[governance] Draft IGC letter pf protest on CSTD WG composition

[parminder]

Fouad Bajwa wrote:
> The statement is fully supported by myself but it would still be wise
> to request Parminder for more thoughts and Miguel to help us with the
> language of the statement!
>
>
>   
Fouad, I did collaborate with co-coordinators on framing the letter, 
though yes it can be improved. thanks. parminder

> Best
>
> Fouad
>
> On Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 7:15 AM, Izumi AIZU <iza at anr.org> wrote:
>   
>> Dear list,
>> Here is the draft letter of protest on CSTD WG composition by IGC,
>> NOT the joint one which I sent earlier.
>>
>> As I wrote earlier, it's been edited by the nominees for CSTD WG
>> for both substance and the tone/style.
>>
>> I like to call for the consensus, will wait till the end
>> of Friday, Dec 10 working hours in Europe unless there is
>> a) good amount of support expressed earlier than that, and
>> b) urgent need (either positive or negative) arises earlier
>>
>> Comments are all welcome, which will be taken into final
>> wording as much as possible.
>>
>> best,
>>
>> izumi
>>
>> ---------------------
>>
>> Honourable Mme. Sherry Ayittey
>> Chairperson
>> UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development
>>
>> His Exellency Mr. Frederic Riehl,
>> Vice Chairperson,
>> UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development
>>
>>
>> Dear Ms. Ayittey and Mr. Riehl,
>>
>> Thank you for undertaking the IGF review process.
>>
>> We have learned that the membership of the CSTD Working Group on IGF will
>> comprise Government representatives only and that no Civil Society, Private
>> Sector, or Technical Community members will be included. Since there is no
>> official announcement on this issue, we first of all seek a confirmation if
>> the above mentioned is indeed true.
>>
>> In the unfortunate case that it has been so decided, we, the undersigned,
>> would like to express our strong concern about that decision which is
>> apparently in violation of the mandate given by the concerned ECOSOC
>> resolution,  for setting up the Working Group in an ‘open and inclusive
>> manner’. We understand that the same mandate is imminent to also be
>> communicated through a UN General Assembly resolution. We are unable to
>> identify “openness and inclusion” as underlying principles of the present
>> process of setting up the Working Group. The overall approach to this
>> important issue related to Internet Governance is also in violation of the
>> Tunis Agenda, paras 37, 72, 73, 76, 78, 80, 83, 97,105, and 108, both in
>> letter and spirit.
>>
>> The process also clearly goes against the Chair’s Summary of Vilnius IGF
>> consultation and the Chair’s tentative road map indicates that the Working
>> Group will employ multi-stakeholder composition, modality and work method.
>>
>> As the Chair’s Summary says:
>> It was stressed by many participants that the multi-stakeholder character
>> and inclusive spirit and principles of the IGF have been successful and
>> should continue to guide the composition, modalities and working methods of
>> the CSTD Working Group on the IGF.
>>
>> Thus, it was emphasised by a large number of interventions that it was
>> essential that the working Group be composed of a balanced number of
>> representatives from all stakeholders - governments, civil society and the
>> private sector.
>>
>> A majority of stakeholders welcomed the Chair’s suggestion to use the model
>> of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG), which was set up in
>> the aftermath of the 2003 Geneva phase of WSIS “in an open and inclusive
>> manner”
>>
>> In this context, we are very much concerned that the WG composition is not
>> in fact open and inclusive and that non-governmental stakeholders (civil
>> society, business and Internet technical community) will be excluded from
>> the WG membership altogether. Non-governmental stakeholders are critical to
>> the continued development and success of building the people-centered
>> Information Society. Their exclusion runs counter to WSIS principles
>> including that "The international management of the Internet should be
>> multilateral, transparent and democratic, with the full involvement of
>> governments, the private sector, civil society and international
>> organizations.”
>>
>> We do not understand why this regressive decision was suddenly made, but we
>> do request that this decision be reversed, even if that will require some
>> additional time.
>>
>> We respectfully call for all government members with whom to date we have
>> acted as partners in pursuit of IGF improvement, to examine the possible
>> consequences of this perhaps hastily-considered proposal to the whole
>> ecology and future of Internet Governance which has been evolving in a
>> unique multistakeholder manner, and pursue an approach satisfactory to all
>> stakeholders.
>>
>> We hope that we may have misunderstood the effect of this decision and that
>> our reaction is therefore misplaced. However if we are not mistaken, we fear
>> that the CSTD’s decision will lead not to the improvement, but rather, to
>> the regression and even destruction of the IGF and the trust that has been
>> built among  the stakeholders since WSIS.  A lack of meaningful
>> multistakeholder involvement will make IGF both ineffective and irrelevant,
>> and thwart attempts to further develop effective internet governance at this
>> crucial time.
>>
>> We look forward to receiving your response at the earliest.
>>
>> Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus
>>
>>
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>
>
>
>   
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