----- Original Message -----=20

From: Chat Garcia=20 Ramilo

To: communication@wsisasia.org=20

Sent: Saturday, January=20 25, 2003 1:55 PM

Subject: [communication=20 384] Re: 2nd draft of the statement for the Malaysiakini = case

Hi = Serena,

We'd=20 like to suggest a slight revision. This suggestion comes from our = colleague in=20 Malaysia:

Third to the last para, second sentence which starts = with:=20

"It should take actions to secure and promote open and free = press=20 rather than repressing journalists exposing critical and sensitive=20 issues."

Can we add something about "investigative reporting" = i.e.=20 reporting based on facts and sound investigation, not just exposing = critical=20 and sensitive issues which the Malaysian govt likes to call = sensationalism or=20 irresponsible. In a case study presented by Prem Chandran of = Malaysiakini in a=20 Women's Electronic Network Training we had last August in Kuala = Lumpur, he=20 said that all their eports are based on facts and they make an effort = to check=20 their information and sources.

Perhaps the revision could = be:
"It=20 should take actions to secure and promote open and free press rather = than=20 repressing journalists who uphold high quality investigative reporting = based=20 on facts and sound investigation."
 ---------

I hope = this=20 helps.

Chat


At 04:39 PM 1/24/03 +0800, you=20 wrote:

Dear=20 all,
 
Here is the second draft of the statement in = support of=20 the Malaysiakini (still rough though). Will be finalized soon in the = evening. I added the recommendations of several colleagues here on = the=20 mailing list to the rough draft.
 
Sacha,=20 when and where to meet to finalize the draft? Anybody else available = and=20 interested in this?=20 =
 
Cheers,
SERENA
-------------------------------= -------------------------------------------------------------------------= -------------------------------------------------------
 

=

Joint Statement Calling for = Press Freedom=20 in <?xml:namespace prefix =3D st1 ns =3D=20 "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = />Malaysia<?xml:namespace=20 prefix =3D o ns =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"=20 />

January 23, = 2003

This is a joint statement of national, regional and = international=20 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who participated in the Asia = Pacific=20 Regional Conference on the World Summit of Information Society = (WSIS) 2003=20 as well as other civil society entities that are concerned about = human=20 rights issues in the information society.

The statement is in = support=20 of the Malaysiakini for freedom of opinion and express, thus = requesting the=20 Malaysian authority to rule out any form of censorship at once. =

The=20 Malaysiakini, an independent and alternative online media based in = Malaysia,=20 faced police raid on Jan 20. Four servers and 15 central processing = units=20 (CPUs) from the office were seized during the raid. The raid was = triggered=20 by a police report accusing the media of publishing a = =93seditious=94 letter,=20 which was alleged to have posed questions on the =93special = rights=94 of the=20 Malays in the country.

As the joint statement of participants = in the=20 Asia Civil Society Forum on WSIS (held last December in Bangkok) = clearly=20 stated, transcending the divides between enabled citizens and = marginalized=20 communities is a major challenge of globalization facing all = stakeholders in=20 the information society, including NGOs. The safeguard and promotion = of free=20 and balanced flow of information and communication with full respect = for=20 human rights plays an indispensable role in helping all bridge the=20 gap. 

It is beyond doubt that the securing and = promotion of the=20 freedom should be guided by, inter alia, Article 19 of the Universal = Declaration of Human Rights, which stipulates that =93Everyone has = the rights=20 to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to = hold=20 opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart = information=20 and ideas through any media and regardless of = frontiers.=94

As the=20 aforementioned Bangkok statement affirms, civil society=92s vision = is to=20 evolve the global community into a truly communicative, just and = peaceful=20 one grounded in respect for diversity and plurality.

All = WSIS=20 related events and the official summit to be held in Geneva this = December=20 will be absolutely pointless if we fail to uphold communication = rights=97the=20 fundamental human right to communicate, to access and disseminate=20 information=97as the touchstone of our information society. The raid = on=20 Malaysiakini, which broke out shortly after the Asia Pacific = Regional=20 Conference on WSIS in Tokyo where NGOs reiterated the significance = of=20 communication rights, is a total disgrace to all that were committed = to=20 wide-range discussion in the WSIS preparatory process to better the=20 information society.

We, as civil society in full support of = freedom=20 of opinion expression, gravely condemn the raid, which has severely=20 jeopardized press freedom. All violations to media freedom, such the = police=20 raid on Malaysiakini, are extremely abhorrent, undemocratic and = detrimental=20 to human rights and alternative views. They are also a severe = setback to=20 regional and global evolution of politics and economics.

We = hereby=20 request the Malaysian government to publicly renounce censorship in = all=20 forms in respect of human rights. It should take actions to secure = and=20 promote open and free press rather than repressing journalists = exposing=20 critical and sensitive issues.

It is absolutely unnecessary = for the=20 Malaysian authority to apply the Sedition Act against the = Malyasiakini.=20 Sensitive issues should be resolved through constructive and = rational=20 dialogues and debate rather than censorship. 

We also = demand=20 the Malaysian police to immediately return all seized items of the=20 Malaysiakini and stop the interrogation over the media=92s decision = to publish=20 the letter and identity of the letter=92s writer.

This = statement is=20 endorsed by:
1. Name of individual:
2. Organization:
3.=20 Country:
4. Email: