Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 16:50:12 +0700 From: Sacha Jotisalikorn <sacha@forumasia.org> Subject: [communication 965] Re: Giving Asia Caucus support to key issues at the WSIS To: communication@wsisasia.org Message-Id: <CC7175DC-02E2-11D8-87E4-000393DB8C92@forumasia.org> In-Reply-To: <5.1.0.14.0.20031020125835.01ff1ba0@202.57.74.189> X-Mail-Count: 00965Hi Susanna,Good to hear from you! Thanks for taking this process forward in a concrete way.I would say that all the 6 issues you listed are relevant. It would be =difficult for me to rank them/cut them down to 5 top issues (spoiler!!!). I trust you to compile the feedback and select the top 5.However, I can speak for the issues that I have been focussing on, which I guess would best fit in the communication rights topic. These issues I would definitely propose as specific priority issues under communication rights (in no particular order):1. Restrictions on freedom of expression--including restrictions on press in various media2. Right of public to access broadcast resources--specifically right of =public to broadcast through community radio, including equitable/fair distribution and access to broadcast frequenciesSachaOn Monday, Oct 20, 2003, at 12:26 Asia/Bangkok, Susanna George wrote:> Dear all,>> Salaams and warm greetings to all! This message is not related to the => previous messages and for this I apologise. I am posting it today, => because of the lack of time in order to accomplish what I am going to => suggest to this list.>> As some of you are aware, a few of us from the Asia Caucus were > present at the recently concluded symposium held by JCAFE in Tokyo, > Japan. Taratta-san thought it a good idea for us to meet and =discuss > some of the issues that have been afloat on this list and the > CS-Plenary list for a while, and so on the 14th, Taratta-san, Al > Alegre, Jhin Hia (Jimbonet), Mavic and I (Isis International-Manila) => met briefly.>> Al will soon be reporting on the whole of our discussions that we had => in Tokyo, but I was tasked with the responsibility of raising an issue => with this list that I have been concerned about for a while. This => issue is basically the notion of the Asia Caucus giving support to > certain key issues within the overall advocacy areas that are being > lobbied for by Civil Society in the WSIS process. Let me explain:>> 1. Our observation is that that the regional caucuses =are given > some extra importance, as compared to issue-based caucuses, > particularly in matters related to representation (speakers for > example), and also in relation to the issues that the regional > caucuses support.>> 2. By and large, the Asia Caucus has been the least =visible in > terms of promoting a particularly political position or issue, > although, we know that the Asia Caucus members have taken leadership => in several issue based caucuses. In contrast, the Latin American > Caucus and the Africa Caucus have taken very strong and visible > positions on issues and in particular have been very focal around > development issues taken as representatives of the South.>> 3. I feel that it is time for the Asia Caucus to use =its clout as > a regional caucus, and give strong backing to four or five key issues => that the Civil Society is doing lobbying around. Some of the issues => that Asia Caucus members have been particularly active in are the > following: internet governance, privacy and surveillance issues, > intellectual property rights, gender issues, communication rights, > right to development. >> 4. My suggestion is that in the next ten days (until =30th > October), we have a discussion on this list of the issues that the > Asia Caucus could/should give its concrete and stated backing to. >> 5. I have offered to compile a short two to three =page document > that will encapsulate our concerns on the issues that we agree by > consensus to give support to. Once that is prepared, I will circulate => it on this list for comments (hopefully by 4th October) and then once => finalised we can forward it to the different lists (by 7th October), => as well as use it in our lobbying for Prep Com 3A hopefully.>> 6. For this process to work smoothly, I would suggest =the > following:>> i. when you reply this message, list down the top =five issues > that you think the Asia Caucus should give support to, and why.> ii. keep the messages brief, and have them all follow =the subject > heading listed above.> iii. I would also kindly request those who are not a part =of the > Asian Caucus that are signed onto this list, to refrain from posting => their opinions immediately, since I think the initial recommendations => should come from those located/working/originating in Asia and/or in => the Asia Caucus. Once the document has been compiled, of course, all => are free to comment on it.>> Alright, that's all for now. I look forward to hearing from you all => in the next ten days. >> Susanna> =965_2.enriched (attatchment)(tag is disabled)