Hello to all.=20
Sorry for my silence--but don't worry, I have been reading all the =
interesting posts from Paris and after, and have been in fact forwarding =
quite a bit of the messages in CSB, CT, and "Plenary" (in quotes now =
:-), to our Asia list. (Not all Asian CSO stakeholders are on the =
aforementioned lists for some reason or another, and this function is =
inherent to the articulated role of the CSB focal points, to facilitate =
transparency and participation of all stakeholders.)
I am supportive of Sean's articulation (his five points), based on =
actual experience as Asian Civil Society convenor in PrepCom1, Asia =
Pacific Regional PrepCom (Tokyo), and PrepCom2. I also do so as one of =
the two focal points for our Asian Family in the CSB (the other one =
being Angela Kuga Thas). As one of the original drafters of the Terms of =
Reference of the CSB (during PrepCom2), I am sure that the spirit of the =
five points is in the original and subsequent drafts.
In all of the WSIS related processes I have been involved with, it has =
always been my understanding that the CS Plenary, though not perfect, is =
the best way in which CSOs can organize themselves and achieve the best =
consensus that can be forged.=20
Thanks.
Al Alegre
P.S. Congratulations and thank you to all of you who have worked hard in =
Paris. Hopefully, I can come to Geneva for PrepCom3 and contribute again =
directly in some way.
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Sean O Siochru=20
To: plenary@wsis-cs.org ; ct@wsis-cs.org=20
Cc: bureau@wsis-cs.org=20
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 8:57 PM
Subject: [Bureau] John Gagain's note: Does Civil Society Plenary not =
exist?
Hi everyone=20
I think John's surprising note, and the position he takes in it on =
civil society structures, offers us an opportunity to remind ourselves =
of the basic progress we have made so far in civil society. This note is =
seeking your support on five basic point below.=20
At 15:27 23/07/2003 -0400, John R. Gagain Jr. wrote [my bold]:
Concerning the modalities of the CS mechanisms at the WSIS:=20
1.. CS Information Session and Debriefing. There does not exist a =
forum at the WSIS referred to as "Civil Society Plenary", nor was there =
ever one at any other U.N. sponsored Summit in the past. A Plenary =
signifies a fixed group of members or member states and the actual =
official definition is: 1. Complete in all respects, unlimited or full: =
a diplomat with plenary powers, 2. Fully attended by all qualified =
members: a plenary session of the council. As you can see, Civil =
Society does not fulfill this definition or its prerequisites. ....=20
2.. [snip] ... , as I mention above, there is no CS Plenary; and =
especially not one that makes decisions on behalf of Civil Society. T
In one sense, it is refreshing to hear such definitive, authoritative, =
statements about how Civil Society is organised at the WSIS. (Why =
didn't someone tell us this two years ago?)=20
More seriously, though, I cannot accept that the 'Civil Society =
Plenary' meetings that I attended at Prepcom 1 at PrepCom 2, and that =
were held in Paris, did not in fact take place as such, and that these =
meetings had no authority to take decisions on behalf of civil society =
at the WSIS. Such a claim, especially from a member of the Civil =
Society Bureau, really must be refuted. As a member of the Bureau =
myself, this is certainly not an official view and this is the first =
time I have heard it aired. =20
(By the same token, John could even define the Bureau out of existence =
on the basis that one has never previously existed at Un conferences. =
Even more, since in reality, the SOLE source of legitimacy for the =
Bureau is the Civil Society Plenary, and since the Bureau itself has =
explicitly agreed it is subject to the Civil Society Plenary, then =
surely the Bureau cannot exist!)=20
Nice and all as it is to fantasize, there are some important facts and =
achievements of civil society in the WSIS process that I think are worth =
reaffirming. =20
1. Civil Society has constituted itself into a Plenary at every =
convening of the WSIS, PrepComs, Intercessional, Summits. It is open to =
all of civil society members and of course any organisations is free not =
to participate. But the great majority have chosen to. It is the =
ultimate decision making body of civil society in relation to the WSIS. =
2. It has endorsed the existence of the Bureau, and the Bureau has =
agreed explicitly that it is subject to the Civil Society Plenary =
Meeting and must report to it regularly.=20
3. The CS Plenary Meeting has endorsed the Content and Themes Group, =
which also reports to it. And it has endorsed most if not all of the =
various caucuses, working groups and so forth.=20
4. The Civil Society Division of the Secretariat serves the Civil =
Society Plenary Meeting and anything the Plenary sets up, although it =
can also provide support to any groups who choose not to associate with =
the Plenary.=20
5. Regarding the (currently important) operation of the CS Plenary =
between physical meetings, the following was agreed by the Civil Society =
Plenary at PrepCom 2 (extract from the Description of the =
plenary@wsis-cs.org list) =
http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary=20
"The Civil Society Plenary Meeting, when convened, is the source of =
legitimacy for all civil society activities in the WSIS.=20
Between PrepComs a 'Virtual CS Plenary Group' has been created =
(plenary@wsis-cs.org), comprising organisations and other entities =
accredited and registered at both PrepComs to date, from civil society, =
although organisations with a key interest in the issues but that are =
not part of the Summit process should also have the opportunity to =
participate.=20
The list will not be a decision-making space, in the sense that no =
voting will be called for, but a space to promote greater debate and =
transparency in the organisation of Civil Society during the summit." =
[my bold]=20
The CS-Plenary list (plenary@wsis-cs.org) was subsequently set up and =
now has over 250 registered, all of whom in the interests of =
accountability an transparency have registered their names when joining =
the list. Thus, the CS-Plenary list is a space to promote debate and =
transparency in civil society overall in between physically convened =
Civil Society Plenary groups. I believe all major issues and proposals =
should be openly debated there before any decisions are taken by other =
groups, such as the Bureau and the Content & Themes Group. I also =
believe that many decisions must be reaffirmed at the opening Civil =
Society Plenary at PrepCom 3, if there have been widely different views =
expressed on it.=20
This structure may not be perfect, but it is all we have, it has wide =
support, and has been endorsed at all major civil meetings and venues at =
the WSIS. I really think at this point that we all have to be working =
from the same basics. There are too many important issues facing us =
right now to run the risk of destroying the structures we have so =
painstakingly put together.=20
I am seeking support for the above five points from those on this list =
as I believe we cannot be continually reinventing the past and must move =
forward. I will also be communicating on these matters within the =
Bureau.=20
Very best
Sean=20
___________________________________________________
Se=E1n =D3 Siochr=FA Central office: tel: +353 1 473 0599 fax: +353 =
1 473 0597=20
NEXUS Research Mobile: +353 87 20 48 150
14 Eaton Brae Direct office tel: +353 1 272 0739 fax: +353 1 272 =
0034=20
Shankill =20
Co. Dublin e-mail: sean@nexus.ie
Ireland Web site: http://www.iol.ie/nexus=20
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