[WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: Requests/demands for CS participation in Tunis phase

[Fullsack Jean-Louis]

Hi Sasha

You are fully right : CS has to change significantly and to show stronger
positions than during the Geneva phase. It's too "soft" approach for the
most crucial issues that people had to face and still have in relation to
ICT cannot mobilise any more those who are willing to generate an actual
change for building real human Info and communication societies and mainly
for bridging the so called Digital Divide, especially in Africa.
I fully support your opinion expressed in your message.
Jean-Louis Fullsack

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sasha Costanza-Chock" <schock at riseup.net>
To: "Nnenna" <nne75 at yahoo.com>; <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 8:10 PM
Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: Requests/demands for CS participation in
Tunis phase


> Hi nnenna, thanks for your message. I hope you don't mind that I CC this
> to the Plenary.
>
> I hope you could see from what I wrote that I am not proposing
> confrontation for confrontation's sake, and that I also believe holding
> the summit in Tunis is better for Tunisians and for African civil
> society in general than holding it again in Geneva, NY, or another place
> in the 'North.'
>
> At the same time, I am also sure that we do not want a repeat of what
> happened in Geneva, where in political terms civil society was
> unorganized, took very few strong positions, failed almost completely to
> engage social movements of the base, missed many opportunities to
> advance discourse, critique, alternative solutions. We were organized
> enough to produce a wonderful consensus document, but not enough to make
> demands for basic necessities (for example, a dedicated physical space
> to meet and take decisions) or to make strong symbolic presence felt
> within the space.
>
> The reality is that the summit _does_ need the participation of CS: it
> needs us for purposes of legitimacy. They are desperate to find an
> alternative to the 'global governance' model that sees every meeting of
> high level government officials behind high fences, with thousands of
> riot police gassing and beating tens or hundreds of thousands of
> citizens in the streets below, opposing the current version of
> globalization and proposing alternatives.
>
> They hope that by including 'civil society' they can avoid this
> situation and make decisions seem legitimate.
>
> This means they must open the door, at least a crack, to our
participation.
>
> It then becomes our task, not to be joyful for a seat in the peanut
> gallery, but to make our participation meaningful: to insist. To make
> demands. To take stands where we need to.
>
> I only mean to say that I hope we will be organized enough during this
> next phase to avoid bestowing the cover of legitimacy, unless we receive
> more concessions than a fistful of 'overpasses' so we can take turns
> sitting in the back row and listening to the powerful make empty promises.
>
> Sasha
>
>
> Nnenna wrote:
>
> > Hi Sasha
> >
> > Thanks for your thoughtful message.  The Tunisian system is different.
> > It is different from the US,  China, Nigeria or anynother country.  I do
> > not judge systems the way some people did recently.  I would rather
> > speak with those on the ground.
> >
> > I did speak with Tunisian CS members.  I can agree that that there is a
> > possiblity that all of them are pro-regime.  You understand?
> >
> > Then I went to see ex-colleagues at the African Development Bank.  They
> > are people with diplomatic status. They are not afraid of the
> > regime. They are still new to the system and they can still see the
> > difference.  I was there the whole of Thursday.  I spoke with them at
> > length.
> >
> > And my personal perspective is that what needs to be changed is the
> > system.  But you don't change systems overnight.  You lay the foundation
> > for it.
> >
> > That is why I belive tha the WSIS in Tunis should be a good oppurtunity
> > to help lay foundations for a better freer Tunisia.  Support and
> > reeducation is needed, not noisemakling and boycotting.
> >
> > On a final note, the ITU SG made it clear that the WSIS was a gorvenment
> > stuff.  CS is only "invited"!  We can only contribute.  This is a good
> > chance for the CS  to  make good use of the oppurtunity.
> >
> > Yes, I believe we should draft a position paper, enjoining the Tunisian
> > government to enable a freer environment  : political, social and
economic.
> >
> > That, I agree.
> >
> > Very best
> >
> > Nnenna
> >
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