[WSIS CS-Plenary] Need of a CS structure to avoid future failures

[Dr. Francis MUGUET]

Hello everybody

The recent exchange of mails on the plenary has
shown that there is a serious problem within the
Civil Society.
It is time now to propose constructive solutions
to cure the disease.

Whatever the culprits,
the most important aspect is that
those most regrettable situations :
1/ the CS press communiqué or
2/ the joint CS-CCBI declaration
3/ the possible expression on behalf
of the CS by CS members of the WGIG

is simply the consequence of lack of structures
and clear procedures to determine the expression
of the whole CS.
Without a defined structure, it is not possible
to define procedures.

The "vox populi, vox dei" vote by
applause by those lucky enough to assist at a
specific Plenary
or C&T (or evening plenary) meeting has shown
its limitations.
Tbe backroom deals in meetings whose location
is disclosed to happy fews in hallways at the last moment,
have shown also their limitations.

I suggested on the Plenary List
  before PrepCom2 the formation of a
CTB ( Content & Theme Bureau ) akin to the CSB.
While the CSB deals with procedural issues and
contact with gouvernements,
the CTB deals with content issues,
selects the drafting committee, defines
the commoun official CS position, possibly
arbitraging between divergent opinions of
families and thematic groups,  whether it
concerns documents to be sent to the executive
secretariat to be communicated on the WSIS site,
or concerning press releases.
I sent this proposal also to the WGWM.

The CTB should be composed of the coordinators
of the various families and thematic groups, including
the very important HR group.
CTB meetings like CSB meetings
  should be open to all as observers, with a
time slot for observers.

In Tunis, HR and censorships issues cannot be avoided,
one must add the fact that Sharon is also coming at the WSIS,
see http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=12734
and therefore the political context is going to be extremely
difficult to handle, and the risk that the CS could explode
is real.

Therefore, more than ever, a structure is needed, with
clear procedures.

Now concerning the specifics of each case.

1/ CS press communiqué: I find personnally ludicrous the
accusation of a manipulation by CONGO.  Rik should be
commended to have step forward to indicate his responsability.
My understanding is that Rik is a free-lance reporter hired 
occasionnally by CONGO, and clearly Rik has overstepped his role
in collecting various inputs in the CS to make a global
CS press release.
Since Rik was employed by CONGO, I understand that Jean-Louis
cast a blame on CONGO.
An agglomerate of the few inputs that managed
to reach Rik in time does certainly not represent the political
expression of the CS.  However, since there was no rules, no
CS body to refer to,  this failure occured.

2/ joint CS-Private Sector statement.

This matter is much more serious for the future that a press
release that media are going to forget rather soon, and that
other groups could contradict with their own press releases.

It is my understanding that this statement has been drafted by
Bertrand and posted by him on 24 February to the Plenary list
with a request for Comments.
Only Wolfgand and Parminder voiced their agreement to the
draft.
Parminder from IT for Change, who is seemingly joining the
WSIS at this PrepCom, finds the process perfectly correct,
since the CS was consulted, and none objected, therefore
there was a tacit agreement.
However many other would differ, having no time
to read all mails during the PrepCom storm,
  and would think that such
an important statement, a "première"
  never done before in the WSIS would have deserved
more consultations.
I agree perfectly with those who
want to dissociate themselves from this joint statement.
This makes sense from a procedural standpoint.

However, we should be not against,
for preconceived doctrinal reasons, a dialogue
with the CCBI. I would like to point out that it is my
personnal observation while lobbying with governments,
that the CCBI is not that such an evil body,
and that the evil monopolies are lobbying through
  more hidden and devious channels directly
within governement delegations.

However, extreme cautious is required when
dealing with the CCBI. It is a very serious matter,
that should not be dealt with lightly.

The consequences are rather important.

A/If after this "faux pas",
the CCBI is still willing to interact with the CS,
it is going to jeopardize the position of the
CS in future negociations with the CCBI, possibly
to jointly denounce non-inclusive practises and unfair monopolies.
In short, we have lost a tactical advantage.

B/ those who have branded themselves as valid CS interlocutors
to the CCBI may find themselves being discredited in front
of the CCBI and the CS.

Again, if a CTB had existed,  a joint statement should
have been the task of a joint CTB-CCBI meeting.

3/ It must be clear the CS members of the WGIG are not
authorized to express collectively on behalf on the whole
CS on IG issues, even if the internal CS nomination
process would have been devoid of the gross manipulation that
I carefully exposed on this list.
Yj  made a point that some issues have been overlooked.
I believe that the CTB should have authority
to determine the CS position on IG issues also.

Now, let us be clear, I am not recommanding to form
a CTB as some sort of PolitBureau of the CS.
If there is no unanimous consensus, then diverging opinions
should be listed and publicized in orderly fashion after
the majority opinion ( somewhat akin to the
procedure followed by the US supreme court ).

It is just a draft proposition open to debate
both within the plenary, all groups & families and the WGMN.

Best regards

Francis

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-- 
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  Francis F. Muguet  Ph.D
  MDPI  Open Access Journals -  Associate Publisher
  http://www.mdpi.org  muguet at mdpi.net

  Knowledge Networks & Information Society Lab. (KNIS)
  http://www.knis.org  http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet
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  http://www.wtis.org  muguet at wtis;org
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