--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- *APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC)* - October 2000 No. 14 - --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS -- -- NEWS FROM APC -- -- NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS -- -- APC ACTION AREA: INTERNET RIGHTS -- -- COLLABORATING OPPORTUNITIES - -- ONLINE EVENTS -- -- SITES OF INTEREST -- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS -- AUTUMN IN PRAGUE SPECIAL ECONNECT, Czech Republic: The World Bank and IMF descend and Czech APC member, Econnect, documents the events Katerina Fialova, of Econnect, APC member in Prague, writes: "The last two weeks of September in Prague were completely dominated by one event - the annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank in Prague. Econnect's main goal was not just to provide technical support to the related NGOs (INPEG, one of the most quoted Websites in the international media was created by Econnect) but also to supplement and provide a different perspective to the information available to the Czech public from the traditional Czech media." A fascinating report from APC's member in the Czech Republic: http://www.apc.org/english/news/fulltext.shtml?sh_itm=da651bb47d7ac10feff430e64e7305e0 IGC, USA: Demonstrations outside the World Bank and IMG meeting in Prague The IGC site had extensive coverage of the Prague demonstrations, including: Undercurrents Report Live from Prague 26 Sept 2000 http://headlines.igc.apc.org:8080/pnheadlines/969994509/index_html Spirits, Tensions Run High in Prague http://headlines.igc.apc.org:8080/pnheadlines/969988938/index_html OBSERVATIONS FROM PRAGUE - How Internet Technology Supports Protest against the IMF and the World Bank A special informal, report from Michael de Beer is a computer programming consultant, formerly of IGC, USA, and currently a volunteer technician with Jubilee 2000 in London. Read more: http://www.apc.org/english/news/fulltext.shtml?sh_itm=542e29da1e45250211e7c671881f8030 BLUELINK, Bulgaria: Save Pirin Mountain: World Heritage Site under threat from developers 15 September 2000 -- BlueLink, APC's newest member organization, has launched a Website to facilitate an international campaign to save Pirin Mountain, a Bulgarian national park on the World Natural Heritage list, which is under threat from ski resort construction. Campaign organizers, Balkani Wildlife Society and other Bulgarian nature protection organizations working on biodiversity conservation, have launched the campaign to inform the international community about alarming developments in the Pirin National Park. A ski zone had already been illegally constructed in the Park above the town of Bansko in the 1980s. In recent years, under the pressure of private investors, a campaign for enlargement of the ski zone was started, and in August this year, the Ministry of the Environment and Waters finally said yes to the construction project, despite the protests of Bulgarian NGOs. Read: http://www.apc.org/english/news/fulltext.shtml?sh_itm=fae32cd70d20b6976c40d83d7c5c5f83 GREENNET, UK: New GreenNet site launch coincides with European Human Rights Act GreenNet, a non-profit Internet Service Provider, and APC member in the UK, launched their new Website to coincide with the European Human Rights Act which came into force in Britain on October 2. The site presents a special focus on human rights issues, with a particular emphasis on the threats faced by the civil society Internet-using public. Read more: http://www.apc.org/english/news/fulltext.shtml?sh_itm=d41043 9c08815292e2b45d01f0d418b8 WOMENSNET/SANGONET, South Africa: Women'sNet Scoops an award at the Highway Africa 2000 12 September 2000 -- Women'sNet has received an "Innovative users of Internet" award at the Highway Africa Conference 2000. The spirit of the award is to inspire greater usage of the Internet on the African continent, with the purpose of improving and expanding our media and through it empower the people of Africa. Read more: http://www.apc.org/english/news/fulltext.shtml?sh_itm=8fab1164378cd25d8abe370f19079d79 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM APC -- APC: Meet APC's Newest Member: BlueLink, environmental networkers in Bulgaria APC is delighted to announce the integration of our newest member - BlueLink of Bulgaria. BlueLink started out in 1998, as a joint project of eight Bulgarian environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from different cities who wanted to connect Bulgarian NGOs, educational and academic centres and the media in a computer information network. The aim is to provide access to accurate environmental information about Bulgaria, and assist the consolidation and strengthening of the Bulgarian environmental movement through networking, information sharing and practical cooperation. Read more: http://www.apc.org/english/news/fulltext.shtml?sh_itm=2156e328fbd157cb46e1fd0fe467301e FROM APC: Proposed World Bank Development Portal Provokes International Outrage from Civil Society Hundreds of people world-wide, including APC and its members, have sent a joint letter to the World Bank President expressing major concerns about a new $60 million Bank Internet Portal initiative. The Global Development Gateway aims to become "the premier Web entry point for information about poverty and sustainable development". Read the letter: http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/action/gdg/gdgltfnl.html --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS -- JINBONET, Korea: Jinbonet offices raided by police following online "sit-in" at government Website August 29, 2000 -- The Website of the Korean Ministry of Information & Communication was downed on August 26th for 10 hours after Korean Internet users inundated the Website bulletin board with protest messages against the ministry's proposed legislation for Communication Decency. The legislation, which the Korean Ministry of Information and Communication is presenting as de rigueur internationally, will introduce a ratings system censoring what Koreans can read on the Internet. The protest was advertised as a "virtual sit-in", a legitimate form of demonstration in Korea. However, for the sit-in, some participants created a Javascript file to run against the site. The site eventually was closed down by the file's action. "Causing the Website to shut down by using the files is to purposely obstruct the service. So it is illegal," stated a Korean government official. Three days later, the cyber- terrorism prevention center in the police department investigated Jinbonet (Korean Progressive Network), and APC partner, on August 29th. To find out more about Jinbonet's campaign, visit: http://www.apc.org/english/news/fulltext.shtml?sh_itm=8ec5894688fcc1685369c29d5dd6dc73 Jinbonet would be especially interested to hear about the Internet ratings system in your country (if one exists): write to jinbo@jinbo.net. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- COLLABORATING OPPORTUNITIES -- COLLABORATION NEEDED APC-WNSP: Part-time "Lessons Learned" researcher needed The APC's Women's Networking Support Program is looking for a researcher for our "Lessons Learned: Building Strong Internet-Based Women's Networks" project. The complete project is a research, documentation and training effort to create resources and tools that will enable women's organizations as well as ICT project planners to implement successful women's networking initiatives over eighteen months. This is a part-time position spread over eight weeks. The research shall commence on October 23, 2000 and the final research report is due on December 20, 2000. APC- WNSP comprises active and committed members from all regions of the globe who work independently and autonomously on a wide variety of approaches and actions to empower women in the use of ICTs. Lessons Learned Researcher: http://www.apcwomen.org/projects/llresearch.html Please apply before October 11, 2000. Peace Brigades International (UK): Human Rights observers wanted Peace Brigades International, a human rights organization working for the transformation of conflict, is organizing an orientation weekend for prospective volunteers wanting to work as International Human Right Observers in countries such as Colombia, Mexico, The Balkans, and Indonesia. The orientation weekend of 16th to 19th of November will explore issues such as the role of a non-partisan human rights organization implementing non-violent alternatives in conflict areas. E-mail: pbibritain@gn.apc.org Hnutí DUHA/Friends of the Earth, (Czech Republic): Two environmentalists needed Hnutí DUHA are looking for two people for a very good international energy-saving project in Eastern Europe. The international coordinator and his/her assistant will coordinate the Clean Energy Network (CEN). This is a project for energy efficiency implementation within Central and Eastern Europe and the area of the former Soviet Union (Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Ukraine and Georgia). Both positions are for four years. For more information, visit: http://www.hnutiduha.cz/akce/zamestnani.htm --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- UPDATE ON THE APC-ICANN AWARENESS RAISING CAMPAIGN ICANN Elections: PROMOTE DEMOCRACY IN CYBERSPACE! - Are you registered to vote in the ICANN elections? Act NOW! Elections are October 1-10. - I want to support a pro-civil society candidate. What can I do? APC recommends that if you want to support a pro-civil society candidate in: *Africa - vote for Nii Quaynor *Asia - no recommendation *Europe - vote for 1. Andy Mueller-Maguhn; and 2. Jeanette Hofmann *Latin America and Caribbean - vote for Raúl Echeberria *North America - vote for 1. Lawrence Lessig; 2. Barbara Simons; and 3. Karl Auerbach - How should I vote? You need to vote between October 1 - 10 by visiting the ICANN members Website . ICANN is using the Alternative Voting System in the election. You can rank the candidates in order of preference, that is, "1" for first choice, "2" for second choice, etc. However, there are a limited number of pro-civil society, pro-development candidates. APC recommends you only vote for the candidates we mention, in the order we mention. Please do not vote for any of the other candidates, because, even if you give them a low ranking, this will increase their chances of winning. - Who to vote for: http://www.apc.org/english/rights/governance/icann_candidates.htm - Why are they recommended? http://www.apc.org/english/rights/governance/icann_rationale.htm APC's recommendations are based on discussions with APC members and partners, and in the Civil Society Internet Forum (CSIF). --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- ONLINE EVENTS -- II Virtual Seminar on Communication and Education 10 October - 31 December The Faculty of Political Science (Social Communication Dept.) of the National University of Rosario, Argentina, invites you to join them in their second virtual seminar, this time on "Consumo cultural, practicas y aprendizaje de las nuevas tecnologías de comunicación e información. Redes, conocimiento y educación." (Networks, Knowledge, and Education). On October 10, the first discussion paper will be presented and the discussion opened. Every 10-14 days, a new paper will be presented and discussed. At the end of each discussion, a summary of debate will be produced, and at the end of the seminar, the papers and related discussions will be published online. Papers and discussion will be located on www.educ.ar, and also sent to all participants via email. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- SITES OF INTEREST -- InfoDev/IICD ICT Stories Project Competition 2000 The goal of the competition is to capture the learning process that accompanies the introduction and implementation of ICTs for development. These stories describe good practices and lessons learned from contributors' experiences. The four winners were announced in September. You can read their stories here: http://www.infodev.org/stories.html To read all stories collected, including from last year's competition: http://www.iicd.org/stories/ --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- APCNews, in English, and APCNoticias, in Spanish, are distributed the first week of every month by APC, the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the global Internet community for peace, human rights, development and the environment. APCNews Archive: http://www.apc.org/english/news/apcnews/ Copyright. 2000 Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Permission is granted to use this document for personal use and for training and educational publications and activities by peace, environmental, human rights or development organizations. Please provide an acknowledgment to APC.