[WSIS CS-Plenary] Civil Society press release: new version

[Monthian Buntan]

As one of over 600,000,000 persons with disabilities in the world and one 
of 180,000,000 blind persons, I am of the opinion that disability-related 
matters have received so little attention from the whole process.  For this 
summit, we have decided to promote the concept of design and development of 
ICTs for all, which is disability-related, but not disability-specific.  So 
far, such concept has not been well received among governmental delegates, 
and even among our CS members.  People more or less would like to be 
welcomed to attend the party in a house they do not even know how such 
house was designed and built.

Regards,

Thian

At 02:17 AM 9/26/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>Hello everybody,
>
>A new version of the press release has been developed today.  We
>would like you all you review it and make any comments until 11 am.
>
>Thanks!
>------------------
>Text of press release
>27 September 2003
>
>WSIS process at PrepCom III
>
>Civil society has come here to share with the governments our own
>vision for an Information Society. We want an information society
>based on human rights. This provides a unique chance for the
>extension of all the values of Civil Society around the globe.
>
>Over the past two weeks, Civil Society has proven that it is a
>vibrant force in the preparation of the World Summit on the
>Information Society. Civil Society has engaged in dialogue with
>government and business, and has expressed visionary ideas and a
>strong position in the negotiations.
>
>According to Beatriz Busaniche, a civil society bureau member:  "A
>few days ago I met an indigenous person from Ecuador, who is here in
>Geneva at the U.N. Indigenous Forum, fighting here for rights for
>self-determination of his people. He told me that his community is
>not here asking for their rights, nor to seek affirmation. They are
>already living them. They are here for the international community to
>recognise the fact."
>
>In a similar way, civil society has already been building the
>information society, defending our rights to achieve social,
>educational, political, and economic benefits. Communication rights
>are part of human rights. Human rights must be the framework for the
>Knowledge Society, without this, the WSIS vision of an information
>society is meaningless. Even if the outcomes of the WSIS does not
>reflect, at the end of the process, our principles, visions and
>perspectives, we will continue being key actors in the definition of
>the nature and direction of the Information Society, one whose focus
>would be people´s rights.
>
>As delegates from Civil Society we believe that every stakeholder
>should have an equal voice, and a right to the benefits of the
>Information Society, whether in education, work, leisure, and
>communications. Hence we are disappointed by the continuing
>resistance of governments to include specific text that ensures
>support for community based media initiatives - which will facilitate
>the inclusion of hitherto marginalized communities from the
>Information Society. To date, there has been an overemphasis on
>computers and the Internet, to the exclusion of analogue and
>traditional media.
>
>In this process, for first time, Civil Society has been directly
>involved in the negotiations.  A special effort has been made by
>Civil Society to communicate its philosophies and methods to
>governments and the business sector. Even though the process has been
>fraught and inconsistent, with civil society included and excluded at
>the whim of governments, our experience has been one of closer
>engagement than has been the case at other United Nations
>conferences.  We hope that this is an experience that can be built on
>to ensure much closer involvement of civil society in the design and
>development of the Information Society.
>
>We now have a stronger position, because as the days have progressed
>meaningful communication has emerged. But much remains to be done.
>
>
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