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

[Marilia Maciel]

The Center for Technology and Society of FGV - Brazil also supports it.
I can be the contact person.

On Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 11:45 PM, parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>wrote:

>
>
> Izumi AIZU wrote:
>
> Dear list,
>
> There have been minor edit to the text.
>
> "We are unable to identify “openness and inclusion” as underlying
> principles of the present process of setting up the Working Group. "
> has been changed to
>
> "We feel that the process undertaken violates principles of “openness
> and inclusion” which form the background to the entire IGF process. "
>
> Also, as joint letter was already sent, this letter will be our own.
> However, it would be nice if some Civil Society Organizations either endorse
> this or send a separate letter to CSTD in the same spirit.
>
> IF we see good support, I would like to send it later today, 5 pm CET,
> which is about
> midnight in Tokyo. I will include the names of CS organizations if you
> indicate that
> and put contact person info.
>
>  IT for change is happy to endorse, pl add my name as contact person.
> thanks. parminder
>
> If it takes time, we can add more and
> bring and/or voice
> them to the Dec 14 NYC and Dec 17 Geneva CSTD meetings.
>
> Thank you,
>
> izumi
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Honourable Mme. Sherry Ayittey
> Chairperson
> UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development
>
> His Excellency 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 feel that the process undertaken violates principles of
> “openness and inclusion” which form the background to the entire IGF
> process. 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
> introduce a degree of delay in the overall process.
>
> We respectfully call for all government members with whom we have to
> date acted as partners in pursuit of IGF improvement, to examine the
> possible consequences of this perhaps hastily-considered proposal. It
> is our feeling that this action might negatively impact the current
> ecology and future of Internet Governance which has been evolving in a
> unique multistakeholder manner. We further ask that an approach be
> pursued that is satisfactory to all stakeholders.
>
> We hope that we may have misunderstood the signficance 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.
>
> --
>
> Signed by:
>
> The Internet Governance Caucus
> Many more to join
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-- 
Centro de Tecnologia e Sociedade
FGV Direito Rio

Center for Technology and Society
Getulio Vargas Foundation
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
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