Dear all,
We sent an oplen letter regarding WSIS Tokyo to the Ministry of Public
Management of Japanese government on 11 Dec. Original letter is
written in Japanese. Following is a rough translation in English.
We post to a draft letter in Japanese on 7 Dec. We have only a few
days for gathering sigunatures, however we have a lot of them,
especially local community activists who are very anxious regarding
electronic goverment policy have good responses to us.
Also Mainichi Shinbun, one of major news reported our open letter
issue as follows ( in Japanese)
http://www.mainichi.co.jp/digital/solution/archive/200212/11/2.html
I am grateful for your suggestions and comments.
regards,
toshi
((((((((((^0^)))))))))
toshimaru ogura
ogr@nsknet.or.jp
toshi@jca.apc.org
((((((((((^0^)))))))))
Please forward freely
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Open letter to the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts
and Telecommunications.
Date Dec 11, 2002.
You organize WSIS Tokyo meeting on January 13 to 15 in Tokyo. We think
this meeting is very important in terms of affecting the fundamental
characteristics of future information society in Asia and Japan.
We feel misgivings about the process of preparations and the contents
of agenda because you have never given enough information to NGOs,
civil society, and individuals all over the Asian region.
According to the UN General Assembly Resolution 56/183, contribution
by non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private
sector is necessary for the intergovernmental preparatory process of
the Summit.
However, though Tokyo meeting is imminent, we cannot find enough
contents on your web and how the organizer intends to treat NGOs, civil
society organizations and people concerned.
We think Tokyo meeting should give seats to various Asian participants
and reflect their voices to its result, look differentiate view
points among governments, private sectors and civil society, and
prepare honest discussion space for points in disputes. You should
mend your ways of exclusive attitude on the meeting process, give
broader rooms for various NGOs and civil society.
From above our view points, we ask following questions. We require
your answers in Japanese and English.
1. Regarding participation conditions, we require you should accept a
proposal from individual.
2. We require your explanation what countries and regions are
involved in "ASIA". Also what kind of ground for the definition?
3. Regarding fellowship, you give very restrict condition for this
such as one person one country, and " the organization must be
officially recognized by its national government" and "The
organization must be endorsed/cleared by respective organization's
country office". We require the reason why you put such very
restrictive conditions for fellowship. Also, it is very unclear the
criteria of the countries you select for fellowship. For example,
East Timor is excluded. Also we require the detail of budget,
criteria of selection, the persons who select and the process of
selection.
4. We think criteria of fellowship are not fair on selection from NGOs
and civil society view point. Therefore, you should remove the
restrictive criteria, and guarantee all of NGOs, civil society and
individuals concerning about information and communication. Also
you should extend the deadline of application.
5. We require you should guarantee officially to put the voices from
civil society in the Interactive Dialogue on the second day and
others into final report by organizer.
6. Regarding final declaration, we require the space for discussion
about it before the meeting and during the meeting. In the
meeting, we require you should prepare specific session regarding
the declaration.
7. In order to promote the participants from Asia who cannot
understand in English, also to promote in discussion, giving
speeches, and contribution for making final report with them, you
should prepare interpretors between English and local languages.
8. We require you should publish the draft of declaration in English
and local languages as soon as possible.
9. We require the reason why you choice the Asia Development Bank as
collaborator.
10. Do you intend to treat the issues regarding information society
and electronic government policy in Japan such as the Resident
Registration Network, ID card, privacy protection laws and so on
which are now points in disputes?
We will come to your office on Dec 16 morning for having your answers.
JCA-NET
http://www.jca.apc.org/
JCAFE
http://www.jcafe.org/
Contact person
Toshi Ogura
ogr@nsnet.or.jp
approvals individuals <omission>
45 people are sign on including persons in local assemblies,
academics, journalist, labor activists and activists against ID card
and big brother policy by the Ministry of Public Management and
Koizumi cabinet.