Dear Leelangi and all,
THANKS for the prompt reaction to endorse the statement in support of =
the Malaysiakini for press freedom!
Please note that, however, the final version of the statement is NOT yet =
fully settled. We are trying to update the draft with the latest =
development of the case and recommendations from other colleagues as =
well as to make it more diplomatic. So please understand that we'll need =
a little bit more time and check your mailbox again this coming Sunday, =
if possible. The final draft will be ready for sure by then (The =
earliest time for the statement to be ready is Jan 25 afternoon). =
Otherwise we will still have to ask if you'd like to endorse the final =
draft.
I think we should follow PatchA's suggestion (see mail 357) for better =
use of this statement. If any of you could think of more agencies to be =
contacted with the statement, please make your suggestion (list name of =
agency and contact information like PatchA did) as soon as possible.
Thanks!
Solidarity,
Serena/Taiwan Association for Human Rights
=20
----- Original Message -----=20
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
>>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---
--------=20
>> >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
>>
>> --
>
>
394_2.html (attatchment)