Thanks Claude.
Is this statement available online anywhere that we can link to?
Cheers,
Rebecca
Claude Almansi wrote:
Hi All
The IFLA's "call on the Chinese government to end censorship of
internet access and allow freedom of expression online", below, was
forwarded to the mailing list of comunica-ch (www.comunica-ch.net) by
Danielle Mincio.
cheers
Claude
Claude Almansi
http://www.adisi.ch
http://www.digitaldivide.net/blog/claude
http://www.digitaldivide.net/community/languages
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Réaction des bibliothécaires à la censure en Chine
Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2005 15:51:19 +0200
From: Danielle Mincio
To: comunica-ch.net mailing list
FYI.
IFLA/FAIFE calls on the Chinese government to end
censorship of Internet access and allow freedom
of expression online
Media release 13 July 2005
The International Federation of Library
Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Committee on
Free Access to Information and Freedom of
Expression (IFLA/FAIFE) expresses its deep
concern over the state of freedom of access to
information on the Internet in China.
At a time when China is becoming more and more
significant on the world stage in terms of trade
and technological development, the increasing
curtailment of the freedom of its citizens to
access the information they choose is deeply
disturbing. In addition to their continuing use
of technological restrictions, the Chinese
authorities are tightening control of the
Internet, through measures against bloggers and
website operators. This is an attempt not merely
to silence and punish critics of the government,
but also to prevent citizens' general interaction
in the online public sphere, says the Chair of
the IFLA/FAIFE Committee Professor Paul Sturges.
IFLA urges rethink
The elimination of freedom of access to
information and freedom of expression will deeply
affect the development of a country and its
people. Those with influence in China must
demonstrate their commitment to full
participation in the information and knowledge
society. This means to actively work for the
provision of unrestricted access to information
in accordance with Article 19 of the United
Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
IFLA urges the Chinese government to reconsider
their attitudes towards the country's Internet
users and permit full freedom expression online.
Access to information, knowledge and lifelong
learning is central to democratic development and
active participation and influence in society. It
is a fundamental human right as specified in
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. The Chinese government's attitude towards
the circulation of information is one that cannot
be reconciled with Article 19 nor the aspirations
of the nations attending the World Summit on the
Information Society in Tunisia in November 2005.
Furthermore, IFLA strongly suggests that western
computer companies providing assistance to the
government consider the effects of their actions
on freedom of expression in the country. China
must be seen as more than just a market for
western companies to gain a foothold in - it must
be seen as a country where citizens have rights
to access the information they choose and to
disseminate the opinions they hold without
consequences.
- END -
Contacts:
* Chair of the IFLA/FAIFE Committee,
Professor Paul Sturges Loughborough University,
the UK, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
* Director of the IFLA/FAIFE Office, Susanne
Seidelin, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Background
Restrictions on website owners and bloggers
In the past five years the censorship of online
information in China has been extensively
reported by many organisations such as Amnesty
International and the Open Net Initiative. An
extensive filtering system is in operation that
restricts Chinese Internet users' access to
information on topics such as democracy, human
rights and Taiwanese independence. This year
authorities in China have sought to extend these
restrictions by concentrating on the country's
bloggers and website operators.
In March 2005 the Chinese government announced
their intention to close down all China-based
websites and blogs that did not officially
register with authorities by the end of June.
Blogs provide individual Internet users with a
convenient and easy way to exchange information
and discuss topics of interest among a wider
audience. The Chinese government is intent on
stifling debate in the country's blogosphere by
restricting the activities of bloggers and
preventing discussion of sensitive topics.
Reporters Without Borders state that the plan is
all the more worrying as the government has a new
system for monitoring blogs and websites in real
time and spotting sites that are unregistered.
Internet users who have gone against the Chinese
authorities in the past have been given prison
terms.
Western software companies such as Microsoft are
complicit in the government's actions.
Microsoft's new blogging tool has been amended to
prevent publication of certain controversial
issues including democracy and Falun Gong.
According the British IT news source The
Register, Microsoft has also banned the use of
the words "freedom" and "democracy" on some areas
of its Chinese Internet portals, and restrictions
on the names users give to their blogs have been
imposed. Bloggers who try to use unsuitable
terminology receive error messages informing them
that they have used "forbidden speech", which
they are asked to delete from the webpage.
Sources:
* Amnesty International: People's Republic of
China - Controls tighten as Internet activism
grows:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170012004?open&of=ENG-315
* Amnesty International: 2005 Report
http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/chn-summary-eng
* Human Rights Watch: 2004 Overview of human rights:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/01/13/china9809.htm
* IFEX: China tightens grip on the Internet
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/67344/
* IFEX: International Press Institute
concerned over EU's failure to criticise China
for its gross violations of press freedom and
freedom of expression
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/67443/
* Open Net Initiative: Internet filtering in China in 2004-2005
http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/china/
* The Register: Microsoft deletes 'freedom' and 'democracy' in China
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/06/13/ms_ban_freedom/
* The Register: Campaigners quiz Google on China play
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/05/19/rsf_google_china/
* Reporters Without Borders: The Internet under surveillance -
China:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=10749&Valider=OK
* Reporters Without Borders: Authorities
declare war on unregistered blogs and websites
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=14010
* Reporters Without Borders: Microsoft censors its blog tool
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=14069
* Reporters Without Borders: Reporters
Without Borders challenges 14 major Internet and
computer firms about their activity in China
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=8668
--
Rebecca MacKinnon
Research Fellow, Berkman Ctr. for Internet & Society
www.GlobalVoicesOnline.org
"The world is talking. Are you listening?"
Personal weblog: www.RConversation.com
North Korea zone: www.NKzone.org
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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