[governance] 2010 Asia Declaration on Internet Governance
Robert Guerra
lists at privaterra.info
Wed Jun 23 17:30:41 EDT 2010
I just came across the following that thought could be of interest to those
on the mailing list. Apologies for cross-posting.
Regards
Robert
--
http://bit.ly/aQaaAm
2010 Asia Declaration on Internet Governance <http://bit.ly/aQaaAm>
*"[The IGF is] multilateral, multi-stakeholder, democratic, and
transparent." *
- 2005 Tunis Agenda
*"[We call for] a **people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented
Information Society...**full respect and upholding of universal human rights
including freedom of opinion and expression; and "The universality,
indivisibility, interdependence and interrelation of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms" *
- 2003 Declaration of Principles of World Summit on Information Society.
On the occasion of the first *Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Governance
Forum (APrIGF) Roundtable* in Hong Kong on June 15-16, 2010, we, civil
society representatives from eight Southeast Asian countries, call on *the
Internet Governance Forum (IGF)* and its Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group
(MAG) to fully uphold these aforementioned commitments and principles, as
mandated by the United Nations Secretary-General.
We applaud the work of the first APrIGF towards building multi-stakeholder
discussion on internet governance. In this vein of inclusive dialogue, we
offer the following perspectives and recommendations to the MAG meeting in
Geneva at the Palais des Nations on June 28-29, as well as for the fifth
annual IGF meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania on September 14-17, 2010.
*Key Observations of the APrIGF *
In response to the first Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Governance
Forum<http://rigf.asia>(APrIGF) Roundtable in Hong Kong on June 15-16,
2010, we, netizens,
journalists, bloggers, IT practitioners and nongovernmental representatives
from across Southeast Asia, offer the following observations from the
Roundtable:
*1. Critical issues of internet governance in Asia should guide future
discussions on internet governance policy: *
*Openness
*
Open access to information is the right of every individual, a right that
servers as a fundamental venue for one's knowledge- and capacity-building.
Access to information ultimately helps foster creativity and innovation,
thus promoting sustainable human and economic development. Openness is key
to a democratic and open society. Restrictions on freedom of opinion and
expression online, such as state censorship which blocks Internet
intermediaries, is one of the threats to open societies. Intimidation and
state censorship facilitate self-censorship, a hazardous social phenomenon
that further undermines democracy and openness.
*Access *
The internet is for everyone; it is a public good. Yet a Digital Divide
between those countries and communities with internet access and those
without persists, and has not been sufficiently addressed in discussions on
internet governance. Proceedings at the APrIGF indicated a higher priority
must be placed on addressing not only the global digital divide, but also
regional and national ones. While Singapore enjoys high Internet access
rates (70% penetration), countries like Burma and Cambodia are at the other
end of the spectrum (0.22% and 0.51% penetration, respectively), ranked the
lowest of 200 countries studied in *the World Bank*.
Internet access is fundamental for progress. Various factors, such as
political, economic and social development, poverty levels, and
technological infrastructure affect whether and how often people can access
the internet. Internationally coordinated efforts must be made to address
domestic policies that contribute to the digital divide in Southeast Asia
and find solutions to bridge the gap.
*Cyber Security *
Definition of cyber security must include elements that address right to
privacy and civil and political freedom.
An individual’s right over his/her own privacy, including personal data and
information, must not be sacrificed. Information technology, such as IPv6,
ZigBee, RFID, when used without transparent and accountable oversight, could
pose threats to individual rights.
Today's information society connects personal IT devices directly to the
outside world, no longer storing personal data on a single server. Given the
involvement of the government and businesses (especially state-owned
enterprises) in running such technologies, surveillance and identity theft
remain a constant threat against Internet users.
In this regard, any national security policy must not deviate from the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all international human rights
covenants to which states are parties.
*2. Opportunities exist to continue to improve the IGF Process: *
Awareness of the IGF in Southeast Asia and at the ASEAN level is presently
lacking. Furthermore, Asia-Pacific-wide representation of civil society at
the APrIGF Roundtable was incomplete. There exists a need not only to
develop awareness about the IGF, but also to provide learning materials to
make the IGF accessible to all. Greater access to the IGF would help make it
more inclusive with various stakeholders, including those from the least
developed nations and marginalized and vulnerable groups in Asia-Pacific.
During the APrIGF Roundtable, an open dialogue and two-way exchange of
information and ideas was not fully facilitated. Open space to discuss and
articulate criticism and suggest solutions must be guaranteed in all IGF
events. Such an effort provides practical benefit to Internet users, both
present and future, when the outcome of the APrIGF Roundtable is developed
into a roadmap. Clarifying and planning the roles of local, national,
regional and international multi-stakeholders, will help promote and protect
transparent and democratic Internet governance and hence information society
in the region.
*Requests to the IGF *
The first APrIGF presented a valuable opportunity to analyze both the issues
upon which the IGF focuses and the process by which it is governed. With
respect to these priority issues and opportunities for improved processes,
we therefore recommend the following:
1. Immediately address as an urgent global internet governance issue the
increasing implementation of law that suppress and restrict freedom of
expression and access to information, especially within developing
countries;
2. Fully integrate the universal human rights agenda into IGF program and
engage systematically and regularly with the UN Office of High Commissioner
for Human Rights, in particular the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of
Opinion and Expression and the UN Human Rights Council;
3. Ensure that the IGF policy proposals and recommendations are in line
with international human rights principles and standards;
4. Strengthen the IGF's multilateralism and openness in the upcoming
fifth annual IGF meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania in September and future
national and sub-regional level IGF meetings in Southeast Asia and
Asia-Pacific;
5. Extend the mandate of IGF for another five years;
6. Conduct wider outreach to civil society actors in Southeast Asia and
Asia-Pacific and allocate financial resources to encourage and support their
participation in the fifth annual meeting and subsequent global IGFs, and
organize national and sub-regional level IGFs;
7. Ensure active remote participation in the annual meeting and
subsequent IGFs, utilizing digital technologies such as live-streaming
webcast, video conference, twitter and other social media tools;
8. Guarantee that technical discussions during IGFs fully accommodates
new constituents and stakeholders and incorporate an assessment of policy
implications on the rights of Internet users and society;
9. Develop a plan of action in order to facilitate follow-up and
monitoring of IGF outcomes; and
10. Conduct an impact study by an independent organization to assess the
effectiveness of IGF, in accordance with the principles set out in the 2005
Tunis Agenda and the 2003 Declaration of Principles of the WSIS.
*Hereby signed by: *
*Yap Swee Seng *
Executive Director Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
E-mail: *yap at forum-asia.org *Mobile (Bangkok): +66.81.868.9178 Web: *
www.forum-asia.org *
*Chiranuch Premchaiporn *Executive Director Prachatai Online Newspaper
E-mail: *chiranuch at prachatai.com *Mobile (Bangkok): +66.81.6207707 Web: *
www.prachatai.com*; *www.prachatai.org/english *
*Ernesto G. Sonido Jr *
Blogger TechTanod, the Blog and Soul Movement, the Philippine Blog Awards
E-mail: *1fishtank at gmail.com *Phone: +63.917829.8090 Web: *
http://baratillo.net/*; *http://techtanod.com/ *
*Ndaru *
Blogger (Indonesia)
*http://politikana.com/ *
*Ou Virak *
President Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)
E-mail: *ouvirak at cchrcambodia.org *Mobile (Phnom Penh): +855.12.404.051 Web:
*www.cchrcambodia.org *
*Phoutthasinh Phimmachanh *
Senior Knowledge Management Officer Swiss Association for International
Development (Helvetas-Laos)
Email: phoutthasinh.phimmachanh at helvetas.org Phone (Laos): +856.21.740.253
*Sean Ang *
Executive Director Southeast Asian Center for e-Media (SEACeM)
E-mail: *sean at seacem.com *Mobile (Kuala Lumpur): +60.166.533.533 Web: *
www.seacem.com *
*Chuah Siew Eng *
Publicity Officer Centre for Independent Journalism
Email: *sieweng.cij at gmail.com *Phone (Kuala Lumpur): +60.340.230.772 Web: *
cijmalaysia.org *
*Leang Delux *
Active member Club of Cambodian Journalist
E-mail: *deluxnews at gmail.com *Mobile (Cambodia): +855.15.523.623 Web: *
www.ccj.com.kh *
*Oliver Robillo *
Founder Mindanao Bloggers Community
E-mail: *blogie at dabawenyo.com *Mobile (Davao): +63.918.540.0878 Web: *
www.mindanaobloggers.com *
*Phisit Siprasatthong *
Coordinator Thai Netizen Network
E-mail: *freethainetizen at gmail.com *Phone (Bangkok): +66.2691.0574 Web: *
thainetizen.org *
*Civil Society Representatives from Burma and Vietnam *
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