A letter was presented to the WSIS Executive Secretariat drafted by the Korean Civil Society Network for WSIS (KCSN), a network of 17 civil society organisations based in Korea who are very much involved in the goings-on of WSIS events. Members of the KCSN discussed the important affairs related to the accreditation and observers' status in the official process of WSIS, and they recently presented their conclusions as requests to the Executive Secretariat of the WSIS. The KCSN gathered endorsements for the letter from other civil society entities and the letter was sent in the last week of June 2003. On 02 July 2003, swift response was received by the KCSN from the Executive Secretariat.
We are posting both the KCSN letter and the reply in full below for people to see how the official body replies to civil society requests and criticisms. Perhaps, in a way, it also lets newcomers in the WSIS process assess how communication between the two parties flow, and also foreshadows how future talks will run in the upcoming major WSIS events.
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The KCSN letter:
To Executive Secretariat (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
World Summit on the Information Society
International Telecommunication Union
Place des Nations
1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
Dear Executive Secretariat for WSIS,
We, Korean Civil Society Network for WSIS (KCSN), thank the executive secretariat's efforts for WSIS. KCSN was launched in May, 2003 and seventeen civil society organizations including Korean Progressive Network (Jinbonet), PeaceNet, Labor News Production, Korean Federation for Environment Movement, Korean Labor Net, People's Solidarity for the Participatory Democracy, IPLeft, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Korean Christian Network, Media Center, Civil Network for Cultural Reform, Korea Women's Association United Citizens' Action Network, Korea Contingent Workers Center, Asia Pacific Workers Solidarity, Research Institute for the Disables' Rights and Interest, and Kangwon Branch of the Korean People's Artists Federation, have participated in KCSN.
KCSN would like to propose the important amendments on the accreditation and observers' status in the official process of WSIS, based on the discussion and evaluation by the participating organizations and individuals in KCSN. The detailed proposal is as follows.
- Accreditation process
WSIS secretariat announced that all of the civil society entities and NGOs should get the accreditation in order to join the official process of WSIS. The secretariat requests at least three materials for the accreditation -- annual report (2001 and 2002), financial report (2001 and 2002) and constitutional status document. But, lots of civil society entities have already been doing many activities for WSIS without any legitimated accreditation. And civil society division of executive secretariat for WSIS announced that it decided to gather the information regarding the national initiatives that are developing around the summit in each county.
Civil society organizations and NGOs have usually made coalition, caucus, committee or network for WSIS and already carried out many activities at national, regional and international levels.
But now there is very serious problem to the accreditation process. If any civil society entities including organization, network, caucus, and committee don't get the accreditation, they cannot join the official process of WSIS, however they should be considered as one of the most important and active constituencies for WSIS, and can provide significant contribution to the declaration and action plans for WSIS.
Especially, anyone from newly launched organization, network, caucus, and committee after 2002 cannot fundamentally take part in the official process because of the accreditation. For example, Korean civil society network for WSIS was launched in May 2003, and has organized many activities for WSIS at national and regional levels. But this network has no documents which WSIS secretariat requested for the accreditation. And many civil societies in other countries are facing similar problems like us.
Korean civil society network for WSIS requests that the accreditation process should be modified to a new one based on more open, democratic and transparent rules of procedure. As there are already many accredited organizations and entities, we propose that the accredited organizations and entities can recommend other non-accredited organizations and entities to join the official process of WSIS, instead of the existing accreditation process. The detailed process of alternative can be as follows.
- The WSIS secretariat receives the recommendation from accredited organization.
- The WSIS secretariat announces it on the website for certain period (about one week)
- On the condition that there is no objection of the recommendation, the recommended organizations or entities will be considered to get the accreditation, with the announcement by WSIS secretariat.
- If there is any objection, then there will be direct discussion with the accredited organizations or entities, which recommended others, and decide. (Detailed regulations on conflict resolution process should be made)
- Observers' status
Observers' status including civil society is very vague and mostly unfair compared than the government status in the WSIS process. The UN announced, "In Resolution 56/183 the General Assembly also encouraged contributions from all relevant UN bodies and other intergovernmental organizations, including international and regional institutions, non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector to actively participate in the intergovernmental preparatory process of the Summit and the Summit itself." And it adds, "It (WSIS) aims to bring together Heads of State, Executive Heads of United Nations agencies, industry leaders, non-governmental organizations, media representatives and civil society in a single high-level event. The roles of the various partners (Member States, UN specialized agencies, private sector and civil society) in ensuring smooth coordination of the practical establishment of the information society around the globe will also be at the heart of the Summit and its preparation."
However, observers' participation in the official process of WSIS has been varied and limited. Back in the situation to the PrepCom II, civil society could speak only thirty minutes total in official meeting for two weeks.
Although the UN emphasizes that all the key stakeholders' participation including government, private sector and civil society is very important in this WSIS process, in reality, observers activities are very limited even to speak their attitude and opinions.
Korean civil society network for WSIS requests that fair status of observers in the WSIS process should be guaranteed in every step and process. At least, observers should be able to speak their opinion in the equal position of the governments.
Korean civil society network for WSIS honestly requests these two affairs which we assume are critical factors for democratizing the process.
Hope to hear you soonest.
Sincerely yours,
PatchA
International Coordinator
Korean Civil Society Network for WSIS.
http://www.wsis.or.kr----
The Executive Secretary's reply:
From: WSIS Geneva 2003 [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.]
Subject: Re: Letter to Secretariat from Korean Civil Society Network for WSISDear Sir, Madam,
First of all thank you for your proposition we read it with great attention. Unfortunatly the Civil society division is unable to change the rules of procedures decided by the governements at PrepCom1, not even the Executive secretariat. However, concerning the new entities, especially those created this year, we don't ask them the documents that they couldn't provide. Generally we add a short note to their files explaining that some documents are missing because they don't exist.
We hope that you will understand our position and our efforts to facilitate civil society's involvement in the Summit process.
Thank you
RegardsCivil Society Division/Division socie'te' civile
Executive Secretariat/Secre'tariat exe'cutif
World Summit on the Information Society/
Sommet Mondial sur la Socie'te' de l'Information
The 
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WiA 
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