Dear PatchA and all,
Thanks for the prompt response and endorsement!
I personally think it'll be even better if we can gather more endorsements
from NGOs in the region. I think Al have suggested forwarding the statement
to other mailing list as well. So PatchA, why don't you do what you just
suggested by widely circulating the statement to other NGOs? I think you can
also attach "Petrof's" letter, the Umno Youth's response and probably the
news on the raid itself or simply refer to the Malaysiakini website to other
NGOs that are not on the WSIS Asia mailing list?
Cheers,
SERENA
----- Original Message -----
From: "patcha" <patcha@patcha.jinbo.net>
To: <communication@wsisasia.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2003 6:05 PM
Subject: [communication 406] Mailinglists and Endorsements for Malaysiakini
statement.
> Dear Serena, Sacha and all,
>
> Many thanks for your sincere effort to make this statement.
> Here is my endorsement. I gathered more endorsements from
> University English journals in South Korea.
>
> I changed some two spell mistakes on the statement and marked by blue
color.
> I send it again here.
>
> And if there is no objection,
> I'd like to send this statement to other mailing list to get more
endorsements.
> I attach it below. If there is any other good mailinglist to circulate it,
> please let us know to share it.
> ------------------------------------------
> nacep@list.jinbo.net
> inter-picis@list.jinbo.net
> lmedia@list.jinbo.net
> base21@list.jinbo.net
> international@list.jinbo.net
> apc-asiair-coord@list.jinbo.net
> asia-ir@list.jinbo.net
> apc.forum@gn.apc.org
> do-wire@tc.umn.edu
> do-asia@yahoogroups.com
> bytesforall_readers@yahoogroups.com
> info@alternet.org
> sysop@zmag.org
> pressreleases@indymedia.org
> ------------------------------------------
>
> Below is endorsement lists.
>
> 1.
> Kim Jeong-woo (PatchA)
> Korean Progressive Network, Jinbonet
> South Korea
> patcha@patcha.jinbo.net
>
> 2. Lee Min-a
> BASE21 media activist, Student of Hankuk Univ. of Foreign Studies
> South Korea
> ledebut@korea.com
>
> 3. Jung-ran Lee
> Hannam Times
> South Korea
> leeran81@hanmail.net
>
> 4. Choi Hwa-jin
> The Honam Herald
> South Korea
> drum57@hanmail.net
>
> 5. Kim Young-sik
> The Chosun World
> South Korea
> skyreporter@hanmail.net
>
> 6. Bae Hey-yun
> Love, Light & Freedom
> South Korea
> bhyo326@dreamwiz.com
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
> If I get more endorsement, I will send the lists again here.
>
> Thanks and in Solidarity,
> PatchA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chiting Serena Chuang [mailto:fauves77@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 9:27 PM
> To: communication@wsisasia.org
> Subject: [communication 402] RESPONSE to the MALAYSIAKINI CASE!
> Importance: High
>
>
> Dear all,
>
> Attached is the finzalized statement and press release to support the
Malaysiakini in exercising press freedom. Please fill out all four blanks at
the end of the document if you would like to endorse it. Please send out
your endorsement ASAP.
>
> Hope all that are interested in supporting the Malaysiakini and
communication rights could turn in the endorsement before 3:00 PM Jan 27
(Mon), 2003. I suggest that to be the first deadline and we'll see if a
stretch is necessary to get more endorsement.
>
> The statement/press release will be sent to the Malaysian authorities
suggested by PatchA (See mail 357) and regional media (list provided by
Forum Asia).
>
> Patcha: Any other mailinglist for endorsement that you may provide us
with?
>
> Thanks to all the prompt recommendations and Sacha's great help!
>
> Solidarity,
> Serena/Taiwan Association for Human Rights
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
>
> Draft press release
> January 27, 2003
> Police Raid on Online Newspaper Malaysiakini Jeopardizes Press Freedom,
> Repressive Action Deviates from Vision of the Information Society
> A wide coalition of Asia Pacific civil society condemns the unwarranted
police raid on Malaysian online newspaper Malaysiakini.
> We, the undersigned organizations representing Asia Pacific・s national,
regional and international civil society entities that are concerned about
human rights issues in the information society, condemn the police raid on
Malaysian online newspaper Malaysiakini that occurred on January 20, 2003.
This raid has severely jeopardized press freedom.
> We, on the other hand, fully support Malaysiakini to exercise its rightful
freedom of opinion and expression and therefore, respectfully request that
Malaysian authorities immeidately cease all actions and pressure that
violate these communications rights. We regret that such a controversial law
as Malaysia・s Sedition Act may be applied to justify this police raid and
denounce the gross misuse of such laws to arbitrarily, unjustifiably and
conveniently censor alternative views.
> Malaysiakini, an award-winning independent online newspaper based in
Malaysia, was raided by the Malaysian police on January 20, 2003. Four
servers and 15 central processing units (CPUs) from its office were seized
during the raid. The raid was triggered by a complaint to the police lodged
by a youth wing affiliated with a ruling political party, which accused
Malaysiakini of publishing a seditious letter. The letter published on
January 9 was alleged to have questioned the ：special rights； of the
Malays in the country and therefore could cause racial disharmony.
> Subsequent to the raid, the police interrogated Malaysiakini・s
editor-in-chief and four senior editorial staff. They further requested the
staff to identify the writer of the letter. The latter, however, denied the
request so as to adhere to professional media ethics. If convicted under the
Sedition Act, the individuals involved in the case would be liable to a fine
not exceeding RM 5,000 or imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
> Moreover, Malaysiakini received a letter of eviction order from its
landlord "PC Suria," which is now wholly owned by Nascom, a
government-backed enterprise formerly known as "PC Malaysia Bhd." The order
was given on January 22 (two days after the raid) with a request of
eviction, because Malaysiakini was involved in "unlawful activities."
> These events occurred only days after the recent Asia Regional Conference
on the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) held 13-15 January in
Tokyo. This conference was convened to bring together all society
stakeholders, which includes Asia Pacific government, private sector and
civil society entities to share views, aspirations and concerns. All
participants of the conference gathered to develop a common understanding
and vision of how people at all levels of the information society should
recognize their roles and responsibilities. Moving towards free and balanced
communication amid globalization was one of the priorities intensively
discussed in the conference. As the Malaysian government was a party to the
meeting and had dispatched official delegates to engage in related
discussion, it should have recognized the significance of communication
rights in the context.
> As we reaffirm, the vision of civil society is to evolve the global
community into a truly communicative, just and peaceful one grounded in
respect for diversity and plurality. It is deeply disappointing that despite
all the collaborative efforts to promote, achieve and respect common visions
and standards of conduct, Malaysia should immediately deviate from the
vision and spirit of the information society with its attempt to silence
Malaysiakini.
> The WSIS will be meaningless if we cannot agree to uphold communication
rights--the fundamental human right to communicate, to access and
disseminate information--as the touchstone of our information society. The
raid on Malaysiakini has not only impeded the significance of communication
rights, but is a severe setback to regional and global evolution of politics
and economics.
> Transcending the divides between enabled citizens and marginalized
communities is a major challenge of globalization facing all stakeholders in
the information society. The safeguard and promotion of free and balanced
flow of information and communication with full respect for human rights by
all parties plays an indispensable role in helping all bridge the gap.
> We, the undersigned, reiterate that the securing and promotion of the
freedom to communicate should be guided by, inter alia, Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which stipulates that: ：Everyone has
the right 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.；
During the regional conference on WSIS in Tokyo, a journalist from
Malaysiakini nominated by Asia civil society participants to speak on their
behalf, further highlighted these internationally recognized rights. Sadly
enough, these rights were soon denied by the government of Malaysia with the
raid.
> We hereby respectfully request the government of Malaysia to refrain from
exercising censorship in all forms in respect for fundamental human rights.
We call upon it to take actions to secure and promote an open and free press
rather than repressing journalists reporting on critical and sensitive
issues.
> It is absolutely unnecessary for the Malaysian authority to apply the
Sedition Act against Malyasiakini. Sensitive issues should be resolved
through constructive and rational dialogues and debate rather than
censorship in any forms.
> We further call upon the Malaysian police to immediately return all seized
items of the Malaysiakini and stop the interrogation of the journalists
about their decision to publish the letter and identity of the letter・s
writer.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------
> This statement is endorsed by:
> 1. Name of individual:
> 2. Organization:
> 3. Country or area:
> 4. Email
>
>
>