[WSIS CS-Plenary] A parting shot

[Robert Guerra]

<http://www.dailysummit.net/english/archives/2003/12/12/a_parting_shot.a
sp>



A parting shot. Civil Society wound up summit proceedings with a
strongly worded statement condemning both the Swiss authorities and the
summit organisers - a statement that caused Kofi Annan's special
advisor, Nitin Desai, to erupt in fury when it was put to him by Daily
Summit at WSIS's closing press conference.

Civil society activists, however, ducked questions over whether they
would boycott the second part of the summit in Tunis, if Tunisia did not
improve its human rights record. An indication, we suspect, of deep
divisions within the lobby. 

"We unanimously condemn the undemocratic actions of the Swiss
authorities and the summit organisers in suppressing dissenting and
alternative voices," the statement said.

It highlighted the eviction of Polymedia (previously reported as
morecock-up than conspiracy), the alleged confiscation of newspapers,
and the treatment of 50 protestors who were surrounded by 40 police
officers, before being searched and taken to the police station if they
refused to identify themselves.

“These events continue the pattern of political repression that has been
a constant feature of public life in Geneva since the G-8 meeting early
in 2003. We strongly condemn these violations of the right to assemble
and freedom of expression that have cast a shadow of hypocrisy over the
summit."

"I have a feeling that these people were at a different conference,"
Nitin Desai responded when we read extracts from the statement to him.
"I would like to see who these people are, who they are speaking for,
and what level of consensus there have behind them."

Civil society's troubles over Tunisia continue. Rights and democracy
activistDiana Bronson said she was unable to speak on behalf of civil
society, when asked whether NGOs would be prepared to go to Tunis. After
the press conference, however, she told Daily Summit there was a boycott
was on the cards. 

“Speaking personally, I would say that there is possibility that civil
society will not be going if there aren't improvements in Tunisia. But I
would add that the chances of a boycott are not strong," she said.

President of Switzerland, Pascal Couchepin commented: "The decision [to
go to Tunis] is absolutely clear. It was taken at international level by
the United Nations. We know there are problems in Tunisia. We know
progress is needed in human rights. But we don't think it is right for a
single country to say anything against a decision taken by the
international community." 

Claire Regan @ December 12, 2003 07:27 PM