[WSIS CS-Plenary] Reality Check....

[Robert Guerra]

--On Sunday, March 7, 2004 5:14 AM -0800 Nnenna <nne75 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hello all
>
> I am a bit surprised to hear of "censorship" in Tunis?  Is Robert
> saying he will feel freer out of Tunis or is he saying that he cannot
> report anything unless he leaves Tunis?
> Well...


it is well reported by leading human rights organizations outside of 
Tunisia, and by bona-fide human rights organizations inside Tunisia that 
censorship is present in the country.


To many, Tunisia is a repressive regime, where visiting a website 
critical of the government, or printing material from opposition sources 
leads to imprisonment and torture.


now to answer the question - yes, i could have sent comments from within 
Tunisia. However, i choose not to. after all, if the locals don't feel 
safe to do so - then, i shouldn't either.



> I personally did do a four- pager on the African Civil Society
> Coordination which I handed out to everyone including the guys from
> the ministry.  Everyone!


To be open - that document, and the one Francis distributed should have 
also sent to the plenary so they know what's going on.

another point, did your document have anything of controversy mentioning 
human rights, or dissident organizations and/or individuals in Tunisia? 
I don't think so ..


> I gave three interviews: one to the TV and two to radios (one radio in
> French and the other in Arabic) in which I stressed the need for
> freedom of the press and the need for the Tunisian CS to really
> participate in the processes, not just act as figurines.  I stressed
> the need for the inclusion of women, children, youth and the
> handicaped.  The TV did not edit it, It came on just that way!
> On Monday evening, before even the meeting started, the ICT and
> Transport Minister attended the CS meeting and answered our questions.


first of all, the meeting you mention where the minister attended, was 
not at any time an official CS meeting. it was a so called CSB meeting 
-- but, in the eyes of the CSB members it wasn't a meeting.

As I expressed in Tunis quite emphatically, I have grave issues about CS 
or CSB meetings called at a few hours notice outside of prepcoms and/or 
summits. Who was at the meeting? what was discussed? and did the meeting 
give the illusion to the minister that he was meeting with CS? these are 
grave concerns which should not go unanswered. meeting any government 
official, particularly the Tunisians should be done with great thought, 
a process and with a consistent message.


By meeting the Govt officials we are legitimizing them, their regime, 
and   - well do we want to do that. WSIS 2005 might be a good 
opportunity to create positive change in the country, creating a space 
where none currently exists for discussion, debate and a respect for 
fundamental human rights. On the other hand, we might create for 
ourselves a wonderful bubble where we are treated well, allowed to be 
open and free - while the Tunisian citizens, and civil society that 
fights for the rights of the oppressed, the tortured and the press 
(among others) see in amazement a world, a UN process - where they can't 
participate.





> In all, CS members present in Tunis met three times, before, during
> and after the informal meeting.  I do not remember anyone raising a
> point on censorship.


who was there? who where the Tunisians in the room? who do they 
represent? and why were groups like the Tunisian human rights League 
called Terrorists by the so called "CS focal point for Tunisian civil 
society"

I quite objected to have a photographer enter the room when he wanted 
and take pictures. while some of the pictures could be bought , others 
seem to be absent. Where did the pictures go? Did they get destroyed, or 
handled to the police authorities to have a file on who was there ?



>   Alain and Louise also had appointments in town.

who did they meet? did they represent CS, the bureau or just themselves? 
i think we should ask those questions.


> They will be in the
> best position to report on those.  I did meet with the Tunisian CS
> members to chat on the implication of the Tunisian CS and I must say I
> was not disappointed.

well who where they? what do they do, and are they accredited in the 
process. did you ask that of them?


for the 2 days i tried to get the business card from the so called 
Tunisian CS focal point to no avail. if he's the focal point, he no 
doutb should have at least a card - something to give out to those of us 
wanting to connect him to Tunisians we may know who want to participate. 
something to think about


the meeting in theory was open only to government and cs bureau members 
as well asspecial guests of the Tunisians (such as alain and louise)  - 
so how did the press get in there? was it only open to selected press, 
or could we have invited bona fide independent press as well? something 
to think about

> Hiroshi, the handicaped family Focal Point and myself paid a visit to
> an NGO that works with Handicaped kids.  I appreciated the activities
> and the political will that the center testified of.


oh how nice. did you meet with any human rights groups while in the 
country to get a different view of the country ? if you would have, you 
would have heard a very different view, a much darker and sorry state of 
affairs.


did you take a look at the newspapers while there? did you see opposing 
views, an engaged civil society that has the space for discussion, 
action, and protest ? did you try to see if the core values laid down in 
the civil society declaration and the declaration of principles are 
being observed and respected in Tunisia? it's something we should do - 
otherwise, we'll see what handlers want to show us...not the real 
Tunisia.




> Another thing, the govt announced the creation of a CS facilitation
> fund. He also informed us that the organization committee had two CS
> members.  We welcomed those.


well, you may have welcomed them. i didn't. A fund with no details - 
particularly announced by the Tunisians is very problematic for me. it 
should be civil society itself that announces a fund - not a particular 
government. For if they do, it gives the illusion that they speak on 
behalf of us, and that - is very far from the truth.

Furthermore,  the creation of a fund with no financial commitment and 
independence - for me, is no fund at all.


> Lastly, it will be important to notice that the meeting was an
> informal one.  Individuals were invited on personal basis, and this
> was clear from the word go.  The results of the meeting is also
> informal.
> I do not intend this to be a report.  It is a personal contribution.
>

did we get a list of participants? My working group - the "yellow" 
bilingual produced one, however did the other groups do so? if so, i'd 
like to know who was there.


for me, and it's a personal view - The Tunisia phase will be far more 
complex than Geneva ever was. Whereas in Geneva we worked on documents - 
in Tunisia we have the added complexity of the well known, and well 
documented human rights abuses that have only gotten worse over the last 
few years. Trying to show the world what goes on there, and trying to 
effect positive change is a far more complex mission for us. We should 
try, but it won't be easy and will require a great deal of coordination, 
consultation, openness and be far more serious.