[Chapter-delegates] China's remarks to the UN Human Rights Council panel on freedom of expression and the Internet

Wed Mar 7 03:17:58 PST 2012

Norbert

I have not any input into INET but I am curious as to how those countries aligned to have China make that statement on their behalf. 
Do you know who or what agency in Cambodia was involved?

- ITU rep? - UN? - IGF? - Foreign Office?, - other? 

Worth asking Prof Hu don't you think?
Would she know? ISC may handle internal matters on Internet but external affairs? 

Having her on a panel at INET may be a good opportunity to understand better how China administrates these issues. 

Christian

On 7 Mar 2012, at 10:34, nhklein wrote:

> Thanks, Markus and Christian, 
> 
> to have my question repeated again down at the end.
> 
> Should I still expect a response? Not to have responses to important questions is no new experience for me, living in Cambodia since 21 years, where the political atmosphere is characterized by some as "a culture of silence."
> 
> Still no response so far which I can quote when talking to others concerned.
> 
> But the silence is being broken: today's Cambodia Daily has an article "China Looks to Increase Media Presence" - reporting about the visit of the "Chinese Minister of State of the State Council of Information Office (SCIO), which controls the country's Internet and flow of external news" -  while a Cambodian spokesperson said that there will soon be a visit to China "to learn about how China's media and SCIO works for the interest of the Chinese people, and which media is playing a vital role in contributing to the development of China." 
> 
> Same as the ISOC panel? Probably not - that is why I asked. And still wait. I still think the the Geneva events are a serious affair. 
> 
> 
> Norbert
> 
> =
> 
> On 03/07/2012 04:34 PM, Christian de Larrinaga wrote:
>> 
>> It really does come across as bearing a ring of truth doesn't it! Well done Markus! 
>> PS Another nice touch.  The article cites the contribution of their intern Maricelo Estavillo to the article. That should be standard procedure!
>> 
>> best 
>> 
>> Christian 
>> On 6 Mar 2012, at 15:07, kummer at isoc.org wrote:
>> 
>>> To those of you who followed the UN Human Rights Council, this link to an article in IP watch may be of interest:
>>> 
>>> http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/02/29/un-human-rights-council-rallies-on-right-to-internet-freedom-of-express
>>> 
>>> The article paints a fairly accurate picture of the atmosphere of the debate, which was very formal with a strong emphasis on arcane procedural aspects. The reporter gives some space to the ISOC statement, which he apparently liked. Our statement was one of only four interventions by non-governmental actors. Otherwise, the debate was very much among government representatives. As not all of the governments who asked for the floor were given the opportunity to speak, they questioned the procedures applied to the debate (obviously resenting the fact that some non-government representatives were able to speak.) All in all, a far cry from the usual multistakeholder setting we are accustomed to and a reminder how important it is to preserve and enhance the multistakeholder approach!
>>> 
>>> Best regards
>>> Markus
>>> 
>>>  
>>> On Mar 1, 2012, at 7:35 PM, President ISOC-KH wrote:
>>> 
>>> A video from the UN Human Rights Council, dealing with the freedom of expression on the Internet, provides important material for the ISOC leadership preparing the Geneva meetings.
>>> 
>>> I share the opinion of Klaus in his recent mail: "Some consider it essential to have ISOC represented on the opening panel. You might want to answer to this."
>>> 
>>> A concept paper for this UN meeting had signaled the scope of the Panel, saying at the outset:
>>> 
>>> = = =
>>> “Panel discussion on the right to freedom of expression on the Internet
>>> 
>>> In its decision 18/27, adopted in September 2011, the Human Rights Council decided “to convene, within existing resources, at its nineteenth session, a panel discussion on the promotion and protection of freedom of expression on the Internet, with a particular focus on the ways and means to improve its protection in accordance with international human rights law.”
>>> = = =
>>> 
>>> The following is the video provided - not only focused on the "promotion and protection of freedom of expression on the Internet":
>>> 
>>> http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/2012/02/china-panel-on-right-to-freedom-of-expression-19th-session-human-rights-council.html
>>> 
>>> And this statement was made also on behalf of Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Burundi, Cambodia, Congo, Cuba, DPRK, Ethiopia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritania, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
>>> 
>>> This interesting list contains also Cambodia. When the discussion about the opening panel at the ISOC conference started, I had asked for help from the organizers to explain the list of panelists here - with China present but not ISOC leadership. - To ask this question did of course not imply to disagree with the participation of a high level Chinese speaker. I have not received a response to my question so far (and also not to several others), but the statements at the Human Rights Council - including in the name of Cambodia - motivate me to repeat my question.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Norbert
> 
> -- 
> In April 2011, I started a new blog:
> 
> ...thinking it over... after 21 years in Cambodia
> http://www.thinking21.org/
> 
> continuing to share reports and comments from Cambodia.
> Here are my latest postings:
> 
> Why such selective law enforcement? (20.2.2012)
> http://www.thinking21.org/?p=794
> 
> Myanmar’s Roadmap to Democracy (27.2.2012)
> http://www.thinking21.org/?p=800
> 
> The Freedom of Expression – China and Cambodia – and the Internet (4.3.2012)
> http://www.thinking21.org/?p=839
> 
> Norbert Klein
> nhklein at gmx.net
> Phnom Penh / Cambodia
> 
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