Hope to still find time to suggest to the final drafts of both the
Malaysiakini Statement and the Tokyo NGO statement. In any case (even if I
am not able to) of course you have my endorsement:
Alan G. Alegre
Foundation for Media Alternatives
Philippines
----- Original Message -----
From: <leelangi@itmin.com>
To: <communication@wsisasia.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 11:53 AM
Subject: [communication 392] Re: Response to the Malaysiakini case
>
> Hello Adam, Serena (Vervy),
>
> Please add my name to the statement
>
> Leelangi Wanasundera
> Sri Lanka
>
> At 02:27 PM 1/24/03 +0700, you wrote:
> >Hi Adam, Serena (Vervy),
> >
> >I helped Arfa draft some parts of her presentation so I have some of the
> files on me (I will forward that to you Serena). I haven't had a chance to
> take a look at
> >what is posted but I do know that Arfa had to cut down the content
becuase
> the speaking time was reduced from 4 to 3 minutes later in the day.
> >
> >Sacha
> >
> >Adam Peake wrote:
> >
> >> Serena,
> >>
> >> I think you could refer to the statement Arfa made during the WSIS
> >> meeting last week, it's now online as either
> >> <http://www.wsis-japan.jp/documents/ngo_01.pdf> or
> >> <http://www.wsis-japan.jp/documents/ngo_24.pdf> (and I suspect
> >> neither is the final version Arfa read, can someone help? Sacha?)
> >>
> >> She spoke on behalf of participants at the Asian Civil Society Forum,
> >> organized by CONGO, The Conference of NGOs in Consultative
> >> Relationship with the United Nations, December 9-13, 2002 in Bangkok.
> >>
> >> I know the statement was modified, and I did not hear her speak, but
> >> guess Arfa spoke about how information society should be guided by
> >> Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, guaranteeing
> >> "rights to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes
> >> freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive
> >> and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of
> >> frontiers." Rights the government of Malaysia a few days later denied
> >> her and her organization.
> >>
> >> The World Summit on the Information Society will be meaningless if we
> >> cannot agree to uphold basic Communication Rights --the right to
> >> communicate, to access and disseminate information-- as the
> >> touchstone of our information society.
> >>
> >> Suggest you try to tie the statement to WSIS and the regional meeting
> >> as that's where we formed (without it we're just a few names, WSIS
> >> gives context.)
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Adam
> >>
> >> >Dear all and Mavic,
> >> >
> >> >I think as NGOs have particularly emphasized on freedom of
> >> >expression in the WSIS regional conference, there's no reason for us
> >> >to delay actions against the raid on Malaysiakini, if we feel that
> >> >it is necessary to take actions.
> >> >
> >> >I think people who are interested should come with some ways to make
> >> >a quick statement and figure out how to set a deadline for
> >> >endorsement before submitting that to the Malaysiakini. Actions
> >> >responding to this case concerning violation of press freedom
> >> >should be taken timely.
> >> >
> >> >If more organizations or individuals on the mailing list feel that
> >> >we should make a response, may I suggest you to sign up and
> >> >volunteer to form an ad hoc group to work on the drafting and
> >> >release of a statement to be endorsed by regional NGOs. (This may be
> >> >a lousy idea. Any others who are interested, please give more
> >> >recommendations on how we may work it out.) We should finalize the
> >> >statement as soon as possible and circulate it for endorsement
> >> >before a deadline (again, must be very near).
> >> >
> >> >Below is a very rough draft of statement done in a short time. It is
> >> >only for reference and we can work on a new statement if there's
> >> >time. I propose this because I think we might be able to move
> >> >quicker with a rough draft to be elaborated.
> >> >
> >> >Cheers,
> >> >Serena
> >>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> --------
> >> >Joint Statement Calling for Press Freedom in Malaysia
> >> >
> >> >January 23, 2003
> >> >
> >> >Below is a statement by Asian non governmental organizations who
> >> >openly advocated freedom of expression and media freedom in the
> >> >regional conference on the World Summit of Information Society 2003.
> >> >The statement is in support of the Malaysiakini and requests the
> >> >Malaysian authority to rule out any form of censorship at once.
> >> >
> >> >The Malaysiakini, an independent and alternative web-based media
> >> >which has won international prizes for its news coverage of the
> >> >country, faced police raid on Jan 20. 15 CPUs and four servers from
> >> >the office were seized during the raid, which was launched as a
> >> >response to a police report lodged by Umno Youth that the media
> >> >published a "seditious" letter which was alleged to having
> >> >questioned the "special rights" of the Malays.
> >> >
> >> >We, non governmental organizations in support of freedom of
> >> >expression, gravely condemn the raid that severely jeopardizes press
> >> >freedom, and request the Malaysian government to take actions
> >> >securing and promoting open and free media rather than oppressing
> >> >press freedom to afflict brave media and journalists focusing on
> >> >critical and sensitive issues. Violations to press freedom are
> >> >abhorrent, undemocratic and detrimental to both alternative views
> >> >and the political and economic development of the region in general.
> >> >
> >> >It is absolutely unnecessary for the police to apply the Sedition
> >> >Act against the Malyasiakini. Sensitive issues shall be resolved
> >> >through constructive and rational dialogues or debate rather than
> >> >censorship.
> >> >
> >> >With our intensive concern over the raid, we hereby request the
> >> >police to immediately return all seized items of the Malaysiakini
> >> >and stop the interrogation over the media's decision to publish the
> >> >letter and identity of the letter's writer.
> >> >
> >> >It cannot be overemphasized that the right of every media
> >> >institution to provide news and information free to censorship is
> >> >fundamental. We therefore demand the Malaysian government to
> >> >publicly renounce censorship in all forms in respect of human rights.
> >> >
> >> >END
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >----- Original Message -----
> >> >From: <mailto:fauves77@hotmail.com>Chiting Serena Chuang
> >> >To: <mailto:communication@wsisasia.org>communication@wsisasia.org
> >> >Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 5:44 PM
> >> >Subject: Re: [communication 340] Re: thanks, it was all worth it
> >> >
> >> >Dear all,
> >> >
> >> >Replying Mavic, I actually feel that we are obliged to drafting a
> >> >regional NGO statement for the Malaysiakini case, if not yet too
> >> >late.
> >> >
> >> >Serena
> >> >
> >> >----- Original Message -----
> >> >From: <mailto:mavic@isiswomen.org>Mavic
> >> >To: <mailto:communication@wsisasia.org>communication@wsisasia.org
> >> >Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 4:44 PM
> >> >Subject: [communication 340] Re: thanks, it was all worth it
> >> >
> >> >Dear all,
> >> >
> >> >......
> >> >On another note, I know that Malaysiakini is back online but I guess
> >> >it is not too late to say our piece as APNGOCC. We can draft a
> >> >statement condemning the raid and circulate it as widely as possible
> >> >and perhaps publish it in Malaysiakini itself. What do people think?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Warm regards,
> >> >
> >> >Mavic
> >>
> >> --
> >
> >
>
>