[WSIS CS-Plenary] the Internet Governance debate

[cheneviere guillaume]

Thank you Tracey. Within the Swiss civil society platform for the Info
Society, we came to a similar conclusion : a more informed debate is needed.
Kindest regards.
Guillaume Chenevière

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracey Naughton" <tracey at traceynaughton.com>
To: <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 3:45 PM
Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] the Internet Governance debate


>
> This is not a matter of who should have done what, nor what learning
> resources can be posted to the less knowlegable.  PrepCom 2 has been
> characterised by specialist debate intersecting with new participants
> from a very wide range of insert points. I have heard written output
> from PrepCom 2 referred to as 'manipulative', 'mediocre' and 'mush',
> none of which have contextualised or coped with the reality of the
> second phase which has involved new participants who have as much right
> as anyone to be there.
>
> While the specialists have been getting on with the work, which in
> itself is a lot to do, others have been developing caucus responses,
> often in enlarged caucuses, from positions that reflect familiar
> terrain more than one that is resourced with specialist information.
> This is not a matter to be ashamed of, or annoyed about. Its a
> challenge and an opportunity. It wold be best if we can move the debate
> to a more informed level before the next PrepCom....
>
> Everyone wants an information society that is humane, accessible and
> managed by people entrusted to do so, but not everyone knows what a
> root server or an IXP is, or  who governs the internet now or why ICAAN
> wants to control root servers or what would happen if the ITU did. That
> is the environment we are in. This is a challenge and an opportunity.
>
> Some will choose to lobby from a position of knowledge, leaving many
> still wondering who governs the internet. Others will choose to develop
> awareness and bring WSIS participants, from all stakeholder groups into
> the debate. Both strategies, and many more, are appropriate and
> necessary.
>
> There are ways and other ways of imparting knowledge and developing
> awareness. This is an area that calls for careful thought and skilled
> development of appropriate materials and their delivery, perhaps using
> existing resources. Karen Banks responded to calls for a learning phase
> and undertook at the last Content and Themes meeting of PrepCom 2. and
> undertook to give this situation the serious thought that it deserves
> and needs. She will raise the need for knowledge development in WGIG
> and find a way to develop a process that will enahnce knowledge and
> move toward a workshop at Prep Com 3, where people can hear a diversity
> of opinions, from a more informed basis.
>
> I have lived in two continents in the developing world for most of my
> life and I know that sustainable changes cannot occur without shared
> information and that it is better to go slower and arrive safely than
> speed along leaving the pedestrians and donkey cart drivers behind.
> There is a Xhosa word, Zibonele, that means to walk together, at the
> same pace. There is a philosophy called Ubuntu that means that we only
> exist in relation to each other. These are among my reference points.
>
> Tracey
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Tracey Naughton
> NYAKA
> Communication for Development Consultant
> 201 Somerset hall
> 239 Oxford Road
> Illovo     2196
> South Africa
>
> landline & fax: +27 (0) 11 880 5030
> cell / mobile: +27 (0) 82 821 1771
> email: tracey at traceynaughton.com
>
>
> Tracey Naughton
> NYAKA
> Communication for Development Consultant
> 201 Somerset hall
> 239 Oxford Road
> Illovo     2196
> South Africa
>
> landline & fax: +27 (0) 11 880 5030
> cell / mobile: +27 (0) 82 821 1771
> email: tracey at traceynaughton.com
> skype: tracey_naughton
>
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