[WSIS CS-Plenary] open discussion on collabortion of the Disability Caucus and the Caucus Francophone Handicap & TIC
Hiroshi Kawamura
hiroshikawamura at attglobal.net
Sun Sep 25 18:09:45 BST 2005
Dear Faouzi and all:
For the transparency of the Disability Caucus, I put the following e-mail
conversation with my colleague Faouzi, who spoke only French at meetings
during PrepComs and unfortunately I have no command of French at all, for
open discussion of all concerned so that we may receive better understanding
and possible support to solve our problems for the best outcome of WSIS in
Tunis for persons with disabilities around the world.
I really share his frustration of being segrigated by language and other
barriers including accessibility of the documents and physical setting and
as well as economic or bureaucratic barriers.
Immediately I received his original French e-mail attached, I responded to
request a translation in English or in Japanese but I did not receive either
one. As I don't understand French at all I have to rely on a strange text
translated by Google.
For those who are not interested in Disability Caucus, please ignore this
e-mail but for those who are interested the issues please pay attention to
both texts attached in Google English and original French text and help us
to solve the problem.
First of all, In order to facilitate the caucus, I always pay best attention
to eliminate barriers. However, so far at PrepCom3, the physical barrier of
tranportation and architechtural access gave almost a pain to my friend Judy
and Fadila attended PrepCom3 all the way from US and South Africa
respectively on wheelchair, my blind friends Kicki and Chakar have been
always suffering from avilability of accessible information even during
PrepCom3, and of course non native speakers of either English or French are
always forced to communicate in a language which is not used in their daily
life.
As regard to the logistics of Caucus Meetings, I collected all available
information and proposed meeting time slots at the first meeting of
Disability Caucus on the first day of the PrepCom3. Thanks to Chakar who
kindly interpreted for English-French conversation, we agreed on the agenda
for 2 week long PrepCom3 that included 7 sessions of Disability Causus.
Upon decision of the agenda, I requested rooms and simultaneous
interpretation of English-French to the Executive Secretariat through CS
Bureau. With kind support of CS Bureau and Executive Secretariat, all rooms
requested were provided but simultaneous interpreters were not always
available due to obvious resource constraints even though CS meetings were
supported by additional hard working volunteer professional interpreters.
On 22nd, when we held a themtic session on disaster preparedness of persons
with disabilities, I found no opportunity of getting interpreters, I have
decided to ask paid simultaneous interpreters to accommodate French speaking
participants without any fixed budget to pay 250 Swiss Franc because it was
uegent. I am afraid that this payment is going to be my headache for a
while. For the Caucus meeting on Monday 26th, I am trying to arrange a paid
interpreter again without a budget but I will be vary much obliged if you
Faouzi could provide us with an interpreter from your Caucus on issues of
French speaking persons with disabilities. I hope the "Caucus Francophone
Handicap & TIC" is established in support of French Speaking Persons with
Disabilities with flexible language channel and not for those who speak only
French at WSIS. In addition, I believe many people who attend Disability
Caucus meeting are also interested in getting involved in your next Caucus
Meeting during PrepCom3 to identify the problems and issues to find a
solution. I hope your Caucus will accommodate non-French speaking
participants with interpreters.
Regarding the seating arrangement probably you mentioned in your e-mail
humbly tranlated by Google as attched in the body of this e-mail, if you
could kindly send the text in English or Japanese I could understand more
precisely though, I always prepare documents in electronic format so that we
may share text with blind collegues through electronic text, and with those
who may read the text on projected screen. The rooms allocated for us had PC
Projector connection only at the desk on the platform. The reason I had to
sit there is nothing but the availability of PC Projector even though it is
far better for me to listen to your conversation due to the loss of my
hearing of my right ear. If you took it something else it was beyond my
imagination and I feel very sad to know.
As I suppose from the incomplete translation below, you might leave from
PrepCom3 tomorrow evening. If this is right, I would like to discuss with
you more to clarify all misunderstanding immediately after the Disability
Caucus which is scheduled on Mnday 15:00-17:00 at room XXII. Even after your
departure, we need to discuss further more for the success of WSIS to
generate best outcome for persons with disabilities in the world. Please let
us know the contact person of your Caucus during PrepCom3 after your
departure. Of course this may be informed of when we meet tomorrow hopefully
5 pm since I have to attend Contents and Themes Meeting from 6 pm. Other
meeting opportunities tomorrow will be 1:00 to 2:00 pm but it will mean that
we will have no lunch. The problem of this meeting slot is the availability
of interpreter. I learned English as 2nd language, Russian and Spanish are
3rd and 4th but it is impossible for me to work on those languages. Which
language are your other working language? If you have some other working
language other than English, we might find more flexibility on communication
channel.
Looking forward to further collaboration and solutions for your problem.
Best regrds,
Hiroshi
-------------------
Hiroshi Kawamura
WSIS CS Buresu Disability Focal Point
--- Text Translated(?) by Google utility ---
Dear Mr Hiroshi, When you set up Caucus Handicap & TIC, it in what we are
grateful to you, you raised hopes and much of waiting of our share (of our
network). We had at the time, exchange there above as of our first meeting
of Hammamet in Tunisia. Nevertheless, such a responsibility must lead you
to take into account some considerations: - knowing that there was a
significant number of French-speaking people, you should have reflected by
means of communication (such as software of translation) and not constantly
like you it ridges to ask us to write to you in English or Japanese. What,
so excluded us from the beginning. - that under also hears a democratic
operation: it rested with to you collegialement to found a dialogue via
Internet of the decision taken, the orientations and the common choices, the
transparency on the initiatives and steps which you undertake in the name of
our Caucus, - we however had at our preceding meeting in Geneva, to take
several decisions and steps which were of no effect. For this reason, all
other Caucus dialogued, exchanged between them, confronted their ideas,
their proposals and that before the meeting of current Prepcom3. What
enabled them to arrive to Geneva with a consensus. In what concerns you, it
in is nothing. It is difficult to obtain some information. Moreover all
other Caucus hold convivial meetings, all sitted around the same table,
without distinction, head with the platform. You revealed to me like a
divider, a spoilsport, whereas you should have delighted you by the creation
of a caucus French-speaking handicap and TIC, which will bring one more to
the debate. We are not with light concretely from what will occur to Tunis,
on our behalf and you would like that we say amen to all. That is not
possible for us. Our conscience, our integrity prohibits it to us. Your
minutes of meetings do not translate at all the participation of interested
but only your opinion. There is a problem deonotologic in the drafting of
these minutes of meetings. You do not astonish whereas we react thus.
Nevertheless, if as we wish it you want truly to consider a common platform,
to make meeting of Tunis a true success, it belongs to you to take into
account our complaints and not to evacuate them for problems of language.
There you have a great responsibility on the success for Tunis. And of
grace stop making me pass for a divider. I am as much, if not more implied
than you in the field of the handicap and I do not have lessons to receive
from anybody. I inform you that if you have the chance to locate me in your
malls, that I will leave Geneva Monday 26/09/05 at the evening. There thus
does not remain to us more but the day of Monday to manage an agreement. In
what relates to me, I think of having made much efforts. The ball is in
your camp. I thus remain fully at your disposal, Bien cordially,
information conference HANDICAP & TIC =
http://v1.dpi.org/lang-fr/events/details?page=178
---- original French text ----
Cher Monsieur Hiroshi,
Quand vous avez mis en place le Caucus Handicap & TIC, ce en quoi nous vous
en sommes reconnaissants, vous avez suscite des espoirs et beaucoup
d'attente de notre part (de notre reseau).
Nous avions a l'epoque, echangez la dessus des notre premiere rencontre
d'Hammamet en Tunisie.
Neanmoins, une telle responsabilite doit vous amener a prendre en compte
quelques considerations :
- sachant qu'il y avait un nombre important de francophones, vous auriez du
reflechir au moyen de communication (tel que logiciel de traduction) et non
constamment comme vous le faites de nous demander de vous ecrire en anglais
ou en japonais. Ce qui, de ce fait, nous exclu des le depart.
- cela sous entend egalement un fonctionnement democratique : il vous
appartenait d'instaurer un dialogue via internet des decision prises
collegialement, des orientations et des choix communs, de la transparence
sur les initiatives et demarches que vous entreprenez au nom de notre
Caucus,
- nous avions pourtant lors de notre precedente reunion a Geneve, arreter
plusieurs decisions et demarches qui n'ont ete d'aucun effet.
A ce titre, tous les autres Caucus ont dialogue, echange entre eux,
confronte leur idees, leurs propositions et cela avant la rencontre de
l'actuel Prepcom3.
Ce qui leur a permis d'arriver a Geneve avec un consensus.
En ce qui vous concerne, il n'en n'est rien. Il est difficile d'obtenir
quelques informations.
D'ailleurs tous les autres Caucus ont des reunions conviviales, tous assis
autour d'une meme table, sans distinction, sans chef a la tribune.
Vous m'avez fait apparaitre comme un diviseur, un empecheur de tourner en
rond, alors que vous auriez du vous rejouir de la creation d'un caucus
francophone handicap et TIC, qui amenera un plus au debat.
Nous ne sommes pas au clair concretement de ce qui va se passer a Tunis, en
notre nom et vous voudriez que nous disions amen a tout. Cela ne nous est
pas possible. Notre conscience, notre integrite nous l'interdit.
Vos comptes rendus de reunions ne traduisent pas du tout la participation
des interesses mais seulement votre opinion.
Il y a la un probleme deonotologique dans la redaction de ces comptes rendus
de reunions. Ne vous etonnez pas alors que nous reagissons ainsi.
Neanmoins, si comme nous le souhaitons vous voulez veritablement envisager
une plateforme commune, de faire de la rencontre de Tunis un veritable
succes, il vous appartient de prendre en compte nos doleances et ne pas les
evacuer pour des problemes de langue.
Vous avez la une grande responsabilite sur la reussite de Tunis. Et de grace
arretez de me faire passer pour un diviseur.
Je suis autant, sinon plus implique que vous dans le domaine de l'handicap
et je n'ai de lecons a recevoir de personne.
Je vous informe que si vous avez la chance de me localiser dans vos mails,
que je quitterai Geneve lundi 26/09/05 au soir.
Il ne nous reste donc plus que la journee de lundi pour parvenir a un
accord.
En ce qui me concerne, je pense avoir fait beaucoup d'efforts. La balle est
dans votre camp.
Je reste donc a votre entiere disposition,
Bien cordialement,
information colloque HANDICAP & TIC =
http://v1.dpi.org/lang-fr/events/details?page=178
Faouzi KARDOUS
Directeur de Sindbad Mediterranee
Association loi 1901
30, Imp. Croix de Regnier
13004 Marseille - France
Tel + FAx : 0033 4 91 92 73 81
Email : sindbad.mediterranee at laposte.net
www.sindbadmediterranee.fr
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