Hi This is from the Civil Society Content and Themes Group now in Tunis
(Nina--for the website din...)
> Dear all,
>
> Please find attached a Press Statement written by Karen Banks and Steve
> Buckley as coordinators of the Civil Society Content and themes group. A
> spanish version will follow soon.
>
> Veuillez trouver ci-joint un Communique de presse redige par Karen Banks
et
> Steve Buckley en tant que coordonnateurs du groupe Contenus et themes de
la
> Societe Civile. Une version espagnole suivra sous peu.
>
> Karen Banks
> ===========
>
>
> PRESS STATEMENT - Hammamet, 26 June 2004
>
> World Summit on the Information Society, Tunis Phase, Preparatory
Committee 1
> Statement prepared by the coordinators of the WSIS Civil Society Content
> and Themes Group
>
> Civil society organisations gathered in Hammamet, Tunisia for the first
> preparatory committee of the second phase of the World Summit on the
> Information Society insisted that the second phase of the Summit maintain
> commitment to human rights principles and sustainable development
priorities.
>
> Mme. Souhayr Belhassen, Vice-President of the International Federation for
> Human Rights and Vice-President of the Tunisian League for Human Rights,
> speaking on human rights, said:
>
> "At a time where the foundations of international human rights law are
> being challenged by newly adopted laws and measures, everywhere in the
> world, in the name of a fight against terrorism, it was important that the
> Declaration of principles adopted in Geneva in 2003 makes reference to the
> fundamental principles of universality and indivisibility of all human
> rights, to the right to development, and specially reaffirms the necessary
> respect of the integrality of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of
> Human Rights on freedom of expression, of information and of
communication."
>
> Renata Bloem, President of the Conference of Non-Governmental
Organizations
> in consultative relationship with the United Nations (CONGO) said:
>
> "We wish to thank the President of the Preparatory Committee, and we
> acknowledge the Tunisian Governments role in ensuring that Mme Souhayr
> Belhassen was able to take the floor in the inter-governmental plenary
> despite challenges to her right to speak on behalf of civil society."
>
> Civil society organisations working in Hammamet have faced serious
> obstacles and challenges to established modes of operation which, in the
> previous phase in Geneva, have been productive in developing consensus and
> effective civil society input to the inter-governmental process. In the
> light of these difficulties, civil society will be reviewing its practices
> and procedures in order to ensure that the diversity of opinions and
> perspectives that we represent can continue to be freely expressed.
>
> The role of civil society is not simply one of assisting with
> implementation but also observation, monitoring and holding governments to
> account. During the second phase of the summit we will continue to provide
> a constructive but critical input to the process.
>
> In order to improve the conditions in which we can best contribute we call
> upon the WSIS Preparatory Committee to provide additional time and space
> for civil society input to the process including mechanisms for effective
> and substantive dialogue with governments. We also seek the removal of
> barriers to participation for civil society organizations that are
> constituted but have been refused registration by the appropriate
> authorities in their country of operation.
>
> Despite serious difficulties we have faced we consider the outcomes of the
> Preparatory Committee in Tunisia to be an important step forward in facing
> the complex challenges of the information society.
>
> -ends-
>
> Further information:
>
> Steve Buckley, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC)
> Tel: +44 7801 945037
> Karen Banks, Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
> Tel: +44 7712 553582
> Coordinators of the WSIS Civil Society Content and Themes Group
>