Re: [ga] Re: [CRIS Info] Freedom of expression statement

[Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Eric and all,

I agree to a great degree with your remarks and/or assessment.  I would
add or suggest that due to the raucous contention between the developed
democratic world and the countries whose governments are distrustful
of each other that nearly any claim from one against the other is often
believed regardless of whether or not there is a grain of truth
involved.

Many UN member states and UN organizations are distrustful of
leading democratic countries, and recently for some good reasons
as well as not so good ones.

The US even has attempted and are still attempting to limit or
control the internet in ways that are exclusive to a large block
or American citizens by politically motivated means that are
questionable at best.  Hence why our members are adamant
and concerned accordingly.

Hugh Dierker wrote:

>    Jeff,
>
>   This is why the UN cannot be allowed to run the Internet. These
> fascist dictators are part and parcel of the group. The representative
> from Tunisia could easily end up being the Chairman of the Internet
> Governance board. These are the folks who really want the control over
> the Internet because it is the power of free flow of information - and
> that is anathema  to them, for it will bring them down.
>
>   e
>
> Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>     Steve and all,
>
> This is laugh or a sick/bad joke.
>   <snip>
>    ?Never again should a United Nations World Summit be held in a
> country that
>  does not respect its international commitments to human rights and
> freedom  of expression."
> <snip>
>
> > ?This week in Tunis, both inside and outside the official Summit, we
> have
> > witnessed serious attacks on the right to freedom of expression
> including
> > harassment of delegates, attacks on Tunisian and international
> journalists
> > and human rights defenders, denial of entry to the country, the
> blocking of
> > websites, the censorship of documents and speeches, and the
> prevention and
> > disruption of meetings.?
> >
> > In the face of these attacks, it is with relief that we acknowledge
> the
> > reaffirmation of human rights principles and the right to freedom of
>
> > expression that is contained in the Tunis Commitment of the World
> Summit on
> > the Information Society.
> >
> > On 30 September 2005, 37 governments called on Tunisia to make the
> WSIS a
> > ?Summit in Tunisia, not a Summit on Tunisia?. This week?s events
> have put
> > the spotlight not only on Tunisia but also on the central importance
> of
> > human rights and freedom of expression in the information society
> > throughout the world.
> >
> > We call on all stakeholders to ensure that human rights and freedom
> of
> > expression is mainstreamed into all follow-up mechanisms including
> the
> > Internet Governance Forum and we commit ourselves to working towards
> that
> > objective.
> >
> > This week has also reminded us of the importance of being constantly
>
> > vigilant and of the courage of those who speak out in the face of
> > repression and censorship. In this respect we welcome the decision
> of the
> > Tunisian human rights defenders who agreed today to end their hunger
>
> > strike. We commit ourselves to working with them and other brave
> defenders
> > of human rights to continue to monitor freedom of expression in
> Tunisia.
> >
> > -ends-
> >
> > For more information, please contact: Steve Buckley: + 216 95 703
> 827 or
> > Alexis Krikorian: + 41 79 214 55 30 and see:
> http://campaigns.ifex.org/tmg
> >
> > Note to editors:
> >
> > The Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) is a coalition of 14
> organisations set
> > up in 2004 to monitor freedom of expression in Tunisia in the run up
> to and
> > following the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The 14
>
> > organisations are all members of the International Freedom of
> Expression
> > Exchange (IFEX), a global network of 64 national, regional and
> > international organizations committed to defending the right to
> freedom of
> > expression.
> >
> > Members of the TMG are: Article 19, International Federation of
> Journalists
> > (IFJ), International Federation of Library Associations and
> Institutions
> > (IFLA), International Publishers Association (IPA), Index on
> Censorship,
> > PEN Norway, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
> (AMARC),
> > Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, World Press Freedom
> Committee
> > (WPFC), Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), International
> PEN
> > Writers in Prison Committee, Journalistes en Danger (JED), Media
> Institute
> > of South Africa (MISA), World Association of Newspapers (WAN).
> >
> > Contact details:
> >
> > Tunisia Monitoring Group
> > c/o IFEX Clearing House
> > 489 College Street, Suite 403
> > Toronto, Ontario M6G 1A5
> > Canada
> >
> > Tel: +1 416 515 9622
> > Email: ifex@xxxxxxxx
> >
> > -francais-
> >
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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Regards,
--
Jeffrey A. Williams
Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 134k members/stakeholders strong!)
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