[governance] [Fwd: [WSIS CS-Plenary] IGF/MAG renewal an opaque and non-incluse process / un processus opague et non-inclusif]

[Parminder]

Thanks Francis and Jeremy.

Renewal of the mandate the MAG was I think necessary given that little time
is left for Rio. However, a governmental co-chair is not at all good news
for the CS, and this, in practice, can be expected to mean that governmental
inputs will get more value than even before. I don't understand the need and
purpose of a co-chair. We can think of writing a line of protest. This move
is a pull-back from the promised multi-stakeholder character of the IGF. (I
know powers-that-be will justify this by saying that MAG is after all a
program committee, and host country's co-chairman-ship has practical uses. I
think MAG has more powers than that of a program committee, it shapes the
IGF, and therefore wields much of whatever power IGF has.) 

Against such dilution of equality and power the greatest weapon for the CS
is of putting renewed energy into promoting all process of transparency and
accountability in IG on which it has any control.   

I find some parts of the proclamation quite useful.. especially

" As part of its mandate, the Advisory Group has been asked to enhance the
transparency of the preparatory process by ensuring a continuous flow of
information between its members and the various interested groups."

Such transparency and 'continuous flow of information' will greatly obviate
the need for email leaks, on an recent instance of which some people within
CS reacted with almost a choking reaction, that made one wonder whether we
were the CS, of which the watchdog function is perhaps the most primary. I
think we need to go back to our CS strengths - and methods, and tools -
rather than strategizing to side with - including hush-hushing things- some
strongly entrenched vested interests (you know who!) to make sure other
entrenched interests (governments) do not usurp more power. 

The above quote from the proclamation also points to another important point
- of reaching out to 'various interested groups'(as also envisioned in the
IGC charter). Our strength and legitimacy will be built over reaching out to
more CS groups outside the current charmed circles and supporting/triggering
a progressive movement in IG and IS polices generally, worldwide. This
legitimacy can't be built over tactical closed arrangements with vested
interests whose 'progressive-ness' is itself under challenge, and needs to
be challenged vide the watchdog function of the CS...

Parminder 

________________________________________________
Parminder Jeet Singh
IT for Change, Bangalore
Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities 
Tel: (+91-80) 2665 4134, 2653 6890
Fax: (+91-80) 4146 1055
www.ITforChange.net 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeremy Malcolm [mailto:Jeremy at Malcolm.id.au]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 9:19 AM
> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org
> Subject: [governance] [Fwd: [WSIS CS-Plenary] IGF/MAG renewal an opaque
> and non-incluse process / un processus opague et non-inclusif]
> 
> For those who are not also on the WSIS Plenary mailing list...
> 
> --
> Jeremy Malcolm LLB (Hons) B Com
> Internet and Open Source lawyer, IT consultant, actor
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Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] IGF/MAG renewal an opaque and non-incluse process /
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