I attended the joint Bureau meeting last night, that was a meeting
of Government Bureau with Civil Society Bureau and Private sector.
However, I joined very late, since there was Civil Society plenary
happening concurrently with heated debate about Human right
caucus speaking slot and other issues.
I took the floor in the end asked, on behalf of the Asia family,
to consider financial support mechanism for Civil society members
to participate the WSIS process, PrepCom and others, from
Asia Pacific and other developing parts of the world.
Just for the record.
izumi
At 01:16 04/06/27 +0800, you wrote:
>Hammamet, 25 June 2004 - Onsite Report from the WSIS - Tunisia Phase
>PrepCom 1
>
>CSOs Hold Emergency Plenary
>
>by Mavic Cabrera-balleza, Isis International-Manila
>
>Members of Civil Society held an emergency plenary today following the
>45-minute suspension of the Plenary in the ongoing PrepCom 1 of the
>Tunisia Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society.
>
>The NGO delegates present tried to solve the impasse over the speaker
>and text in the civil society statement on human rights issues. A number
>of Tunisian NGOs strongly objected to the selection of a representative of
>the Tunisian Human Rights League as speaker on behalf of the human rights
>caucus and the text in the civil society statement that calls for the
>$BEI(Bost country of the Summit to show exemplarity, especially in the
>realisation of freedom of expression, of information, of communication, as
>well as of freedom of association and the right to privacy, during the
>Tunis process and beyond.$BGn(B
>
>Saida Agrebi of the Tunisian MothersÃAssociation asserted that the
>statement should say that all participating countries respect human rights
>rather than singling out Tunisia. She also emphasized the need for another
>African delegate (who is not from the host country) to speak during the
>plenary. Other Tunisians concurred, with many of them dominating the first
>half of the discussion.
>
>Ambassador Janis Karklins, president of the Prepcom, came to the civil
>society emergency plenary and asked the group to resolve its differences.
>$BE8(Be cannot intervene in the decision making process of NGOs, but we can
>give you time to sort out your internal questions,Çhe said.
>
>Some speakers noted that there clearly are differences in views and
>opinions amongst civil society members particularly around their positions
>regarding the Tunisian government and its human rights record. They noted
>that it may be necessary to present both views and give time for both to
>be aired in the plenary. In addition, other speakers suggested that the
>divide that exists within civil society should be acknowledged in the
>plenary for the sake of openness.
>
>Rikke Frank Joergensen, co-chair of the Human Rights Caucus, defended the
>process observed by the Caucus and the Content and Themes Group. She
>stressed that procedures observed in the Geneva phase were the same
>procedures that they followed. She clarified that issues and the key
>principles were discussed in the Content and Themes meeting the previous
>day and people were invited to stay after the meeting to help draft the
>statement. The resulting statement, Joergensen said, is consistent with
>the statements that the Caucus had released in the past. There is a
>precedent to note any human rights issues in the host country, as had been
>the case in Geneva when there were problems with certain groups not being
>allowed to speak and protest, she added.
>
>In the end, despite the absence of an actual vote or consensus, the
>Tunisian NGOs seemed to have succeeded in deciding on another speakerÍa
>woman from Africa who would leave out any reference to Tunisia and the
>need for it to exhibit concrete efforts that will lead to the realisation
>of freedom of expression, of information, of communication, as well as of
>freedom of association and the right to privacy.
>
>The Tunisian NGO delegates overwhelmed the room with shouting and
>clapping. Additionally, the attempt at a vote was conducted without
>English translation, which meant many other NGO delegates were unable to
>participate.
>
>As delegates left the meeting room, a number of shouting matches broke
>out. The representative from the Tunisian Human Rights League called the
>apparent decision a scandal with others shouting their opinions back and
>forth.
>
>With reports from Andy Carvin of the EDC Center for Media & Community
>
>- 30 -