Internet Governance Project (IGP)
Re: Chinese takedown, all notice at IGF
by Antony
Milton et al., I continue to be wonder at how free-speech advocates feel no dissonance and see no irony at jetting off to resorts in repressive dictatorial regimes, inviting known jailers of journalists to speak, and then only when security forces actually penetrate the sanctum of their plush tourist hotels actually say anything about it. The echo-chamber of shock and dismay at a poster being taken down now reverberating online has no outrage to spare for: - WSIS Tunis inviting Robert Mugabe to speak - ICANN 34 being held in Egypt, where bloggers and journalists are routinely jailed. - IGF09 being held in Sharm-al-Sheik, a playground in Egypt for the ultra-rich, where nearby children go to "school" to make carpets and other tourist trinkets for attendees. -IGF09 inviting Minister Kamel to speak and listening without apparent discomfort as he talks about "grassroots" involvement at ICANN. While I support ONI and anti-censorship projects, it's hard to take the outrage about a poster seriously when there is zero commentary about press conditions in Egypt, and free-speech advocates mingle politely at cocktail hours with the government functionaries who are the actual agents of repression. Antony
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