[WSIS CS-Plenary] Prepcom III entangled in debate on Human Rights in China

[carlos a. afonso]

It was amazing, really. I think if the set of criteria were applied as
rigorously as Mr Geiger wants us to believe to all accredited NGOs,
nearly none would pass. Of course this was selective, and based on
certain "informal" consultations with and pressures from governments.

I think, no matter whom the NGO in question gets is funds from, it
should request a full independent audit of the accreditation process --
perhaps with a formal request through a supportive government delegation
(preferably not the USA :)). Not that this will change things much at
this point in time, anyway, but it will certainly reveal a lot of
inconsistencies in the application of the criteria, with the hope of
correcting them in future UN processes.

frt rgds

--c.a.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Carlos A. Afonso
diretor de planejamento
Rede de Informações para o Terceiro Setor - Rits
Rua Guilhermina Guinle, 272 - sexto andar
22270-060 Rio de Janeiro Brasil
tel +55-21-2527-5494
fax +55-21-2527-5460
http://www.rits.org.br
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


-----Original Message-----
From: "Milton Mueller" <mueller at syr.edu>
To: <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 09:01:54 -0400
Subject: Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Prepcom III entangled in debate on Human
Rights in China

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> _______________________________________
> 
> >>> rikp at earthlink.net 09/19/05 6:11 AM >>>
> >Charles Geiger, WSIS Executive Secretariat
> >He explained that the ES bound by document 
> >"arrangements for accreditation."  We need to 
> >receive a list of contributions and sources, including 
> >government sources.  We have received a thick 
> >application from Human Rights in China.  Their list 
> >of donors includes anonymous donors.  Thus their 
> >file is not complete.
> 
> I wish to express my disappointment with the role of the WSIS ES
> (Executive Secretariat) in this affair. The explanation Mr. Geiger
> provided for not recommending Human Rights in China (HCIR) were
> obviously rationalizations for discriminatory treatment, based on the
> Chinese government's desire to suppress or punish HCIR. 
> 
> The organization that I am accredited under was not asked for, and
> did
> not submit, information about EVERY individual or organization that
> has
> ever contributed money to it. Many other NGOs also did not. It is
> therefore clear that much more stringent standards were applied to
> HCIR
> than other organizations. And as the Canadian delegate pointed out,
> the
> language of the accreditation standards does NOT require disclosure
> of
> each and every donor. 
> 
> It is very unfortunate that WSIS ES played the role of "doing China's
> dirty work," allowing them to cloak this blatant act of exclusion in
> a
> cover of bureaucratic procedure. 
> 
> 
> 
> Dr. Milton Mueller
> Syracuse University School of Information Studies
> http://www.digital-convergence.org
> http://www.internetgovernance.org
> 
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