Dear all,
I would like to give my comments regarding the Tokyo
Declaration.
Basically I cannot agree with it even if it may be revised by
suggestions from NGOs although, needless to say, I am grateful for
efforts by NGOs. But my disagreement is based on fundamental view
point.
The declaration expresses only "vision". It is a pie in the sky. For
example, the declaration just lists up global access, protect of
cultural diversity, promoting accessibility and so on. But it intends to
avoid to make clear the problems and their causes which present
information social structure has.
Especially I think there are important points as following.
First, civil society should not be placed into a partnership with
governments and private sector because civil society has different
aspects and mission which is in some essential cases conflict with
other sectors. I think we should reconfirm that present society has a
lot of social political and economic contradictions. Partnership
strategy intends to hide them. Rather we should look at them in order
to seek fundamental solution.
Second, the contents regarding e-government has same context of the
Japanese resident register system based on computer network which are
really controversial in Japan. We are opposing the system because it
has a serious possibility of violation of people's privacy. I fear
that the context of e-government and other e-policy in the declaration
contribute to spread over the same dangerous privacy violation system
to other Asian countries. Also context of security is not based on
human security of the people such as migrants, refugees and other
social minorities but rather depend on national security. Therefore I
cannot side with the declaration.
Third, although the declaration refers to communication rights, it
does not contain enough right to send and distribute messages by
people. Also it has nothing refer to the present crucial situation
that government and private sectors have more serious possibility of
violation of privacy by introducing network computing, database of
personal data, biometrics, and so on.
Fourth, the position of declaration promotes neo-liberal
globalization, therefore it sacrifices social minority including women
contrary to its "vision". For example, it unconditionally gives
confidence WTO and WIPO although there have been a lot of severe
criticism to them in various people who fear present globalisation.
Fifth, there are nothing of mentions regarding transparency and
democratic decision making process in "Information Society". It is
unconcerned about view point of democratization of ICT governance
beyond national and commercial interests. This means governance
structure remains present structure based on nation-state on which big
business circles have strong influences. Therefore civil society is
formally and virtually excluded from decision making process. Rather
we should propose and discuss how to realize new democratic governance
structure based on human rights and people's security regarding
information and communication policy.
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toshimaru ogura
ogr@nsknet.or.jp
toshi@jca.apc.org
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