is not directly
>>>                        relevant to the point ] and b) The present
>>>                     participants of the IGF
>>>                        do not represent all participant segments and
>>>                     geographic regions.
>>>                        This needs to be improved and it requires various
>>>                     efforts, but
>>>                        availability of various categories of Travel
>>>                     Grants for different
>>>                        classes of participants may help improve
>>>                     participation by those
>>>                        not attending the IGF for want of funds. IGF
>>>                     already has made some
>>>                        funds available for representation from Less
>>>                     Developed Countries,
>>>                        but such funding achieves a limited objective.
>>>
>>>                        The true cost of the IGF (including all visible
>>>                     and invisible
>>>                        costs to the IGF Secretariat, participating
>>>                     Governments,
>>>                        organizations and individual participants) would
>>>                     be several times
>>>                        that of the actual outflow from the IGF
>>>                     Secretariat in organizing
>>>                        the IGF, as reflected in the IGF book of
>>>                     accounts. If an economist
>>>                        estimates the total visible and invisible costs
>>>                     of the IGF, it
>>>                        would be an enormous sum, which is already spent.
>>>                     For want of a
>>>                        marginal allocation for travel support to panel
>>>                     speaker and
>>>                        participants, which would amount to a small
>>>                     proportion of the true
>>>                        cost of the IGF, the quality of panels and the
>>>                     diversity of
>>>                        participation are compromised.
>>>
>>>                        With this rationale, the Internet Governance
>>>                     Caucus recommends
>>>                        that the IGF should consider liberal budgetary
>>>                     allocations
>>>                        supported by unconditional grants from business,
>>>                     governments, well
>>>                        funded non-governmental and international
>>>                     organizations and the
>>>                        United Nations. The fund may extend
>>>                     uncompromising, comfortable
>>>                        travel grants/ honorarium to 200 lead
>>>                     participants (panel
>>>                        speakers, program organizers, who are largely
>>>                     invitees who are
>>>                        required to be well-received for participation),
>>>                     full and partial
>>>                        fellowships to a large number of participants
>>>                     with special
>>>                        attention to participants from unrepresented
>>>                     categories
>>>                        (unrepresented geographic regions and/or
>>>                     unrepresented participant
>>>                        segments and even to those from affluent,
>>>                     represented regions if
>>>                        there is an individual need ).
>>>
>>>                        Such a fund would enable the IGF to bring in
>>>                     really diverse
>>>                        opinions to the IGF from experts who would add
>>>                     further value to
>>>                        the IGF. It is especially recommended that such a
>>>                     fund may be
>>>                        built up from contributions that are
>>>                     unconditional (as opposed to
>>>                        a grant from a business trust with stated or
>>>                     implied conditions
>>>                        about the positions to be taken; 'unconditional'
>>>                     does not imply
>>>                        that funds may have to be disbursed without even
>>>                     the basic
>>>                        conditions that the recipient should attend the
>>>                     IGF and attend the
>>>                        sessions etc. In this context "unconditional"
>>>                     means something
>>>                        larger. It is to hint at a system of Travel
>>>                     Grants whereby IGF
>>>                        will pool funds from Business Corporations,
>>>                     Governments,
>>>                        International Organizations, well funded NGOs and
>>>                     UN with no
>>>                        implied conditions on the positions to be taken
>>>                     by participants*)*
>>>                        and may be awarded to panelists and participants
>>>                     unconditionally.
>>>                        It is recommended that the IGF create a fund
>>>                     large enough to have
>>>                        significant impact in further enhancing quality
>>>                     and diversity of
>>>                        participation.
>>>
>>>
>>>                     Sivasubramanian Muthusamy
>>>                     Blog: http://isocmadras.blogspot.com
>>>
>>>                     facebook: http://is.gd/x8Sh
>>>                     LinkedIn: http://is.gd/x8U6
>>>                     Twitter: http://is.gd/x8Vz
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>                     On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 5:55 PM, Sivasubramanian
>>>                     Muthusamy <isolatedn at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>                        Hello Ginger
>>>
>>>                        Will have just a little time to spend on this,
>>>                     will review the
>>>                        complete questionnaire comments, and reword the
>>>                     Q6 comment, but
>>>                        don't really have a lot of time today. Leaving
>>>                     for the city in a
>>>                        few hours for a short trip, will find some time
>>>                     to work tomorrow
>>>                        as well, but not tonight.
>>>
>>>                        Would prefer this as an IGC statement, rather
>>>                     than as an
>>>                        independent proposal, which I could have sent it
>>>                     on my own but
>>>                        preferred not to.
>>>
>>>                        Shiva.
>>>
>>>
>>>                        On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 5:14 PM, Ginger Paque
>>>                     <gpaque at gmail.com <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com>
>>>                        <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>                            Hi Shiva,
>>>
>>>                            I was referring to Q6, as several of us -
>>>                     including myself,
>>>                            and Ian, as well as Michael and others, are
>>>                     not yet satisfied
>>>                            with the wording on the funding concept. You
>>>                     are welcome to
>>>                            continue the discussion and see if you can
>>>                     reach a consensus
>>>                            on it, but I suspect that by the time
>>>                     everyone is happy, the
>>>                            statement won't say much of anything. Could
>>>                     you review the
>>>                            thread on Q6, including Ian's answer to the
>>>                     complete
>>>                            questionnaire draft, and tell us what you 
>>> think?
>>>
>>>                            Let's look at Q 3 separately, ok?
>>>
>>>                            Thanks. I appreciate your willingness to 
>>> discuss.
>>>
>>>                            Best,
>>>                            Ginger
>>>
>>>                            Sivasubramanian Muthusamy wrote:
>>>
>>>                                Hello Ginger
>>>
>>>                                You would like this submitted as my own
>>>                     comment, rather
>>>                                than as an IGC statement? Is this only on
>>>                     Q6 or does it
>>>                                also apply to Q3?
>>>
>>>                                There were further exchanges between
>>>                     Gurstein and me, and
>>>                                the misunderstanding are being clarified.
>>>                     Would you really
>>>                                feel that the entire statement has to be
>>>                     dropped as
>>>                                comment from IGC?
>>>
>>>                                Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>                                On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 4:40 PM, 
>>> Ginger Paque
>>>                                <gpaque at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com> <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com>>
>>>                                <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com> <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gpaque at gmail.com>>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>                                   Shiva, As there seems to be quite a
>>>                     bit of controversy
>>>                                about this
>>>                                   concept and wording, and we are very
>>>                     short on time, I
>>>                                wonder if we
>>>                                   could continue this discussion after
>>>                     the questionnaire is
>>>                                   submitted, perhaps for comments to be
>>>                     submitted by the
>>>                                August
>>>                                   deadline?
>>>
>>>                                   In the meantime, you could submit your
>>>                     own comment,
>>>                                which would
>>>                                   give you more freedom to make your
>>>                     point. Is that
>>>                                acceptable to you?
>>>
>>>                                   Regards,
>>>                                   Ginger
>>>
>>>                                   Sivasubramanian Muthusamy wrote:
>>>
>>>                                       Hello Michael Gurstein
>>>
>>>                                       A quick reply and a little more 
>>> later.
>>>
>>>                                       On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 6:12 AM,
>>>                     Michael Gurstein
>>>                                       <gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com 
>>> <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>>
>>>                                <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com 
>>> <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>>>
>>>                                       <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>>
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com 
>>> <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>>>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>                                          Hi,
>>>
>>>                                              -----Original Message-----
>>>                                              *From:* Sivasubramanian
>>>                     Muthusamy
>>>                                       [mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>>
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com 
>>> <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>>>
>>>                                              <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>>
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com 
>>> <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>>>>]
>>>                                              *Sent:* Sunday, July 12,
>>>                     2009 6:18 PM
>>>                                              *To:*
>>>                     governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>>
>>>                                       <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>>>
>>>                                                                 
>>> <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>>
>>>                                       <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>>>>; Michael 
>>> Gurstein
>>>                                              *Subject:* Re: [governance]
>>>                     Question 6:
>>>                                Comments on Siva's
>>>                                              proposed paras
>>>
>>>                                              Hello Michael Gurstein,
>>>
>>>                                              On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at
>>>                     2:50 AM, Michael
>>>                                Gurstein
>>>                                              <gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>>
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com 
>>> <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>>>
>>>                                       <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>>
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com 
>>> <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>
>>>                                <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com
>>>                     <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>>>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>                                                  "The Internet
>>>                     Governance Caucus calls
>>>                                upon the IGF
>>>                                                  Secretariat to fund the
>>>                     IGF programs and
>>>                                participation
>>>                                                  substantially and
>>>                     significantly to
>>>                                further enhance the
>>>                                                  quality of programs
>>>                     with greater
>>>                                diversity of
>>>                                                  participation" sounds
>>>                     better?                                 YES...
>>>                                       Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>                                                  There are two aspects
>>>                     to be considered
>>>                                in this
>>>                                       regard: a)
>>>                                                  The absence or
>>>                                                  non-participation of
>>>                     some of the world's
>>>                                most renowned
>>>                                                  Civil Society opinion
>>>                                                  leaders is noticeable;
>>>                     Business Leaders
>>>                                who are
>>>                                       otherwise
>>>                                                  committed to
>>>                                                  social and other
>>>                     governance issues off
>>>                                IGF are not
>>>                                       seen at
>>>                                                  the IGF;
>>>                                                  Governments are not
>>>                     represented on a
>>>                                level high enough
>>>
>>>                                                  HMMM. WHO/WHAT EXACTLY
>>>                     IS MEANT BY
>>>                                "RENOWNED CIVIL
>>>                                       SOCIETY
>>>                                                  OPINION LEADERS"
>>>                                                  (IN SOME CIRCLES THERE
>>>                     ARE AT LEAST TWO AND
>>>                                       PROBABLY MORE
>>>                                                  INTERNAL
>>>                                                  CONTRADITIONS IN THAT
>>>                     SIMPLE STATEMENT
>>>                                AND CERTAINLY
>>>                                                  NEITHER WE NOR THE
>>>                                                  SECRETARIAT SHOULD BE
>>>                     EXPECTED TO
>>>                                IDENTIFY WHO THESE
>>>                                                  "RENOWNED" FOLKS MIGHT
>>>                                                  BE.
>>>
>>>                                                  AS WELL, ARE WE LOOKING
>>>                     FOR CIVIL
>>>                                SOCIETY "LEADERS" OR
>>>                                                  FOLKS FROM CIVIL
>>>                                                  SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
>>>                     IN LEADERSHIP
>>>                                POSITIONS, OR
>>>                                       ARE WE
>>>                                                  LOOKING FOR CIVIL
>>>                                                  SOCIETY SPOKESPEOPLE
>>>                     WHO UNDERSTAND IG
>>>                                ISSUES, OR
>>>                                       ARE WE
>>>                                                  LOOKING FOR LEADERS
>>>                                                  OF RESPONSIBLE
>>>                     REPRESENTATIVE CS
>>>                                ORGANIZATIONS WHO
>>>                                       HAVE A
>>>                                                                     
>>> POSITION//OPINION/KNOWLEDGE ON IG ISSUES
>>>                                (EACH OF THESE
>>>                                                  CATEGORIES IS
>>>                                                  PROBABLY DISCREET AND
>>>                     COULD BE INCLUDED
>>>                                AMBIGUOUSLY
>>>                                       UNDER
>>>                                                  YOUR STATEMENT.
>>>
>>>                                                  IF BIZ LEADERS THINK IT
>>>                     IS OF SUFFICIENT
>>>                                IMPORTANCE
>>>                                                  THEY'LL LIKELY COME, IF
>>>                                                  NOT, NOT AND NOT MUCH
>>>                     WE OR THE
>>>                                SECRETARIAT CAN DO
>>>                                       ABOUT
>>>                                                  THAT AND SIMILARLY
>>>                                                  WITH GOVERNMENTS.
>>>
>>>                                                  I THINK THIS PARA
>>>                     SHOULD BE DROPPED...
>>>
>>>
>>>                                              I am sorry, I don't agree
>>>                     with your negative
>>>                                       interpretation of
>>>                                              such a positive suggestion.
>>>                     Are we to assert
>>>                                that the
>>>                                       present
>>>                                              participants constitute a
>>>                     complete,
>>>                                representative, and
>>>                                              ultimate group 
>>> ?                                     NO, BUT
>>>                                I'M HAVING
>>>                                       TROUBLE SEEING WHAT NAOMI KLEIN OR
>>>                     VENDANA
>>>                                              SHIVA WOULD HAVE TO
>>>                     CONTRIBUTE EITHER...
>>>
>>>                                       I will have to browse a little to
>>>                     learn about Naomi
>>>                                Klein;
>>>                                       Vendana Shiva is an Indian name
>>>                     that sounds
>>>                                familiar, but I
>>>                                       wasn't thinking of these names,
>>>                     nor was my point
>>>                                intended to
>>>                                       bring in anyone whom I know or
>>>                     associated with.
>>>                                 Looks like
>>>                                       you are reading between the lines
>>>                     of what I write.
>>>
>>>                                                      HAVING THE HEAD OF
>>>                     SEWA OR K-NET
>>>                                WOULD SEEM TO
>>>                                       ME TO BE RATHER
>>>                                              MORE USEFUL, "RENOWNED" OR
>>>                     NOT, AS THEY AT
>>>                                LEAST COULD TALK
>>>                                              WITH SOME DIRECT KNOWLEDGE
>>>                     ABOUT HOW IG
>>>                                ISSUES IMPACT
>>>                                       THEM AND
>>>                                              THE KINDS OF THINGS THEY
>>>                     ARE TRYING TO DO ON
>>>                                THE GROUND.
>>>
>>>                                       Again an Indian reference - you
>>>                     have used the word
>>>                                "Sewa" in
>>>                                       your comment. Perhaps you are
>>>                     reading me as someone
>>>                                pushing
>>>                                       the Indian point of view? I am
>>>                     not. I am born in
>>>                                India, a
>>>                                       participant from India, I have
>>>                     faith in and respect
>>>                                for my
>>>                                       country but I believe that in an
>>>                     International
>>>                                context I am at
>>>                                       least a little wider than a
>>>                     national.  I have been
>>>                                inspired by
>>>                                       teachers who taught me in my
>>>                     school days that
>>>                                "patriotism is a
>>>                                       prejudice" which is profound
>>>                     thinking which in
>>>                                depths implies
>>>                                       that one must be beyond being
>>>                     patriotic and be
>>>                                rather global.
>>>
>>>                                       (Will come back this point and
>>>                     write more in
>>>                                response to what
>>>                                       you have written a little later)
>>>
>>>                                       Thank you.
>>>                                       Sivasubramanian Muthusamy.
>>>
>>>                                                              MBG
>>>                                                          
>>>                      Sivasubramanian Muthusamy
>>>                                                                        
>>>                                     M
>>>
>>>                                                                  
>>>                     
>>> ____________________________________________________________
>>>                                                  You received this
>>>                     message as a
>>>                                subscriber on the list:
>>>                                                    
>>>                      governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>>
>>>                                       <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>>>
>>>                                                                     
>>> <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>>
>>>                                       <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>>>>
>>>                                                  To be removed from the
>>>                     list, send any
>>>                                message to:
>>>                                                                
>>>                     governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                                   
>>> <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>>
>>>                                                          
>>> <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                                   
>>> <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>>>
>>>                                                            
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                                   
>>> <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>>
>>>                                                          
>>> <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                                                   
>>> <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                     <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>>>>
>>>
>>>                                                  For all list
>>>                     information and functions, see:
>>>                                                                
>>>                     http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>                 
>>> ____________________________________________________________
>>>                 You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>>>                    governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                 <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>                 To be removed from the list, send any message to:
>>>                    governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>                 <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>
>>>                 For all list information and functions, see:
>>>                    http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance
>>>
>>>
>>>         ____________________________________________________________
>>>         You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>>>            governance at lists.cpsr.org <mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>         To be removed from the list, send any message to:
>>>            governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org
>>>         <mailto:governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org>
>>>
>>>         For all list information and functions, see:
>>>            http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance
>>>
>>>
>>
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.cpsr.org
To be removed from the list, send any message to:
     governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org

For all list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance



More information about the Governance mailing list