[WSIS CS-Plenary] On the selection committee process

[mclauglm at po.muohio.edu]

Rik, with all due respect, you've addressed a 
variety of issues today and I realize that you 
are very busy, but you have not responded to the 
subject which is most contentious. I don't 
believe that avoidance lends itself to 
transparency or accountability. Perhaps you, as 
well as others associated with CONGO, have been 
unusually busy today. But, it is apparent that, 
if the selection committee has any interest in 
representing CS, there must be a response to this 
matter. Otherwise, you may as well all resign 
because, if you aren't representing CS, you're 
representing nobody and nothing except for CONGO 
and your own vested interests, and perhaps other 
interests as well. I am interested in learning 
more regarding the explanation as to why certain 
persons have been chosen to "speak for" CS and 
others' names were abandoned from the beginning. 
I doubt that I am alone in wanting a response 
from you or from someone else on the selection 
committee. But, please, please do not respond by 
way of noting the absence of some of us from 
phase 2 prepcoms. I would have been involved in 
every one of them if I could be, but I don't have 
the funds to travel to Geneva this time around. 
In addition, the d(evolution) of the CS process 
is such that our organization is increasingly 
skeptical of putting our funds toward my 
involvement in it. The bottom line is that those 
of you who are defined as leaders, as "our" 
representatives, owe most of the rest of us 
appropriate and adequate responses to our 
misgivings.

There was a certain promise to things at the 
beginning, and I'm saddened that we have ended on 
a note in which the status quo is both maintained 
and enhanced. Once again, it appears that another 
UN conference has addressed important social 
issues in a cursory fashion with little intent to 
follow up on redressing imbalance in global 
information flows--nice sound bites, but little 
action, even by most groups involved in CS 
(especially during phase 2).

Best,

Lisa



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>Hi Meryem,
>
>You're name was considered in the Committee's 
>first meeting, alongside the HR Caucus's other 
>nomination of Ms. Bruna Faidutti of WFUNA.  It 
>was decided to put forward the name of Ms. 
>Faidutti, given WFUNA's long involvement in the 
>WSIS process and the United Nations and her 
>expertise on general human rights issues.
>
>Rik Panganiban
>
>On Oct 14, 2005, at 10:20 AM, Meryem Marzouki wrote:
>
>>[Please note that by using 'REPLY', your 
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>>
>>Dear Rik, dear selection committee, dear all,
>>
>>The Human Rights Caucus is still waiting for 
>>the reasons why my own name, as HR caucus 
>>co-chair, has not been retained. It has been 
>>transmitted to you by Rikke, HR caucus 
>>co-chair, on behalf of our caucus. This 
>>proposal from the caucus has been reiterated on 
>>its list, with the clear request to two members 
>>of the selection committee to forward this 
>>proposal to the committee.
>>I know that I'm not very fashionable (although 
>>I don't know if my hair are longer that Richard 
>>Stallman's).
>>Is there any other sound reason that the 
>>selection committee could share with the 
>>plenary, or at least with the caucus?
>>
>>This lack of transparency and accountability 
>>from the selection committee is really 
>>problematic. In addition to the fact that two 
>>nominated Tunisian Senators are members of this 
>>selection committee (2 out of 6 members, if I'm 
>>not wrong).
>>
>>Finally, the process of collecting supports, 
>>undertaken by the HR caucus, does not need any 
>>support from the selection committee, since the 
>>nomination proposal is addressed directly to 
>>WSIS Secretary-General and to WSIS Preparatory 
>>Process President.
>>
>>Best regards,
>>Meryem Marzouki
>>HR caucus co-chair
>>
>>Le vendredi, 14 oct 2005, à 15:36 Europe/Paris, Rik Panganiban a écrit :
>>
>>>Bertrand, et al,
>>>
>>>Of course any civil society group or caucus 
>>>can communicate directly to the WSIS Executive 
>>>Secretariat their recommendation for speakers 
>>>for the WSIS.  And the human rights caucus has 
>>>done so.
>>>
>>>However we have still created a process 
>>>through a selection committee composed of 
>>>representatives chosen by the different 
>>>regional groupings, the CS Bureau and Content 
>>>and Themes.  The committee is still 
>>>deliberating on whether or not it can support 
>>>the nomination.
>>>
>>>I would ask us to first go through our 
>>>already-agreed process to try and get as much 
>>>general support as possible.  If this is not 
>>>possible, than your other option and others 
>>>should be considered.
>>>
>>>Respectfully,
>>>
>>>Rik Panganiban
>>>chair of the selection committee
>>>
>>>On Oct 14, 2005, at 6:13 AM, Bertrand de La Chapelle wrote:
>>>
>>>Having Ms. Shirin Ebadi as opening speaker for 
>>>Civil Society in Tunis would present obvious 
>>>advantages and her nomination could be 
>>>forwarded to the Secretariat after a simple 
>>>endorsement process described below.
>>>
>>>Main advantages
>>>
>>>1) It would of course put human rights and 
>>>gender balance at the forefront of the 
>>>building of inclusive information societies, 
>>>uderlining that the WSIS process is not only 
>>>about technology, and that appropriate 
>>>"enabling environments" also mean freedom of 
>>>expression and access to information, and 
>>>"capacity building" also means equal 
>>>opportunities for men and women, including 
>>>access to education.
>>>
>>>2) She comes from a country that is very vocal 
>>>during the WSIS process and the last PrepCom 
>>>in Internet Governance and Follow-up 
>>>discussions : in the first domain, the iranian 
>>>national representative strongly advocates 
>>>that Internet Governance should be 
>>>"transparent and democratic,  with full 
>>>linvolvement of all stakeholders"; and in the 
>>>second one, that follow-up at all levels 
>>>should be done with the participation of all 
>>>stakeholders.
>>>
>>>If properly briefed on the status of 
>>>discussions on the draft Tunis Declaration and 
>>>the written commitments that governments plan 
>>>to make in WSIS II, she would be in an ideal 
>>>position to take governments at their own 
>>>words and describe in plain language how far 
>>>from these commitments actual practice in some 
>>>countries really is. This is the opportunity 
>>>to point the often too large gap between what 
>>>governments say in international arenas and 
>>>what they indeed practice at home.
>>>
>>>The WSIS has introduced something new in the 
>>>international negociation process : witnesses. 
>>>Civil Society's participation was not what it 
>>>should have been; but enough organizations 
>>>were nonetheless present during the process to 
>>>hear government representatives make 
>>>commitments they now can be held accountable 
>>>for.
>>>
>>>Summits are not traditional bilateral 
>>>negociations where secret is the natural rule. 
>>>Summit processes are the closest thing to a 
>>>world Parliament (far from it I know, but 
>>>still the closest thing), where general 
>>>principles for our global community (Polity) 
>>>are elaborated. The first absolute rule of 
>>>representative democracy is the publicity of 
>>>debates.
>>>
>>>The ironic situation where citizens of 
>>>countries (as CS actors) are not even allowed 
>>>by the rules of procedure to simply listen to 
>>>what representatives of their own government 
>>>are saying on their behalf is totally 
>>>contradictory with the notion of democracy and 
>>>the transparency principle.
>>>
>>>3) Finally, Shirin Ebadi was, if I understand 
>>>well, the first woman judge in Iran. In most 
>>>countries, the judiciary is a branch of the 
>>>State and rightly so. Therefore, she is now a 
>>>Civil Society actor with a past in the 
>>>governmental sector, as are today many 
>>>ex-ministers, presidents, parlementarians and 
>>>civil servants. This brings an interesting 
>>>light to the discussion that recently emerged 
>>>around Adama or some "senators".
>>>
>>>Civil society is and should indeed be open to 
>>>all individuals that, irrespective of their 
>>>past functions, engage in governance processes 
>>>as peers with all other actors, relinquishing 
>>>whatever privilege they may still have and 
>>>accepting to be evaluated on their sole 
>>>"capacity to contribute", rather than the 
>>>traditional intergovernmental rule of "equal 
>>>right to oppose" (which is, ultimately, the 
>>>basic foundation of the UN system under the 
>>>expression "equal sovereignty of States").
>>>
>>>Choosing Shirin Ebadi is therefore also a 
>>>symbol of the inclusiveness of Civil Society.
>>>
>>>_______________
>>>
>>>Endorsement process
>>>
>>>Key question is now : if, as it seems from 
>>>initial reactions, there is a general 
>>>agreement on her being the favorite CS choice 
>>>for the opening ceremony, how can this be 
>>>secured ?
>>>
>>>1) The principle that Civil society actors 
>>>accredited to the Summit process should - at 
>>>least -  have the right to choose who is going 
>>>to speak on behalf of civil society for the 
>>>opening ceremony must be strongly reaffirmed; 
>>>this is a "make or break" principle.
>>>
>>>2) For obvious reasons, there is no way an 
>>>absolute consensus can be achieved on the 
>>>Plenary list and we should not waste time 
>>>trying to obtain it. We are therefore in the 
>>>typical situation where rough consensus (as 
>>>practiced in the internet community) is the 
>>>only way out.  :
>>>- there is a need to take a decision (only one slot and a real deadline)
>>>- absolute consensus cannot be achieved
>>>- a large majority seems to emerge on a specific name
>>>- dissenting opinions do not seem to be able 
>>>to provide an alternative that would be 
>>>accepted by all
>>>
>>>3) A two-fold process (taking inspiration from 
>>>the notion of rough consensus) could therefore 
>>>be established :
>>>- a general call on the Plenary list would ask 
>>>individuals or accredited entities to express 
>>>support and a formal nomination paper would be 
>>>transmitted to the Secretariat and Amb. 
>>>Karklins with an attachment listing accredited 
>>>entities and individuals supporting the 
>>>nomination
>>>- the call would simultaneously invite actors 
>>>who might still have objections to the 
>>>nomination (if any) to indicate so and allow 
>>>them to submit a separate motion (sort of 
>>>dissenting opinion) with : their name, all 
>>>potential connexions with participating 
>>>governments (as a matter of transparency) and 
>>>- possibly - an alternative speaker they agree 
>>>upon.
>>>
>>>The second element, that would allow the 
>>>expression of minority positions, is essential 
>>>to make the process fully legitimate.
>>>
>>>4) On a separate basis, CS actors with 
>>>particular connexions with their governments 
>>>could make them aware of the ongoing process 
>>>and ask them to support publicly or more 
>>>privately to the Secretariat the right of 
>>>civil society to choose its opening speaker, 
>>>outlining the bad press the Summit would get 
>>>if the name of Shirin Ebadi were to be 
>>>voluntarily refused.
>>>
>>>I hope this will help move forward on this good idea.
>>>
>>>Best
>>>
>>>Bertrand
>>>
>>>-
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>On 10/14/05, maseger at t-online.de <maseger at t-online.de> wrote:
>>>
>>>[Please note that by using 'REPLY', your 
>>>response goes to the entire list. Kindly use 
>>>individual addresses for responses intended 
>>>for specific people]
>>>
>>>Click http://wsis.funredes.org/plenary/ to 
>>>access automatic translation of this message!
>>>_______________________________________
>>>
>>>Hallo, Meryem! & Friends!
>>>
>>>On behalf of my (European umbrella-)Organisation
>>>I fully support the nomination of Mrs. Shirin Ebadi
>>>(2003 peace Nobel prize winner) as a keynote speaker
>>>for CS at the WSIS II Summit, TUNIS.
>>>
>>>And I thank Renata for her decision to step aside.
>>>
>>>MARIANNE
>>>(Gender Caucus and European Caucus)
>>>
>>>Marianne Seger
>>>permament European NGO observer
>>>at the U.N. New York and Geneva
>>>for
>>>EURAG European Federation of Older Persons
>>>GRAZ/AUSTRIA
>>>( www.eurag-europe.org)
>>>
>>>---------------------------------------------------
>>>>  On behalf of the small organization which I
>>>>  represent, I wish to say that we most strongly
>>>>  support the nomination of Ms. Ebadi as a keynote
>>>>  speaker for CS at the Tunis Summit, especially
>>>>  under the circumstances and regardless of how
>>>>  much solidarity Adama Samassékou feels with CS
>>>>  (sorry Tracey--but we just don't believe that
>>>>  he's an appropriate CS representative).
>>>>
>>>>  Regards,
>>>>
>>>>  Lisa
>>>>  Union for Democratic Communications
>>>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>>  >Dear Amir,
>>>>  >
>>>>  >This is to confirm that Ms. Ebadi has finally managed to make herself
>>>>  >available for the Tunis Summit, despite her busy agenda. We have got
>>>>  >the news very late, that is the reason why I posted only yesterday the
>>>>  >message and have sent yesterday also the letters to Mr Utsumi and to
>>>  > >Amb. Karklins.
>>>>  >The Human Rights caucus is in contact with her, through one of its
>>>>  >members. Her participation is entirely confirmed.
>>>>  >We would be happy to include the West-Asia Family in the list of CS
>>>>  >entities proposing Ms. Ebadi as a speaker for WSIS opening.
>>>>  >
>>>>  >Kind regards,
>>>>  >Meryem
>>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
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-- 
Lisa McLaughlin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Mass Communication & Women's Studies
Editor, Feminist Media Studies
Director of Graduate Studies, M.A. Program in Mass Communication
Union for Democratic Communications Representative,
World Summit on the Information Society

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