[WSIS CS-Plenary] Unhindered participation of Non Governmental Organisations and their members

[Robert Guerra]

Certain issues seem to be arising in regards to speaker selection ,  
especially the nomination of Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize  
Laureate as opening speaker . This for me is puzzling and indeed  
shocking.

Look, let's get real here!  We are taking about a nobel peace prize  
laureate. Having two of them in the room - (her and  Kofi Annan) will  
be a honour and make the event a very high profile one.  That certain  
persons, particularly those from the host country would object -  
well, is not surprizing.

Let me state the obvious... Efforts, actions or statements made by  
the host country and/or persons from the host country to block a  
nobel peace prize winner - will not be well received at all by Civil  
Society.

These actions, if they continue -  will, without a doubt confirm the  
fact held by many in CS and many like-minded countries that there is  
inappropriate interference by the host country of Non Governmental  
Organisations and their members. Might I remind everyone  of the   
statement made on behalf of 37 countries  in plenary  on the 30th of  
Sept at PrepCom 3.  Tthe complete text in english and french is below.


Other than the "speaker selection issue", there is another pressing  
issue at hand...that of participation of CS in the resumed prepcom in  
Tunis.

Might I note that the  exact location of the resumed prepcom in  
Tunisia has not been specified.  Many in CS assume it will be in  
Tunis, at the Kram Centre. That is an assumption that may, or may not  
be correct.

The Kram centre may, or may not be available. If all we are told now  
is that the event will be in "Tunisia" , then it could be anywhere in  
the country. It could be in Hammamet, an hour's drive (at least), or  
it could be at a location that's even further.  if the location is  
far, then hotel reservations might be needed - thus making hard, if  
not impossible for CS to participate....

Why do I mention this - well, to make sure that while the discussion  
takes place about the summit speakers "issue" we don't lose track of  
other key issues either.


regards

Robert



---

WSIS Preparatory committee 3

Second phase, Tunis

Geneva, 19-30 September 2005


Statement

Delivered by Canada

Mr. Chairman,

I take the floor on behalf of  the 25 member States of the European  
Union as well as Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro,  
Switzerland, Norway, New Zealand, Iceland, Monaco, Australia, the  
United States of America and Canada in order to emphasize that our  
Governments are dedicated to achieving a successful World Summit on  
the Information Society (WSIS), as demonstrated by our active  
involvement in the first phase and our continued engagement in the  
preparations for the second phase in Tunis.

We believe that the subject matter of the Summit is key to  
development for all members of the United Nations, whether developing  
or developed. Therefore, we wish to work closely with Tunisia, as  
host of the Summit in November, to ensure a successful outcome.

We find it necessary to make this statement because of several  
incidents which occurred during this Preparatory Committee, raising  
concerns about the participatory nature of the Summit.

Our Governments expect the Governments, Institutions and non-State  
actors taking part in the WSIS process to respect fully the  
Declaration of Principles agreed in Geneva on 10 to 12 December 2003.

The Geneva Declaration reaffirms the right to freedom of opinion and  
expression, including the right to hold opinions without interference  
and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any  
media regardless of frontiers. These rights must be upheld in all  
countries in order to promote the building of the global information  
society and ensure a successful second phase of the World Summit. We  
expect Tunisia, as host of this UN Summit, to demonstrate that it  
strongly upholds and promotes these rights.

As the Government of Tunisia will know, the Summit envisages an  
important and inclusive role for the private sector, civil society,  
international organizations, institutions of knowledge production and  
of editorially independent media both for the preparations and in the  
final Summit itself. We expect Tunisia, as host country, to do all it  
can to eliminate any grounds for concern and to ensure that  
arrangements for the Summit take account of and guarantee the  
unhindered participation of Non Governmental Organisations and their  
members.

This is the only way to make sure that this will be a Summit in  
Tunisia, not a Summit on Tunisia.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman


---

Monsieur le président,

Je prends la parole au nom des 25 pays membres de l’Union Européenne  
ainsi que de la Roumanie, de la Bulgarie, de la Croatie, de la Serbie  
et Monténégro, de la Suisse, de la Norvège, de la Nouvelle Zélande,  
de l’Islande, de Monaco, de l’Australie, des États-Unis d’Amérique et  
du Canada afin de réaffirmer l’engagement de nos gouvernements envers  
un Sommet Mondial sur la Société de l’Information que nous souhaitons  
voir couronné de succès.  Cet engagement a été démontré tant par  
notre participation active à la première phase, que par notre  
contribution à la préparation de la seconde phase devant se tenir à  
Tunis.

Nous croyons que le sujet traité par le Sommet est d’une importance  
cruciale pour le développement de tous les membres de l’Organisation  
des Nations Unies, qu’ils soient en voie de développement ou  
développés.  Nous souhaitons, par conséquent, travailler étroitement  
avec la Tunisie, en tant que pays hôte du Sommet devant se tenir en  
novembre, afin d’en assurer le plein succès.

Nous avons jugé nécessaire de faire cette déclaration en raison de  
plusieurs incidents qui se sont déroulés au cours de ce Comité  
Préparatoire, et qui mettent en cause la nature inclusive du Sommet.

Nos gouvernements s’attendent à ce que les gouvernements,  
institutions et acteurs non-étatiques participant au processus du  
Sommet respectent dans son intégralité la Déclaration de Principes  
agréée à Genève du 10 au 12 décembre 2003.

La Déclaration de Genève réaffirme le droit à la liberté d'opinion et  
d'expression, ce qui implique le droit de ne pas être inquiété pour  
ses opinions et celui de chercher, de recevoir et de répandre, sans  
considération de frontière, les informations et les idées par quelque  
moyen d'expression que ce soit.  Ces droits doivent être respectés  
dans tous les pays afin de promouvoir l’édification d’une Société de  
l’Information universelle et d’assurer le succès de la seconde phase  
du Sommet.  Nous attendons de la Tunisie, en tant qu’hôte de ce  
sommet onusien, qu’elle démontre qu’elle respecte strictement et  
promeut ces droits.

Comme le gouvernement tunisien le sait, le Sommet prévoit l’inclusion  
et un rôle important pour le secteur privé, la société civile, les  
organisations internationales, les institutions génératrices de  
savoir et les médias indépendants, et ce, tant au cours de la phase  
préparatoire que durant le Sommet final lui-même.  Nous attendons de  
la Tunisie, en tant que pays hôte, qu’elle prenne toutes les mesures  
pour éliminer toute source d’inquiétudes et qu’elle s’assure que les  
dispositions prises pour le Sommet prennent en compte et garantissent  
la participation sans entraves des Organisations Non-Gouvernementales  
et de leurs membres.

Ce n’est que de cette façon que l’on pourra s’assurer qu’il s’agisse  
d’un sommet en Tunisie et non sur la Tunisie.











--
Robert Guerra <rguerra at privaterra.org>
Director, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR)
WSIS Civil Society Bureau, Focal Point for North America & Europe
Tel +1 416 893 0377 Fax +1 416 893 0374



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