[WSIS Edu] Let us boycott the second phase of the World Summit of the Information Society of TUNIS!

[Jak Archibald]

Dear Colleague,
 
An extract from our review of Arab Mass Media (William A. Rugh. Praeger,
2004.) may be of interest to you in this regard:
 
Transition toward a freer press is manifested by a select group of
states including Algeria, Egypt, Jordan 
and Tunisia, where the press vacillates between support for government
positions and social criticism. 
Emergent freedom of expression, albeit under strict state control, is
symptomatic of the TPM [Transitional 
Print Media]system owing to extant laws limiting freedom of the press.
However, future developments 
under these regimes remain uncertain. 
 
(Archibald, J. & M. Guidère. (May 2005). "Arab Mass Media: Newspapers,
Radio and television in Arab Politics".
Middle Eastern Studies 41(3):453.)
 
Liss Jeffrey, a professor of communication studies at the University of
Toronto's McLuhan Program,
(http://www.mcluhan.utoronto.ca/lissjeffrey.htm) had also proposed a
boycott of the Tunis Summit at the time when the Canadian Commission for
UNESCO was considering recommendations for Canada's participation in the
Summit.  In reaction to her proposal, I made the following statement: 
 
 Tunisia [is] a "country in transition" whose technological
infrastructure, legal framework and human capital 
are key elements which make change and reform possible. International
pressure and "constructive 
engagement" are but means to secure positive change for Tunisians and
subsequently for other people in the 
Arab World for whom a reformed Tunisia compliant with the rules of the
free world would be an inspiration.
 
(Archibald, J. "Constructive engagement". 12 May 2005.)
 
Although a boycott may be an alluring alternative, I submit that
constructive engagement is a more viable alternative at this juncture.
 
Best regards,
 
J. Archibald

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