The Daily Summit - December 07, 2003 - December 13, 2003 Archives

[NEWS AND VIEWS]

December 12, 2003

"Citizens media meets bulldog journalism; finds the future of news," writes Jeff Jarvis

"I'm witnessing the future of journalism unfold over at DailySummit.net.

"There, a bunch of webloggers sent there by the British Council (can someone explain them to me?) are covering the U.N. World Summit on Information Society with a vibrancy, immediacy, passion, imagination, doggedness, and openness you simply won't find in big media...

"This is what journalism is meant to be.

"This isn't some new form of journalism. This is the result of a few centuries of the evolution of journalism.
We, the readers, get to ask the questions we want to ask of those in power and we get answers. That's what it's all about, isn't it?

"Now, it helps immensely that the people in Geneva for Daily Summit know their stuff and also ask the right questions at every opportunity.

"Give the chance to interview the man in charge of the Iranian Internet, they got to confront him and ask about the arrest of weblogger Sina Motallebi (the frightening event that first introduced me and many of us to the Iranian weblog revolution). The mullahs' bureacrat lied and shuffled away from the point. But the confrontation tells them: The whole world is watching, boys.

"You can call that advocacy journalism or bulldog journalism or just good reporting. It's all that."

Thanks. It's been fun. We'll keep you updated with all the post-WSIS reaction.

But first, a drink...

David Steven | 09:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Last word. It's a success, Jim, but not as we know it. Despite failing to discuss the most important issue (who governs the internet) and making limited progress on how change should be funded in the developing world (contributions are voluntary) the Summit's heads were cheerier than a lioness in heat.

Pascal Couchepin, the Swiss President, said that he was pleased that there was any agreement at all.

"Some feared that we were holding a shallow and empty shell of a meeting," said Moritz Leuenberger, the Swiss minister of communications. The fact that he thinks otherwise tells you more about the nature of United Nations summits than it does about the achievements at Geneva.

M Couchepin believes that despite an impasse so insurmountable that the subject could not even appear on the agenda, negotiations over who governs the internet had come along in leaps and bounds. "To begin with, [private companies] were not prepared to accept that they had any control over the internet at all," he said. "We did not reach an agreement but we were able to agree on the process. This is something positive that was not manageable two months ago."

As for the Global Solidarity Fund (the means through which non-Western countries envisioned that Western countries would help them to build their digital infrastructure) Summit leaders believed that they had not been compromised by their compromise. "Not all member governments are satisfied with the plan of actionâ€¦ but I believe that they are more or less satisfied," said Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union.

Scepticism aside, however, it was unrealistic to expect concrete results from this World Summit. Just because the digital world operates at such a rapid pace, one should not expect UN summits to keep up. Perhaps Nitin Desai, special assistant to Kofi Annan, got it right when he said: "I've been doing this for 10 years now. No UN conference is a pledging conference."

On a final note, Mr Utsimi revealed that he had once had a language test with the British Council as a foreign student. Did he pass? "No," he replied. From the closing press conference you would hardly have known.

Jack Malvern | 09:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Business as usual. Business knows to behave itself at UN conferences. Don't come in strength. Smile a lot. And use the word 'partnership' whenever things get dicey.

Its final statement came in the form of a speech from Richard McCormick, honorary chair of the ICC. In most part, it was another a plea for the status quo and also for patience.

Business will deliver ICTs, if government keeps out of the way. ICTs will change lives for the better, if people receive sufficient education and training.

Oh - and hands off the internet. "Do we want to blunt this remarkable tool at the precise moment it is poised to bring about the most positive change in people's lives?"

In the end, though, one should remember that few of the business leaders who really matter to ICT were here. No Larry Ellison. No Carly Fiorina. No Bill Gates (who, of course, is a huge donor, as well a business giant).

They're probably coming to Switzerland - but for the World Economic Forum in Davos early next year. Perhaps Daily Summit missed something, but WSIS seems to have passed well-below their radar.

David Steven | 08:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A quiet summit. Civil society has had a quiet summit. It has delivered few of the press conferences, eye-catching stunts and noisy demonstrations that normally keep the media entertained.

Its representatives adopted a counter-declaration, condemned the Swiss authories and summit organisers, but failed to provide a definitive assessment of the summit's outcome.

Instead, the human rights caucus delivered a somewhat lacklustre final press conference, expressing relief that "a major setback in the international consensus on human rights has been avoided in the final declaration."

After the conference, Diana Bronson said that WSIS had not been a waste of time, despite the brick wall activists had met on a number of issues.

"There is a sense of real frustration that there has been a lack of advance but it is never a waste of time for governments to sit down and talk," she said. "I am pleased that they understand that the information society is not just about laying a cable around the world."

Civil society's uncertainty has two causes. Invited into the WSIS process, it's now reluctant to stamp its feet when it doesn't get its own way. Also, it knows this is a summit of two halves. NGOs may well arrive in Tunis in much less compliant mood.

Written with Claire Regan.

David Steven | 08:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A parting shot. Civil Society wound up summit proceedings with a strongly worded statement condemning both the Swiss authorities and the summit organisers - a statement that caused Kofi Annan's special advisor, Nitin Desai, to erupt in fury when it was put to him by Daily Summit at WSIS's closing press conference.

Civil society activists, however, ducked questions over whether they would boycott the second part of the summit in Tunis, if Tunisia did not improve its human rights record. An indication, we suspect, of deep divisions within the lobby.

"We unanimously condemn the undemocratic actions of the Swiss authorities and the summit organisers in suppressing dissenting and alternative voices," the statement said.

It highlighted the eviction of Polymedia (previously reported as more cock-up than conspiracy), the alleged confiscation of newspapers, and the treatment of 50 protestors who were surrounded by 40 police officers, before being searched and taken to the police station if they refused to identify themselves.

“These events continue the pattern of political repression that has been a constant feature of public life in Geneva since the G-8 meeting early in 2003. We strongly condemn these violations of the right to assemble and freedom of expression that have cast a shadow of hypocrisy over the summit."

"I have a feeling that these people were at a different conference," Nitin Desai responded when we read extracts from the statement to him. "I would like to see who these people are, who they are speaking for, and what level of consensus there have behind them."

Civil society's troubles over Tunisia continue. Rights and democracy activist Diana Bronson said she was unable to speak on behalf of civil society, when asked whether NGOs would be prepared to go to Tunis. After the press conference, however, she told Daily Summit there was a boycott was on the cards.

“Speaking personally, I would say that there is possibility that civil society will not be going if there aren't improvements in Tunisia. But I would add that the chances of a boycott are not strong," she said.

President of Switzerland, Pascal Couchepin commented: "The decision [to go to Tunis] is absolutely clear. It was taken at international level by the United Nations. We know there are problems in Tunisia. We know progress is needed in human rights. But we don't think it is right for a single country to say anything against a decision taken by the international community."

Claire Regan | 07:27 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Good news travels fast. Digital Solidarity Day, invented by the President of Senegal little more than an hour ago, has already made it into a leading online encyclopedia...

David Steven | 06:15 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Mugabe tightens net. New Zimbawe has more on rumours that President Mugabe is planning to exert a stranglehold over the internet.

Daily Summit has just heard direct from an ISP in Zimbabwe. We are told that the government doesn't yet have the capacity to censor internet traffic, but that may change soon.

All Zimbabwean ISPs are forced to use bandwidth provided by TelOne, a government monopoly, for their outgoing traffic (although they use satellite links for incoming traffic, as Zimbabwean bandwidth is so limited).

Our source confirms strong rumours that Chinese equipment is now in place, which "would be capable of full monitoring of all Internet communications if all ISPs were forced to drop the use of the satellite downlinks that they currently use, and partial monitoring if the downlinks were left in place."

The equipment is not yet in use, however, because the government is not sure whether it is competent enough to run it. " A single point of failure for the whole Zimbabwe internet could result in catastrophic loss of communications, so they are reluctant to actually commission the equipment."

David Steven | 05:55 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Club sandwich. Rumour has it that when the Earl of Sandwich first ordered that his lunch be placed between two pieces of bread so his cards wouldn't get greasy, he added: "I'll wager that these 'sandwiches' will be so popular that, at UN conferences, they'll be eating 22,000 of them."

How could he have known? Read on for more astonishing facts to amaze your friends...

As the World Summit draws to a close, the dour citizens of Geneva are winding down their shutters in anticipation of the world's largest and most multicultural burp.

Over the last three days participants at the World Summit have drunk an estimated 38,000 cans and bottles of carbonated drinks. The spontaneous release of carbon dioxide threatens to put Switzerland in breach of its Kyoto commitments. Summit organisers who promised to make the event carbon dioxide neutral will be spending the rest of their careers planting saplings.

Government delegates feasted on 360 meals, while everyone else drank 26,000 cans of Coke. If the conference has achieved little else, [atrocious joke warning] it has at least reinforced the adage that Coca Cola is IT.

(Written with Erin Dean)

Jack Malvern | 05:34 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Get set for 12/12/2004. The President of Senegal has just declared that, from now on, December 12 every year will be celebrated as 'Digital Solidarity Day'.

We're not sure what that means, in practice, and he's not taking questions. A source tells us that, essentially, it's a fundraising exercise.

Update 1923 CET - In the closing press conferenece, ITU Secretary-General Yoshio Utsumi has confirmed that this is a "voluntary" celebration... phew.

The news has come as a shock to the people of Guadaloupe, however, who will now be torn between celebrating digital solidarity and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe. (It was on this day in 1531 that the Virgin Mary appeared before a Roman Catholic convert and told him, in his native Nahuatl language, to build a church.)

It is also tough luck for gardening fans in America who declared December 12 National Poinsettia Day (a poinsettia is a type of flower). Kenyans might also be too busy celebrating their independence day.

Honor Blackman, who will be celebrating her 77th birthday on December 12 2004, was not available for comment.

Aaron Scullion | 05:29 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Reporters excluded. Eight reporters were barred from the summit on Friday following a peaceful protest against Israel.

The correspondants from I'Lam - the media centre for Arabs48 (the Palestinians who stayed in their homes when Israel was created) - arranged their demonstration in advance with WSIS security.

They were granted permission to silently hold placards for 10 minutes saying "Free Israel", "Free Iraq" and "Stop the Wall" - the giant barrier currently being built by the Israeli government.

But when they passed through security barriers following the event they were refused re-entry. "The chief of security said that we were told there would be consequences to what we did and that it was illegal," Salma Khashiboum said.

"But we arranged it with them before the demonstration and they said we could come back in. They say that all our names have been sent to New York and we will never be allowed to another summit."

"We shouldn't be punished and treated as trouble makers or terrorists. This is a summit about information and the freedom of expression."

A spokesperson from the summit organisers told us that "the cancellation of the badges was a regrettable incident which was not intended and is the result of a misunderstanding in the agreement reached between the various parties".

Journalistic freedom has already been a controversial issue at the summit after Reporters Sans Frontiers were banned before the event even began.

Erin Dean | 04:49 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

We'll tell you why. Ahmad Motamedi, Iran's Minister of ICT, has been in the summit media centre, talking informally to Iranian journalists and bloggers.

Farshad, editor of Gooya and Gooya news, challenged the Minister directly to explain why one of his websites is blocked (and is only available to Iranians via a proxy server sponsored by the US government).

"We want to know what the limits are," he told the Minister. "You should tell us what causes a website to be blocked and how you make that decision."

Apparently, the Minister accepted this argument and took the name of Farshad's website away with a promise to email him telling him why they had been blocked. He has said he will also provide explanations to other bloggers.

Farshad, who lives in Belgium, described this as a positive step - a step closer to an informed dialogue about Iran's future.

"We're on the verge of something big," he told Daily Summit. " Weblogs are drawing on the huge energy of a new generation. This generation has changed already. In response, the regime has changed a little. If we keep changing, maybe they will keep changing too."

Farshad described President Khatami's press conference as typical of an Iranian politician. "The Iranian government has a very bad habit. They deny everything in public. But after the official press conference, in personal talks like the one we had today, they are more critical than you are of the situation in Iran!

He believes the President has limited room for manoeuvre in Iran, but he at least understands the challenges. "One of his closest advisors blogs, writing about serious issues, but also putting funny photos on his site."

A response to this story from our Arabic site - plus reaction from Iran (one, two).

David Steven | 04:47 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

UN believable (2) - JM (Jack Malvern) has been updating his list of UN acronyms..

Aaron Scullion | 04:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Academy Award goes to... anyone but the US media. Coverage of the Iraq war, and embedded reporters in particular, came under the spotlight at a workshop hosted by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The event began with the screening of four nominees, all European, in the news coverage category at the Academy's prestigious Emmy awards earlier this year. Channel Four/ITN carried off the title but the content of the final four selections provided interesting fodder for the workshop discussion.

Co-incidentally all four entries emerged from the Gulf conflict. Channel 4's programme began from Baghdad on the day Saddam fell and covered events and atmosphere in the following days. It was joined on the short list by Germany's ARD for a report on the radioactive DU ammunition, France 2 Television for a powerful piece on looting at Baghdad Museum and footage from the UK's Associated Press Television News.

The workshop was chaired by International Academy executive director Georges Le Clere and president Fred Cohen. They explained that the awards were not open to American broadcasters but that didn't stop the audience having a go at the US media and the concept of embedded journalists. Many of the comments were aimed at war coverage in general with the consensus being that the truth had been the first casualty in Iraq. The most acerbic remarks were on US journalists 'sense of theatre' and even American speakers themselves offered no defence on the discussion.

Claire Regan | 04:03 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

On the web, WSIS pictures from Caravita, more moonlighting at BBC online, and loads of detailed reports from Andy Carvin.

Also: Wizzy Digital Courier (and Community Networking's take), powerful forces ranged against free software, and Paul Boutin and Nico MacDonald weigh in...

David Steven | 03:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Geneva v. Jo'burg. Daily Summit asked Mark Malloch Brown of the UNDP, on the third and closing day of WSIS, to compare it with last year's Earth Summit in Johannesburg - which his organisation was instrumental in running.

Earth Summit issues were "middle-aged", said Malloch Brown referring to the fact that climate change, health, education and environment had been discussed at the Stockholm (1972) and Rio (1992) Summits.

By comparison WSIS issues are "in the kindergarten stage". In Geneva we've been working on the ground floor, structuring and formulating issues: in Tunis we'll be one floor higher.

ICT introduces a whole set of new pressures, business interests, technical factors and civil society concerns.

Working out which projects add value is the name of the game.

A proper policy framework often delivers more than pouring in money. But, of course, money is needed too - "Policy should not be a fig leaf behind which we give the donors any easy ride".

Andrew Taussig | 03:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Just say no. In April 1986 a very fat Briton and his fellow actors from the BBC children's programme Grange Hill shot to the top of the pop music charts with the song Just Say No.

This afternoon Nick Thorne, the plump British Ambassador to the United Nations, sang a similar tune when he took to the podium at the World Summit, giving the British verdict on whether his government would be contributing to a Global Solidarity Fund (a UN body designed to build digital infrastructure in poorer countries).

Mr Thorne was frank about the British stance. "We do not believe that a new international fund could tackle the real underlying problems," he said. "It might even divert funds away [from existing aid channels]. A fund is not the answer."

The UK was happy to provide "technical assistance" to poorer countries, but will provide cash only though existing channels.

More worrying for countries seeking change is that Britain seems to be playing down the significance of the World Summit's sequel, Tunis 2005. The UK will hold the presidency of the EU in the latter half of 2005, and wants to avoid the preparatory committees (PREPCOMS for all you acronym lovers) that proved so contentious in the run up to Geneva. "The UK believes that a light preparatory process will create the right conditions for a conference," Mr Thorne said.

This will be a punch in the teeth for non-Western countries, who need all the discussion time they can get to lobby for a change in the status quo on two issues. First, they want to get a better deal on the Digital Solidarity Fund, or something very like it. Second, they want to break the Western grip on the internet and its development - an issue known as internet governance. Tunis is the only chance non-Western countries will get to debate internet governance, a topic so controversial that it was dropped from the Geneva summit's agenda.

If the UK succeeds in limiting the debate over these two issues then the Western governments can put up the bunting and gather round the piano. They want to keep the UN out of both issues and have done a reasonable job so far.

Jack Malvern | 02:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A vision of a future. Daily Summit has been hearing from a blind Ethiopian man who plans to help others overcome their loss of sight by helping them get access to screen readers and text-to-speech software.

Despite losing his sight when he was seven, Getu Mulatu from Ethiopia finished school and went to Univeristy where he gained two degrees.

Now he has co-founded the Adaptive Technology Centre for the Blind to make it easier for other people to follow in admirable footsteps.

Mr Getu told us about his scheme which gives blind people the "liberty" to work and learn. There are estimated to be at least 500,000 blind people in Ethiopia, not including people with partial sight problems. Their future is generally bleak with most either dependent on their families or begging on the streets, Mr Getu said.

Like many he lost his sight to an illness that could have been easily treated.
"With speaking screen reader and text-to-speech software I no longer have to rely on volunteers to read to me and attend my secretarial needs," Mr Getu said.
"I can send e-mails, write reports and invitations for the centre on my own."

They have already trained more than 70 people ranging from school children to doctors. The next stage is to reach more people, particularly in the remote areas of the country, and to introduce braille equipment. But, as ever, they need second hand computers, volunteers and funds...

Erin Dean | 02:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

"Excellent, witty, well-informed" That's how Bill Thomson describes Daily Summit, while hitting the nail on the head with his WSIS review on BBC News.

Aaron Scullion | 02:24 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

The Arabic take. Arabic speakers (that's all of you, right?) shouldn't miss Ahmed Reda's coverage of yesterday's press conference with Iran's President Khatami.

Read Reda's take on Iran, Al Qaeda and Egypt, EU-Iran relations and the EU's role in defusing the recent nuclear crisis, Iranian censorship of the internet, and the heavy security cordon thrown around the press conference itself.

David Steven | 02:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

EU leaders begin crunch summit. But in Brussels. Not Geneva.

David Steven | 01:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Future, Bright. Wear Shades. The Tunisian Foreign Minister Mr Habib Ben Yahia told the Daily Summit that he is "fully optimistic" about the second phase of WSIS to be held in his country in November 2005.

It would, he promised, be the "crowning of this process".

But is Tunisia an appropriate to hold a summit which should have freedom of expression?

"We have a lot at stake," the Foreign Minister told us. "We want to come out of 2005 with a consensus and a vision of what is the of Information Technology for our society."

Critics of Tunisia are not just interested in human rights, but have a hidden agenda, he suggested. However, he admitted that Tunisia still has problems it needs to address.

As a relatively new democracy, human rights pose formidable task and challenge for Tunisia, he explained. "We are not perfect, nobody's perfect in this world."

Journalists should come to Tunisia to see for themselves, he said. They would discover many websites and magazines, offering a variety of opinions. But also some of the best hotels in the world - and more sunshine than here in Geneva.

Cara Swift | 01:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Zimbabwe clamps down? News reaches Daily Summit that Zimbabwe has ambitious plans to route all email through a government-owned hub, allowing the Mugabe regime to tighten its grip on the internet.

Apparently, the necessary equipment has been purchased. However, technicians are nervous about installing it, afraid it will break down, Without money for spares, Zimbabwe could then be cut off from the web.

We were speaking to SW Radio Africa, "the independent voice of Zimbabwe", which broadcasts to southern Africa on short wave from its base in London. Their interview with Daily Summit is now online - it starts at around 6.40 on the Thursday 11 Nov, newsreel tape.

Developing...

David Steven | 01:45 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Don't need the sunshine. Apparently, the deaths of 150,000 people in 2000 was indirectly caused by global warming - which is also responsible for 2.4% of all cases of diarrhoea and 2% of cases of malaria. So says a major WHO report...

"The 1990s were the hottest decade on record and the upward trend in the world's temperature continues," the WHO said. "In Europe this past summer for example, an estimated 20,000 people died due to extremely hot temperatures."

"Rain can also have a major impact on health. When rainfall rises above normal levels, it can collect and stagnate, and the still water provides additional breeding grounds for mosquitoes and. other vectors which transmit diseases such as malaria and dengue fever."

The report was launched at 9th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Milan, Italy.

Erin Dean | 01:36 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Swedish massage. The Swedish delegation summed up the Western world's attitude towards funding poorer countries' digital infrastructure this morning.

When asked whether she was in favour of the Global Solidarity Fund, Astrid Dufborg said: "Perhaps we can divide this into two questions. We are in favour of solidarity: but we have another position when it comes to the fund."

She continued: "We don't believe there is one kind of global fund that is appropriate for dealing with the whole issue [of the disparity in technology between rich and poor countries]. Creating a single fund would not deal with the issue. It would be more appropriate to have bilateral relations between the countries."

This is the Western world's argument in a nutshell. While poorer countries bandy the name "Digital Solidarity Fund" about the World Summit, the richer countries they have in mind for bankrolling the project are uniformly sceptical. The message coming out of Western countries is clear: we will look at the digital divide, but only through our existing aid channels. We don't rule out acting multilaterally, but with a small number of partners who will be of our choosing.

In Ms Dufborg's case, her country has joined with Ireland and Canada to fund the Global eSchools and Communities Initiative, an $80 million programme to provide hi-tech education in Namibia, Ghana, Bolivia and Andhra Pradesh in India.

The advantages of this scheme over contributing to a Digital Solidarity Fund are twofold. First, Sweden can keep a close eye on where its money is going and expand or downgrade the project at will. Second, eSchools is politically more valuable than a Global Solidarity Fund because it enables both technology and education ministers to answer their critics with one scheme.

Jack Malvern | 01:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Thanks for the links today goes to SWRadio Africa, The Guardian, Arash Arya, Sociopranos, National Institute for Technology & Liberal Education, Heinrich-Boll Foundation, Boing Boing, Notes from the Metaverse, Bob Stepno's Other Journalism Weblog, Emergent Report, Fumacas, E-business Weblog, NetWMD, Iranian Truth, International e-government, David Fletcher, mymarkup.net, nodo.org and the many British Council sites that have linked to us also

Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia & Montenegro, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE and Venezuela

Jane Frewer | 12:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Nigeria in space. Nigeria launched black Africa's first satellite (Nigersat 1) into orbit a few months ago.

Talking exclusively to Daily Summit in his Mandarin hotel room, Nigeria's Minister of Science and Technology, Turner Isoun, had some exciting news. Nigeria now plans to launch its first communications satellite.

"Our strategy now is to go into communications satellites," he told us. "We missed the industrial revolution. We can not afford to miss the IT revolution."

"Now that the Federal Executive Council (the highest decision making body in the land) has approved the project, the satellite will be our IT infrastructure backbone.

His aim: "To be able to produce goods and services for the ICT market. To massively encourage training, capacity utilisation and software."

His plan: "Using this good beginning (WSIS) to transform the present environment ensuring that, in the next four years, at least 50 percent of all the children and youths in schools are signed up to the IT world."

The Science Minister spoke with real passion about the Nigerian dream. With a population of over 120 million, an ICT revolution in Nigeria could transform prospects for Africa. And provide a ray of hope for the continent.

Oghogho Obayu | 12:49 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Is Ben bothered? Tunisia's President Ben Ali may be weighing up worries about the way his country treats journalists ahead of WSIS Part Two, set for Tunis in November 2005. He should take note of what Mark Malloch Brown, the top UN man running the organization's Development Programme (UNDP) told Daily Summit earlier today, in response to a question on media freedom: "There is no excuse for any UN official being ambiguous on Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

Andrew Taussig | 12:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Couch potatos rejoice - for sitting around watching TV is good for your health! So say the World Health Organisation, who told us "Soap operas, community radio programmes and entertainment TV have the power to mobilize people to take control of their health, both in terms of prevention and treatment."

Ary Rogerio Silva from Americas for World Health. added that "in 1985 when a famous actor used a wig on a very popular soap opera - the wig market saw a rise of 70 per cent that year."

Although this sounds frivilous, media, entertainment and ICTs can improve health.Unsurprisingly the AIDS epidemic was also high on the agenda. Advances had been made, said Mr Taiwo Allimi, Director General of Voice of Nigeria because every television and radio station in his country now has a health correspondant.
But he stressed that traditional methods of communication such as village meetings and town criers still needed to be used for an integrated communication approach.

Mr Allimi also said that the language used is very important as many villages don't know the disease as AIDS or HIV, but "blood eater".

Erin Dean | 12:17 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

After a UN/business love-in, Daily Summit asked Microsoft Managing Director for Global Affairs, Pamela Passman what the company hoped to achieve at the summit.

"It's been an incredible opportunity to put together all the stakeholders who are incredibly passionate about IT for development," Passman replied, in fluent NGO-speak. "We all have to do more. We need to engage in broader and deeper dialogue and partnerships. We have a milestone in 2005 in Tunis and we're very focused on ensuring there's some tangible developments for then."

She underlined Microsoft's "expanded relationship" with the UN (a double paranoia attack for those who worry about black helicopters or the evil empire) - especially work developing community technology centres in refugee camps in partnership with UNHCR.

Passman claimed that Microsoft had been working hard to ensure "all voices can be heard" on controversial issues such as internet governance, adding that "the focus on these issues is tremendous." And, with that, she slipped from the room...

David Steven | 10:57 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

In the news, dissenters feel ignored, Africa projects win awards, China will spare no efforts to accelerate the information society, and IT-literate children are "respected like village elders."

Also: a campaign for equal access to scientific knowledge, Zambia wants to build a self-renewing society, Geneva is agog (allegedly), and India's teaching software is revolutionary.

And, finally, no-one knows who uses the internet...

David Steven | 09:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Members-only? What is civil society? Do you have to join? Earlier in the week, an activist claimed civil society was 5 billion strong. What did the other 1 billion do wrong?

In Tunisia, it appears, civil society really is run like a club. And it has 8000 members - all of whom enthusiastically support Tunisian plans to host phase 2 of the summit:

"The 8000-member Tunisian civil society has declared it is ready to host the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS 2) in 2005," Roseleen Nzioka writes.

"Speaking exclusively to Highway Africa News Agency (HANA), the president of the giant society, Agrebi Saida, said it is because of the sheer political will and determination of the Tunisian government in partnership with the civil society that her country will host WSIS 2.

"Saida said no other country is better placed to host the second phase of the Summit, arguing that it was Tunisia that inspired the United Nations to consider hosting a summit of this nature in the first place."

David Steven | 08:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 11, 2003

Iran round-up - a long day, dominated by Iran and with lots more posting to come.

In a nutshell, we went to President Khatami's news conference, asked about Iran online, internet censorship, and find out what he knows about blogs (background).

Then we interviewed Iran's information minister.

Also - you can watch the press conference with Iran's President here - where you'll see the Daily Summit put your questions to Mr Khatami, just as we promised. And you can read a series of posts in Arabic too.

Aaron Scullion | 11:09 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Iran's ICT minister confronted. How does Ahmad Motamedi, Iran's minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), explain the huge number of websites censored in his country? "Sometimes mistakes happen," he said.

Some mistake. In a rare interview, Mr Motamedi claimed that officially just 240 sites were banned in Iran and that no-one was punished for writing anti-government messages online.

He had a harder time explaining the arrest of Sina Motallebi, the journalist and blogger held earlier this year.

For other reports of President Khatami's press conference click here, here and here.

We questioned Dr Motamedi over his claim that only 240 websites were blocked - he insisted this was the correct number, and that all political sites were available - saying only that "if they are political and mixing in some contempts against our religions and our prophets, we cut them".

We asked him to officially publish the list of the sites his government admits to banning - the minister said "it has been published for the private sector, and insisted, "all the press know what it is".

We asked him what punishments would be handed out to people who published material the government didn't approve of - Dr Motamedi insisited that his government only blocks the sites within Iran, and that "there is no punishment".

So, obviously, we had to ask about Sina Motallebi - the journalist and blogger arrested in Iran earlier this year.

Mr Motamedi first insisted he knew nothing of the story, and then said, "He has been arrested but not in relation to weblogs." The minister offered an example - "If somebody is a weblog writer, and kills somebody - should they not be arrested?".

We had one final question. Earlier this year, the government said it was a 'technical mistake' when some websites became unavailable - we asked the minister how such a mistake could happen. He pointed out that "technical problems always happen", but that he didn't know why they happened so often. He concluded - "sometimes mistakes happen" - and was ushered away.

Transcript:

Ahmed Reda: Many reports are saying 15,000 sites are blocked.

A: Most of the sites are cut. They have themselves cut it - Most of the sites that are porno and unethical are cut. We have not given any names for that - we have given them the message you cut them yourself. So anti-ethics and pornos, they have themselves cut it.

From these 240 these are sites against religion. They are contempting Prophet Mohammed and other religious principles of the people. What do you call them, political, we do not know what names you have for this, but for us it is anti-religion.

Some of them they have not criticized them in charge and authorities.

Ahmed: But I'm not speaking about the nature of the sites, I'm speaking about the number.

They have themselves cut this. Only we have given the names of these 240. But for the sites by their names it indicates that they are anti-ethical and anti-religious. They have themselves cut it.

Ahmed: How many political sites are you banning?

A: What is your definition of political?

Ahmed: Criticizing the political system and the political organisations, the executive branch?

A: From our point of view all political sites are free. No news agency has reported, for example BBC, CNN - most of them are political and they have criticised the government, but we have not closed them - they are not prohibited. But if they are political and mixing in some contempts against our religions and our prophets, we cut them.

Cara Swift: Will you officially publish the list of the 240 sites that are banned?

A: Actually it has been published for the private sector. Most of them are private, and all the press know what it is.

Aaron Scullion: What punishments can people expect if they publish websites you do not agree with?

A: Only we cut the sites - from only access from Iran. There is no punishment defined for them.

Aaron: There were reports a few months ago that one weblogger was arrested.

A: No one has been arrested. If you have any name we can follow it. We give some loans to them and promote these weblogs and sites when they are good - especially when they are in Persian.

David Steven: I have the name of the weblogger that it was claimed was arrested. Sina Motallebi.

A: Actually, it is just now that I am hearing this from you. This is not substantial and it is not in relation to weblogs. What news agency?

David: The Colombia Journalism Review. Associated Press.

A: She has been arrested but not in relation to weblogs. If somebody is a weblog writer, and kills somebody - should they not be arrested?

Aaron: Previously, some web sites in Iran were taken off line and blocked - when the government was told of this, it said it was a mistake. How could such a mistake happen?

A: Technical problems always happen. But I don't know how this is being increased. Sometimes mistakes happen.

Aaron Scullion | 10:33 PM | Comments (16) | TrackBack

Giving ICT a human face. Civil Society today delivered a counter-declaration to the World Summit, so Daily Summit talked to some leading civil society members about what they are unhappy about and why.

"Yes, WSIS has come up with certain things, but we are suspicious that a plan of action may not be able to match up our expectations," Kay Raseroka told us. "We also fear that at the end of the day market values are going to be imposed on people and this will definitely be a different kind of imperialism of ICT. This we can already see with the cell phone."

Chair of the Civil Society Coalition (CSC), Raseroka doubles as the president of the International Federation of Library Association and Institutions. "Civil society was forced to make its declaration because human issues have been left out at the summit. This is about linking people. It is the people's right to information that now seems to be surpassed by pipes and cables and all the stuff. We strongly feel that what UNESCO is trying to do is not enough."

The problem is money: "Implementation of any plan of action starts with money . Find out how much money is being put into this plan. That's a critical issues we are standing up for now."

In the same vein, USLA secretary-general Ross Shimmon said: "Look, there is too much emphasis on technology and not enough on contacts. We have discovered that some governments are more interested in controlling their population, than democratising it. We want this whole process to be more people-oriented."

Oghogho Obayu | 09:59 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

In the line of fire. Al Jazeera moderator Dr Faisal al-Kasim defended the station's decision to broadcast footage encouraging Muslims to rise up and attack Westerners, saying, "we are in the business of scoops, especially in times of war".

The presenter came under fire during a panel discussion on the role of the media in re-building post-conflict societies and in coping with a clash of cultures. But the focus of much of the discussion fell on how media coverage after some conflicts had incited further violence.

Dr al-Kasim said the US media's attitude towards the Arab world in the wake of September 11 had left tensions between the two cultures at their lowest point. He came under fire from one member of the audience concerned about their broadcasting of messages from terrorists, such as Osama bin Laden, encouraging murder.

Panel chair, BBC News anchor Mishal Husain, asked the guest if he felt responsible for carrying a message asking Muslims to rise up against the US and the West.

The West always brags about freedom of expression and then it starts to muffle others, he argued. The conflict was between Al Qaeda and the US. Why would you want to listen to only one side? Do you want us to forget about Osama bin Laden altogether? If the US had got hold of one tape or another first they would definitely have broadcast it. We are in the business of scoops, especially in times of war."

Claire Regan | 09:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Ben's Best Bet. Ben - aka Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia's President for the past 16 years - is clearly working on the "publicly done deal" principle over hosting WSIS 2. Aware of mutterings during the WSIS 1 PREPCOMS about his record on journalistic freedom, he is ignoring them and devoting his time to selling his country as host-designate.

His sales pitch includes photo-calls of himself, "Tunis 2005" baseball caps and teashirts available in Tunisia's stand conveniently located in a prestige position and references to WSIS in major speeches, not just this week in Geneva but last week when welcoming French President Jacques Chirac to Tunis.

Full marks though, for for his campaign literature and his polite staff on the stand.

Andrew Taussig | 09:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Our space is open. At last, after a long search, Daily Summit tracked down Polymedia, renegade media outfit, evicted from their first home, but now resident in a Genevan cinema/theatre.

Harassed, harangued, haunted, but happy at last! And (there's no better way one can put it) these guys are weird...

First thing you notice: no telephones. But lots of computers, all set up to disseminate what they believe to be real information, the sort that should matter to people.

Polymedia has strong links to Indymedia - a group that has been in the thick of protest against the world order. Seattle, Evian, and now Geneva - the group has a record of reporting from the heart of the action.

Now, they have been forced to relocate to two bases. The Palladium is a brown building, from which thick black and blue smoke belches off the cigarette sticks of our famous journalists. A unused projection screen lies unused, and everywhere there are computers. Close by is the Theatre de la Usine - a larger space.

The Polymedians are busy - but not too busy to speak.

First, Annie, an academic: "We use the Usine for conference talks, discussion, and debates. And in the Palladium, we are experimenting with free software, sharing knowledge and experiences, and updating Polymedia web sites. Ours is a do it yourself movement, which is why I can't tell you my second name: I don't want to sound special. Here at Polymedia, people are simply trying to escape from the rat race. We simply want the freedom to live on our own terms. We are not worried by our problems with the police. We are used to being troubled. Its our sacrifice for a freer world.."

Then American, Sasha Chock: "We do not feel free with 2,000 military and 700 police at the Palexpo. To inform the people, we do not have to go through metal detectors and checkpoints every 200 feet! We do not want to be in a space of controlled information, where they held me up yesterday and divided my papers and leaflets into two piles. The ones I could take in and the ones I couldn't."

Chock's fellow country woman, who identified herself simply as Dee Dee concluded: "The difference between our world and yours is that this space is open. Yours is not."

Oghogho Obayu | 09:34 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Do you blog? After President Khatami mentions the explosion of weblogging in Iran, Cara Swift asks: do you use weblogs, Mr President?

"I do not use weblogs," the President replied. "But I do not use many good things. My own daughters do not have weblogs but they are very active in using the internet and chat. Our youth and adolescents during high school - and university - are using weblogs very extensively. In universities, there is a lot of access and there are many internet cafes in Iran. Access for youth to the internet is very satisfactory."

David Steven | 07:27 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Only 240 sites! Aaron Scullion asked President Khatami : "Will you pledge uncensored access to the internet or publish a list of sites deemed unacceptable?"

The President replied: "The BBC, Voice of America and other American sites will not be censored in Iran. Many things that are contrary to the policies of Iran are available in Iran. Even opposition websites are available. We are exerting greater control over pornographic and immoral websites that are not compatible with Islam. And even some political sites that are very insulting to religion. But we are not censoring criticism. Criticism is OK.

"The numbers are very few - it's only porn sites. (Asks Minister of ICT for a precise number) Altogether 240 sites, the Minister tells me. The majority are porn sites, not political sites. We hope to have a world where morality will prevail and we will not have to censor any sites."

Aaron pushed Mr Khatami to justify the comments he made on Wednesday - telling the summit's plenary session that a key requirement of a knowledge based society was a commitment to "principles of democracy".

"Democracy without free flow of information, and without access to the thoughts of others, is not possible - democracy runs in tandem with freedom of expression. This does not mean that everything goes. I think many Western countries will not allow fascists or nazis or racists to say whatever they think. Stopping such ideas does not mean restriction of freedom - freedom of expression and freedom of thought are the preconditions of a democratic society - but at the same time, freedom does not mean chaos, or the absence of law and order."

David Steven | 07:24 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

President mentions weblogs! Asked by Ahmed Reda of Daily Summit who controls internet censorship in Iran, Mr Khatami replied:

"I think there are hardly any countries in the developing world, or in Islamic countries, where you have such expanded ICT networks and ICT use. Of the weblogs that are created and generated - after those in English and French, we are number three.

"There are a lot of internet connections in Iran. All countries have certain reservations about the internet, but they are not about freedom of expression. They are only porn and immoral websites. Even political websites that are openly opposed to the Iranian government, and all other educational and scientific sites, are available to the Iranian people. But the expansion of digital expression should not harm the culture or identi