[WSIS CS-Plenary] Censorship at Tunis

[Fullsack Jean-Louis]

(french below)

Hi Renata, Robert and all

I'm really at a loss for understanding what actually happened at Tunis as far as censorhip is concerned. In fact we (the NGO representatives who were absent from Tunis) have two versions diametrically opposed :

Renata wrote i.a. : "The meeting (...) had an athmosphere of warmth and hospitality and was remarkable in the total acceptance of CS as partner on equal footing."

Whereas Robert wrote : "(...) and yes, all incoming and outgoing internet traffic in Tunesia is censored. The human rights watch and amnesty intl sites (www.hrw.org & www.amnesty.org) could not be accessed from either Internet cafe's in the city nor at the Internet cafe setup at the meeby the conference organizers."

So we need some more explanations from our representatives there to make clear whether there were or not such unacceptable conditions imposed to the participants -especially those from CS- of an official, "Information Society" UN event.
Our further participation in the WSIS process is at stake !

Jean-Louis Fullsack
CSDPTT-France


Bonsoir Renata, Robert et tous

Je suis bien embarrase pour comprendre ce qui s'est reellement passe a Tunis s'agissant de la censure. En fait nous (les ONG qui n'avons pu aller a Tunis) disposons de deux versions diametralement opposees :

Renate a ecrit : "La reunion (...) avait une atmosphere chaleureuse et hospitaliere et elle a ete remarquable dans la totale acceptation de la societe civile comme partenaire a part entiere".

Alors que Robert a ecrit : "(...) et oui, tout le trafic Internet entrant et sortant est censure en Tunisie. Les sites de Human rights watch et Amnesty Intl (www.hrw.org & www.amnesty.org) n'ont pu etre accedes ni d'un quelconque Internet cafe de la ville ni de l'Internet cafe de la reunion installe par les orgaisateurs de la conference."

Nous avons donc besoin de quelques explications de nos representants la-bas afin d'etablir clairement si oui ou non des conditions intolerables ont ete imposees aux participants -et en particulier a ceux de la societe civile- d'un evenement officiel sur la "Societe de l'Information" sous le chapeau des Nations Unies. La poursuite de notre participation est en jeu. 

Jean-Louis Fullsack
CSDPTT - France

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