Dear all,
This is the statement released by the Taiwanese NGOs at WSIS Asian Regional Conference, following China's attempts to expell them from the confernece. Since the statement was written, the names of all NGOs from Taiwan have been deleted from the list of registrants, and replaced by the name of a Japanese NGO!
Thanks,
PatchA
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Statement from the Taiwanese NGOs at the World Summit on the Information Society Asia Regional Conference
January 14, 2003
There are six delegates from five NGOs based in Taiwan participating in the World Summit on the Information Society Asia Regional Conference, who are here at the invitation of the conference organizers. There are also two private sector delegates from a Taiwanese corporation attending the conference. We are not affiliated to any political party or position, nor have we come here with a hidden agenda; on the contrary, we have come to engage in a constructive dialogue with other stakeholders in Asia, including those from mainland China, to build a collective vision for the future of the information society, make a positive contribution to the process of the World Summit on the Information Society, and bring the message of an enlightened information society back to the people of Taiwan.
We are very disappointed that the government of China claims the right to accredit Taiwanese NGOs, which will effectively deny our rights to participate in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Asia Regional Conference. Taiwan is a leading player in information and communication technology (ICT), and cannot afford to be absent from the global dialogue on the future of the information society; likewise, the world cannot afford to exclude Taiwan from this process. We are also saddened that the objections from China may deny the rights of many other NGOs, and private sector organizations, to fully participate in WSIS.
Following the principals of a global civil society, which has a common aspiration to fully utilize and share the social and economic benefits of ICT for all, while preserving diversity and cultural heritage, we call on the delegates at the World Summit on the Information Society Asia Regional Conference to recognize the urgent need to peacefully resolve the Taiwan issue, but at the same time, encourage the active participate of Taiwanese civil society in the Conference.
Anthony Carlisle, Asia-Pacific Public Affairs Forum
Lo Huei-Wen, Public Television Service
Lin Fongcheng, Taiwan Association for Human Rights
Liu Ching-Yi, Taiwan Association for Human Rights & Taiwan Network Information Center
Chuang Chi-ting, Taiwan Association for Human Rights
Lin Yu-Chuan, Taiwan Network Information Center