[alternet-l] THE ALTERNET NEWS - ISSUE # 99

[Joanne Doyle]

THE ALTERNET NEWS - ISSUE # 99

This issue:

HOT SITES/
WSIS REPORT/
BAHRAIN - RIGHTS/
DOMAIN BLOCKING
E-WASTE/
TRACTORS AND TROLLEYS/
CITIZEN VOTING/
BUSH TRUTHS/
INDIGENOUS RIGHTS/
CONSERVATION HANDBOOK/
JOBS/
FUNDING/
QUOTE/UNQUOTE/
DIARY/

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The AlterNet News is the GreenNet e-newsletter that carries brief news
items, campaign updates, a diary of key forthcoming events and
announcements. News comes from our contacts all over the web, but most of
the AlterNet News will come from the GreenNet community. Please don't send
news to the AlterNet address. Send items for inclusion, including a web
link if possible, to actnow at gn.apc.org. Items may need to be edited. Plain
text e-mail is preferred.

Back issues are on-line at:
--> www.gn.apc.org/news/alternet/index.html

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HOT SITES

The new Save Energy website, which has been produced by the Energy Saving
Trust and is backed by the Government, is part of the nation-wide Energy
Efficiency campaign aimed at transforming your home into an energy
efficient pillar of society.

-->www.saveenergy.co.uk

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WSIS REPORT

Representatives of civil society have drafted a statement in response to
the WSIS draft declaration. This outlines concerns that the current
document will only succeed in reaching a consensus amongst the elite:

"We have two overarching concerns:

Although the principles of the UDHR and the Millenium Development
Declaration are referred to prominently at the start of the Declaration,
subsequent paragraphs do not demonstrate genuine commitment to upholding
these principles in the realization of an Information Society. Existing
rights, such as Article 19, should be quoted fully and affirmed rather than
cut up in pieces according to individual country preferences.
Some core concerns have been formulated in ways that fundamentally alter
their meaning, whilst others raised by civil society over the past 18
months have been removed."

Full story:
--> www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/456.htm

Related stories:
Members of civil society had considered walking out of talks at the WSIS,
as it was clear that governments were ignoring their recommendations:
--> www.sabcnews.com/sci_tech/internet/0,2172,66273,00.html

IPS reports: "The final preparatory conference for the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) demonstrated all the way through to its last
sessions Friday that the government representatives were communicating on
different frequencies amongst themselves and with civil society."
--> http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=20344

The APC has released a new book, alongside the CRIS campaign on involving
civil society in ICT policy:
--> www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=14223

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BAHRAIN - RIGHTS

A WLUML Call to action:

Earlier this month, we strongly urged you to take action in support of the
members of the Committee of Women's Memorandum (Bahrain), other Bahraini
intellectuals, and defenders of human and women's rights.

Eleven shari'a judges filed a case accusing them of contempt of court and
slander following a newspaper article in which they voiced concerns
regarding women's rights under uncodified family laws in Bahrain. The
legal action is a reversal of the political and constitutional reforms
currently taking place in Bahrain, and is an attempt to prevent the
establishment of political, social and civil rights for Bahraini women.

The case against the Committee of Women's Memorandum in Bahrain went before
the court on 23rd September 2003 but was adjourned until 21st October 2003.

WLUML urges you to support The Committee of Women's Memorandum and write to
the Bahraini authorities."

See the original call for action for more details on the WLUML website at:
-->
http://wluml.org/english/actionsupdates.shtml?cmd[136]=i-136-7b6abd54b10bbd4444e0e10e1c4c6682

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DOMAIN BLOCKING

India has blocked the domain: groups.yahoo.com.

"This is not the first time the Indian government has tried to block
web sites: during the Kargil war of 1999, the web site of the
prominent Pakistan daily was blocked, this was very vigorously fought
by many in the media in India and some activists abroad. In 1998 a
law suit was filed by online activist Arun Mehta to challenge other
moves by the Indian state to block some commercial  websites.

This current move to block internet content  for thousands of users,
is a grave violation of freedom of expression and sets a very
dangerous precedent of censorship and control of the internet in
India. Human rights groups in India, South Asia and around the world
need to take note and express concern."

South Asia Citizens Web call for support by writing to officials and
bodies. For a list, please email Harsh Kapoor:
aiindex at mnet.fr

Related news:
--> www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/32983.html

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E-WASTE

"Electronic waste is a growing problem that threatens to cost the UK
economy millions of pounds every year. The issue manifested itself two
years ago in the so-called 'fridge mountain' when European legislation left
the government and business community blaming each other. A bottleneck in
the process for properly disposing of redundant refrigerators resulted in
thousands of appliances stacked in scrapyards waiting to be attended to. As
the next round of EU environmental legislation appears on the horizon, the
question once again is who should pick up the tab?

The WEEE challenge

Under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive,
televisions, computer monitors, microwaves and such like will have to be
returned to their manufacturer to be safely disposed of. The legislation,
which takes effect in the UK next year, comes in response to growing
concern about the danger that electronic components - such as lead and
mercury - pose to the environment. Manufacturers are concerned that they
will be left to pay for the recovery costs and associated administration
and as yet, the government has not made it clear exactly where the
responsibility falls."

Full story on the possibilities being discussed:

--> www.thersa.org/news/news_closeup_xml.asp?ItemID=1135088

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TRACTORS AND TROLLEYS

Organised by Friends of the Earth, the Five Year Freeze, Genetic
Engineering Network and GM-free Cymru, the 'Tractors and Trolleys' parade
is set to go through the centre of London on Monday, the 13th October.

Led by tractors and accompanied by samba and ceilidh bands, hundreds of
people will push decorated trolleys full of GM- free produce between the
National Farmers Union, 10 Downing Street and DEFRA and will stop off at
each venue to hand in messages of opposition against GM. The parade of
tractors and trolleys will culminate in a rally and a chance for people to
relax with other anti-GM campaigners and enjoy a harvest festival tea.
Participants will be encouraged to bake their own GM-free cakes and food to
share after the rally.

The Tractors and Trolleys Parade comes at the end of a summer of anti-GM
activity triggered by the Government’s GM Nation debate and coincides with
the start of the new parliamentary session when the Government is expected
to announce its decision on the commercial growing of GM crops.

Further information here:
-->
www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/press_for_change/tractor_and_trolley/sign_up.html

Related story:

GM crops? No thanks
Britain delivers overwhelming verdict after unprecedented public opinion
exercise:
--> http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=446787

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CITIZEN VOTING

The International Simultaneous Policy Organisation (ISPO) is an association
of people worldwide who plan to use their votes in a coordinated way to
influence political actions.

"ISPO goes beyond merely demanding greater political accountability by
offering citizens a new way of restoring genuine democracy lawfully and
peacefully, one vote at a time.
The aim of SP is to bring economic justice, environmental sustainability,
peace, dignity and security to people everywhere."

The idea is that people would join up, and influence politicians also to
join, as it is termed, Simultaneous Policy (SP). The aim is to encourage
global action within the existing national and international political
frameworks and is guided by its members.

The ISPO site has information about their policies and aims here:
--> www.simpol.org

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BUSH TRUTHS

After implying for over a year that Saddam Hussein was involved in 9/11,
President Bush finally admitted that there was no connection. But the same
newspapers that helped to convince almost 70% of the public that the
connection was real buried the retraction -- and some didn't mention it at all.

MoveOn.org have asked that people write a short letter to the editor of one
of these newspapers today, and let them know that they're failing the
public by burying this news.

Find out email address from MoveOn at:
--> http://moveon.org/
or via email to: press at moveon.org

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INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

Survival International reports that the European Parliament has just
adopted new resolutions supporting indigenous peoples' rights in Africa.

"The parliament announced it 'strongly' supports the demands of the
Pygmies, 'Bushmen' ('Basarwa') and others to be recognised as indigenous
peoples.

Indigenous and tribal peoples' right to communal ownership of their land is
guaranteed under international law, but many African countries fail to
recognise this. In Botswana, the Gana and Gwi Bushmen (locally known as
'Basarwa' )have been evicted from their land and forced into resettlement
camps, while in Tanzania more than 200 Maasai families face eviction from
the Ngorongoro Crater.

The parliament also resolves that its agreements must contain 'specific
clauses and mechanisms to assess respect for and the protection of the
fundamental rights of indigenous peoples, who are all too often the victims
of extremely serious and systematic violations'.

Meanwhile, a member of the European Parliament, Richard Howitt, has asked
that 'European Union funding of the 'Wildlife Conservation and
Management  Programme' in Botswana should be made dependent on the proper
recognition of Bushman land rights in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and
on Bushmen being allowed to return freely to their land within the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve'."

Further information:
--> www.survival-international.org/eu_030915.htm

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CONSERVATION HANDBOOK

'The Conservation Handbook', by Bill Sutherland, is being sent free to
practising conservationists outside Western Europe, North America, 
Australia, New
Zealand and Japan who are otherwise unlikely to obtain a copy.

" The aim of The Conservation Handbook is to provide clear guidance on the
implementation of conservation techniques. The wide range of methods described
include those for ecological research, monitoring, planning, education,
habitat management and combining conservation with development. 18 case
studies illustrate how the methods have been applied."

An online orderform is available at:
--> www.nhbs.com/xbscripts/bksrch?r=69569;l=3

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JOBS

People & Planet: Head of Campaigns. £24,365 Oxford.

A great opportunity for an experienced and committed campaigner to
lead the UK's most exciting campaigns team. We are looking for
someone who combines irreverence and humour with sharp political
analysis; can motivate staff and inspire student activists; can develop
and deliver plans and action at both strategic and practical levels.

Full application packs available at:
--> www.peopleandplanet.org/careers

Deadline for applications: 17th October

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FUNDING/ AWARDS

Visiting Scholar in Feminist Perspectives on Globalization for the 2004 -
2005 Academic Year

The Pauline Jewett Institute of Women's Studies at Carleton University
and the Institute of Women's Studies at the University of Ottawa, with
the support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and
the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), are launching a
four year project to allow scholars from the developing world, working
in the field of "Gender and Development", to spend a research term at
their institutions. The Visiting Scholar in Feminist Perspectives on
Globalization will contribute in facilitating the expansion of gender
and development research at both universities, and also provide a unique
opportunity for collaboration between feminist scholars in Canada and
the developing world.

Further information from Hélène Boudreault, email:
--> hboudre at uottawa.ca

Reporting on the Information Society - Call for Submissions

The inaugural "Reporting on the Information Society" awards, given jointly
by the Global Knowledge Partnership and Panos, aim to encourage and bring
to international recognition thoughtful and incisive reporting on
developing countries' progress to becoming "Information Societies."

Four awards of US$2,000 each will be made for published journalism by
developing country journalists (print, radio, TV or web) that goes beyond
describing projects or new investment initiatives to analyse broader
questions such as the social impact of ICTs, particularly on rural or
disadvantaged groups, or national and global communication policy issues.

The winning entries will be disseminated internationally and honoured at
the World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva, December 2003.

To submit a piece of work for consideration, send a clipping, audio or
video tape, transcript or web reference by email to:
--> award at panoslondon.org.uk
Deadline for submissions: Oct 15th 2003

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QUOTE/UNQUOTE

'Life is mostly froth and bubble
Two things stand like stone -
Kindness in another's trouble
Courage in your own.'
   - Adam Lindsay Gordon

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DIARY DATES

OCTOBER

Sunday, 5th October
and the first Sunday of every month there is a
slow, silent, mindful walk in peace for peace, starting from Speaker's
Corner, Hyde Park  at 11.00am and returning there at midday.  Meet at 'The
Honest Sausage' café, just south of Speaker's Corner.

Thursday & Friday, 9th & 10th
'Claim of the Community'  - An international conference to explore
initiatives in affordable
housing, infrastructure provision and local government finance
Tara Towers Hotel, Booterstown, Co. Dublin
To reserve a place email: feasta at anu.ie

Thursday 9th
Diversity in Britain: responding to change
A one day conference organised by the Guardian in partnership with TMP
Worldwide
Church House Conference Centre
Westminster, London
See programme and book a place here:
-->
http://adinfo-guardian.co.uk/advertising-update/news-stories/diversity.shtml

Friday 10th is World Against Death Penalty Day.
Amnesty UK celebrate with a public Talk: Executing Child Offenders in the USA
2.30pm - 4.30pm
Royal Lancaster Hotel, Lancaster Terrace, London W2
free. Confirm attendance via email to: dpevent at amnesty.org.uk

Saturday 11th
NO NEW OIL - OIL, WAR AND CLIMATE CHANGE: DISMANTLING THE OIL ECONOMY.
LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS.
10 - 6pm
no fee but book early: info at risingtide.org.uk

NOVEMBER

Friday 7th
6.15pm for 6.45pm
"Images of Earth & Spirit" - The Resurgence Art Anthology
at The Princes Foundation,
19-22 Charlotte Road, Old Street, London EC2 3SG
Admission £5 including wine
information on their website: www.resurgence.org,
or via email: peterlang at resurgence.org

Saturday & Sunday, 8th & 9th
GreenNet Web design training using dreamweaver.
Designed to provide a solid grounding in web design principles for anyone
wanting to build, update and maintain a site using dreaweaver.
Visit our website for information: www.gn.apc.org/training/web.html#dream
or email: joanne at gn.apc.org

Tuesday 11th
NIACE (National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) is organising the
'Learning for Peace' conference.
@ Britannia Street Conference Centre, near Kings Cross/St Pancras, London
More information: katharine.friedmann at niace.org.uk

A series of one-day workshops on 'Using Recycled and Secondary Aggregates
in Construction' will be held at 10 venues around the UK from November 2003
to February 2004.
Full details of the workshop, venues and a booking form can be found at the
project web site: www.trl.co.uk/scip.

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More Diary Dates on GreenNet:
--> www.gn.apc.org/calendar/calindex.shtml

Please add your events to the calendar here:
--> www.gn.apc.org/calendar/add.shtml

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The AlterNet News is edited by Joanne Doyle for GreenNet:
---> www.gn.apc.org

Please note that opinions expressed in AlterNet are those of the
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