[WSIS CS-Plenary] 2 articles from The Nation, Thailand (Fwd: [communication 919] Information society faces a critical time)

[Adam Peake]

>Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 14:21:43 +0700
>From: Sacha Jotisalikorn <sacha at forumasia.org>
>Subject: [communication 919] Information society faces a critical time
>To: communication at wsisasia.org
>
>THE NATION
>
>Information society faces a critical time
>
>Published on Sep 17, 2003
>
>
>Precarious trends are emerging that could restrict press freedom and
>the free flow of information on the Internet at the World Summit on
>Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva set for December.
>
>When the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) initiated the
>WSIS last year, three main objectives were highlighted.
>
>First and foremost was to raise awareness among leaders about the
>implications and new challenges of the information society. The second
>was the injustice of the "digital divide". Third was the development of
>new legal and policy frameworks appropriate to cyberspace. Discussions
>so far have concentrated on ways and means to control Internet content
>and subject the free flow of information to national laws.
>
>Like many developing countries in the lead-up discussions to the WSIS,
>Thailand has been trapped by issues related to information and
>communication technologies and the digital divide. Completely ignored
>is the third objective, which can restrict Internet content and the
>free flow of information, leaving it to member countries with a long
>"laundry list" of media restrictions.
>
>Among free media supporters the prevailing sentiment is that the WSIS
>is just an ITU power play for ideological influence and international
>regulatory power within the United Nations. They argue that issues
>related to content and regulation of the Internet and the digital
>divide should be debated by Unesco in Paris or the UN Information
>Committee in New York instead of at forums organised by the ITU.
>
>They believed the ITU does not have the mandate to create new Internet
>regulations and policies or lay the groundwork for the information
>society. But they also concede that time is running out for them to
>change anything at the WSIS unless government representatives can
>change their attitudes.
>
>The Thai government has sent telecommunications specialists to the two
>WSIS preparatory meetings. Their mandate has been to promote the use of
>broadband and garner financial and material support on information
>technology from developed countries.
>
>Early this month, the Ministry of Information Technology and
>Communications organised a meeting to prepare Thailand's position on
>the WSIS. However, its focus was on the success of Thailand in
>proposing increased points of access for online communications, access
>by handicapped persons and, of course, the wide-spread use of broadband.
>
>Surprisingly, no one raised the issues of press freedom and free flow
>of information nor ongoing efforts by countries that want to control
>Internet content. One delegate told the session that, given the
>composition of the Thai delegates, only technical aspects could be
>addressed. Each concerned authority, such as the Ministry of Education
>and the Department of Public Relations, would send its own delegate to
>the WSIS and form its own position without formulating an overall joint
>strategy and common positions.
>
>In the age of globalisation and borderless information, no one can
>dispute the objective of discussing future challenges and the digital
>divide. But the problem is, the ITU has failed to point out that the
>WSIS is not only about technical aspects of the information society but
>about freedom and content as well.
>
>Somehow, this point has not been reflected in the Asian media. The Thai
>media has been completely mute on this important topic. The current
>preparatory meeting will be the last before ministerial level delegates
>gather in Geneva in December to sign a declaration and plan of action.
>
>In previous UN-sponsored summits, all sectors of societies have been
>invited to give inputs and discuss issues in areas of their expertise.
>However, this has not been the case with the WSIS. From the very
>beginning, only officials and technicians were engaged in writing
>texts, while no media people took part. Previous declarations on media
>and democracy were written by professionals in the media and related
>areas.
>
>At the moment, Switzerland is spearheading an effort to raise the
>profile of press freedom at the Geneva preparatory meeting. The host is
>expected to receive support from EU members. Although the effort is
>considered too little too late, it presents a last-ditch attempt to
>alter the text, which ignored the press freedom.
>
>If the current text is approved, the issue of press freedom - a
>universal value since 1946 - will be subjected to national laws.
>Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which has been
>the pillar of a free press, would be trumped by national laws.
>
>Due to overriding concerns by Western countries over security following
>September 11, press freedom has not been considered a top priority as
>before. That helps to explain why the so-called remnants of the defunct
>movement of NWCIO - the New World Communication and Information Order -
>which failed to gain control over information flows during the 1970s
>and 1980s - are coming back and trying to realise their archaic dreams.
>
>Kavi Chongkittavorn
>


-- 

>Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 14:23:21 +0700
>From: Sacha Jotisalikorn <sacha at forumasia.org>
>Subject: [communication 920] EDITORIAL: One last hope for free information
>To: communication at wsisasia.org
>
>The Nation
>
>EDITORIAL: One last hope for free information
>
>Published on Sep 19, 2003
>
>
>Technocrats must not be allowed to dominate the final preparatory
>meeting for deciding control of expression
>
>The World Summit of Information Society, to be held in Geneva on
>December 10-12, will turn out to be a farce if press freedom and
>freedom of expression are not faithfully reflected in the key documents
>to be adopted at the end the summit. This week experts from more than
>140 members of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) are
>converging in Geneva again for the final preparatory meeting ending
>September 26 to hammer out the final controversial text of the draft
>Declaration of Principles and Action Plan. Thanks to Switzerland,
>issues related to media freedom on the Internet are being raised and
>discussed.
>
>One cannot deny that the concept of WSIS is a good thing. It is an
>effort to extend information technology throughout the world, to
>increase communications between the developed and developing world and
>to widen the availability of information. But to accomplish these
>objectives, is it necessary to curb press freedom and freedom of
>expression? Well, many countries think that way.
>
>That explains why many members, especially countries with a history of
>restricting press freedom, are trying new ways and looking for new
>criteria to restrict and control content on the Internet under the
>disguise of security threats from terrorism and cyberspace crime.
>
>Since it is the ITU which has convened the meeting, most of the
>representatives come from the telecommunications and ICT sectors, which
>gives the impression that WSIS is only focusing upon technology. They
>see the summit as a technical conference while in fact it is a summit
>dealing with a global issue.
>
>In the past year, during various discussions, the role of traditional
>and new media has been underrated in the texts, despite the public
>utterances of the WSIS organisers. Many governments are afraid to
>recognise the central role that the media plays in the information
>society.
>
>Some Asian countries, spearheaded by China and Pakistan, have made it
>clear from the beginning that the WSIS has nothing to do with human
>rights, another code word to avoid debate on issues related to freedom
>of expression.
>
>The WSIS will be carried out in two phases. Apart from the upcoming
>meeting in Geneva, the second WSIS will be held in Tunis, Tunisia, in
>November 2005. That venue is equally controversial given the Tunisian
>government's predilection to censor its media. Free media countries are
>trying to change the venue to a country that backs freedom of
>expression.
>
>The Thai delegation to the WSIS meetings must support in earnest the
>moves by countries which want to ensure that the intrinsic universal
>norm as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human
>Rights must be included in the final declaration. Any diversion of the
>original content would be a blow to freedom of expression around the
>world.
>
>It is not too late to refocus. Thailand has been given priority on the
>use of broadband, access to ICTS for developed countries and
>handicapped persons. While these are noble objectives, the government
>should not forget the value of content and free flow of information.
>
>At the end of the day, we must be clear that the future information
>society will be based on freedom of expression as stated in the Article
>19 of the UDHR.
>