do-asia : Messages : 1-30 of 593

Internet and Democracy Across Asia Online Conference

(Next Message - Governance Introduction)

This message:
   * Key Rules
   * Digest Version, Summaries??
   * Web Archive, Unsubscribing

      -    -    -    -

* Key Rules

We will now enter the higher e-mail message volume phase of our
online conference.  I ask that everyone follow these rules:

1. Two Post Rule - The golden rule of the forums I work with is - No
participant may post more than twice a day (use your own time zones).
  Think before you post, "Perhaps I should wait to see what others say
before posting."

2. Stay on Topic - Focus on the general topic of the Internet and
Democracy Across Asia.  Do not send announcements that are not in
some way related to conference.

3. Be Nice - Keep focused on the issues and not personalities.  We
have people with different levels of comfort with English.  If you
don't quite understand what someone has said, ask them in a private
e-mail.  Assume that everyone has the best intent.

4. Remove E-Junk - When you reply to a message, please do not include
the FULL text of the previous message (unless you are commenting on
specific sections).  Let's keep long bunches of lines starting with
">" to a minimum.

Do not send rule complaints to the public list.  Please send them to
me directly so I can deal with any concerns <asia@...>.  My
goal is to keep the total number of messages down while encouraging
lots of participation in a free flowing conversation.  This simple
rules are my best advice after ten years of experience with online
discussions.



* Digest Version, Summaries??

To receive a number of posts bundled in one message, change your
setting to Digest mode.  Simply send an e-mail to:

      do-asia-digest@yahoogroups.com


Al Alegre of the Philippines made an excellent suggestion about
summaries from this event.  I started with the formatted intros to
encourage shorter posts with pre-summarized text.  This online
conference is a completely volunteer effort, if someone (or some
institution) out there would like to create summaries, please send me
a note <asia@...>.

When the event is over that we will have created one of the most
valuable collection of "raw material" for researchers on this topic.
That is my goal, not the generation of a report or some set of
recommendations.  I simply want us to share and gather as much
information and knowledge as possible.  I won't have time to read
everything right away either - if you are busy, store your e-mail in
a special folder for access or visit the web archive when you have
time.


* Web Archive, Unsubscribing

There are two official archives of this forum.

YahooGroups - Updated with Each Message:

      http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-asia/messages

Mail Archive - Updated Daily - Quick Reading:

      http://www.mail-archive.com/do-asia@yahoogroups.com/

If at any time you wish to unsubscribe, send an e-mail to:

      do-asia-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com


Thank you again for your participation.

Steven Clift
Democracies Online


^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

#28

From: Jack Kessler <kessler@...>
Date: Sat May 12, 2001 12:26 am
Subject: Re: Query on Studies of Asian Internet Penetration Rates

kessler@...

Christine Conlon,

Thanks for your note. You said inter alia,

> I don't think the impact on Burma of the internet can only be
> measured through how household penetration rates... its
> important to acknowledge the work done by journalists -
> freelance and otherwise - along the Thai-Burma border and
> often based in Bangkok - whose use of internet technologies
> has played an critical role in getting stories told to the
> world about the goings on inside. Also (as I mentioned in my
> introduction) the work done by small armies of computer nerds
> in the development of http://burmanet.org (and previously as
> a gopher site) has had a significant effect in the
> distribution of reliable information and debate about the
> country, when no other stories were being told.

No argument whatsoever about these and other "exceptions" --
there are good pioneers out on the Nets breaking the ice.
http://burmanet.org is a really interesting site.

The question for "democracy", though, is how representative of
the local scene these exceptions are. I would hate to draw
generalizations myself, or see them drawn by others, about "the
effect of the Internet on democracy in Burma", based upon news
reporter and other exceptional usage. These may help open local
things up, eventually. But until the local folks are voting and
otherwise participating in a democratic system, the Internet
hasn't brought democracy to Burma, I think myself.

That last will be a function of a lot more than just the Internet
-- and along the way the Internet could be used to suppress
democracy, as well as help it -- I think too many Netizens think
you just plug the new technology in and "democracy" magically
happens, while a place like Burma is more complicated than that.


Jack Kessler, kessler@...

#27

From: "Jamus Jerome Lim" <jamus@...>
Date: Sat May 12, 2001 3:51 am
Subject: RE: Asian Internet Penetration

jamus@...

Hi,

> The statistics are "sticky" because
>
> (1) Many frequent users have multuple ISP accounts, resulting in
duplication;

Agreed, but I think it is far more likely that individuals hold multiple
e-mail accounts as opposed to ISP accounts, since free Internet access is
still uncommon in many parts of (east) asia. There is an opportunity cost
to holding on to an isp account if it is unused, since the modal charging
methodology remains one based on a subscription fee rendering a fixed
number of hours/MB downloaded (excess of which is additionally charged).
Hence i think the overestimation of these multiple frequent users is likely
to be small.

Conversely, corporations do not need multiple access accounts, since they
have a single fixed IP address which they then network out to local users.
This can number to anything like a few users (for small and medium
enterprises) to a few thousand (for larger companies).

From the basis of these two points I believe that Internet access is more
likely to display a negative, rather than positive, bias, and hence
underestimate the actual levels of access and penetration.

> (2) On the other hand, a majority of internet users (at least in India)
do not
> have own ISP links, they use Yahoo, Hotmail, Rediffmail (in India) etc.
> webmail from various locations.

Again, this is primarily an email issue, not an ISP issue.

> (3) In India, recently the "Cybercafe" business is growing very very fast
(by
> probably >200% per year).  The "cafe" part is now optional.  Basically
they

This is a, in my opinion, very welcome development. It is heartening to see
the private sector take up much of the slack in the differential levels of
Internet access. It also goes to show that if telecommunications services
were liberalised further, competition would force down prices and these
cafes - that often have to buy bandwidth from a main (often monopoly)
provider - will then pass on savings to the general public. This can only
be good for addressing the digital divide issue. I can forsee this model as
the way ahead for Asian Internet provision, given the poor
telecommunications infrastructure in many of these countries to begin with.

> two-thoirds of Indians using the web for personal use may be using such
outlets.

Again, this reinforces my point that the statistics are likely to
underestimate actual access levels. Nonetheless, there is a need to
recognise that access in a cafe every now and then is not equatable to
access from home or work, since access in public places are far more likely
to be used for recreational, as opposed to research or work-related
purposes.

To wrap up and again tie this in to democracy, although the statistics may
be questionable, they provide good ballpark figures for the purposes of
policy. Likewise, they also reflect (broadly) the levels of penetration,
which I personally believe feeds on into enhancing democratic processes.
Although it is certainly not definitive, I feel that it would be
interesting to see how strong correlations between the levels of democracy
and the levels of Internet penetration are.

----
Jamus Jerome Lim
Regional Economic Studies
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
jamus@...

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#26

From: "Amit Das" <adas@...>
Date: Sat May 12, 2001 6:54 pm
Subject: Asian Internet Penetration

adas@...

Amit Das wrote (>>)
---------------
Reply(>) from::
Jamus Jerome Lim
Regional Economic Studies
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
jamus@...
------------
Clarifications from Amit Das
================================================
>> The statistics are "sticky" because
>>
>> (1) Many frequent users have multuple ISP accounts, resulting in
duplication;
--------------
>Agreed, but I think it is far more likely that individuals hold multiple
>e-mail accounts as opposed to ISP accounts, since free Internet access is
>still uncommon in many parts of (east) asia. There is an opportunity cost
>to holding on to an isp account if it is unused, since the modal charging
>methodology remains one based on a subscription fee rendering a fixed
>number of hours/MB downloaded (excess of which is additionally charged).
>Hence i think the overestimation of these multiple frequent users is likely
>to be small.

>Conversely, corporations do not need multiple access accounts, since they
>have a single fixed IP address which they then network out to local users.
>This can number to anything like a few users (for small and medium
>enterprises) to a few thousand (for larger companies).

>From the basis of these two points I believe that Internet access is more
likely to display a negative, rather than positive, bias, and hence
>underestimate the actual levels of access and penetration.
-----------------------

In India at least, some ISPs have really cheap packages, say $(US) 4.25
for 50 hours; or for 30 hours (with half rate during nights and sundays).

Also one ISP tied up with HP to give away probably a hundred thousand
free 8-hour accounts with inkjet cartridges.

Since the telephone rates cost 5-10 times that much per hour, people keep
on trying different ISPs to find better options.  At one point I had four, now
I'm continuing with two.

There are one or two free ISPs in India as well, but the service  quality is
very poor.

But do see the point (3) below.
===============================================

>> (2) On the other hand, a majority of internet users (at least in India)
>>do not
>> have own ISP links, they use Yahoo, Hotmail, Rediffmail (in India) etc.
> >webmail from various locations.
------------------
>Again, this is primarily an email issue, not an ISP issue.
------------------
It becomes an ISP issue when combined with (3) below.
====================================================
>> (3) In India, recently the "Cybercafe" business is growing very very fast
(by
>> probably >200% per year).  The "cafe" part is now optional.  Basically
they....
-----------------
>This is a, in my opinion, very welcome development. It is heartening to see
the private sector take up much of the slack in the differential levels of
>Internet access. It also goes to show that if telecommunications services
were liberalised further, competition would force down prices and these
>cafes - that often have to buy bandwidth from a main (often monopoly)
provider - will then pass on savings to the general public. This can only
>be good for addressing the digital divide issue. I can forsee this model as
the way ahead for Asian Internet provision, given the poor
>telecommunications infrastructure in many of these countries to begin with.

> two-thirds of Indians using the web for personal use may be using such
outlets.

>Again, this reinforces my point that the statistics are likely to
underestimate actual access levels. Nonetheless, there is a need to
>recognise that access in a cafe every now and then is not equatable to
access from home or work, since access in public places are far more likely
>to be used for recreational, as opposed to research or work-related
purposes.

>To wrap up and again tie this in to democracy, although the statistics may
be questionable, they provide good ballpark figures for the purposes of
>policy. Likewise, they also reflect (broadly) the levels of penetration,
which I personally believe feeds on into enhancing democratic processes.
>Although it is certainly not definitive, I feel that it would be
interesting to see how strong correlations between the levels of democracy
>and the levels of Internet penetration are.
------------

Yes, indeed !!

Many of the cybercafe users are young students, who will soon join the
on-line community.  Many will also become programmers, some working
in other parts of the world.

Home internet connections in India have tripled last year and are expected
to increase 100-200% per year for the next 3 to 5 year, though from the very
small present base.

There is more good news from India.  At present there are two undersea
fibre-optic links to India from the "internet world".  The installed terminal
equipment right now (including satellite links) gives a bandwidth of only
~1,500 Mbps ( as against 350 Mbps 18 months back).  But three private
ISPs are laying three separate high-capacity fibre undersea cables in the
Singapore-Chennai (Madras) route with a total potential capacity of over
60,000,000 Mbps by end-2002.

Along with this several Government and private telecom players are laying
overground fibre-optic cable at the rate of scores of kilometres per day.
The largest private player alone is planning a 40,000 Km network with an
investment of nearly $ 4 billion.

By 2003 the basic framework should be in place in most of India for
broadband access and other new technologies.

Then (1) The Government has to use the facilities constructively;
(2) The poor-rural digital divide will become sharper unless some radical
approaches are considered.

Amit Das
Kolkata (Calcutta), India

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#25

From: "Amit Das" <adas@...>
Date: Fri May 11, 2001 5:02 pm
Subject: Asian Internet Penetration

adas@...

>My name is Jamus Lim and I am a research associate at the Institute of
>Southeast Asian Studies (http://www.iseas.edu.sg) working on regional
>economic issues (most recently, ICT in the Asia-Pacific).

>With regard to Internet penetration, there have been a few done for the
>Asia Pacific region. I am currently co-editing a conference volume on the
>ICT revolution in ASEAN that deals with this very topic.
==========================================

The statistics are "sticky" because

(1) Many frequent users have multuple ISP accounts, resulting in duplication;

(2) On the other hand, a majority of internet users (at least in India) do not
have own ISP links, they use Yahoo, Hotmail, Rediffmail (in India) etc.
webmail from various locations.

(3) In India, recently the "Cybercafe" business is growing very very fast (by
probably >200% per year).  The "cafe" part is now optional.  Basically they
link an ISDN or a DSL to a LAN, and allow many people to surf at a time
through one phone line.  The economics works out in such a way that in
competitive high-volume areas they can offer rates than the minimum
dial-up ISP rates to each customer and yet make good profits.  Some ISPs
have also franchised such agencies.  It is estimated by some that right now
two-thoirds of Indians using the web for personal use may be using such
outlets.

Amit Das
Kolkata, India

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#24

From: "Alan G. Alegre" <alalegre@...>
Date: Fri May 11, 2001 6:07 pm
Subject: Re: SMS in Phillipines

alalegre@...

A few short observations on this thread, adding to the discussion of Jim
Ayson and Jack Kessler:

1. The boom in the cellphone industry in the Philippines is economic: after
such bad service by the dominant phone company (a virtual monopoly for a
long time), liberalization of the telecoms industry and the explosion of
cellphones represented an assertion the "right to communicate" for many
citizens.

2. Yes, the "urban elite were the first adoptors", but the profile of cell
phone subscribers now (using especially "pre-paid" phone cards) shows very
significant numbers from among the middle class, even in the rural areas.
And even now, urban poor and peasant leaders, social activists accross the
economic spectrum, and eve (in a sense part of my country's "political
elite", in a countercultural sense) as well as migrant workers/domestic
workers/informal sector workers in the cities (who want to keep in touch
with their families in the rural areas) are snapping up cellphones the
prices of which has plunged. (as low as US$ 60-70, still not affordable to
the poorest, but affordable to many now.)

3. It is also very cultural: Filipinos are a very communicative people. Many
are speculating that this cultural phenomenon stems from this propensity of
Filipinos to talk and talk. :-)

4. The emphasis of some activists and civil society workers is in harnessing
this technology is to enhance their communication and  networking functions
as "information multipliers"/"info-mediaries" to the vast majority who do
not have access to development-related information.

Peace
Al Alegre
Foundation for Media Alternatives
Philippines

#23

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Fri May 11, 2001 5:18 pm
Subject: Intros #6 - Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden and many more

clift@...

Below is the last set of excellent introductions before our full open
discussion starts Monday (Sunday evening U.S.).

I am extremely pleased that 70 out of 367 of you sent in
introductions.  That is an excellent response rate.  Next week you may
either introduce yourself with your first post/reply directly to the
list <do-asia@yahoogroups.com> or you may fill out the form below for
a "bonus round" of introductions released as a group.

For those who are new to this e-list, my philosophy is that the
"intelligence is in the network."  So the value of this event is based
directly on what you, the participants share with one another.  If
another dozen or two of you send introductions and suggested online
resources, this online event will be even more useful.  So please
introduce yourself or at least share information resources you feel
are important.

Thanks,
Steven Clift
DO-ASIA

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Resource/Lesson/Example:

Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -

From:            Dorle Drackle <drackle@...>

Name/Alias:
          Professor Dorle Drackl�
Country:
           Germany
Affiliation:
          University of Bremen

Introduction:

I am teaching media anthropology since some years now. Together with a
colleague I am currently developing a project on e.government,
e.policies, intercultural relations and ethnic identity. Another
activity of mine is establishing a network on media anthropology. If
anybody is interested in getting involved, please don't hesitate to
contact me.


--
Prof. Dr. Dorle Drackl�
Universitaet Bremen
Bremer Institut fuer Kulturforschung (BIK)
Fachbereich 9, SFG
Postfach 33 04 40
28334 Bremen
Germany
Tel. +49 421 218 4323
Fax  +49 421 218 7574
Email: drackle@...

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Subject:         Break of info blockade/Open Web Center - Anatoly
Paramzin, Kazakhstan From:            "Anatoly Paramzin"
<paramzin@...>

From: "Anatoly Paramzin" <paramzin@...>

Subject: Break of info blockade/Open Web Center - Anatoly Paramzin,
Kazakhstan

Resource/Lesson/Example: Before Internet using we mast to possess one.
In Kazakhstan for last five years we run the information blockade. The
way is to create public access clubs - Open Web Centers for NGOs and
volunteers and common people. That hard work we make in collaboration
with USIS, IREX, CCSI and partners in the World. I think the Internet
problem for common run of people can be decide in our country in way
to unite allpossibilities of Civil Society but not for persons
earnings.

Name/Alias: Anatoly Paramzin

Country: Kazakhstan

Affiliation: NGO Meridian Almaty Promotion Center, President
128/40 Makataev str. Almaty 480091 Kazakhstan
Tel/Fax: +7 (3272) 397 094, 629 973
E-mail: <paramzin@...>
URL: http://www.meridian_almaty/freenet.kz (in construction)

Introduction: Letme introduce myself- Dr. Anatoly M. Paramzin, citizen
of Kazakhstan, Almaty City. i am activist of civil society movement,
alumni of FSA/ECA,IATP/IREX and UN Volunteerism Programs. Now we make
THE ALMATY THIRD SECTOR INFO PORTAL. Join us.



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From:            "Borchuluun Yadamsuren" <borchuluun@...>

Resource/Lesson/Example:

Name/Alias: Borchuluun Yadamsuren
Country: Mongolia
Affiliation:The Internet & Information Center,
http://www.owc.org.mn

Introduction:
I am a graduate student at the Missouri School of Journalism. I worked
as a director of the Internet & Information Center in Mongolia. Also
worked as a director of the Open Web Center, the resource center for
non-profit organizations and as an editor-in-chief of the computer
magazine ".MN" I worked as a project coordinator for the Knowledge web
site www.knowledge.edu.mn. It is the educational resources web site of
Mongolia.

Looking forward to share ideas about the impact of Internet to the
development of Asia and specifically to mass media.


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Subject:         China-Internet
From:            Nina Hachigian <hachigia@...>

Name/Alias: Nina Hachigian
Country: USA
Affiliation: Pacific Council on International Policy

Introduction:  Hello all. I am a fellow at a foreign policy "think
tank" based in Los Angeles, California. Attached is my article on the
Internet in China. I argue that the Net both empowers and threatens
the current regime.

[Host Note:  To distribute files to the group, you need to use Files
feature of YahooGroups <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-asia/files/>.
Once you upload a file, notify the group where it is. No attachments
or HTML formatted messages (except for simple web addresses) are
permitted on this list.]


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Subject:         E-Governance in Asia INTRODUCTION of REFLECT
ACTIONAID From:            "Jon Mannion" <JMannion@...>

Hello,

My name is Jon Mannion, I am responsible for enabling REFLECT circles
with ICT.

We are currently a network of more than 2000 groups in Asia, Latin
America and Africa and "the North".

We are currently seeking partners to operationalize our vision of
access to information and communications to marginalised communties.

To find out more details of our organisation  (REFLECT and ActionAid)
go to: http://www.actionaid.net/ITandReflect

I look forward to the coming forum. I would like to outline briefly
our thoughts on extending the access to ICT and e governance.

Participation in the process of the grassroots
Relevance of content
Technological appropriateness
The need to avoid gatekeeping, and to establish accountable structures
Training and maintanance Partnerships User fees or some means of self
financing

Formore details click on
http://www.actionaid.net/ITandReflect

Yours

Jon Mannion


**DISCLAIMER**

ActionAid's vision is a world without poverty in which every person
can exercise their right to a life of dignity. Registered Charity No.
274467 www.actionaid.org

This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify
the postmaster at mail@...

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From:            "Alan G. Alegre" <alalegre@...>

Resource/Lesson/Example:

I am part of the Foundation for Media Alternatives (Philippines), and
NGO involved in information and communications for development and
empowerment. I am coming from a situation where there are very low
access rates to ICT, therefore we are looking at the interphase of new
media (ICTs) with traditional media.

Recent events in the Philippines point to how short message systems
("text" messages out of relatively affordable GSM cellular phones) had
been used by activists and citizens in the campaign to oust our former
corrupt president; the interphase of mailing lists and SMS is an
interesting area for engagement in this context. On another level, we
are seeing the limits of "telecenters" if they are not linked to more
appropriate media--such as community radio, for example--as
multipliers/info-mediaries to communities with have no phone lines and
electricity. We are still studying these things and setting up pilot
projects along this line and I would be interested if other examples
of these "old-new media interphase" in other contexts, to derive
lessons and share experiences.

Name/Alias: Alan G. Alegre
Country: Philippines
Affiliation: Foundation for Media Alternatives

Introduction:

I am Executive Director of FMA, concurrently Deputy Director of
Project CODE-WAN (Countrywide Development-Wide Area Network (which
among others gives free email access and connectivity to civil society
organizations).We are also involved in setting up "community websites"
for issue- and sector-based communities of interest (human rights,
women and gender, urban poor and housing, electoral reform, asia
concerns, agrarian reform & rural development, peace and conflict
transformation, local governance). We are also poised to launch a
development information and knowledge portal for the Philippines. I
also sit in my country's IT and E-Commerce Council, the highest
policy-making body for ICT, as civil society representative.


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From:            "Wall, Beverly" <beverly.wall@...>


Subject:  Beverly Wall, USA

Resource:
For anyone interested in the educational issues raised by the Internet
and the need to develop democratic literacies across the globe:

Intercollegiate E-Democracy Project
http://www.trincoll.edu/prog/iedp/

Name: Beverly Wall
Country: USA
Affiliation: Intercollegiate E-Democracy Project and Trinity College,
Connecticut, USA

Introduction:
Hello all. I'm the founder and co-leader of the Intercollegiate
E-Democracy Project, a grassroots teaching and learning collaborative
for faculty interested in political discussion and debate in the
online public commons. We create multi-class electronic networks for
students to exchange ideas about social and political issues and
develop writing and argumentation skills online. I'm also a professor
of rhetoric at Trinity College in Connecticut, USA, where I teach
courses on topics related to political rhetoric and the media, online
communication, and deliberative democracy. I've been interested in
these issues as they affect Asia since I first participated in a
conference in Tokyo in 1999. Looking forward to learning a lot in this
forum. Thanks, Steve!


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From:            Bobson Wong <bwong@...>

Name/Alias: (Mr.) Bobson Wong
Country: USA
Affiliation: Digital Freedom Network (http://dfn.org)
Subject: introduction

Introduction:
I'm Bobson Wong, executive director of the Digital Freedom Network
(DFN), a U.S.-based NGO that promotes human rights around the world by
developing new methods of activism with Internet technology and by
providing an online voice to those attacked for expressing themselves.

DFN is always looking to develop relationships with other NGOs around
the world to use the Internet for human rights. We publish news about
human rights issues provided by other NGOs as well as documents
written by activists and those who have been attacked for their work.
We also help NGOs use the Net in their work by developing Net-based
campaigns (see for example our ongoing campaign at
http://www.ogiek.org on behalf of a Kenyan indigenous tribe) by
providing modest technical assistance to NGOs in need, all free of
charge.

One issue that we're particularly interested in is how online freedom
of expression can be balanced with the desire for social stability.
Gov'ts around the world are struggling to deal with whether and how
the Internet should be regulated. For example, China recently came out
with a series of tough new Net regulations, although those laws are
often not strictly enforced. It would be interesting to discus the
extent to which speech, especially online speech, can be protected
without endangering society and the ways in which the Net can be used
to promote democracy in different cultures.


--
Bobson Wong
Executive Director
Digital Freedom Network
520 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102-3111
U.S.A.
Phone: +(1-973) 438-4378
Fax: +(1-973) 438-1474
E-mail: bwong@...
Web: http://dfn.org


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Name/Alias: Clinton Smith
Country: U.S.A.
Affiliation: The University of Oregon

Introduction:  I am a graduate student at the University of Oregon, in
my second year of study. My interests in science and technology and
Southeast Asia have led me to pursue research on the impact of the
internet on social change (democratization?) in S.E. Asia. Of
particular interest to me is how opposition groups, during 'democratic
moments', such as the Anwar affair in Malaysia, utilized ICT
technology to advance social and political change. What motivated
political opposition groups to utilize the internet as a tool for
political change?  Was using the internet an effective tool for
political advocacy?  Were opposition goals realized through the use of
internet technology more effectively than they would have through the
use of conventional media and press?  What was the response of
governments in the region to the use of the internet as a tool for
political opposition?  What effect did the governments response have
upon the opposition and upon their own political legitimacy?  I have
begun to research many of the questions listed above (not an
exhaustive list) and have tentative answers I hope to elucidate
through this forum.
     Research has been conducted on empirically mapping the ICT sectors
     in
S.E. Asia, but little has been written on what effect this advance in
ICT technology in the region has on the socio-political mileaux in
S.E. Asia. An analysis of the socio-political impacts of the internet
in S.E. Asia could construct the internet as a 21st century conception
of the 'weapons of the weak'. Conversely, one could argue against this
techno-optimist position, highlighting the deleterious impacts the
advance of ICT technology has engendered, as a large proportion of the
literature does for Western liberal democracies. But the political,
social and cultural situation in S.E. Asia is fundamentally different
from that in the Western liberal democracies necessitating a fresh
approach to examining the impacts of the internet on S.E. Asian
politics. Simply extrapolating what has been learnt from the emergence
of the internet in the West onto the developing world is insensitive
to their unique situation. An examination of the emergence of the
internet and its effects upon the socio-political mileaux in the
developing world is one goal towards which I hope this forum will
work.


Clinton Smith
csmith5@...


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            David Mitchell <david.mitchell@...>

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
David Mitchell, Australia david.mitchell@...

Resource: I haven't read it yet, but AMIC (http://www.amic.org.sg), a
reserch group based in Singapore have recently released a book called
'Internet in Asia', and they also have a publication called 'Media &
Democracy in Asia' which I think looks at more traditional media
sources (see http://www.amic.org.sg/amic/pub6.html).

Affiliation: Research Fellow, RMIT University, Australia

Introduction: I have a research grant looking at the introduction of
new media in East Asia. As part of this research I have talked to
regulators, officials, ISPs and academics in Thailand, Singapore,
Vietnam and Laos, essentially about the impact of new media sources on
society and the way ahead for regulatory officials. The project covers
media such as the Internet and satellite, cable and digital
television, and the codes, standards and rules affecting the content
of these media. I am interested in a full range of issues, such as:

protection or encouragement for locally-produced material
restrictions on material regarded as illegal or offensive

These issues form the focus of an Australian Research Council (ARC)
funded project on content regulation in new media in East Asia, for
which I am responsible. The publications coming out of the program
will look not only at current practice, but at ideas for dealing with
these issues in a more globalised, multichannel and on line
environment.

For me the question of the Internet and democracy is tied in with
broader questions of new media sources and the tightness with which
many Asian countries have traditionally regulated the media in order
to meet local socio-political concerns.

Request:  Next week I will be travelling to Jakarta, Indonesia, where
I will be talking to people for about 10 days. I am looking for people
to talk to - government officials, ISPs, regulators, traditional media
people, academics - the broader the range the better. If anyone could
forward details to me of people they believe it would be good to talk
to, I would really appreciate it.

thanks, dm
David Mitchell
Research Fellow
Network Insight (formerly MTPG)
e-mail: <david.mitchell@...>
Home Page: <http://www.ni.rmit.edu.au/>
Postal Address: Locked Bag 2400, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia, 1590.


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -

From:            Anni Rowland-Campbell <hollowpc@...>

Name/Alias:  Anni Rowland-Campbell
Country:  Australia
Affiliation: Potential PhD student, Executive Director, Graphic Arts
Merchants Association of Australia

Introduction:

Dear All,

I have been involved in the graphic arts industry for six years
running an organisation which represents the interests of the
suppliers to the industry - the world's third largest in terms of
manufacturing, sixth largest in terms of employment, and an integral
component of the "knowledge revolution".

Working with the suppliers of these new technologies has given me an
insight into not only the capabilities they offer, but the challenges
to the ways in which they are being used, and the gap that lies
between. We have recently completed an "industry plan" for the
industry which has highlighted some fairly startling and confronting
issues central to our industry - not only in Australia but worldwide.

I also have experience working within the parliamentary and polticial
process, having been a Ministerial Advisor, and run a professional
body for the public sector. This, combined with my interest in the
"non-profit" sector has sharpened my interest in the use of new
technologies as an integral part of the democratic process, from the
perspective not only of "government" but of "governance". E-democracy
is as important for the corporate boardroom as it is for local council
elections, and the gap between what the technologies provide/enable
and our ability to both control and properly utilise these
technologies - combined with our "human" needs for other sources of
communication.



--
Visit the GAMAA website:  http://www.gamaa.net.au
======================================================================

Anni Rowland-Campbell

Executive Director, GAMAA
The Graphic Arts Merchants Association of Australia Incorporated,
ARBN:  080 861 507 P.O. Box 1051, Crows Nest, New South Wales, 2065,
Australia

Phone & Fax: (61) (2) 9417 7433
Mobile:  (0413) 626 737
Email:   anni@...,
  info@...


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -

Subject:         GIPI
From:            "Eric S Johnson" <johnson@...>

Subject:  Global Internet Policy Initiative (GIPI)

Resource/Lesson/Example: open media

Name/Alias: Eric S Johnson
Country: France
Affiliation: Internews

Introduction: GIPI is a worldwide effort to advocate "good" internet
policy (policy which encourages increased access to and freedom on the
internet) in developing countries. the project has two tracks: the
first is to hire and provide resources to one full-time local Country
Advocate (CA) in each target country--probably a lawyer but not
necessarily. the second is to hire full-time experienced internet
policy specialists in paris and in washington DC who then provide
information and support to the CAs. we began to implement the project
(hiring the CAs) at the beginning of 2000. we will officially launch
on 4jun at INET'01 in stockholm. of our initial 14 target countries,
asia includes india and indonesia. i have hired CAs in 9 of the 14
countries around the world (my position in the project is Managing
Director, overseeing all the CAs) and the washington DC policy
specialist starts in a couple weeks. next month we'll start expanding
by about a country a month over the next couple years so as to
eventually work in dozens of countries. GIPI is a partnership between
internews (www.internews.org) and CDT (www.cdt.org).
  i have worked in the field of independent media in transition
  countries for
the last ten years, and i currently head Internews International, the
association of internewses, as well as one of those 15 internewses.
  i am looking for CAs in india and indonesia and would welcome any
applications or suggestions for where to look, since i haven't had
much luck in my search over the last couple months. and i look forward
to contributing to DO-ASIA in the realm of internet policy.


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            lito_averia@...

Resource/Lesson/Example: Helping government set up its presence in
Philippine cyberspace to deliver frontline services to the populace.

Name: Angel S. Averia, jr.
Alias: Lito
Country: Philippines
Affiliation: Systems Standards, Inc. and Philippine Chamber of
Commerce and Industry

Introduction:

The Philippine Electronic Commerce Act (ECA) mandates that government
agencies to put in place systems that will allow it to transact


ANGEL S. AVERIA, JR.
Systems Standards, Inc.
2/F Republic Glass Building
Salcedo corner Aguirre Streets
Legaspi Village, Makati City 1226
Tel: (632)812-2325
Fax: (632)893-0739

- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            "steve sharp" <stevesharp1@...>

  Subject:  Keywords Here - international reporting; cross-cultural
  reporting; training strategies for journalists; Indonesian media;
  transitional media; political transition; political violence

Your Name, Country: Steve Sharp, Australia

  Resource/Lesson/Example:
Just returned from Jakarta working as radio trainer and PhD field
research on print media coverage (news) of political violence. Using
three case studies - maluku, east timor & may 1998 riots - to draw
conclusions about one part of Indonesian media in transition.
Comparison will be made with foreign press coverage ie Australian
newspapers/magazines. Overall aim of research is to develop training
programs for journalists in this part of the world to better handle
the old and new demands of news reporting. Following the themes of a
networked regional community and future media training strategies, I'm
still trying to predict what the demands of 'new media' literacy will
be.

  Name/Alias: Steve
  Country: Australia
  Affiliation: Griffith University, Gold Coast

  Introduction: Former journalist in print, radio and TV including
  stint as a science & environment feature writer and radio producer.
  Although my research is Indonesia-specific and not Internet-specific,
  my broader interest is the role of the media in cross-cultural
  communication and conflict, particularly in SEAsia and the Pacific.
Thanks...

- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -

Subject:         Digital Resources - Debbie Roth, US
From:            Deborah Roth <dr@...>

Debbie Roth
dr@...
USA

Introduction: Then. When I worked on the Navajo Reservation here 25
years ago I lived in a family camp of 27 people with no running water and
no phone. A Navajo schoolgirl recently won an Internet-ready computer
through a contest she entered at school - but her home here in the US
didn't have phone service so she couldn't use it there. Now.

I communicate by email from Seattle with my grandmother's friends half a
world away in a small city in India.

Singapore, which in 4 decades has replaced characteristics typical of
economic difficulty with those of the most developed countries, has
exercised information and communications technologies (ICT) in every way I
know, since 1980. With creativity.

Intent: I am especially interested in how people can use ICT (and how it
can be made to work better) to achieve economic development - and in
everything associated with both. I mean to include the spectrum of
capability, opportunity, and obligation linking individuals and
governments: with results.

Top Lesson: a wealth of opportunities.

Thank you for this one, to explore and share.

- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            Nicolini Beatrice <bnicolin@...>

My name is Beatrice Nicolini. I graduated in political sciences
(International relations)in the Catholic University of the Sacred
Heart-Milan-Italy. Since 1990, I have been working on history of central
Asia (ex 5 soviet republics) and Afghanistan, Pakistan, where I have been
working for several field work seasons in the south tribal areas (Makran).
Starting from 1996, I went down geographically to the history of Oman,
western Indian Ocean and Zanzibar. I concentrated my reasearch on british
colonial history and I spent long periods in british archives as well as
in "local" asian and african archives. My privileged historical period is
the XIX century. Beatrice Nicolini  PhD


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            "Karin Larsson" <karin_larsson70@...>


ICT-Civil Society-democracy-Vietnam

Your Name, Country Name/Alias: Karin Larsson and �se Botha

Country: Sweden

Affiliation: Masterstudents of Political Science at the University of
Lund:

We have been on a minor field study during 8 weeks in Vietnam. We made a
research on the potential of the Internet to benefit the embryoic Civil
Society in Vietnam. We looked upon different features of a Civil Society
such as free media, marketeconomy, network of free organisations and free
expertise knowledge. Attitudes and adoption among representatives within
these groups towards the Internet. Diffusion and awareness very also of
particular interest.

- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -

From:            "Mohammad Atiq ur Rahman" <atiq@...>

Subject:  CSO- Mohammad Atiq ur Rahman, Pakistan/Japan

Resource/Lesson/Example:

Name/Alias: Mohammad Atiq ur Rahman
Country: Pakistan/Japan
Affiliation: Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan

Introduction: Currently doing Ph.D. research with theme "Strengthening
Civil Society Organzations for Environmental Governance". URL:
http://www.soc.titech.ac.jp/sakano-lab/atiq


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^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

#22

From: Jack Kessler <kessler@...>
Date: Fri May 11, 2001 10:11 am
Subject: Re: Internet in Phillipines

kessler@...

Jim Ayson makes a couple of comments, from the Phillipines, which
are pretty interesting to me: taking them in reverse order --

> More so than the Internet, the use of SMS text messaging on
> GSM cellular phones is more widespread (7 million users at
> last count)...  At the height of the People Power II movement
> there were an estimated 70 million text messages being
> transmitted a day from both major cellular networks. Hard to
> swallow given the total number of users, but Filipinos do
> text a lot more than the average user in other countries.

This may be true of Asia generally, from what I hear -- messaging
usage in Asia is more "intense" than messaging in other places --
is a user in Manila likely to send more "messages per day" on her
flipfone than a user might be in Stockholm...?

I wonder if there is any way of gauging how general this
difference might be: i.e. is the increased usage intensity in
Manila merely the result of the recent political crisis, or is
there some sort of general cultural / economic etc. reason why
Asian usage "intensity" -- messages per day -- might be more or
less or otherwise different than usage in Europe and elsewhere?

> In my opinion, the Net was useful for mobilization among the
> wired middle-class and upper classes of society. In a country
> where Internet penetration is rather low (possibly 2 million
> users within a total population of 76 Million) the impact of
> online dissent was mainly felt among a few, but these were
> probably the more influential sectors. In cases where the
> news got to the mainstream press who would use the news items
> in print or broadcast, the impact was spread a little wider.

This reinforces my "democracy" concern about the bifurcation of
informatized societies, the Information Haves vs. Information
Have - Nots problem, which I think (per Saskia Sassen) is
splitting along urban / rural lines: if and to the extent that
digital technology is putting information into the hands of
elites in fact, isn't digital technology therefore encouraging
elitism in politics?

Elitism is not necessarily incompatible with democracy. That is
to some extent the point made by Robert Dahl's suggestion that
democratic government really is "polyarchy" -- democracy by
groups -- instead of the "pure" democracy which never really has
existed anywhere. But this is a different point. For me here the
first question is the effect of the technology.

In Asia, to take the Phillipines example, we may be seeing
nothing more than the political empowerment, perhaps helped by
new technology, of one elite group -- wealthy and educated young
urban elites, who can afford and can use flipfones -- at the
expense of another elite group of whatever ruling coalition
existed before which happens not to have such good information
access...

This substitution of one elite group for another may be a good
thing or it may not, depending on the local situation. It may be
facilitated by technology. But I don't see that it is
"necessarily" democratic -- or, for that matter, un - democratic.
You just have an old story: one elite pushing out another, using
whatever tools -- SMS, in this case -- happen to be available.

So, not much necessarily about democracy here: a group of
generals, making even better use of SMS for coordinating their
troops, could come along next week... or a group of criminals, or
a group of populist demagogues, etc. I think this "democracy"
thing is much more general than just the technology.


Jack Kessler, kessler@...

#21

From: "Bill Huang" <bhuang@...>
Date: Fri May 11, 2001 3:45 am
Subject: Re: Internet in Phillipines

bhuang@...

in addition to the other articles cited by jim ayson, might i also add a
shameless plug for a cyberdyaryo article that appeared in its february 8
issue?

http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/features/f2001_0208_02.htm


bill huang
associate editor, cyberdyaryo



> At 08:27 AM 4/25/01 +0800, RAMLI.AS/LIB/USM wrote:
> HI FRIENDS
> Does anybody has any information on the Internet development in
Phillipines
> especially that touches on the removal of Estrada ? Shall be oblighed to
> receive such news or data
> Regards
> Ramli.

#20

From: Jim Ayson <jim@...>
Date: Thu May 10, 2001 7:21 pm
Subject: Re: Internet in Phillipines

jim@...

At 08:27 AM 4/25/01 +0800, RAMLI.AS/LIB/USM wrote:
>HI FRIENDS
>Does anybody has any information on the Internet development in Phillipines
>especially that touches on the removal of Estrada ? Shall be oblighed to
>receive such news or data
>Regards
>Ramli.

The use of Internet technologies in ousting former President Estrada has
been referred to as "cyberactivism" over here.

In my opinion, the Net was useful for mobilization among the wired
middle-class and upper classes of society. In a country where Internet
penetration is rather low (possibly 2 million users within a total
population of 76 Million) the impact of online dissent was mainly felt
among a few, but these were probably the more influential sectors. In cases
where the news got to the mainstream press who would use the news items in
print or broadcast, the impact was spread a little wider.

More so than the Internet, the use of SMS text messaging on GSM cellular
phones is more widespread (7 million users at last count) and the mobility
allowed for messaging directly from the streets. Text messaging was used
for mobilization for political rallies, as well as spreading news,
scuttlebutt and political humor during the impeachment trial and subsequent
street rallies. At the height of the People Power II movement there were an
estimated 70 million text messages being transmitted a day from both major
cellular networks. Hard to swallow given the total number of users, but
Filipinos do text a lot more than the average user in other countries.

I've touched a bit on the cyberactivism phenomenon in my column
"Dot.Comment" in Computerworld Philippines, and I've included the URLs to
the online edition below (via the local IT news portal ITNetCentral.com).
I've also dug up other stories in Computerworld and The Web Magazine
(Philippines) that discuss this. Other writers from the Philippines can
probably cite other online sources.

dot.comment (columns from Computerworld Philippines)

Erap.com pa rin! - A look at the rise and fall of Joseph Estrada's website
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=1946&icontent=1043

Cyberactivists at the crossroads - An appraisal of some cyberactivist
movements that led to the ouster of Estrada
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=2088&icontent=1234

------------

The Web Philippines Magazine

Off to The Barricades!: The Birth of Cyberactivism (The Web Magazine)
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=2565&icontent=2029

Machine Uprising
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=2262

-------------

Coverage from ComputerWorld Philippines

E-petition asks Erap to quit (November 21, 2000)
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=1486

E-mail, SMS now included in eLagda campaign (November 13, 2000)
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=1430

EKULONG.COM: Online activists press `Jail Erap' campaign (February 13, 2001)
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=1952

Use of IT for better governance has just begun, civic groups say (February
13, 2001)
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=1954

Erap's home in cyberspace shuts down (January 30, 2001)
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=1809

IT@Large: Erap must hate cell phones (January 30, 2001)
http://www.itnetcentral.com/article.asp?id=1802

-------
jim ayson / jim@...
visit www.philmusic.com - the #1 philippine music web site

Sign up for the Philippine Cyberspace Review - tracking the state of the
Net in the Philippines since 1998 - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ph-cyberview

#19

From: "RAMLI.AS/LIB/USM" <RAS@...>
Date: Wed Apr 25, 2001 12:27 am
Subject: Internet in Phillipines

RAS@...

HI FRIENDS
Does anybody has any information on the Internet development in Phillipines
especially that touches on the removal of Estrada ? Shall be oblighed to
receive such news or data

Regards

Ramli.

#18

From: wplucey@...
Date: Wed Apr 25, 2001 12:36 am
Subject: Japanese Politics

wplucey@...

[Host Note: This was sent through before the conference started and is
appropriate for distribution now. - SLC ]


  With political reformer, Junichiro Koizumi, likely to become Japan's next
prime minister after gaining the endorsement of the Liberal Democratic
Party-a marked change in the country's political system is at hand.
   Accordingly, here are some resources for monitoring Japan's political
climate leading up to Tuesday's election:

1.) http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/main/main-e.htm The Daily Yomiuri is updated
daily.

2.) http://home.kyodo.co.jp/home/front.jsp Kyodo News Agency regularly
updates news from Japan and is accompanied with a search engine. In addition,
links to Japanese newspapers can be found at
http://home.kyodo.co.jp/newspapers/link_newspaper.htm

3.) http://www.urban.ne.jp/home/nob/econst.html -The Constitution of Japan

4.) http://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/link/index.htm House of Councillors-The
National Diet of Japan provides links to the following sites: House of
Representatives, National Diet Library, Prime Minister's Official Residence,
Cabinet Legislation Bureau, Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice and Ministry
of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications

5.) http://www.embjapan.org/ The Embassy of Japan has a number of government
links available if you click on ``Profile; on their home page.

                       -Bill Lucey
                       WPLucey@...

#17

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Thu May 10, 2001 5:41 pm
Subject: Invite Others - Internet and Democracy Across Asia - Online Conference Through May 31, 2001

clift@...

We now have 356 participants from over 30 countries subscribed to our
Internet and Democracy Across Asia e-mail-based online conference.

If you are impressed, as I am, by the great participant introductions
please pass the invite below to your contacts one final time to
encourage them to join us for the main part of our online conference.
Please add a personal note of encouragement.

Thanks,
Steven Clift
Democracies Online


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Online Conference, Through May 31, 2001 ...

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media

To participate, e-mail:

           do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Web archives of postings available from:

           http://www.e-democracy.org/do

Hosted by Democracies Online Newswire - Join over 1900
subscribers on our main low volume, announcement e-list -
http://e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


                     *** Full Details ***

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media
------------------------------------------------------
An online conference via e-mail hosted by Democracies
Online - http://www.e-democracy.org/do - May 2001


Join experts, practitioners, and journalists interested in role
of the Internet in democracy, governance, civil society,
politics, and media across the many countries of Asia.  This is
the first online event on these trends specifically focused on
Asia. If you have a story to tell, research to share, or want to
simply learn about what is happening, then join us.

The online conference began May 7 with a week of introductions which
are available via "Full Web Access to Conference Postings" on the web
site <http://www.e-democracy.org/do>. The three proposed discussion
themes are:
   A. Governance - Starts May 14
   B. Civil Society - Starts May 17
   C. Media - Starts May 21
General discussion and information exchange will continue as part of
the official online conference through May 31. There is no fee to
participate.

Please help spread the word.

To participate, send an e-mail to:

      do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Note: The e-mail list of participants will remain private and
anonymous participation is permitted.  "Lurkers" are welcome.

You will be asked to confirm your subscription via e-mail. The
DO-ASIA online event uses simple e-mail list technology.
Posting rules and guidelines will help limit the number of
messages each day in to enable those with slow or limited
Internet connections to participate fully. The primary language
of the online exchange is English.  The use of other languages
is appropriate and additional conversations, country or language-
specific via other web forums or e-mail lists, organized by
online event participants are encouraged.

Country Contacts are sought to promote this event in specific
Asian countries.  If you can help make this a great online
event, join the DO-ASIA Team by subscribing to our behind the
scenes online event organizing e-mail list
<do-asia-team-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>.



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Online Conference, Through May 31, 2001 ...

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media

To participate, e-mail:

           do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Web archives of postings available from:

           http://www.e-democracy.org/do

Hosted by Democracies Online Newswire - Join over 1900
subscribers on our main low volume, announcement e-list -
http://e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

#16

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Thu May 10, 2001 5:00 pm
Subject: Intros #5 - Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Guatemala, Denmark and many, many more

clift@...

I'll put together the final introduction packet (use the form just below
to be included here) first thing Friday morning.  Alternatively, you may
simply wait to introduce yourself with your first post or reply during the
open theme discussions.

From here <http://www.e-democracy.org/do/> you can access an archive of
previous posts, including past introductions or go directly to:
  - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-asia/messages - real-time updates
  - http://www.mail-archive.com/do-asia@yahoogroups.com/ - updated daily
The second is a very simple archive, for quicker reading.

Steven Clift
Democracies Online


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country


Resource/Lesson/Example:

Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -



Subject:         Self-introduction and some sharing
From:            "najmas" <najmas@...>


INTRODUCTION

Najma Sadeque, Karachi, PAKISTAN

Have been a journalist-activist for some 25 years, a founder-member of
Shirkat Gah (a 25-year-old women's development NGO) and the Women's Action
Forum (WAF) which is the women's movement that arose against Gen Ziaul Haq
in 1981 and the only independent voice that got heard and printed (albeit
by those sections of the press that had the courage to report about us !).
Currently on long leave from The News International (a national English
daily where I am an Assistant Editor) to work with the movement and NGOs
(nationally and internationally) preparing advocacy materials relating to
the impacts of WB/IMF/ADB, WTO/globalisation and state co-option (which
includes mauling of democratic processes and institutions !) on economies
and populations, particularly women, labour, minorities and other
marginalised.

Invaluable Lesson ! � Although we have not used the Internet long for
advocacy purposes, it has been very effective and compensates a good deal
for the lack of co-operation from a large section of the press and
agencies (mainly, but not entirely vernacular). Through the Internet,
especially e-mail, we are able to get the attention of hard-to-reach
people high up in government and politics apart from civil society, as
well as concerned people around the world. This has been a breakthrough
because, the description of an independent press in Pakistan is often
confused with press as a private enterprise that is not necessarily
neutral and objective. The reluctance to displease or risk loss of
advertising from major parties is one reason. Patronage and political
influence are also alive and well here. Then there is the  male mindset
conditioned from childhood to view women as inherently susceptible to
ill-influence (a cover-up for competition from women) and therefore having
to be kept subservient -- it's difficult to shake.

It is widely believed that authoritarian government is alone responsible
for slanted writing. As a matter of fact, with a few exceptions, the press
and agencies are far from innocent for misreporting and non-reportage
(they are male-dominated and conservative). Even today when the press is
relatively free, pro-women choices are few. A few monthlies and weeklies
are small-circulation exceptions to the rule. Employment of women in the
media is not necessarily an indication of a liberal outlook. Some don't
employ them at all. For others it is a necessary allowance to ward off
criticism as much as to keep the 'women's pages' (which sell a lot of
advertising) filled with stereotypes. Their roles and their
decision-making on stories are severely restricted. Better-educated and
more conscientious, they are popular for desk-jobs. But there are still
very few women reporters. And much of what they file on women is never
printed. Women's issues get short shrift even from most news agencies. --
They are not seen in the light of democracy but ideology! � women can go
so far and no more.

Of course, Internet has its problems too, not least that those opposed can
run campaigns too. But at least we too can now have equal say. Internet
has its limitations because most people don't have access to a computer.
But wisely used, it holds out hope for the voiceless on whose behalf
activists use it.


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From:            "Accels, Baku" <accels@...>

We are the American Councils for International Education, ACTR/ACCELS,
branch office in Azerbaijan. I am the Country Director, Jeremy Tasch. We
administer Educational Exchange Programs funded by the Bureau of Education
and Cultural Affairs, US State Department. We work with High School
Students, University Students, Graduate Students, University Instructors,
Scholars, and soon we will administer programs specifically for HS
Instructors, HS Directors, and hold competitions for Excellent Teaching
Recognition in Azerbaijan. We further work with alumni on professional and
academic development, conference and seminar facilitation, and community
outreach.

On a different note, I spent two years in the Russian Far East,
researching resource development and management issues, with focus on the
UN-facilitated Tumen River Area Development Project, the US-AID EPT
Project, and Sakhalin oil and gas development.

I will be leaving for the US for a short break, May 11 - May 31. Others in
our ACCELS office are themselves from Azerbaijan and may take part in the
on-going electronic conversation.

Thank you for organizing this forum and accepting our request to
participate.

All the best,

Jeremy Tasch
Country Director, Azerbaijan
American Councils

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From:            "John Bartram" <John.Bartram@...>

Name:            John Bartram
Country:        England

Resource:      I'm a journalist who worked for Reuters for 28 years in
Europe and Asia where my most recent job was a fascinating 4-1/2 years as
Training in Editor based in Hong Kong and Singapore training journalists
from Pakistan to New Zealand. They were mostly Reuters people but also
some on one Bangkok newspaper. Reuters was furiously setting up Internet
news services as I left last July in the English, Chinese, Japanese,
Hangul and Thai languages. My main areas of interest for this online
conference on Democracy and the Internet across Asia are how should the
presentation of news on the Internet change from that of the so-called old
media (if at all), as well as journalism ethics and its legal obligations
and responsibilities. My gut feeling is that only news presentation (ie
the formats, layout, frequency of updates) should change on the Internet.
It's useful and very big, but it's also a dumb box that can confuse as
much as help if you're not aware of its limitations. ! These put even more
pressure on serious journalists to do a responsible job. Let's not confuse
the new modern medium with the message, where the journalist's job is
still to get and present the facts. One of the main problems seems to be
that there's so much stuff on the Internet that it's becoming very
difficult for people to find something they can trust - and that has
implications for the democratic process. I'd be interested in discussing
this with you all. At the moment I'm back in London and thinking of doing
a one-year MSc in Asian Politics at SOAS before returing to work in Asia
some time next year.

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From:            Elliott Parker <elliott.s.parker@...>


Elliott Parker, U. S. A.

>Resource/Lesson/Example:

>Use of "low-tech" email for communication between individuals and
>communities.
>
>Name/Alias: Elliott Parker
>Country: U. S. A.
>Affiliation: Central Michigan University, Michigan, USA


Introduction: Most of my work in Asia has been in Southeast Asia, ranging
from Peace Corps Volunteer and Fulbright Scholar to correspondent and
lecturer.
          I am the "List Owner" of several lists for journalists: CARR-L
(for computer-assisted reporting), JOURNET (journalism education) and
NPPA-L (photojournalism). If there is interest, I have another list
"ready-to-go" called AMEDIA, specifically for media and practitioners in
Asia.
          Another list, SEASIA-L, is primarily for experts and scholars in
Southeast Asia. MSBFORUM is for scholars of Malaysia, Singapore and
Brunei.
          At Central Michigan University, I teach mainly computer-assisted
reporting courses, graphics, photography and sometimes international
communication. My research interests are in the history of print media in
East and Southeast Asia.


================================================================
Elliott Parker                   elliott.parker@...
List Owner, SEASIA-L and CARR-L
Department of Journalism
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859 USA
Office tele: +1 989 774 3196    <URL:mailto:parke1es@...>


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From:            "Roberto Morales" <rmorales@...>

Subject: Environment and Development
Name: Roberto Morales-Juarez
Country: Guatemala, Central America
Affiliation: PROARCA-USAID/G-CAP

Introduction: information technology plays an important role in the areas
of natural resources use, environmental protection, sustainable
development, and people participation, but not enough attention has
received in Central America, I am interested in learning from the Asia
experience.

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From:            Allwyn Fernandes <allwyn_fernandes@...>

Name/Alias: Allwyn Fernandes
Country: India
Affiliation:   Individual
Introduction:

I have been a journalist for 25 years, writing mainly on development and
social change and the problems/conflicts/resolutions arising from them.  I
currently work for a communications company and here again my interests
are managing change, the conflicts that arise from change and how people
and companies manage them.  I believe such issues are best addressed in a
democratic environment because of the safety valves that democracy
provides -- unlike in a totalitarian state -- and that you cannot push the
river beyond a certain point.  You have to carry people along.  This is
where I am keenly interested in the impact of the Internet and its able to
democratise the flow of information, something that elites do their best
to prevent, using all kinds of specious arguments, subterfuge and
disguises.  I therefore look forward to participation in this group.


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From:            "Kjeld Hansen" <kjeld01@...>

Subject:  Kjeld Hansen, Denmark

Dear all,

I'am a Danish postgraduate student with a main interest in social
organisation/mobilisation through ICT. I became interested in this field
when I learned about the great importance that these medias had to fx the
student organisation in Indonesia and China. ICT posses me possibilities
of organisation that goes beyond the traditional gatekeepers and how that
changes - especially the Asian - societies is of great interest to me.

Name/Alias: Kjeld Hansen
Country: Denmark
Affiliation: Postgraduate student

Introduction: I'am studying for a Master in Communication and
International Development Studies at University of Roskilde, Denmark. I'am
interested in the posibilities that ICT offer the Asian countries within
the areas of sociology, politiology and economy. Currently I'am doing work
on Malaysian Human Right organisations.

I'am now staying at this adress

Kjeld Hansen
Bolivarplaats 1
2000 Antwerpen
Belgium

Kjeld01@...


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From:            "MOBIN CHAUDRY" <mobi@...>

Name/Alias:Mobin Chaudry
Country:Pakistan
Affiliation:Nawa-e-Waqt (National Daily Paper)
Introduction:
i am under 35 young journalsit committed to kashmir issue.I am affiliated
with my newspaper since 1990.Worked on different posts.I worked mostly on
Kashmir issue and ofcourse discussed and expressed the role of media and
govt.towards this issue.I think this is the most appropriate issue to
discuss discuss,where there is...democracy... but we can hardly find any
field of life to observe its existance. World,UNO and the two strongly
related nations to this issue are just watching the existance of this
issue for last 55 years.No,certainly not any serious action has been taken
uptil now by any of the four responsible authorities.So,being a national
of that community---KASHMIR--- (i am also a Kashmiri by birth)I think it
is my duty to explore all those flaws which are seriously damaging the
image of Kashmir issue in the world,and obviously i have the only
channel...internet, in this regard! Home page:
http://members.theglobe.com/mobi5/ex_personal1.html



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From:            "AsiaDHRRA" <asiadhrra@...>

Name/Alias:  Marlene D. Ramirez
Country:       Philippines
Affiliation:    AsiaDHRRA

Introduction:    I am Marlene D. Ramirez, Secretary General of the Asian
Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Asia or
AsiaDHRRA.    AsiaDHRRA is a partnership network of NGOs in 11 countries
in Asia.   We do advocacy work,   build capacity, and promote solidarity
and alliance building among asian  farmers.  You may visit our website at
www.asiadhrra.org .  We are member of an informal forum  in the
Philippines called Asia Caucus. It is composed of NGOs  that have interest
or programs in asia. We come together for information exchange and joint
efforts on some key asian develoment concerns. Asia Caucus  maintains a
site www.asiacaucus.net.ph.

I sit in the Execom of the Southeast Asian Committee on Advocacy (SEACA),
a 5-year regional advocacy capacity building program for CSOs in 8
southeast asian countries.

We look forward to learn from this exchange.



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From:            "Chris Schuepp" <schuepp@...>

hi,

my name is chris schuepp, i work as country director in kyrgyzstan with
internews network, a US-based non-governmental organization working to
support independent journalists (mainly in the CIS, but in other regions
as well). we started working on internet legislation recently and have a
new project (GIPI, the global internet policy initiative) focusing on
keeping the internet as open as possible. if you need more info, please
let me know.

chris



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From:            Christine Conlon <c.conlon@...>

Name: Christine Conlon
Country: Australia
Email: c.conlon@...

AFFILIATION:
University of Technology, Sydney
http://www.uts.edu.au

INTRODUCTION:
Hi everybody.
I lecture in Online Journalism to students within the Journalism strand at
University of Technology, Sydney http://www.uts.edu.au .

My interests lie particularly in the development of the internet in Asia
as a tool to challenge the flow of official information in the media and
also in its ability to allow ordinary people to speak and to get their
stories told.

Over the last decade of observing internet developments and engaging also
in the development of online resources in this field through the
Australian Centre for Independent Journalism - http://acij.uts.edu.au -
I've witnessed significant changes occurring - for instance the channels
which have opened for Burma through the work of burmanet at
http://burmanet.org over the years. Ten years ago there were no stories -
in the Australian media at least - from Burma. But this is just one of the
many online activist success stories.

I recently also contributed the chapter on the media in Bhutan to a book
called the Media in Asia Handbook (Sage, 2000 ed. Gunaratne, Shelton). It
pleases me to see that a member of the Bhutan pro democracy movement in
Nepal has introduced himself to this group and I look forward to sharing
some further discussion in the conference about the implications for
democracy in Bhutan resulting from the internet - and forums such as this.
I will endeavour to post an update on the state of the internet in Bhutan
shortly - that's if somebody else doesn't opt to do it before me!

Chris Conlon
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

*   *   *   *
Christine Conlon
Lecturer, Department of Writing, Journalism & Social Inquiry (WJSI)
University of Technology, Sydney
Tel: (612) 9514 2098  Fax: (612) 9281 2976


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Subject:         What about Turkey?
From:            Cigdem Sahin <sahsenem_cigdem@...>


   Mr. Clift

   My name is �i�dem �ahin. I'm from �zmir, Turkey. I'm
attending Ege University, International Relations (
International Politics).I hope graduting two months
later! I've prepared a seminar about e- democracy and
digital cities in the world for a congress two weeks
before.It was succesful I think! I've tried to explain
'Agora Online' as the latest step of the democratic
process. And told about Minnesota as a living example.
  First, I'd like to thank you. Because what I learned
about E- democracy is from your writings, articles.
Second, I have a question about activities of groups.
I couldn't seen anything about or from Turkey. Maybe
there is but I couldn't find. But if not so, what can
I do about this? You know, we are not only in Asia,
but also in Europe. turkey is the 'Euroasia' that
connect these two worlds. My university is in Turkey's
one of the most advanced cities and if there is
something that I can do, I'll be happy. Here, nobody (
Except some academic researchs) know nothing about '
Agora Online', for example.I've first heard about this
issue from one of my lecturer, G�lg�n Erdo�an Tosun,
and I'm trying to tell about e-democracy and your
sites to my every friends. But I think Turkey needs a
representation about the 'digitalization of
democracy'.I just want to tell this. Thanks for the
opportunity to follow where the world is.



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From:            Camille Schuster <cpschuster@...>

Name:  Camille P. Schuster
Country:  USA
Affiliation:  Xavier University

Introduction:  At Xavier University I teach international marketing nad
global strategy courses and have co-authored a book on international sales
and negotiations with Michael Copeland from Procter & Gamble.  My interest
in this series is related to an activity that several organizations in
Cincinnati are co-sponsoring.  We have developed a Town Hall Meeting
series that focuses discussion on specific topics that are related to
international trade issues.  A number of those issues will be address in
this event so I look forward to the discussion.


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From:            intelact@...

For details, please see

http://www.cipherwar.com/news/01/liberator_0508.htm

I'm looking for information on fiberoptic development in China,
particularly in the northeast (Shenyang) and business opportunities...

---------------------------------------------------------
Get Free Private Encrypted Email https://mail.lokmail.net
         Switch to Name.Space: http://namespace.org/switch



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From:            "RAMLI.AS/LIB/USM" <RAS@...>

Hi everybody !

Introduction:  I am Ramli Abdul Samad, a librarian attached to Universiti
Sains Malaysia. My interest  is in Internet and its implications
particularly on political and social change on any countries. Therefore I
am very happy to be in group.I am not an expert per se in IT but have
special interest in IT and Internet development, how if affects people.


Name : Ramli Abdul Samad
Country : Malaysia
Affiliation : Universiti Sains Malaysia
e-mail : ras@...
Web site : www.lib.usm.my


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From:            "Venky Swaminathan" <venky@...>

Subject: From Venky Swaminathan, Iowa, USA

Resource/Lesson/Example:
http://www.andhrapradesh.com
http://cmis.ap.nic.in/iiscm/cmis.asp

Name/Alias: Venky Swaminathan
Country: USa
Affiliation: Individual

Introduction:
I am Information Technology Specialist and very interested in discussing
the the impact of the internet in promoting in what I call as
participative democracy and its impact in developing nations across Asia.
I think the most significant effect that the Internet can bring in is to
make the people more participative in their governance than being a
spectator of their leader's actions. This would automatically trigger a
lot of after effects that could affect any other aspects of governance ,
the soceity and the polity. Governments like the state Government of
Andhra Pradesh, India have made significant strides in this area. As a
first step, they have started the open Government concept.(more details on
theie web site)

Tme main challenges that remain are Internet access and education. I think
Internet access will increase significantly when it becomes available on
cheaper access devices. The Indian Institue of Sciece has already
introduced what is called a Simputer (Simple+Computer) that costs less
that $300. Additionally it has to be available in local languages. As of
now 80% of the Intenet is in English.

I would like to discuss vies of others in this area and share their
experiences

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From:            "Roberto Morales" <rmorales@...>

Subject: Environment and Development
Name: Roberto Morales-Juarez
Country: Guatemala, Central America
Affiliation: PROARCA-USAID/G-CAP

Introduction: information technology plays an important role in the areas
of natural resources use, environmental protection, sustainable
development, and people participation, but not enough attention has
received in Central America, I am interested in learning from the Asia
experience.

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^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

#15

From: Christine Conlon <c.conlon@...>
Date: Thu May 10, 2001 3:07 am
Subject: Re: Query on Studies of Asian Internet Penetration Rates

c.conlon@...

Jack,

The Handbook of the Media in Asia (2000, Sage, New Delhi, ed. Shelton
Gunaratne) is an authoritative source of stats, but now a year old.

I don't think the impact on Burma of the internet can only be measured
through how household penetration rates. I should declare that I am coming
from a media perspective, but its important to acknowledge the work done by
journalists - freelance and otherwise - along the Thai-Burma border and
often based in Bangkok - whose use of internet technologies has played an
critical role in getting stories told to the world about the goings on
inside. Also (as I mentioned in my introduction) the work done by small
armies of computer nerds in the development of http://burmanet.org (and
previously as a gopher site) has had a significant effect in the
distribution of reliable information and debate about the country, when no
other stories were being told.

Chris


  >Does anyone know of any reliable studies of "household
>penetration rates", for computers and other Internet - enabled
>devices, which have been done for Asia?
>
>
[clipped]

*   *   *   *
Christine Conlon
Lecturer, Department of Writing, Journalism & Social Inquiry (WJSI)
University of Technology, Sydney
Tel: (612) 9514 2098  Fax: (612) 9281 2976

#14

From: "Jamus Jerome Lim" <jamus@...>
Date: Thu May 10, 2001 3:18 am
Subject: RE: Query on Studies of Asian Internet Penetration Rates

jamus@...

Hi,

My name is Jamus Lim and I am a research associate at the Institute of
Southeast Asian Studies (http://www.iseas.edu.sg) working on regional
economic issues (most recently, ICT in the Asia-Pacific).

With regard to Internet penetration, there have been a few done for the
Asia Pacific region. I am currently co-editing a conference volume on the
ICT revolution in ASEAN that deals with this very topic. Many of the papers
in the volume contain the statistics that you have mentioned. Specifically,
you might also wish to consult the work of Profs. Kenneth Kraemer and Jason
Dedrick (UC Irvine), and Assoc. Prof. Wong Poh Kam (CMIT,
http://www.fba.nus.edu.sg/cmit/default.asp) - both have dealt with the
region in their works. There was also a conference held by the Asian
Development Bank on 'ICT Strategies for Developing Asia' - that conference
produced many papers that you might be interested in sifting through.

Statistics in Asia is always a sticky business. But as far as scholarship
can go, many of these papers do provide ballpark figures that are not
entirely out of line with reality.

The second point about the disparities between rural and urban regions has
also been addressed at length. Usually, these arise in 'Digital Divide'
debates in the regional circuit, as the digital divide here is usually
treated not just between countries (i.e. North-South DD) but also within
countries (e.g. especially in large countries such as China and India, as
you have mentioned). Let's face it - such divides will always exist. What
policymakers can do is to try to minimise severe distortions as best they
can, through public-sector solutions, such as Internet kiosks in libraries
and the like. Whilst current, I think the digital divide would end up just
like another of the other socio-economic measures for inequality.

That being said, we should recognise that many Asian countries have far
more pressing issues that require attention and chasing the latest fashions
in ICT may not be the solution. The key here, in my humble opinion, is
infrastructure - both physical (electricity, telephone lines, broadband
network) as well as non-physical (legal infrastructure, business climate,
regulatory framework). This seems to me to be the best way forward.
Obviously, if there are brownouts (in Asia we don't really like to call
them blackouts) half the time then having the world's most advanced
broadband network is a moot point.

And to bring back the discussion to the issue of democracy, I would like to
make two points: first, as has been alluded to by one of the participants
in his introduction, the model of democracy in Asia is different from that
in the West. There is a need to view any liberating technology (such as the
Internet) through the lens of Asian society, which places a greater
weightage on family and community ties, and stresses harmony.

To quote an example from my home country, Singapore has extremely high
Internet penetration rates and a very IT-literate population. Yet criticism
of the ruling - and at time authoritatian - PAP government remains scant,
not because Singaporeans do not treasure their freedom of expression or
that they live in great fear (there is some fear, but it is certainly not
debilitating), but because they feel that certain tradeoffs are worthwhile
if there is continued peace and prosperity. Many Singaporeans would rather
their children be able to come home safely at 1 in the morning than call
for more liberal gun laws, for example.

Second, the traditional divides have never been a major hinderance to
democratic processes. For example, India has an extremely strong democratic
process, but the income divide there remains sharp. To bring the analogy to
the Internet context, we should also not view a digital divide as
necessarily a major stumbling block to democracy. This is a passive,
pessimistic view. Rather, I would be far more comfortable seeing it from
the active view - that the Internet will promote democratic processes,
although this would vary between countries and cultures.

----
Jamus Jerome Lim
Regional Economic Studies
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
jamus@...

On Thursday, May 10, 2001 2:51 AM, Jack Kessler [SMTP:kessler@...]
wrote:
> Does anyone know of any reliable studies of "household
> penetration rates", for computers and other Internet - enabled
> devices, which have been done for Asia?
>
> Speculation about "The Impact of the Internet on Myanmar" to me
> seems pretty idle if no one in Myanmar has a computer... And
> Grameen Bank may have given away plenty of fones in Bangladesh,
> and fones may have been dumped by manufacturers into places like
> Cambodia and Viet Nam, but until someone convinces me that WAP
> etc. are enabled on those fones and actually are in use by Asians
> I am sceptical of claims about "Internet impact" on that route.
>
> Seems to me that Internet impact is more a phenomenon of large
> cities than it is of geographic regions like "Asia", ie. Internet
> will have more impact in "Shenzhen and Hong Kong and Taipei and
> Tokyo and Bombay and Bangalore" than it will in "China and Taiwan
> and Japan and India". Saskia Sassen has written a lot about this:
>
> * The global city (1991)
> * Post-industrial employment and third world immigration (1991)
> * Losing control? : sovereignty in an age of globalization (1996)
> * Globalization and its discontents : [essays on the new mobility
>   of people and money] (1998)
> * Guests and aliens (1999)
> * Cities in a world economy, 2nd ed. (2000)
>
> If true, the practical results are many: bifurcated town vs.
> country approaches -- in an increasing number of places -- to
> fundamental values such as political participation, health and
> education delivery, infrastructure investment, human rights
> awareness and adherence, democracy...
>
> Any sort of "split" in these sorts of things creates a lot of
> local inequality and eventual havoc: both India and China
> reputedly already have this -- severe and increasing inequalities
> between major cities and the hinterland -- a split enhanced,
> rather than reduced, by new hitech wizardry like the Internet?
>
> "'Information Haves' vs. 'Information Have - Nots'..." Democracy,
> and a lot more, won't work too well in conditions of inequality.
>
>
> Jack Kessler, kessler@...
>
>
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:              MAY 2001
> Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media
> More information at:  http://www.e-democracy.org/do
> Rule: No more than two posts a day per participant.
>
> To SUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to: do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, e-mail: do-asia-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

>

#13

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Wed May 9, 2001 9:38 pm
Subject: Intros #4 - Japan, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Belgium and more

clift@...

If you sent an introduction and have not seen it, I may have missed it in
my editing.  Please resend it to: do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Remember to get your introductions in by Thursday evening.

Cheers,
Steven Clift
DO-ASIA



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Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country

Resource/Lesson/Example:

Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:

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From:            "Naomi Halewood" <halewood_n@...>


Resource/Lesson/Example:
Name/Alias: Naomi Halewood
Country: Japan/UK
Affiliation: Individual

Introduction: First, I would like to thank Mr.Clift and e-democracy for
this invaluable opportunity to share ideas and experiences on this topic.
I am currently a graduate student at the American University in Washington
DC. I am in the midst of researching for my thesis which will focus on the
impact of information technology on development issues in Southeast Asia.
I am concentrating in information technology and management at the Kogod
School of Business and ininternational development at the School of
International Service, both at the American University. Although I have
been living in the US for eight years now, I grew up in Japan and hence am
interested in development issues in the Asia region. The phrase
"development issues" sounds vague and perhaps it is a term used too often
and lightly at the graduate level. However, I believe that it is used
loosely for a reason. The reason being that development issues do not only
concern the so-called NICs and LDCs! , but every nation that is
continuously changing withthe international political economy. There are
now a myriad of books and articles documenting the impact of the Internet
in the US, now it is time to examine the impact in other areas of the
world. It is important that this analysis be done thourgh the viewpoints
of the respective regions.
Contact: naomihalewood@...


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From:            "Amit Das" <adas@...>

I am Amit Das from Kolkata, India.

I'm an electronics engineer running a small business.

I'm also honorary publisher of a Bengali language print magazine for
youngsters run by a non-profit literary co-operative.  We also have a
tiny trial website www.westbengal.com/sandesh/ .  We plan to launch
a regular e-zine for youngsters in the Bengali language from next year.

EXAMPLE::

The great possibilities of internet in public life was demonstrated in
India a few weeks back.  The small website http://www.tehelka.com
(TEHELKA means "Sensation" in Hindi) did their second coup-de-etat
by recording with a spycam a top politician actually taking a cash bribe
for "future services" to be rendered to "an arms dealer".  Actually the
person was a reporter for the website who posed as an agent of a
fictitious UK arma exporter.  Though the website was seen by a limited
number of people, hundreds of newspapers with tens of millions of
circulation made the scandal their top story for nearly a week.  A top
cable TV channel purchased the streaming video and broadcast the
expose in prime time.

Last year the same website had similarly exposed match-fixing in cricket
by Indian betting syndicates.

Amit Das

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From:            "Graham Young" <editor@...>

Subject:  The need to provide non-partisan forums.

Name: Graham Young editor@...
Country: Australia
Affiliation:  On Line Opinion and Internet Thinking.

Resource/Lesson/Example: Would be disloyal to my own publication On Line
Opinion http://www.onlineopinion.com.au if I didn't cite it as a resource.
  It is a non-partisan Australian publication which publishes opinion
pieces from leading and/or eloquent Australians and others on social and
political issues.  The aim of the publication is to provide a non-partisan
forum where people with expert knowledge can communicate that knowledge to
a wider public interested in governance issues.  We try to foster the
clash of ideas in the belief that our society has become too polarised and
tribal and needs some public open spaces where all can contribute.

Introduction:

I am a writer, web publisher, property developer and political consultant.
  A long term activist in the Queensland Liberal Party (centre-right for
any with an American view of what "liberal" means) I was its
Vice-President and Campaign Chairman during the middle '90s.  I became a
public critic of the party when it made a decision to direct preferences
to the xenophobic Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party and since then part of
my career has been as a commentator on politics as a sort of "inside
observer".  When I started using the net in a campaign against Hansonism I
instantly fell in love with it, particularly the opportunities it offers
for free expression and political action.  If born 500 years ago I would
probably have been burnt at the stake for publishing bibles in the
vernacular using that new fangled invention, the printing press.  The
internet is the next big step up for spreading ideas and a truly civil
civil society, so I had to be in it.

Internet Thinking offers web publishing and communications services to a
wide variety of organisations.  It is also the sponsor of a project in
eDemocracy which we have been discussing with a variety of NGOs and
government organisations.

Graham Young
Editor
On Line Opinion
61 7 3252 1470
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au


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From:            Camille Schuster <cpschuster@...>

Name:  Camille P. Schuster
Country:  USA
Affiliation:  Xavier University

Introduction:  At Xavier University I teach international marketing nad
global strategy courses and have co-authored a book on international sales
and negotiations with Michael Copeland from Procter & Gamble.  My interest
in this series is related to an activity that several organizations in
Cincinnati are co-sponsoring.  We have developed a Town Hall Meeting
series that focuses discussion on specific topics that are related to
international trade issues.  A number of those issues will be address in
this event so I look forward to the discussion.

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From:            Jennifer Miquel <jennifer.miquel@...>


Subject:  Civil Society.
Your Name:  Jennifer Miquel
Country : Belgium
NGO: ECPD (European Centre for World Population)

Resource/Lesson/Example:
GLOBAL SURVEY FINDS INTERNET FREER THAN TRADITIONAL MEDIA
Online Dilemma: Repressive Governments Unable To Fully Control Web
In a major report released today, Freedom House finds that Internet
freedom exceeds levels of press freedom in most countries, including
some closed societies governed by censorious regimes.
Further details: http://www.kabissa.org/kfn/newsletter.php?id=816


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From:            Jeremy Druker <DrukerJ@...>

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Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country

Jeremy Druker, Czech Republic

Resource/Lesson/Example:


Name/Alias: Jeremy Druker
Country: Czech Republic
Affiliation: Director and Editor in Chief
Transitions Online
http://www.tol.cz

Introduction:  Greetings from Prague. I edit Transitions Online (TOL), a
not-for-profit Internet newsmagazine covering the 28 post-communist
countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the former
Soviet Union. Published by a Czech NGO, TOL has three goals, all focused
on improving independent media in the post-communist world:

--To serve as a public service media that covers the events and issues
facing formerly communist countries in a knowledgeable, but enjoyable and
accessible manner. TOL seeks to fill the gap in coverage of other media,
which too often focus on a particular day's headlines, often neglecting to
provide key background information, regional comparisons, and in-depth
analysis. --To act as an incubator of up-and-coming talent by offering
young, local journalists ongoing, intensive journalism training and the
added benefits of joining a network of like-minded individuals. --To
strive toward financial self-sustainability, demonstrating the potential
of the Internet for strengthening independent media and NGOs in the
post-communist world.

We are particularly interested in the impact of the Internet on
democratization  in our coverage area, which includes Central Asia. The
following is our weekly editorial, which ran 24 - 30 April and tackles
some of the themes that will undoubtedly be raised in the coming
discussion.


The Numbers Game

(http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&Nr
Issue=21&NrSection=16&NrArticle=781)

Across the region, some repressive governments can't be bothered with
cracking down on the Internet.

Repressive regimes always have a dilemma when it comes to the Internet.
They are well aware of the role it has in promoting trade, the scientific
benefits it brings, and the points it scores with the West in at least
giving the appearance of a forward-thinking outpost of democracy. But at
the same time they are concerned about the threat the Web might pose to
their authoritarian regimes.

Across the former Soviet Union, just as oppositionists have found better
ways to circumvent monitoring and crackdowns, governments have found more
creative ways to snoop and repress. In 1998, Russia's Federal Security
Service created SORM-2 to monitor Internet communications. Internet access
providers are required to foot the bill for expensive technology that
re-routes all client transmissions to security service headquarters. In
Turkmenistan, the government has revoked the operating licenses of all
ISPs, thus securing a lucrative monopoly--as well as control--over
electronic traffic.

Internet repression and Internet connectivity usually follow a simple
exponential equation: greater connectivity means increased and more
sophisticated monitoring. In terms of technological complexity and
intrusiveness, however, such systems are nothing when compared with those
employed in liberal democracies--with much higher connectivity rates--like
the United States and the United Kingdom

A new global survey published by the non-profit organization Freedom
House on 30 April has found that Internet freedom exceeds levels of
press freedom. The annual Survey of Press Freedom found that many of the
most repressive regimes "place fewer restrictions on Internet access than
they do on print and broadcast media." Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,
and Turkmenistan were deemed "Not Free" for print and broadcast media, but
"Moderately Restrictive" for the Web. The report is rightfully optimistic
and says, "It is reasonable to expect that the Internet will eventually
help most closed societies."

Unfortunately, the major reason that there are fewer restrictions on the
�Net is because in those countries, citizens are denied access--or
opposition-minded surfers make up such a small minority. As the report
says, "In all these countries, the percentage of the population online is
minimal." In Belarus, only 1 percent of the population is online. In
Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, Internet users number in the thousands--a tiny
percent of the overall population. The report says that "the high cost of
access to cyberspace in these countries, which have generally very low
personal incomes, restricts usage of the Web to individuals with political
and economic clout."

Across the region, connectivity rates are low because of an
underdeveloped telecommunications infrastructure, high prices for access
because of state-owned communications monopolies, and low levels of
technical education. In Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the chances of using
the �Net outside the capital cities are remote.

Moreover, those who use the Internet are usually opposition-minded,
English-speaking, dwellers of capital cities, often with a university
education, and perhaps working for international organizations--hardly the
bread-and-butter voters for demagogues.

For Lukashenka, or Turkmenbashi, or any other of the region's
incorrigible strongmen, those votes are already lost, and their energies
are better spent on repressing opposition-minded traditional media that
have much higher circulation or exposure, and therefore much more scope
for fomenting dissent. In Belarus, a public media law already makes it
obligatory for media outlets to register with the state, and criticism of
the regime is fairly limited. Radio Free Europe analyst Alexander Lukashuk
once said that "the scandal would be much bigger than what [the
authorities] would gain in terms of control." Sometimes cracking down just
isn't worth the authorities' while.

  Copyright � 2001 Transitions Online. All rights reserved.


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From:            "Phil Cain" <phil@...>

Subject:  Introduction - Phil Cain, UK

Name/Alias: Phil Cain
Country: UK

Affiliation(s):

VoxPolitics - news and features editor, see http://www.voxpolitics.com
E-Government Bulletin - deputy editor, see http://www.headstar.com
E-Access Bulletin - deputy editor, see http://www.headstar.com E-Legality
Bulletin - editor, see http://www.e-legality.org

Introduction: I am currently editor of news and features on a web
an email service called VoxPolitics which will run in parallel with the UK
election. Though focussed on the UK, I am keen to use the features section
to provide international context, including some from Asia.

Similarly I E-Government Bulletin, a monthly email newsletter
on the Internet in government which I co-edit, would benefit
from content based on the experiences of nations outside
western Europe.

I am afraid that at present I have little to offer subscribers to this
list on Asian teledemocracy, but hope that by reading its contents this
will not be the case for long.


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From:            Hakikur Rahman <hakik@...>


Name/Alias:     Hakikur Rahman
Country:                Bangladesh
Affiliation:            Sustainable Development Networking Programme of
Bangladesh.
                          http://www.sdnbd.org

Introduction:

This is Hakikur Rahman, Project Coordinator, Sustainable Development
Networking Programme (SDNP) of Bangladesh. SDNP is a global initiative of
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

SDNP Bangladesh is working in the field of ICT for offering information
networking among Sub-Implementing Agencies of Sustsinable Environment
Management Programme (SEMP) of Bangladesh government and other development
partners.

Glad to be included in this group and looking forward to contribute for
advancement of information technology across asia.

Best Regards.
Hakik.


Hakikur Rahman
Project Coordinator
SDNP Bangladesh.
email: hakik@...,  icms@...
web: http://www.sdnbd.org,  http://www.geocities.com/hakik_2000

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Subject:         Email-based networking for action - Bonine
From:            "John Bonine (Oregon)" <jbonine@...>

Dear Steven,

Will we have the opportunity to write to the list, or is everything going
to go through a moderator?

My experience is that a reply-to-list option is much better for building a
sense of ownership and discussion.

[HOST NOTE:  Yes, the conference e-mail list will be unmoderated next
week.  With 330 subscribers I did't want to lose half the participants
with an initial overload of e-mail. - SLC]

  Resource/Lesson/Example:

Environmental NGOs and governments are using the Internet effectively to
make information accessible to citizens on toxic chemicals and other
pollutants released by industries into the environment.  These reports are
mandated under national laws, variously called "right to know" laws,
"toxic release inventory" laws, or "pollutant release and transfer
registers."  Putting them online makes them easily usable by civil
society, thus promoting democratic governance.

Some people believe that more pollution control is being achieved by
TRI/PRTR reporting than through regulations, because many companies will
act to reduce pollution, rather than having to report high discharges into
the environment.

Here are some links:

http://www.scorecard.org/ (very fancy link to information from US NGO,
Environmental Defense)

http://www.rtk.net/ (The US NGO community's Right to Know Network)

http://www.epa.gov/tri/ (US TRI page of US EPA)

http://www.epa.gov/tri/prtrs.htm (links to PRTR systems of other
countries)

> Name/Alias:

Professor John Bonine

> Country:

USA

> Affiliation:

School of Law, University of Oregon
and
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide

> Introduction:

I have taught environmental, constitutional, and administrative law for 23
years, after earlier working for 6 years at the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.  I co-founded the world's first environmental law
clinic, which has now trained generations of students to represent NGOs
and citizens as clients in court cases.

10 years ago, several of us from 9 countries started an email-based
network to link public-interest environmental lawyers together, after
learning that labor groups in Asia and worldwide had started to do this.
Today, with participants in 50 countries, working online to help one
another every day in court cases and law reform, we have the impression
that this effort has basically not been replicated elsewhere in the same
manner.  There is one exception:  I also started, 10 years ago, a similar
domestic email network, which similarly links lawyers with others who can
help and exchange ideas.

I have applied these experiences to start a number of other discussion
lists (electronic conferences), as well as participating in various ones
started by others.  For example, for three years my colleagues in Oregon
and at Lviv National University in western Ukraine have used a network for
law professors at both ends to discuss matters of mutual interest, to plan
exchange visits, etc. I counted messages recently and found that in the
second year of our grant, we exchanged 1,700 messages on that list.

Other examples include lists working on participatory democracy issues in
Europe involving the Aarhus Convention on Public Participation in
Environmental Decisionmaking.  We use these lists intensively for planning
and discussions before negotiations, etc.

The Internet is being used in another way to allow individuals and NGOs to
participate in democratic governance, namely through making information
available through the World Wide Web on environmental contamination.  My
example at the beginning involved that.


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^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

#12

From: Jack Kessler <kessler@...>
Date: Wed May 9, 2001 6:51 pm
Subject: Query on Studies of Asian Internet Penetration Rates

kessler@...

Does anyone know of any reliable studies of "household
penetration rates", for computers and other Internet - enabled
devices, which have been done for Asia?

Speculation about "The Impact of the Internet on Myanmar" to me
seems pretty idle if no one in Myanmar has a computer... And
Grameen Bank may have given away plenty of fones in Bangladesh,
and fones may have been dumped by manufacturers into places like
Cambodia and Viet Nam, but until someone convinces me that WAP
etc. are enabled on those fones and actually are in use by Asians
I am sceptical of claims about "Internet impact" on that route.

Seems to me that Internet impact is more a phenomenon of large
cities than it is of geographic regions like "Asia", ie. Internet
will have more impact in "Shenzhen and Hong Kong and Taipei and
Tokyo and Bombay and Bangalore" than it will in "China and Taiwan
and Japan and India". Saskia Sassen has written a lot about this:

* The global city (1991)
* Post-industrial employment and third world immigration (1991)
* Losing control? : sovereignty in an age of globalization (1996)
* Globalization and its discontents : [essays on the new mobility
   of people and money] (1998)
* Guests and aliens (1999)
* Cities in a world economy, 2nd ed. (2000)

If true, the practical results are many: bifurcated town vs.
country approaches -- in an increasing number of places -- to
fundamental values such as political participation, health and
education delivery, infrastructure investment, human rights
awareness and adherence, democracy...

Any sort of "split" in these sorts of things creates a lot of
local inequality and eventual havoc: both India and China
reputedly already have this -- severe and increasing inequalities
between major cities and the hinterland -- a split enhanced,
rather than reduced, by new hitech wizardry like the Internet?

"'Information Haves' vs. 'Information Have - Nots'..." Democracy,
and a lot more, won't work too well in conditions of inequality.


Jack Kessler, kessler@...

#11

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Wed May 9, 2001 5:46 am
Subject: Intros #3 - Malaysia, Pakistan, Romania et al and more

clift@...

Please send in your introductions in before the end of day Thursday to be
included in the introduction packets.

Steven Clift
Democracies Online


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Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country

Resource/Lesson/Example:

Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:

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From:            "Dr. Hara Prasad Padhy" <padhy@...>

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country

Resource/Lesson/Example:

Name/Alias: Dr. Hara Prasad Padhy
Country: Malaysia ( An Indian working in Malaysia)
Affiliation: Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development( AIBD)
http://www.aibd.org.my

Introduction:

I am Hara Prasad Padhy, an Indian but working in Malaysia in an
Intergovernmental Media Organisation called Asia-Pacific Institute of
Broadcasting Development. AIBD is unique organisation catering to the
developmental needs of 23 Asia-Pacific counties and 56 broadcasting
organisations in the  field of electronic media development.

I am associated with Public Service Broadcasting which guarantees a viable
and practicable democracy. I am also working in the areas of Internet
Broadcasting.

I have some definite experiences in the field of media and democracy in
the Asia-Pacific region which I wish to share with my other participants
during the seminar.

Looking forward to listen and share the experiences of Media and democracy
with special reference to Internet


Dr. Hara Prasad Padhy
Programme manager,
Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development(AIBD)
PO Box 1137, Pantai,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 59200
Tel ( Office)  +603-22823719/22824618
Tel( Residence)+603-4314372
Fax: +603-22822761
E-mail: padhy@... / hpaibd@... / hporissa@... /
haraprasadpadhy@... Website: www.aibd.org.my

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From:            "Owais Aslam Ali" <owais.ali@...>

Name/Alias: Owais Aslam  Ali
Country:      Pakistan
Affiliation:    Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Introduction: I am is the Chairman of Pakistan Press International (PPI),
the country's independent news agency.   I am also the Secretary-General
of Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), an independent media research,
documentation and training centre.  The PPF is also involved in defending
and promoting freedom of the press in Pakistan and internationally.  The
PPF maintains a website at www.oneworld.org/ppf
<http://www.oneworld.org/ppf>  .

I am a member of the Unesco Advisory Group on Press Freedom and the Jury
of the Unesco/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.  I am also a
member of the IPI Experts Committee on News Agencies, the Board of
Trustees of Council of Asia Pacific Press Institutes (CAPPI) and the Board
of Studies, Mass Communications Department, University of Karachi.  I
served as the Convenor of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange
(IFEX) for the year 1998-99.



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Subject:         introduction-CyberDyaryo
From:            "paulynn sicam" <psicam@...>



Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country
Paulynn Sicam, Philippines

Resource/Lesson/Example:
CyberDyaryo, (http://www.cyberdyaryo.com) an on-line news magazine on
issues, concerns and sectors that interest civil society such as poverty
and empowerment, good governance, democratization, human rights, the work
of NGOs and people's organizations, globalization, the plight of
indigenous peoples, women, urban and rural poor and other marginalized
sectors, and the like.

Name/Alias: Paulynn Sicam
Country: Makati city, Philippines
Affiliation: editor of CyberDyaryo

Introduction:
CyberDyaryo is an on-line newsmagazine that carries stories that fall
between the cracks in the daily reporting of the mainstream media. When we
do carry stories about breaking news, we try to write these from the point
of view of civil society and not just of government and political leaders.
We also carry commentaries and opinion pieces on the situation in the
country, as well as statements and press release of civil society groups
nationwide.

We went on line in 1996 as a venue for NGO news and views, tentatively at
first, with a weekly upload when we were still trying to understand the
medium we had so boldly entered. We were part of a service that offered
free email access to NGOs to encourage them to use this brave new medium
to communicate among themselves and with the world. In 2000, we decided to
go daily (except weekends)in order to have some impact in the political
life of the nation where civil society was playing an increasingly
important role. It has been exhasting work--but highly rewarding in terms
of outcome, feedback and the growing appreciation in civil society and
beyond for what we do.

I am a former print journalist and a former commissioner of the Philippine
Commission on Human Rights.


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From:            Scott Aikens <saikens@...>

Name/Alias:   Scott Aikens
Country:   USA
Affiliation:  Digital Media Consultant, KQED
Resource/Lesson/Example: http://www.kqed.org/fm/pacifictime/
[Listen live on the web to Thursday broadcasts: at 6:30pm and 11pm US
Pacific Time. http://www.kqed.org/streamingfiles/kqed_real.ram]

Introduction:   Hi.  I work as a consultant at KQED, Northern
California's largest public television and radio station.
KQED is, among other things, developing a new program called
Pacific Time, which is scheduled to become a National Public
Radio program distributed nation-wide (US), and beyond.
[I've included a description of the program below].

My job is to help KQED develop partnerships that use new
technologies to empower educational, cultural and civic
institutions across the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere.

My interest in this debate is:

1)  To learn about interesting stories and contacts across
Asia for the producers at Pacific Time.

2)  To understand how a program like Pacific Time can use
enabling network technologies formatted like this conference to
serve the public in new and innovative ways.

Let me hear from you about these queries.  I'll collect
some of the stories and contacts and pass them on to the
producers.  Pacific Time (and KQED) will also take your
thoughts about partnerships and the uses of technology into
account in our strategic planning.

Thanks

Scott Aikens

--------------------

What is Pacific Time?

Pacific Time explores the ideas, trends and cultural patterns
that now flow freely between Asia and North America. The
program covers economics, language, politics, public policy,
arts and sports. Reporting from both sides of the Pacific
Ocean, Pacific Time emphasizes stories that are not told
regularly in the news media - stories about trans-Pacific
connections and about the collisions, blending and change
that occur when Asia and America meet.

Pacific Time reports on the unknown. For many American
listeners, Asia remains among the world's least-known regions,
even as a growing portion of the U.S. economy depends upon
exchanges with Pacific Rim nations. On the U.S. mainland,
the realities of Asian-American communities remain obscured
and distorted by decades-old preconceptions and newer stereotypes.

KQED Public Radio's Pacific Time probes beneath the platitudes
that flavor much media treatment of Asian nations and
Asian-American communities.  Pacific Time illuminates the growing
ties and mutual influences that characterize U.S.-Asian
interactions. And it does so in lively programs that are
distinguished by high production values and enriched with strong voices,
featuring first-person stories, commentaries and interviews.


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From:            "Marissa Polsky" <polskym@...>
Subject:  Internet development and social development

Name: Marissa Polsky
Country: USA
Affiliation: Georgetown University

Introduction:

I am a graduate student research Internet Development in the former Soviet
Union, especially the countries of Central Asia.  I am interested in
correlations between Internet development in areas of social development -
economic, educational, political, mass-media, etc.


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Subject:         Internetphilia
From:            JOHN POSTILL <jpostill@...>

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Subject:  The Internet: A Vastly Overrated Contraption

Keywords Here -

Your Name: John Postill
Country:  British and Spanish national, currently living in Romania but
moving to Germany soon


Resource/Lesson/Example:

Hullo. I'm a social anthropologist from the UK and Spain. My PhD was based
on fieldwork into the uses of 'old media' (esp. TV, radio, print media,
time devices, public-address systems)  among the Iban of Sarawak, in East
Malaysia (NW Borneo). I completed it one and a half years ago.

I've now lived in Bucharest, Romania, for 3 years. We hear a lot about the
'digital divide' supposedly condemning most of humankind to ignorance. But
I've the feeling that the huge hype surrounding the Internet conceals a
more ominous, older divide -- what we might call the 'analogical divide',
i.e. the gulf between people with access to the latest printed knowledge
(scholarly books and journals) and those without such access.

Bucharest is a case in point. I was asked to teach an MA in social
anthropology. The trouble is, there are no adequate library resources in
Bucharest to teach the discipline, or indeed many other disciplines. Some
of my students are expert web surfers, but they found little of interest.
There is no substitute for a well-stocked physical library, I'm afraid. So
let us not get carried away by the endless wonders of the Internet.
Lacking the financial resources, most people around the world can only
surf through amazon.com, but they have no access to its treasure troves:
the books.

Like all new technologies, the Internet promises its converts far more
than it actually delivers. Information era? No, this is the era of
increasingly decontextualized bits of information circulating in greater
volumes than ever before.

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Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country

Resource/Lesson/Example:

Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:

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^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

#10

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Tue May 8, 2001 6:11 pm
Subject: Intros #2 - Nepal, S. Korea, UK, Finland and 9 more

clift@...

Below are 13 new introductions.  An excellent mix of participants thus
far.

Note: If you include web addresses, please keep the "http://" part - this
make your submission a clickable link in the web archive as well in many e-
mail programs.

If you notice useful articles or other online resources you may also
announce them to the group by posting straight to <do-asia@yahoogroups>.
While the e-mail list will remain moderated through this introduction
week, I'll open it up for unmoderated discussion next week.

Steven Clift
Democracies Online


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Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country


Resource/Lesson/Example:


Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:



Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com
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From:            "ceo" ceo@...
Subject: E-vote: Can people vote efficiently?


Name: Jae Sik Lim,  Korea

Hello?
My name is JaeSik working as a CEO of a small Venture company in Seoul. I
got just MA in Politics. Individually I'm very interested in e-Politics
because I'm sure that as  new tools we can develop our political
environment. Also e-government, e- voting are my main concern.

Our company's main item is e-voting solution.
you can visit our web site; www.evotesystem.com

Introduction:
What do you think about adoption of new voting tools?
What kind of things are needed?
I want to share ideas and information.
Let's try..


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From:            "Leo" pactnet@...

Dear All,
I work on local democracy for almost two years with 13 ngo's as a partner.
We combine web site/Internet/e-mail/mailing list and news letter and
alternative media at community level to pass information horizontally and
vertically.

My name : Anthony Leonardo Patty
Contry : Indonesia, Jakarta.
Leo
Pact Indonesia
Jl. Tebet Barat I No.8
Jakarta Selatan 12810
Ph: (62-21) 829-3156
Fax: (62-21) 829-0482
E-mai;: pactnet@...
Web Site: www.jaringnet.org

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From:        "Paula Tiihonen" patiihonen@...


  Subject:  e-government, common interest

Name/Country:
  Dr Paula Tiihonen  from Finland, on leave from Committee for Future in
  the Finnish Parliament (for 2 years in Washington DC)

Resource/Lesson/Example:

If you are interested how I as a Finn  see these e-things I will keep a
presentation next week in Quebec, May 15-6. see http://www.cefrio.qc.ca
and I can send my draft (10 pages), so you can comment before my
presentation

My main message is Do not forget the importance of common interest in
e-things, in the brave new e-world.  Name/Alias: Paula Tiihonen
Country: Finland Paula Tiihonen 4100 Cathedral avenue, apt 605, NW.
Washington DC 20016 USA

e-mail: patiihonen@...
phone: 202-362 2091


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From:            "Atikah Nur'aini" atikah@...

Introduction/Resource Form

Subject: Human Rights and Freedom of Expression
Name/Alias: Atikah Nur'aini
Country: Indonesia
Affiliation: The Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas
HAM)

  Resource/Lesson/Example:
I am working for The Indonesian National Human Rights Commission (Komnas
HAM) as an information specialist. So,  I work a lot with Information
Technology and Communication. Most of time I search the information from
the internet. I also use it for networking by joining mailing list and
newsgroup. I found it very useful, primarily to get current information on
human rights issues. Komnas HAM, My organization have mandates to
implement the human rights promotion and protection in Indonesia. We have
four main activities such as monitoring human rights implementation,
education and public awareness (including human rights training and
campaign), human rights research and studies and the last, we also have
mandate in mediation. To support the activities, my organization has been
equipped with the Human Rights Documentation and Information Center which
serve the Commissioners and Staff. It also opens for public. Eventhough
Komnas HAM not focus on the issues of media and freedom of expression, but
I believe that freedom of expression is human rights. Without freedom of
expression we cannot build democracy and a strong civil society. We, in
Indonesia at the moment, really need it as a part of learning process to
democracy.


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From:            "nalin k. rai" nalin_67@...

NAlin
India
A BAnker
I am a banker a=into developing banking and a writer
as well. i saw IT chage path and life in villages in
my area of operations where it has been able to remove
the middle men, farmers are getting the quaotations of
stuff on a daily basis, selling the produce to the
best markets, as also it is providing employment ot
rural students, who wrok as a part time data entry
operators.
NAlin

=====
nalin rai


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From:            paul.smith@...

Name/Alias: Paul Smith
Country: London, UK
Affiliation: research and publishing company investigating e-government

Introduction:

Kable is an independent research company based in London, UK. We've been
investigating the use of IT by governments; in the UK for a decade and in
Europe for the past three years. What's clear to us is that although every
country contemplating digitising its public services is going through the
same pains (privacy, trust, democracy issues as well as a litany of failed
IT projects), very little learning is happening across borders. So
althought we're Europe-based, we'd really like to be able to pass on
success stories (and abject failures, if we must) to a community of
interest that includes public servants, committed advocates and IT
suppliers themselves.

Best wishes for the new group!

Paul

Paul Smith
Kable, London
t: +44 20 76 08 84 13
Visit our website at http://www.kablenet.com
or for all the essential facts and figures see our subscriber only site
http://www.kabledirect.com



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From:            Christine Howes chowes@...

Subject:  Native Title & Reconciliation: information and ideas sharing
online

Name: Christine Howes
Country: Australia

Resource/Lesson/Example:  So glad to read others' intros and know I fit in
here somewhere to a small extent.  Not sure I will be able to contribute
greatly but will certainly be an avid reader.

Anyway, here goes: I am a non-indigenous freelance journalist based in
north Queensland working primarily for indigenous media outlets.  Not a
great deal of this work is actually done online in terms of distribution,
but I also have an information email list (meaning it's not on a
list-serve but something I do "manually") with over 400 people on it who,
I'm also aware, circulate the information further afield.  The list is
called 'Info: Native Title & Reconciliation' and has been growing and
running for about five years now.

The info I send out largely comes from people on the list who are other
journalists and media professionals, academics, students, activists,
public servants, politicians, community workers, friends and family (from
whence the list started).  The type of information is generally newsclips
(with a copyright rider), event information, ideas sharing, material from
other lists such as the reconciliation, media, activist lists, etc etc and
whatever else might be appropriate.  I try to keep postings to no more
than 10 a day (sometimes very hard when I receive more than 100 emails a
day), making the list and the info I receive accessible to busy people.

So I guess I suddenly see where I fit in here (hence being brave enuff to
intro) is with an eye to media and the internet.  I rarely send my own
stuff out but with such an extensive list of contacts seem to have access
to a lot of information often not available widely elsewhere...at least
not through normal media channels for whatever reason.  The other bit is I
guess I'm based in north Queensland and many people simply don't know much
about the area or its people....the Aboriginal population here is the
second highest concentration in the country and the Torres Strait
population as well is largely located throughout the area.  These people
simply don't have a voice, particularly in the national media, and I hope,
in some small way I am contributing to that voice as well as educating
other people about their issues and needs.  Aboriginal & Torres Strait
Islander people might be a democratic minority in other parts of Australia
but they are certainly not throughout this region.

Affiliation: I work independently as a correspondent for the national
indigenous fortnightly newspaper 'Koori Mail' and am the newsletter editor
for the Aboriginal Coordinating Council (a Queensland based coordinating
body for the 15 former mission and reserve communities in this state), as
well as for various other indigenous radio stations and organisations.

Introduction: er...suspect I've said enuff =)


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Subject:         Introduction: Never Again! Legacies of the Marcos
Dictatorship -- Consuelo Katrina A. Lopa, Philippines
From:            "Consuelo Katrina A. Lopa" ckalopa@...

Subject: Introduction: Never Again! Legacies of the Marcos Dictatorship -
Consuelo Katrina A. Lopa, Philippines

Resource/Lesson/Example:
The Project on the Legacies of the Marcos Dictatorship seeks to highlight
the experience of Martial Rule in the Philippines (1971-1986) as well as
the continuing legacies of authoritarianism that hinder the full
development of a democratic Philippine society. The Project seeks to
create venues-both spatial and temporal-for the purpose of  encouraging
memory and truth telling, as well as nurturing an environment that
advocates justice. Thus, while the Project undertakes inter-generational
activities during bi-annual Seasons of Remembering with schools and
universities, organizations, and grassroots communities, it also moderates
the Never Again e-list and is presently constructing the Never Again.Net,
a website on the legacies of the Marcos dictatorship.

The Never Again e-list neveragain@yahoogroups.com , set up in February
2000 with a current membership of 300, is an electronic forum for the
exchange of ideas and information on Philippine social and political
issues. The good quality of  discussions in the e-list is influenced
largely by the make-up of the list-largely, academics, development NGO
workers, political activists, members of media, and the youth. Among the
major issues that have been the focus of discussions are the Mindanao
problem, specifically the war declared by the Estrada government on the
Bangsa Moro people; the campaign for the resignation, impeachment and
ouster of  former President Joseph 'Erap' Estrada, culminating in People
Power II and the assumption into power of the constitutional successor,
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; the campaign to bring to justice the
former President who is accused of plunder; and the recent "EDSA Tres
rebellion," a failed attempt to overthrow the government thru a poor
people's marathon rally at EDSA, coupled with a march to the Presidential
Palace and an alleged but unsuccesful armed overthrow.

Name: Consuelo Katrina A. Lopa
Country: Philippines
Contact Information:  Project on the Legacies of the Marcos Dictatorship,
Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute, 2/f Hoeffner Hall, Social Development
Complex, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, 1108
Metro Manila, Philippines. E-mail ckalopa@...

Introduction:
I am project coordinator for the Project on the Legacies of the Marcos
Dictatorship, list moderator of the Never Again E-list, and webmaster of
the Never Again.Net (currently under construction). I find immense
fulfillment in the work that I do-having the wonderful opportunity to do
face-to-face inter-generational work on the said themes, while also being
able to use new technology to enhance my political work.


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From:            Jack Kessler kessler@...


  Introduction/Resource Form

  Subject:

	 Introduction

  Resource/Lesson/Example:

	 Resources: things written by Asians, as opposed to
	 non-Asians, about democracy in Asia -- by Nehru,
	 Gandhi, Lee Kwan Yew's memoirs / autobiography (being
	 issued now), Mao, Ho, Hu Shih, for some examples.

  Name/Alias:

	 Jack Kessler / kessler
	 kessler@...

  Country:

	 USA

  Affiliation:

	 Independent

  Introduction:

 	 I did business in Asia and with Asians for 15 years,
  1974-1989, and traveled there regularly and extensively for
  the last 7 of those. I have not been back since. I know no
  Asian languages. My family has had business / professional /
  personal affiliations with Asia which extend back to the
  early 1920s. I do some investing in firms there now -- very
  carefully. Chinese history and art interest me very much, and
  Tamil Nadu is one of my favorite places in the world. I don't
  think Westerners understand "democracy" well at all, even in
  its various "Western" versions, see,

  http://www.yale.edu/yale300/democracy/mediatranscripts.htm

  so I don't understand how Westerners ever could analyze
  democracy in an Eastern context, much less impose it there as
  a condition of politics or of doing business.


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From:                 "Milap Chand Choraria"
milapchandchoraria@....

Dear Brothers/Sisters,

Resource/Lesson/Example:

In India in ratio of population Internet size is very small and still at
initial stage, because use of Internet was just opened on 15th August
1995, though under Government Control. Now, since last one year this area
is opened for Private ISP�s. So its impact on the governance is very
remote But in future Internet will be a source of real powers in the hands
of the people. With this dream I am developing a larger Internet Portal
based on about seventy Domains like legali4u.Com Name/Alias: My name is
Milap Chand Choraria Country: India Affiliation: I am member of various
important organizations like Transparency International India Chapter,
Convenor of MOVEMENT for ACCOUNTABILITY to PUBLIC (MAP). I am author of
Articles, particularly on the important issues relates to democracy. Till
now my 184 Article in Hindi and 24 Articles in English Daily Newspapers
from different part of India, giving importance to some of them by
Newspaper Editors, were published.  Introduction: I am working with
objective to evolve better system of governance on the line of �By the
People for the People and through the People.� This is obly possible in a
system, where law must be above every one, and every one must be
accountable to Public, through a system. I have written a Book �A New
Model of Constitution for India� and is under publication. A free debate
would be held on the book with the help of Internet. To attract more and
more people awards would be given. Indians and Non-Resident Indians can
participate in the debate subject to conditions. The real democracy is
them of Book.

With regards to all of you
Yours truly

Milap Chand Choraria
A-2/166, Sector-3, Rohini, Delhi (INDIA) 110085
Phone : 091-011-7161506

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From:  "Human Rights & Environment Forum" govinhuref@...

From : Raj Kumar Pyakurel .

Our country Nepal now facing an internal armed conflict. Despite becoming
the birth place of Lord Buddha, this county slowly moving towards violence
.there is a great need of making people aware of tolerance, respecting
rights of each other ,etc . we are involved in promoting human rights
activities which now is limited in awareness campaign .we think it need to
go further as formal / non-formal education.

My affiliation : I am working as project coordinator under Human Rights
and Environment Forum (HUREF) , a non-profit non govt. organization in
Kathmandu .
  Email : goviranhuref@...
Thanks

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From:            "Michael Olan" olanm@...

Introduction: Hello to everyone. I am a computer science prof at a small
college & I have a keen interest in the effects of technology on the
developing world -- both positive and negative. Much of my interest comes
from experiences I had while living in Malaysia for 6 years.

Resource/Lesson/Example:

In 1998 observed the power of the internet in action. The Malaysian gov't
promotes info technology as the country's main path to development. In
1998 when protests against government actions occurred, the internet was
used as the means to pass information among the people. The ability to
organize, etc. was done in a way that would have been impossible without
the internet. All that's needed is one computer & a copy machine in a
village and nearly instant access is possible via email. Powerful!

Name/Alias:  Michael Olan
Country:  USA
Affiliation: Richard Stockton College
From:            "Walton Burns" waltonburns@...

  Walton Burns, MTS (Master of Theological Studies), from Boston
  University.
Currently living in Boston, MA. USA.
Undergraduate degree in philosophy, starting a not-for-profit, really just
starting it now Force of Emer http://www.geocities.com/forceofemer

I am perhaps not as expert on this topic as others so I will probably do
more lurking than posting. I am joining the Peace Corps and planning to go
to Central Asia, though the choice is not entirely mine. In the course of
preparing, I have tried to research the area culturally, politically, and
historically. I have managed to work all of my academic courses, for my
last semester acquiring a masters, around central asia as well. Thus I
researched history, economics, ethnicity, religion, geography. And all of
this on the Internet. Though we hear it all the time, it amazes me to
discover yet again, that I can be an expert on Tajikistan--a nation I had
never heard of 6 months ago--due to the Internet. I have recipes and I
know the GDP for the past 5 years. Furthermore, I have a special interest
in promoting peace and non-violence and I discovered a wonderful
application for the Internet. Having read homepages by Kazak grad students
like myself, I find remarkable similarities. A simple lesson and yet there
is it.


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Subject:         Introduction - journalist and author
From:            Chris Allbritton callbritton@...

Hello all,

I�m a writer and journalist who has covered technology and culture since
1994 for organizations such as Salon, Wired, the AP and the New York Daily
News. For the past two years, I�ve been gathering material for how the
American-based Silicon culture is impacting other cultures and other
values around the world, particularly in Asia. I'm circulating a book
proposal right now called "Silicon Planet" that will look at about 10
technology clusters around the world -- China, Japan, Taiwan, India,
Malaysia et al. -- and how the cultures are adapting American technology
and how that technology, which has values built into it, might be changing
the existing cultures.

I've been using email to communicate with principle characters in these
places, and will be visiting them personally when the sale of the book
goes through. I hope this conference allows me to learn in greater depth
what is happening on the ground in much of Asia.

My name : Christopher Allbritton
country : New York City, NY USA.

Best regards,
--
Chris Allbritton * (212) 780-9326 (v) * (212) 214-0777 (f)
callbritton@... * ctbritt@...
http://home.earthlink.net/~ctbritt

PGP Key ID: 0x508F40D5
PGP Fingerprint: EA20 5B85 8CFC F288 207E  B8B9 0CDF DE61 508F 40D5

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Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country


Resource/Lesson/Example:


Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:



Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com
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^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Tue May 8, 2001 6:29 pm
Subject: Article - The Impact of the Internet on Myanmar - 7 May 2001

clift@...

[Host Note:  Just to be clear - I am forwarding clips of article by
others that I run across.  With your help <do-asia@yahoogroups.com>
we will be able to share items from all across Asia that provide us
some perspective on the variety of approaches.  - SLC]



From:
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue6_5/krebs/index.html

The Impact of the Internet on Myanmar
First Monday
Volume 6, Number 5 - May 7th 2001


In the present paper, I explore how the Internet has affected the
flow of information between in and outside Myanmar (Burma). I show
that there is a strong difference between the way information was
presented before and after the introduction of the World Wide Web.

Within the last century, the country has been marked by political
instability (Eliot, 1997; Freedom House, 2000). Particularly since
its separation from British colonial rule in 1948, Burma has
witnessed significant political change, violence and unrest. Since
the early 1960s, Burma has essentially been an isolated state, with
closed borders and a military government. However, the fall of the
Berlin wall and the end of the Cold War seem to suggest that
isolationism is growing less common worldwide. Importantly, meteoric
advances in communications have also paralleled the fall of
isolationism.

In my study, I examine two political events in Myanmar connected to
student uprisings, in the hope of documenting how the Internet - as
an easily researched symbol of modern communications - may be
affecting the political strategies of one of the last isolated
states.

      Contents

      Introduction
      Increasing Flow and Availability of Information
      The Internet: Basis for a Change?


Full article:
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue6_5/krebs/index.html

Key clip:

The Internet: Basis for a Change?

Is there more that separates 1988 and 1999 than just eleven years? In
1988, the Internet was not a commonly used means of communication. A
person interested in Burma could not easily access primary sources of
information in 1988, as distances were greater obstacles than in
1999.

When newspapers decide to publish an article rather than another, it
might be due to agenda setting. According to Weavers (1987), agenda
setting is the way that media filters and shapes social reality
through its selection and presentation of social events and pushes
media to make certain issues more salient than others. It seems that
this is the case for some South East Asian sources of information, as
some publish many articles about Myanmar, whereas others never
mention the military junta.

Since the advent of the Internet, interactions have become very fast.
Within less than 48 hours, press release follows press release. Many
major newspapers around the world follow a news story once it has
been distributed by the major news agencies and provided it fits into
the newspaper's agenda. This and the fast pace of media exchanges
make conflictual communication [9] open and direct.

Regardless of their geographic location, Burmese activists living in
exile use the Internet to plead for their cause, coordinating their
"cyber actions" on sites like http://www.freeburma.org and being
able, little by little, to put pressure on the regime. The Internet
enables them to coordinate ground actions, such those done by a
Geneva-based foundation called the "Burma Peace Foundation",
providing the International Labor Organization (ILO) [10] with
reports obtained through a world-wide network of cyber contacts, e-
mail addresses and hundreds of Web sites containing specific
information linked to human rights issues in Myanmar.

In each of its issues, the New Light of Myanmar publishes a section
titled "People's desires" [11]. In contrast to the section, Free
Burma Coalition uses titles such as "The Power of the People". The
Internet increases self-empowerment. Hundreds of Web sites distribute
information about Burma. Search engines such as
http://www.news.yahoo.com provide relatively easily accessible
information.

Started in 1995 by a Burmese student living in exile, the cyber
campaign of the Free Burma Coalition was launched in Wisconsin. Even
though Zar Ni was the only Burmese within a radius of several hundred
kilometers, he managed to organize a coordinated "Burma Action Day"
on 27 October 1995 and to stimulate the creation of over 100 local
activist groups. He and others managed to put transnational companies
under pressure to stop their foreign investment in Burma.

http://www.freeburma.org publishes two lists, one called "The
Investors in Terror: Companies STILL doing business in Burma" [12]
and a second list "Companies which have pulled out of Burma" [13].
Today, the Coalition conducts one of the largest Burmese human rights
campaigns on the Internet, as a complement to its more traditional
means of activism and public education. A key source of information
is BurmaNet News, an online news service that broadcasts daily
testimonies and updates on the Burmese situation. Another is
http://gopher.igc.apc.org:2998/7REG-BURMA, an e-mail posting system.
According to Mike Jendrzejczyk, Director of the Washington Office of
Human Rights Watch/Asia, "The proliferation of information has put
Burma higher on the U.S. policy agenda than it ever would have been
otherwise," (Far Eastern Economic Review, 28 November 1996). In an
interview with Democracy News (http://www.ned.org), Zar Ni stressed
that it was not some well-planned scheme that had led this campaign
towards the Internet. Rather, it was simply the best alternative for
Burma activists, allowing them a cost-effective way to spread their
message and to respond to the needs of supporters around the globe.


^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Mon May 7, 2001 11:59 pm
Subject: News - China dot Communism - Australian Radio Report

clift@...

If you know of very useful media resources, or in this case a radio
report in real audio, from the last couple years, please send them
to:

      do-asia@yahoogroups.com

This has a pre-dotcom crash feel about it, but it seems like a good
primer.

Steven Clift
DO-ASIA Host


See:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/stories/s133606.htm

China dot Communism
Produced by Tom Morton
Sunday 28/05/00

Hear this Background Briefing in Real Audio

Summary:

China - the biggest nation in the world - is on its way to the world
trade organisation, the WTO.

It's already part of the WWW, the world wide web. By 2005, it's
predicted that China will have more people online that the US. It's
big business, and very big politics.

Can China-dot-Communism hold fast in the face of China-dot-Commerce?
Background Briefing's, Tom Morton, travelled to Shenzhen to look at
how China's net-savvy youth and the Chinese government are facing the
on-line future.

Full Transcript:

Or download the transcript as a document file:

RTF format
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/docs/20002805.rtf
Word 6.0 for Windows format
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/docs/20002805.doc

See URL for HTML transcript.

See:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/stories/s133606.htm

[Host Note: Send your comments on this report and your reactions a
year later to <DO-ASIA@yahoogroups.com>.]


^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Mon May 7, 2001 4:14 pm
Subject: Introductions #1 - New from Indonesia, Bhutan, US, Phillippines, Australia, Japan, India

clift@...

Enclosed are the first eight introductions.  Keep sending them in.  This
is a great way for us to get a sense of the knowledge and experience we
have gathered as well as to share interesting resources.

I'll list new countries/territories in the subject line in future
introductions.  Be the first from your country to say hello. :-)

Steven Clift
Democracies Online


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country


Resource/Lesson/Example:


Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:



Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -




- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -

Subject:         introduction - Peace Manado
From:            PEKA-Manado <ypekamdo@...>

Dear All,
For two years I'am use the internet for peace communicating. I'am
gathered information from conflict area and share to my friends at the
other pleace. I'm also use internet to share our experience with IDP's
chidren from North Moluccas in Manado and Bitung (North Sulawesi
-Indonesia).

My name : Yustinus Sapto H
countri : Indonesia, province north sulawesi.

I work as program developer on Pelita Kasih Abadi Foundation,
exspecially in peace and justice program.

Regards
Yustinus

ypekamdo@...
peace@...


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            "Rakesh Chhetri" <rakesh@...>

Dear friends,
Let me introduce myself.  My name is Mr. Rakesh Chhetri. I am a Bhutanese
pro-democracy and human rights activists.  I am now based in exile in
Nepal. The internet has changed our lives as well as our advocacy to the
fullest extent.  It has become the only medium of communications with our
countrymen. Since there are no newspapers in Bhutan and the normal postal
mails are heavily censored. But we are also concerned that the authorities
in Bhutan might censor even the email. I am the Executive Director of the
Centre for Protection of Minorities and Against Racism and Discrimination
in Bhutan (CEMARD-Bhutan). It  is a national non-profit, non-partisan, and
  non-governmental human rights organization devoted to eliminating all
forms of discrimination, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance and advancing the international regime of human rights
in Bhutan. It was established to defend the human rights and to promote
the principles of non-discrimination, equality, social justice, rule of
law, rights of minorities and for elimination of all forms of
discrimination and racial discrimination in Bhutan. Its main objectives
are to secure justice for religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities
suffering discrimination, prejudice and persecution and to work for
elimination of all forms of discrimination, racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance and combating racism in Bhutan.   It
was established on August 22, 1994.

Rakesh Chhetri
Executive Director

Mailing address:  GPO Box # 3485, Kathmandu, Nepal
Visit: Sanepa, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel. No. 00977-1-529 106.  Fax No. 00977-1-542 564
E-mail Address:  rakesh@...

- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            "Peter Baofu" <pbaofu@...>

Dear Sir, Madam:
Here is the info about myself for the conference online.
Hope to hear from you,
-Peter Baofu, Ph.D.
                _____________________________

   (1)Resource/Lesson:
      My specialty is international affairs, especially on the
      dialogue among civilizations. I recently published 2 volumes
      of a massive work titled THE FUTURE OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION
      (New York: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2000). And last year I
      also completed a project titled "E-Civic Culture and Its
      Discontents in Global E-Civilization" for The Urban Institute
      in Washington, DC.
      Two more articles of mine on globalization will be published
      this fall by The Howard University Press in a proceedings titled THE
      CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF GLOBALIZATION AT THE DAWN OF THE
      MILLENNIUM, and the titles are "The Essential Dilemmas of
      Globalization" and "The Conflicting Nature of Globalization."

Name: Peter Baofu, Ph.D.

Country: U.S.A.

Affiliation: Author / Faculty - Fulbright Scholar

Email: pbaofu@...

Introduction:
      Please browse my cv online at <http://www.geocities.com/pbaofu>.


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


Subject:         Internet medium of political mobilization , Ike Suarez,
Philippines
From:            "Enrique A Suarez" <isuarez@...>



   Events in the Philippines from October 2000 to late January 2001 showed
   how effective the Internet is as a medium for protests and political
   mobilization of the middle class. This segment of Philippine society has
   long been politically sophisticated and this sophistication dates all
   the way back to the late 19th century when the Philippines was still a
   colony of Spain. Today, the Philippines will again hold national
   elections on May 14. Most candidates for senator and a few other
   positions have websites. Other election portals such as ebantay and
   elagda have been established to enable Filipinos to make better choices
   of candidates and ensure that the polls remain relatively clean.


Name: Enrique Suarez
Alias: Ike (nickname)
Affiliation: Philippine IT Update

I am a pioneering member of the Philippines' fledgling information
technology press. As such, I specialize in the coverage of the social
impact of informatics on the Philippines. I am very excited to participate
actively in an online conference. This is the very first time for me to do
so even if I have done so passively as a lurker in other such conferences.
If you shall not mind, I shall also cover this conference for my
newspaper.


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


FROM: phatboy@...
Subject: Online defamation - David Grant, Australia

Resource/Lesson/Example: The Internet poses significant challenges to
defamation laws as they are understood in Australia and elsewhere.
Australian defamation laws are ones of strict liability where it need only
be shown that material has been published for slow and expensive court
action to be taken. Large awards of exemplary damages have been made
against mainly media defendants, but with the Internet, the power to
publish has widened considerably and the risk moved to those publishing on
the Internet, and potentially to forums such as email. Under Australian
law everyone who republishes a defamatory statement is as liable as the
originator. While there are few cases of defamation involving the Internet
under current Australian law it remains an ever present threat. Also,
because of internet connectivity, there is a risk that those publishing on
the net may do so to the standards of the strictest defamation
jurisdiction. Ironically this is more of a problem for multinational media
companies such as News Corporation that have assets in many different
places.

Name/Alias: David Grant
Country: Australia
Affiliation: James Cook University/ The Queensland Greens

Introduction: Hi. I am a postgraduate journalism student in Cairns, Far
North Queensland constructing a thesis on defamation laws and the
internet.
Subject:         Rewriting vs. Facing History - Steve McCarty, Japan


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            Steve McCarty <steve_mc@...>

Resource/Lesson/Example:

Deep divisions within Japanese society are surfacing
as rightist pressure, including from the government,
is imposing nationalist views that distort history on
new school textbooks. A counter-movement uses the
Web to explain the problem and prevent adoption of
rightist textbooks by local boards of education --
which the rightists have already started to reach,
further cutting teachers out of the process of
choosing the books they will use in their own classes.
We can discuss details, I would hope from an Asian
regional perspective, later this month. For now, see:
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/kyokasho/net21/english_contents.htm

Name: Steve McCarty
Country: Japan
Affiliation: Professor, Kagawa Junior College, Japan;
President, World Association for Online Education (NPO):
http://waoe.org/president/index.html

Introduction: Specialized in Asian Studies and Japan;
now have Japanese family and am involved locally
and nationally as well as globally through the Net.
See an article for developing intercultural understanding:
"Cultural Liberation: East-West Biculturalism for a New Century"
University of Virginia Multicultural Pavilion International Project:
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/multicultural/papers/mccarty.html Or
see the online library Bilingualism and Japanology Intersection (Asian
Studies WWW Virtual Library 4-star rating in 1997 & 2001):
http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/epublist.html In Japanese:
http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -


From:            Purushothaman Pillai <ppp@...>

Dear Members, All:

Greetings,

I understand my contributions would be highly informal ( I am a lay-person
in this area).

Individuals make the Group/Mass and the Group impact the individuals.
Somewhere Democracy is lost. As an individual am I a democrat? When I am
an individual, is democracy mean majority or stronger my wishes? Is
democracy means compromising myself between several conflicts & reaching a
solution? Is democracy means maximizing benefits, individuals & social? Is
democracy means taking normal or balanced decision or action plan? What is
that when I want to say no, but saying yes..when it is against my belief?
I am not voicing myself, for democracy to work everybody should voice.
Internet would facilitate, in each situation to raise the voice, but who
would listen & who would act on raised voice? Internet should further
create a mechanism for carrying the voice without noise or disturbance to
everyone clear.

  I am a civil engineer. I am from India. I am interested in
Leadership- Social. I have grass root level project plan to generate more
leaders, please visit at http://communities.msn.com/SELFINDIA

  with warm regards,
  P Purushothaman, ME,MBA
  Manager - Developmental Projects
  L&T ECC, Manapakkam
  Chennai - 600089
  ppp@...
  also,
  self_india@...
  http://communities.msn.com/SELFINDIA
  ( Social Engineering & Leadership Foundation, India.. yet to
take-off)


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -

From:            Karin Geiselhart <karin.geiselhart@...>

1. Top Lesson, Example or Resource -

The work that Canadian are doing on networked government is very
interesting.

The web site for the Canadian Policy Research Networks has some articles
about this.

See http://www.cprn.org

My work as a government officer and my studies lead me to believe that
governments are still in the 'service delivery' model of using information
technology, but they are rapidly seeing that 'what lies beyond' is better
policy making.

2. Brief Introduction -
I am a researcher who has studied how the Australian government uses
information technology in the policy process.  My study and papers are on
my web site, given below. I am very interested in 'distributed governance'
and how the same efficiencies that are driving electronic commerce can be
applied to government decision making and accountability.



Karin Geiselhart
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Electronic Commerce
School of Business Information Technology
RMIT University  Melbourne
ph 03 9925 1352
fax 03 9925 5482
http://www.bf.rmit.edu.au/kgeiselhart


- - - - - - - - - DO-ASIA INTRODUCTIONS - - - - - - - - -



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country


Resource/Lesson/Example:


Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:



Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Mon May 7, 2001 4:44 am
Subject: Introductions - E-mail Your Greeting and Stories/Resources

clift@...

Wow. With over 320 participants from at least 30 countries this
online event has twice the number of subscribers I expected at the
start.  Thank you for helping spread the word.

With this large group and to start this off right, I will compile
your brief introduction e-mails you and group them together for
distribution.  Please consider using the simple e-mail form below.

Once we distribute most of the introductions, we will then open the
discussion on the themes and whatever you want to bring up on this
topic.

To introduce yourself, send an e-mail with two items:

1. Top Lesson, Example or Resource - In a paragraph or two, share an
interesting lesson or example you have learned about the Internet in
democracy/governance in your country of interest (anywhere in
"Asia"). Or share a reference to an online site, e-mail list,
article, or report that you think the people gathered here would find
interesting.  Please note the country of focus and the language of
the resource.  Links to documents in any language are appropriate.

2. Brief Introduction - Share a few sentences on who you are.  You
are not required to give your full name.  If you can, please provide
your contact details. (You may post anonymously with an alias, but
you are responsible for the use technology in a way that protects
you.)

You may use this form (cut and paste into new e-mail, then fill out)
to format your introduction or just create your own message:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country
(Example: Text Messaging and Protests - Steven Clift, USA)

Resource/Lesson/Example:


Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:



Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


E-mail the form above and any other message intended for the group
to:
             do-asia@yahoogroups.com

To reply to the group be sure that <do-asia@yahoogroups.com> is in
the to: line.  You may discuss online resources and tips immediately
or forward other relevant materials.  This exchange will be quite
informal.

Thanks,

Steven Clift
Democracies Online


^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Mon May 7, 2001 4:19 am
Subject: Welcome - Internet and Democracy Across Asia Online Conference

clift@...

Welcome to the Internet and Democracy Across Asia Online Conference.

Below is the official conference schedule and guidelines.  Please save
this message and print it out for review.

As we start our introductions and move through the three main themes,
you will have an opportunity to share stories, exchange ideas, and
provide links to key documents and articles.  The simple outcome of this
event is useful information exchange.  My goal is that we learn from one
another and do so with a respectful exchange.

I have not organized this online event to impose a political agenda or
viewpoint on anyone.  The Internet is a communications tool, and it is
important to note that democracy, governance, civil society, and media
all take on different roles and meanings in different societies.  We now
have the opportunity in 2001 to compare notes as the Internet mixes with
each of our nations' governing structures.  This exchange will be a
bookmark in early Internet history.  In future years we will be able to
look back at where we were and see how things have changed as well as
gain perspective on the dreams we have yet to reach.

Thank you for joining this online conference.

Steven Clift
Democracies Online


The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media
====================================================
An online conference via e-mail hosted by Democracies
Online - http://www.e-democracy.org/do - May 2001

Purpose:
--------

To share information, ideas, and opinions on the role of the Internet in
democracy across Asia.  This is opportunity for those interested in this
topic to meet and network with one another.

Conference Host:
----------------

Steven Clift, Democracies Online
E-mail: clift@...
Web: http://www.publicus.net


Conference Schedule:
--------------------

1. Introductions - May 7 - 11
2. Three Themes
    A. Governance - Starts May 14
    B. Civil Society - Starts May 17
    C. Media - Starts May 21
3. General Discussion - Through May 31


Conference Detail:
------------------

1. Introductions - May 7 - 11

I encourage everyone to share a quick lesson, example or online
resource as well as introduce themselves briefly to other participants.
This is optional, but an important way to start our conversation.

This is your online conference.  You provide the content and
interaction.  I'll help provide the framework for exchange of
information and you produce the useful content. As they say, "the
intelligence is in the network."

To introduce yourself to the group please use the form in the
"Participant Introduction" message or simply do so in your first post or
reply to the group.


2. Three Themes

We'll help facilitate the discussion with three theme questions in the
second and third week.  You need not wait to bringup topics that matter
to you.  Any e-mail list can sustain three or four threads at the same
time.  Sometimes it is best to wait for one thread (discussion with same
subject line) to finish before adding another one.

Theme Essays - If you have an article you'd like the share related to
one of themes, please share it early with us <asia@...> and
post it directly with the group <do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com> (if
it is under 500 words e-mail it as text, over 500 words then put it on
the web somewhere and share the web address).

A. Governance - Starts May 14

How are governments using the Internet in governance?  This includes
access to government and parliamentary information and processes,   use
of the Internet in elections, use of the Internet by ruling and
opposition parties, fighting corruption through online transparency,
access to external political information via the Internet by elites,
etc..

B. Civil Society - Starts May 17

How are citizens and non-governmental organizations using the  Internet
for political purposes?  This includes influencing decision- making,
political organizing, protests, online discussions, community
development, etc..

C. Media - Starts May 21

What impact is the Internet having on media development and agenda-
setting in Asia?  Is access to the Internet changing what is  broadcast
or printed? Internet media tends to have fewer restrictions  than the
traditional media.  How is this changing democracy across  Asia?


3. General Discussion - Through May 31

Participants may discuss any of the three themes and other topics
within the scope of the online conference throughout. The conference
will officially end May 31.  With significant interest and volunteer
support, this forum will remain open for ongoing discussion and
exchange.


Participation Guidelines
------------------------

1. Do Not Post More Than Twice (2) A Day - This is the golden rule of
this forum. No member may post to the group more than twice a day.  We
want diverse participation in each topic discussion and want to avoid
two or three people generating all of the messages.  Failure to follow
this rule may result in your removal from the forum.

2. Be Friendly - No personal attacks and abusive language allowed.
Please stick to the "issues" and not personalities.  Complaints may  NOT
be send to whole list, they must be sent directly to
<asia@...>.  The facilitator will not intervene unless a
complaint from another participant is received.

3. English, Multiple Languages - Along with some English, it is
appropriate to post in multiple languages.  We hope that  relationships
build in this forum lead to ongoing language/country  specific e-mail
lists on this topic.

4. No Attachments - Messages must be in text only.  Files may be
uploaded using YahooGroups for downloading:
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-asia/files/>.


^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Fri May 4, 2001 8:13 pm
Subject: Draft Conference Outline

clift@...

Greetings,

We will officially start the online event on Monday morning (Asia
time, Sunday evening North America).  Below is the draft outline.  It
provides the suggested framework.  What changes do you suggest?

Send your comments to: asia@...

You can send in your "introductions" based on the note below as soon
as you like.  What you have to say is the most important, so I look
forward to learning from all of you.

Welcome,
Steven Clift
Democracies Online



DRAFT - Send comments to: asia@... - DRAFT

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media
====================================================
An online conference via e-mail hosted by Democracies
Online - http://www.e-democracy.org/do - May 2001

Purpose:
--------

To share information, ideas, and opinions on the role of the Internet
in democracy across Asia.  This is opportunity for those interested
in this topic to meet and network with one another.

Conference Host:
----------------

Steven Clift, Democracies Online
E-mail: clift@...
Web: http://www.publicus.net


Conference Schedule:
--------------------

1. Introductions - May 7 - 11
2. Three Themes
    A. Governance - Starts May 14
    B. Civil Society - Starts May 17
    C. Media - Starts May 21
3. General Discussion - Through May 31


Conference Detail:
------------------

1. Introductions - May 7 - 11

I encourage everyone to share a quick lesson, example or online
resource as well as introduce themselves briefly to other
participants.  This is optional, but an important way to start our
conversation.

This is your online conference.  You provide the content and
interaction.  I'll help provide the framework for exchange of
information and you produce the useful content. As they say, "the
intelligence is in the network."

To introduce yourself, send an e-mail with:

1. Top Lesson, Example or Resource - Share an interesting lesson or
example you have learned about the Internet in democracy in your
country of interest (anywhere in "Asia"). And/or share a reference to
an online site, e-mail list, article, or report that you think the
people gathered here would find interesting.  Please note the country
of focus and the language of the resource.  Links to documents in any
language are quite appropriate.

2. Brief Introduction - Share a few sentences on who you are.  You
are not required to give your full name, but if you can, please
provide your contact details. (You may post anonymously with an
alias, but you are responsible to use technology in a way that
protects you.)

You may use this form (cut and paste into new e-mail, then fill out)
to format your introduction or just create your own message:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com

Subject:  Keywords Here - Your Name, Country
(Example: Text Messaging and Protests - Steven Clift, USA)

Resource/Lesson/Example:


Name/Alias:
Country:
Affiliation:

Introduction:



Introduction/Resource Form - Send this to:  do-asia@yahoogroups.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

E-mail the form above and any other message intended for the group
to:
             do-asia@yahoogroups.com

To reply to the group be sure that do-asia@yahoogroups.com is in the
to: line.  You may discuss online resources and tips immediately or
forward other relevant materials.  This exchange will be quite
informal.

Note:  The introductions will start us out with a higher message
volume than later on in the conference. If you want to reduce the
total number of e-mail, set yourself to digest mode (multiple
messages bundled in one e-mail) by sending an e-mail to
<do-asia-digest@yahoogroups.com>.


2. Three Themes

We'll help facilitate the discussion with three theme questions in
the second and third week.  You need not wait to bringup topics that
matter to you.  Any e-mail list can sustain three or four threads at
the same time.  Sometimes it is best to wait for one thread
(discussion with same subject line) to finish before adding another
one.

Theme Essays - If you have an article you'd like the share related to
one of themes, please share it early with us <asia@...> and
post it directly with the group <do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>
(under 500 words e-mail it as text, over 500 words put it on the web
somewhere and share the web address).

A. Governance - Starts May 14

How are governments using the Internet in governance?  This includes
access to government and parliamentary information and processes,
use of the Internet in elections, use of the Internet by ruling and
opposition parties, fighting corruption through online transparency,
access to external political information via the Internet by elites,
etc..

B. Civil Society - Starts May 17

How are citizens and non-governmental organizations using the
Internet for political purposes?  This includes influencing decision-
making, political organizing, protests, online discussions, community
development, etc..

C. Media - Starts May 21

What impact is the Internet having on media development and agenda-
setting in Asia?  Is access to the Internet changing what is
broadcast or printed? Internet media tends to have fewer restrictions
than the traditional media.  How is this changing democracy across
Asia?


3. General Discussion - Through May 31

Participants may discuss any of the three themes and other topics
within the scope of the online conference throughout. The conference
will officially end May 31.  With significant interest and volunteer
support, this forum will remain open for ongoing discussion and
exchange.


Participation Guidelines
------------------------

1. Do Not Post More Than Twice (2) A Day - This is the golden rule of
this forum. No member may post to the group more than twice a day.
We want diverse participation in each topic discussion and want to
avoid two or three people generating all of the messages.  Failure to
follow this rule may result in your removal from the forum.

2. Be Friendly - No personal attacks and abusive language allowed.
Please stick to the "issues" and not personalities.  Complaints may
NOT be send to whole list, they must be sent directly to
<asia@...>.  The facilitator will not intervene unless a
complaint from another participant is received.

3. English, Multiple Languages - Along with some English, it is
appropriate to post in multiple languages.  We hope that
relationships build in this forum lead to ongoing language/country
specific e-mail lists on this topic.

4. No Attachments - Messages must be in text only.  Files may be
uploaded using YahooGroups for downloading:
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-asia/files/>.


END DRAFT

^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Wed May 2, 2001 12:55 am
Subject: Invite - Asia Internet and Democracy Online Conference - Starts 7 May 2001

clift@...

We are now up to 222 participants.  This a much higher turnout than I
expected by this time.  I'll share a suggested outline for our
information exchange in the next couple of days.  Start thinking
about the stories, online resources, ideas, and opinions you hope to
share.  Short essays or articles under 400 words or so make great
discussion starting points - if you'd like to propose one, contact
us: asia@...

We will start our online event on the morning of Monday, May 7 (Asia
time).

For those who volunteered to take the lead in a specific country,
please continue with your outreach and let us know about the interest
you generate.  It must be working already based on the increasing
numbers of participants!

Everyone, please let others know about the event web address
<http://www.e-democracy.org/do> (link to it is you have a web site)
or simply pass the invite below onto others around Asia.


Cheers,

Steven Clift
clift@...
Democracies Online


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Online Conference, Starts May 2001 ...   -- Forward Please -->

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media

To participate, e-mail:

           do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Hosted by Democracies Online Newswire - Join over 1800
subscribers on our main low volume, announcement e-list -
http://e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


                     *** Full Details ***

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media
------------------------------------------------------
An online conference via e-mail hosted by Democracies
Online - http://www.e-democracy.org/do - May 2001


Join experts, practitioners, and journalists interested in role
of the Internet in democracy, governance, civil society,
politics, and media across the many countries of Asia.  This is
the first online event on these trends specifically focused on
Asia. If you have a story to tell, research to share, or want to
simply learn about what is happening, then join us.

The online conference will begin in May 2001 once 150
participants subscribe to our facilitated e-mail list. The
online exchange will last approximately one month.  There is no
fee to participate.

Please help spread the word.

To participate, send an e-mail to:

      do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Note: The e-mail list of participants will remain private and
anonymous participation is permitted.  "Lurkers" are welcome.

You will be asked to confirm your subscription via e-mail. The
DO- ASIA online event uses simple e-mail list technology.
Posting rules and guidelines will help limit the number of
messages each day in to enable those with slow or limited
Internet connections to participate fully. The primary language
of the online exchange is English.  The use of other languages
is appropriate and additional conversations, country or language-
specific via other web forums or e-mail lists, organized by
online event participants are encouraged.

Country Contacts are sought to promote this event in specific
Asian countries.  If you can help make this a great online
event, join the DO-ASIA Team by subscribing to our behind the
scenes online event organizing e-mail list <do-asia-team-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com>.


Further information on the Democracies Online Newswire is
enclosed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
          Democracies Online Newswire - DO-WIRE
             http://www.e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Join the Democracies Online Newswire - DO-WIRE

         'must reading' 'highest quality'

DO-WIRE is your primary source for what's important and
happening with the convergence of democracy and the
Internet around the world. DO-WIRE is a free, low volume,
moderated e-mail announcement list.

To subscribe for convenient e-mail delivery or read recent
posts on the web, visit:

             http://www.e-democracy.org/do

Or send the command "SUB DO-WIRE" in the message body to
<listserv@...>.  Be sure to reply "ok" to the
confirmation e-mail request you receive.

Launched in January 1998, DO-WIRE now connects over 1800
experts, practitioners, journalists, and citizens from
around the world. If you are interested in democracy online,
which includes politics online, new media, e-governance,
online advocacy, citizen interaction and related topics,
then join us.

Each week, well known e-democracy expert and speaker Steven
Clift <http://publicus.net> forwards, with occasional
analysis, up to seven carefully selected messages.  Posts
include news, article, and report web links, event and
conference announcements, calls for papers, and often
uncover important "primary source" online resources,
projects, and initiatives of significance.

DO-WIRE Member Submissions and Comments

The large and diverse subscriber base on DO-WIRE makes
this information exchange network so vibrant.  Share your
text-only submissions for review to: do@...

In the end, comments from DO-WIRE members are the best
invitation to join:

     'must reading'
     'highest quality'
     'interesting content'
     'keeps me informed ... not inundated'
     'incredibly rich, diverse, deep coverage'
     'best source ... invaluable resource'
     'your contributions are ... informative and enlightening'
     'thoughtful analysis and provocative personal perspective'

E-Democracy E-Book

Democracy online trends from the last decade are explored in
Steven Clift's draft "E-Democracy E-Book."  Themes previously
covered by DO-WIRE are summarized in this article. The E-Book
and dozens of articles, presentations, and highlighted posts
are available online from:

        http://www.publicus.net

Please forward this message to others who are interested in
networking with others across the global democracy online
community.  If you have a web site, please add links as
appropriate.  Thanks.
                                    20 APR 2001
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
          Democracies Online Newswire - DO-WIRE
             http://www.e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Online Conference, Starts May 2001 ...   -- Forward Please -->

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media

To participate, e-mail:

           do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Hosted by Democracies Online Newswire - Join over 1800
subscribers on our main low volume, announcement e-list -
http://e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Wed Apr 25, 2001 11:03 pm
Subject: Country Outreach Volunteers Needed - Sign-up Form via E-mail

clift@...

It is clear from searching the web for a definitive list of Asian
countries that geography and the concept of "Asia" are vastly
different.  I'd like to save the Pacific/AU/NZ region for another
time and have us focus our outreach in West, South, and East Asia.
See my draft country outreach list below.

Please volunteer to be a lead outreach volunteer for your country of
choice (only basic knowledge of a specific country/local language
required).

At a minimum you are asked to post the invite to select e-mail lists
(newsgroups and web forums if you have time) in that country, scan
the web to invite via e-mail key media, government (parliaments,
heads of state, and top e-government web sites), and civil society
NGOs and political organizations, and finally compile a short list of
key web sites or online resources to share that give a virtual window
into the status of the "Internet and democracy" in that country.

Sound like fun?  Then send an e-mail and provide the following
information (this will be a public list that I will send to the group
so volunteers may e-mail you directly to provide assistance.  Start
your efforts right away.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
Country Outreach Volunteer Form
E-mail by May 1, sooner if possible to <asia@...>.

Country:
Name/Alias:
E-mail:

Optional -
Organization:
Organization Web:
Connection to Country:
Your Background:
Other Comments:

E-mail to <asia@...>
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Let's make it our goal to have at least two subscribers from every
country in Asia.  Only if we work together will we reach that goal.

Thank you,
Steven Clift
Democracies Online

Countries/Territories
Draft List V1.0

Afghanistan
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Cambodia
China
Georgia
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Myanmar
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Palestinian NA
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Syrian Arab Republic
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen


^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Wed Apr 25, 2001 10:21 pm
Subject: Invite - Asia Internet and Democracy Online Conference - Starts May 2001

clift@...

After one day of outreach we already have 100 participants from at
least 25 countries signed up for our online exchange!  With this high
level of interest I want to make sure we get the word out far and
wide to now attract close to 300 participants by a tentative start
date of Monday, May 7.

To do this we need to work together.  Please let others know about
the event web address <http://www.e-democracy.org/do> or simply pass
the invite below onto others around Asia.

Cheers,

Steven Clift
Democracies Online


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Online Conference, Starts May 2001 ...   -- Forward Please -->

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media

To participate, e-mail:

           do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Hosted by Democracies Online Newswire - Join over 1800
subscribers on our main low volume, announcement e-list -
http://e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


                     *** Full Details ***

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media
------------------------------------------------------
An online conference via e-mail hosted by Democracies
Online - http://www.e-democracy.org/do - May 2001


Join experts, practitioners, and journalists interested in role
of the Internet in democracy, governance, civil society,
politics, and media across the many countries of Asia.  This is
the first online event on these trends specifically focused on
Asia. If you have a story to tell, research to share, or want to
simply learn about what is happening, then join us.

The online conference will begin in May 2001 once 150
participants subscribe to our facilitated e-mail list. The
online exchange will last approximately one month.  There is no
fee to participate.

Please help spread the word.

To participate, send an e-mail to:

      do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Note: The e-mail list of participants will remain private and
anonymous participation is permitted.  "Lurkers" are welcome.

You will be asked to confirm your subscription via e-mail. The
DO- ASIA online event uses simple e-mail list technology.
Posting rules and guidelines will help limit the number of
messages each day in to enable those with slow or limited
Internet connections to participate fully. The primary language
of the online exchange is English.  The use of other languages
is appropriate and additional conversations, country or language-
specific via other web forums or e-mail lists, organized by
online event participants are encouraged.

Country Contacts are sought to promote this event in specific
Asian countries.  If you can help make this a great online
event, join the DO-ASIA Team by subscribing to our behind the
scenes online event organizing e-mail list <do-asia-team-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com>.


Further information on the Democracies Online Newswire is
enclosed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
          Democracies Online Newswire - DO-WIRE
             http://www.e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Join the Democracies Online Newswire - DO-WIRE

         'must reading' 'highest quality'

DO-WIRE is your primary source for what's important and
happening with the convergence of democracy and the
Internet around the world. DO-WIRE is a free, low volume,
moderated e-mail announcement list.

To subscribe for convenient e-mail delivery or read recent
posts on the web, visit:

             http://www.e-democracy.org/do

Or send the command "SUB DO-WIRE" in the message body to
<listserv@...>.  Be sure to reply "ok" to the
confirmation e-mail request you receive.

Launched in January 1998, DO-WIRE now connects over 1800
experts, practitioners, journalists, and citizens from
around the world. If you are interested in democracy online,
which includes politics online, new media, e-governance,
online advocacy, citizen interaction and related topics,
then join us.

Each week, well known e-democracy expert and speaker Steven
Clift <http://publicus.net> forwards, with occasional
analysis, up to seven carefully selected messages.  Posts
include news, article, and report web links, event and
conference announcements, calls for papers, and often
uncover important "primary source" online resources,
projects, and initiatives of significance.

DO-WIRE Member Submissions and Comments

The large and diverse subscriber base on DO-WIRE makes
this information exchange network so vibrant.  Share your
text-only submissions for review to: do@...

In the end, comments from DO-WIRE members are the best
invitation to join:

     'must reading'
     'highest quality'
     'interesting content'
     'keeps me informed ... not inundated'
     'incredibly rich, diverse, deep coverage'
     'best source ... invaluable resource'
     'your contributions are ... informative and enlightening'
     'thoughtful analysis and provocative personal perspective'

E-Democracy E-Book

Democracy online trends from the last decade are explored in
Steven Clift's draft "E-Democracy E-Book."  Themes previously
covered by DO-WIRE are summarized in this article. The E-Book
and dozens of articles, presentations, and highlighted posts
are available online from:

        http://www.publicus.net

Please forward this message to others who are interested in
networking with others across the global democracy online
community.  If you have a web site, please add links as
appropriate.  Thanks.
                                    20 APR 2001
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
          Democracies Online Newswire - DO-WIRE
             http://www.e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Online Conference, Starts May 2001 ...   -- Forward Please -->

The Internet and Democracy Across Asia:
Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media

To participate, e-mail:

           do-asia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Hosted by Democracies Online Newswire - Join over 1800
subscribers on our main low volume, announcement e-list -
http://e-democracy.org/do
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183

------- End of forwarded message -------

^               ^               ^                ^
Steven L. Clift    -    W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis    -   -   -     E: clift@...
Minnesota  -   -   -   -   -    T: +1.612.822.8667
USA    -   -   -   -   -   -   -     ICQ: 13789183