[WSIS CS-Plenary] CSB Meeting - 23 Sept. 2005

[Robert Guerra]

Please note that i was not able to attend the CSB meeting in  
question. the item was not discussed online , as is the case with  
other wg and caucuses.

The position taken by the CSB in regards to the human rights caucus  
is one which I disagree with, and as such - I wish to note, for the  
record that position taken is not a consensus view of the csb as a  
whole. The  issues related to  the human rights caucus are well  
known. to simplify them in the way the CSB seems to have done does  
not reflect the reality of other issues - such as the systematic  
intimidation and harassment of the  caucus by well known tunisian  
govt agents.

since prepcom 2 several key members of the HR caucus have been  
systematically followed and intimidated. This continues at this  
prepcom. The CSB, should also take this into consideration and take  
appropriate action.



I continue to have strong reservations and issues with the fact that  
the CSB does not engage in discussion online and instead prefers to  
raise the issue at meetings that are scheduled at times that are not  
convenient to those following the developments of the wsis  
discussions taking place.

I would ask, both as a member of CS in general and of the CSB that  
not only the minutes of the meetings be posted (as is the case now),  
but also the names of the focal points attending the meeting.



regards,

Robert

--
Robert Guerra <rguerra at privaterra.org>
Managing Director, Privaterra <http://www.privaterra.org>





On 25-Sep-05, at 3:19 PM, CONGO - Philippe Dam wrote:

> Dear all,
>
>
>
> For your information, please find below a summary of the CSB  
> meeting on Friday 23 September.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
>
>
> Ph.
>
>
>
>
>
> ====
>
>
>
>
>
> Civil Society Agenda
>
> Friday 23rd September 2005
>
>
>
> Follow up meeting with Tunisian Ambassador / WSIS Executive  
> Secretariat
> Mediation  / Working Methods discussion forum Tunisian  
> representatives & HR Caucus
> Overpass Criteria
>
>
> Owing to events in Plenary this morning the Bureau was not able to  
> follow the agenda and instead discussed the debate around the HRIC  
> statement.
>
>
>
> Civil Society Bureau Minutes
>
> Friday 23rd September 2005
>
>
>
> The following points summarise the discussion at the CSB and are  
> offered as opinion and advice to facilitate wider debate.
>
>
>
> It is acknowledged that the Plenary Chairs managed the morning  
> meeting in the best way they were able to in the absence of clear  
> written guidelines on procedure, approved by Plenary.
>
>
> The precedent regarding the role of the Plenary is based on  
> evolving practice, as is Content and Themes. In phase 1 Plenary did  
> take decisions. In Phase 2, the Plenary has been an information- 
> sharing forum. This practice evolved as a result of the breakdown  
> in co-operation that occurred at PrepCom 1, Phase 2.
>
>
> The precedent in Phase 1 when petitions and statements were  
> developed and called for signatures was to raise the petition in  
> Plenary and place the petition or statement outside the civil  
> society meeting room for endorsement by willing and accredited  
> organisations.
>
>
> The Working Group on Working Methods (WGWM) was tasked with  
> developing procedures to be placed before the Plenary in a meeting  
> where it would be convened to take a decision on the proposed  
> procedures. The CSB has previously expressed concern that the  
> working group is moving slowly but understands that any group can  
> only move as fast as it’s participants. It was also noted that this  
> work has been left to a few people, despite continuous calls for  
> participation.
>
>
> On advice from one of the Coordinators of the WGWM, that both  
> charters are nearing completion, it was decided to circulate to  
> Plenary the Draft Civil Society Bureau Charter and the Draft  
> Plenary Charter, as soon as possible, for discussion. These  
> documents will exist as WSIS contributions to evolving practise in  
> multi-stakeholder UN processes.
>
>
> It is noted that an option for the Plenary meeting on Friday 23rd  
> could have been to use the ‘straw poll’ technique that has been  
> used this week in Content & Themes, to asses the level of agreement  
> & disagreement with the statement on HRIC. This however, could only  
> have been an internal indication to guide the Plenary and Human  
> Rights Caucus, authors of the statement and does not solve the need  
> for a clear process around statements that call for endorsement.
>
>
> The CSB believes that based on previous practice the Statement on  
> HRIC should have been raised, even read and that a call for  
> endorsements could then have been made, along with a statement as  
> to where organisations could sign up.
>
>
>
>
> The CSB is concerned about the positioning of the Human Rights  
> Caucus within the working mechanisms of WSIS Civil Society. The  
> Caucus has often been asked to join the CSB where operational  
> matters could be discussed, but has declined. This invitation is  
> extended again. While the prerogative to not participate is  
> certainly not questioned, we note that the Human Rights Caucus has  
> never presented a consensus agreement from the caucus on the  
> reasons for declining.
>
>
> It is further noted that the strategies deployed by the Human  
> Rights Caucus have consistently resulted in a raising of the  
> temperature within civil society but have not been accompanied by a  
> mechanism to allow for discussion around the debates. One aspect of  
> this that has been especially apparent in Phase 2 of WSIS, is the  
> limited time allowed in Human Rights meetings for people from the  
> nations being criticised to respond. This in turn causes further  
> tension and limits understanding of the various perspectives. The  
> CSB raises this concern since it is procedural and there are other  
> process options that could result in greater understanding. The CSB  
> has attempted to create forums where open debate would have been  
> able to unfold, but the Human Rights Caucus has not been willing to  
> participate. The CSB finds itself with limited options to deal with  
> this matter but places on record that initiatives have been attempted.
>
>
>
>
>
> Philippe Dam
> CONGO - WSIS CS Secretariat
> 11, Avenue de la Paix
> CH-1202 Geneva
> Tel: +41 22 301 1000
> Fax: +41 22 301 2000
> E-mail: wsis at ngocongo.org
> Website: www.ngocongo.org
>
>
>
> The Conference of NGOs (CONGO) is an international, membership  
> association that facilitates the participation of NGOs in United  
> Nations debates and decisions. Founded in 1948, CONGO's major  
> objective is to ensure the presence of NGOs in exchanges among the  
> world's governments and United Nations agencies on issues of global  
> concern.  For more information see our website atwww.ngocongo.org
>
>
>
>

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