For Information: IGF 2009 event rattled by UN Security Office

[rusdiah]

how did it happened... event such as IGF should be open to any idea and
protest as long as it is done peacefully.

even in WTO Ministry Summit Cancun in 2003 that ended in deadlock, the
Anti WTO was allowed to protest in the forum... although after that they
were escorted peacefully out of the forum/summit.

in WSIS Tunis registration was open to all civil society and NGO and
such protest about China also occured... if not mistaken...
anybody has more info ?
rgds, rr

Robin Gross wrote:
> Thanks for forwarding this story, Fouad.  I was very disappointed to
> hear the UN Security Forces were being used to remove unsanctioned
> content from the meeting.  However, I'm  not there, and am very keen
> to hear from those who were present at this incident more facts and
> impressions about what actually happened and why, as there are
> conflicting reports, and this is a very serious incident.
>
> Thanks,
> Robin
>
>
> On Nov 16, 2009, at 1:11 AM, Fouad Bajwa wrote:
>
>> Forwarded for information:
>>
>> IGF 2009 event rattled by UN Security Office:
>> http://www.mis-asia.com/news/articles/igf-2009-event-rattled-by-un-security-office
>>
>> "If we cannot discuss topics about Internet censorship and
>> surveillance policy at a forum about Internet governance then what is
>> the point of something like the IGF," said Ron Deibert, director of
>> the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for
>> International Studies and one of ONI's principal investigators.
>> By Rabia Garib
>>
>> KARACHI, 15 NOVEMBER 2009 - An anti-censorship group holding an event
>> Sunday at the United Nations-sponsored Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
>> in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, was disrupted by UN officials who demanded
>> removal of a poster that mentioned Internet firewalls in China.
>>
>> According to a Pakistani delegate, Shahzad Ahmed of Bytesforall.net, a
>> reception hosted by Open Net Initiative (ONI) was rattled by IGF
>> security, who objected to a poster advertising "Access Controlled", a
>> book being introduced at the event. "The poster was thrown on the
>> floor and we were told to remove it because of the reference to China
>> and Tibet. We refused, and security guards came and removed it. The
>> incident was witnessed by many," Ahmed reported.
>>
>> The poster promoting ONI's forthcoming book, "Access Controlled" was
>> removed by the IGF's organizers because a sentence in the poster
>> apparently violated UN policy. The sentence in question reads, "The
>> first generation of Internet controls consisted largely of building
>> firewalls at key Internet gateways; China's famous "Great Firewall of
>> China" is one of the first national Internet filtering systems."
>>
>> "If we cannot discuss topics about Internet censorship and
>> surveillance policy at a forum about Internet governance then what is
>> the point of something like the IGF," said Ron Deibert, director of
>> the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for
>> International Studies and one of ONI's principal investigators.
>>
>> Deibert, one of the organizers of the reception, said he will file a
>> complaint against the censorship of the event and send it to the
>> United Nations Human Rights Commission.
>>
>> "We condemn this undemocratic act of censoring our event just because
>> someone is trying to impress or be in the good graces of the Chinese
>> government. It is ironic that while people are allowed to gather here
>> to discuss freedom of expression online, censorship and surveillance
>> practices on the Internet, we are being restricted in expressing our
>> views," said Al Alegre of the Foundation for Media Alternatives, a
>> member of the ONI Network.
>>
>> --
>> Regards.
>> --------------------------
>> Fouad Bajwa
>> Advisor & Researcher
>> ICT4D & Internet Governance
>> Member Multistakeholder Advisory Group (IGF)
>> Member Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus (IGC)
>> My Blog: Internet's Governance
>> http://internetsgovernance.blogspot.com/
>> Follow my Tweets:
>> http://twitter.com/fouadbajwa
>> MAG Interview:
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATVDW1tDZzA
>
>
>
>
> IP JUSTICE
> Robin Gross, Executive Director
> 1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA  94117  USA
> p: +1-415-553-6261    f: +1-415-462-6451
> w: http://www.ipjustice.org     e: robin at ipjustice.org
> <mailto:robin at ipjustice.org>
>
>
>


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