[GKD] APC Urges Action In Support of Indymedia

[Karen Higgs]

Dear GKD Members,

Several of you have enquired how you can support Indymedia in their
struggle to recover their information and their right to communicate.

We attach this communication from them.

Best wishes from all at APC.



ACTION ALERT: Urgent Action In Support of Indymedia

"An unacceptable attack on press freedom, free speech and privacy."

On 7 October 2004 two Indymedia Web Servers were seized from the
US-owned web hosting company Rackspace operating in London (UK), at the
request of the US Justice Department, which apparently acted at the
prompting of Italian and Swiss authorities.

Indymedia is an global alternative media network that provides
challenging and independent reporting, particularly of political and
social justice issues, with a newswire where any member of the public
can publish their own reports and articles.

The seizure of the servers in London shut down around 20 different
Indymedia websites including Ambazonia, Uruguay, Andorra, Poland,
Western Massachusetts, Nice, Nantes, Lilles, Marseille, Euskal Herria
(Basque Country), Liege, East and West Vlaanderen, Antwerpen (all
Belgium), Belgrade, Portugal, Prague, Galiza, Italy, Brazil, UK, and
parts of Germany Indymedia. Many are still offline, those few that have
returned have suffered data loss.

The particular legal framework under which the seizures took place is
unknown. Five Days after the seizures there is still an almost total
information blackout from the authorities in the UK, US, Switzeland and
Italy. Indymedia still has no confirmation of who ordered the seizures,
who took the servers in London, why the seizures took place, where the
servers are now located, and whether they will be returned.

We are concerned over the growing use of international co-operation
frameworks by Governments and Law enforcement agencies which can be used
to obscure clear legal process, and call for openness and clarity in
international co-operation, to ensure due process and that civil
liberties are protected.

Statements of support for Indymedia and condemnation of the shutting
down of over 20 Media outlets have been recieved from The Electronic
Frontier Foundation, The International Federation of Journalists, the
National Union of Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, World
Association of Community Radio Broadcasters and many other
organisations.

Indymedia UK condemns the seizure of the servers as an unacceptable and
unprecedented attack on press freedom, free speech and privacy and asks
for urgent solidarity action in demanding:


RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please write to the British Home Secretary and the US Attorney General:

1. Expressing grave concern at the action taken against Indymedia.

2. Demanding the immediate return of the servers to Indymedia with all
data intact.

3. Requesting a full investigation into the circumstances and legality
of the action taken to seize the Indymedia servers and to close
Indymedia websites, with the disclosure of the names of the
organisations and individuals involved in the seizure.


APPEALS TO:

Rt Hon David Blunkett MP
Home Secretary
The Home Office
London - UK
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

John Ashcroft
Attorney General
US Department of Justice
Washington - USA
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Please send copies of letters to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Organisations and individuals are also encouraged to issue their own
statements in support of Indymedia and against the seizure of the
servers. Please send copies to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Additionaly organisations and indivduals can add their statements of
support here:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/10/298931.html

For background on the Server Seizures see:
http://indymedia.org/en/static/fbi
http://www.indymedia.org
http://www.indymedia.org.uk





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[GKD] RFI: ICT Projects in Zambia Targeted at Women

[Kutoma Wakunuma]

Dear GKD Members,

Does anyone know of any specific ICT "empowerment and development"
projects taking place in Zambia, particularly targeted for women
especially in, but not limited to, rural areas. I would really
appreciate names and contact details as well.

Thanks in advance.

Kutoma




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[GKD] DOT-COMments eNewsletter - Fall 2004

[Barbara Fillip]

  DOT-COMments eNewsletter - Fall 2004 (Issue 8)

Welcome to the DOT-COMments eNewsletter, the quarterly newsletter of the
DOT-COM Alliance. The fall 2004 issue of the DOT-COMments newsletter is
now up on the DOT-COM Alliance web site. The full newsletter can be
accessed online at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/index.php

Here is a preview of its content:

01. Editorial
02. DOT-COM Events
03. Reducing Cyber Crime within the APEC Region through Knowledge
Exchange and Capacity Building
04. Supporting Regional Telecommunication Associations: Interview with
Brian Goulden
05. Volunteers Advance Management Skills of Vietnamese Software
Companies
06. Project Results and Lessons Learned - ICT Employability Training for
Poor Brazilian Youth
07. Technology is Making Life a Little Easier for Low-Income Residents
of Romania's Sibiu County
08. Testing Hand-held Computers for Voter Registration in Rwanda
09. Macedonia Takes Initiative with New e-Government Strategy
10. Helping Small Thai Businesses Make the Most of the Internet for
e-Commerce
11. Mali - CLIC Regional Training to Build on Sustainability Efforts
12. Women's Literacy and Technology in Vanga - A New World of
Opportunities (DRC)
13. Pre-School Education Prevails in Honduras
14. Using ICTs to Develop Educational Materials for Rural Tribal
Classrooms in India
15. Launching into Action - Interactive Radio Instruction in India


+ 01. Editorial +

This and future editorials will highlight common threads across projects
being discussed in each issue of the newsletter. This issue's short
editorial focuses on the need to strengthen our efforts to capture
lessons learned and document results and impact.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=26


+ 02. DOT-COM Events +

Speaker Series on Cyber-Security Issues in International Development
Environments: On September 16, the DOT-COM Alliance and InterAction
co-hosted the fourth Speaker Series on ICTs and Development. The topic
was Cyber-Security Issues in International Development Environments. A
panel of four cyber-security experts provided a rich learning experience
and opportunities for discussions.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=11

More Events.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/events/News&Events.htm


+ 03. Reducing Cyber Crime within the APEC Region through Knowledge
Exchange and Capacity Building +

Since 2002, dot-GOV, with funding from USAID, has provided field support
to a number of events to promote cyber security. The latest of a series
of seminars and conferences on cyber security supported by dot-GOV was
the "Second Conference of Experts and Training Seminar", organized by
the APEC e-Security Task Force and US Department of justice.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=10


+ 04. Supporting Regional Telecommunication Associations: Interview with
Brian Goulden +

The SIPRS project provided technical assistance and capacity building to
the Telecommunications Regulators Association of Southern Africa
(TRASA). Brian Goulden, former SIPRS project director, spoke with
DOT-COM about the role of TRASA as a regional regulatory association...
http://www.dot-com-alliance.com/newsletter/article.php?article_id=14


+ 05. Volunteers Advance Management Skills of Vietnamese Software
Companies +

Thirteen Vietnamese software companies located in Ho Chi Minh City and
Hanoi benefited from intensive, hands-on training provided by four Geek
Corps volunteers (http://www.geekcorps.org) over the period of
April-September 2004. This focused technical assistance has been
extended to the wider ICT sector in Vietnam.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=15


+ 06. Project Results and Lessons Learned - ICT Employability Training
for Poor Brazilian Youth +

Programa para o Futuro's innovative curriculum, integrating information
and communication technology (ICT) and employability training has taught
50 disadvantaged Brazilian youths the workplace readiness and Computer
skills they needed to succeed in the technologically driven workplace of
the 21st century.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=21


+ 07. Technology is Making Life a Little Easier for Low-Income Residents
of Romania's Sibiu County +

The Social Services Assistance Integrated System (SSAIS)Project,
implemented within the broader context of dot-ORG's Romania Information
Technology Initiative (RITI) Access project. In Sibiu County, the SSAIS
project is facilitating increase efficiency and speed in the processing
of financial assistance requests from citizens.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=12


+ 08. Testing Hand-held Computers for Voter Registration in Rwanda +

dot-ORG has been working with the Rwandan National Electoral Commission
(NEC) to strengthen the capacity of the NEC via information and
communication technologies (ICTs). This supp

[GKD] Launch of NGO.ZA - ICT Services for Civil Society

[dbarnard]

NGO.ZA - ICT Services for Civil Society

The Southern African NGO Network (SANGONeT) and ICOZA launched a new
joint venture, called NGO.ZA, this afternoon in Johannesburg.

Jay Naidoo, former Minister of Communications, and Chairperson of the
J&J Group, was the keynote speaker at the launch of NGO.ZA. ICOZA is
part of the J&J Group.

The overall aim of NGO.ZA is to meet and respond to the South African
NGO sector's connectivity, hardware and e-business infrastructure
requirements, and as a result, transform the ICT usage, capacity and
infrastructure levels of the sector.

In view of the fast-changing nature of ICT products and services and the
growing ICT awareness and requirements of the South African NGO sector,
SANGONeT conceptualised this new initiative aimed at providing the NGO
sector with a wide range of affordable ICT solutions.

SANGONeT has been at the forefront of providing information
communication technology (ICT) services to the South African NGO sector
since its inception in 1987. It is still one of very few NGOs in Africa
involved in the ICT field and continues to serve civil society with a
wide range of ICT products and services.

ICOZA is South Africa's first independently empowered Tier 1 Internet
service provider (ISP). It offers a complete range of Internet and
value-added services to support clients' connectivity and e-business
infrastructure in a close collaboration between the J&J Group and South
Africa's leading ISP, Internet Solutions.

The collective experience and expertise of SANGONeT and ICOZA will
result in the provision of an extensive range of relevant and affordable
ICT services through NGO.ZA to the NGO sector throughout the country.

The following range of services will be offered through NGO.ZA:

- Connectivity - lease line, ADSL, ISDN and Dial-Up with free 24/7/365
telephonic technical support, virus protection and spam filtering;
- Hardware: a full range of computer hardware solutions;
- Outlook SMS: e-mail to SMS messaging enabling cost-effective
communication;
- Hosting: a comprehensive web hosting service on dedicated servers;
- Vax/Fax Solutions: save on the cost of a fax machine and paper by
sending and receiving faxes using e-mail.

This range of services will be expanded during the next few months in
line with the ICT needs and requirements of the NGO sector and new
developments in the ICT field.

Visit www.ngo.za for more information on the new NGO.ZA initiative and
services.

NGO.ZA was officially launched during a special one-day event organised
and hosted by SANGONeT on Thursday, 21 October 2004, to celebrate World
Development Information Day this year. The event focused on important
development issues affecting South Africa, highlighted the role and
significance of information and communication in the South African NGO
sector, and profiled the work of the NGO sector and specific initiatives
aimed at improving its information and communication capacity. A number
of NGOs exhibited at the event.

SANGONeT also launched three other new initiatives during the event,
including the Thusanang Online Donor Database , the
SANGONeT Development Calendar 2005 and the new SANGONeT website
.

For more information on the World Development Information Day event and
the various new SANGONeT initiatives, please contact the following
people:

NGO.ZA

Joseph George, Technology Services Manager, SANGONeT
Tel: (011) 403-4935 / Fax: (011) 403-0130
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.sangonet.org.za / www.ngo.za


Thusanang Online Donor Database

Joseph George, Civil Society Information Services Manager, 
SANGONeT
Tel: (011) 403-4935 / Fax: (011) 403-0130
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.sangonet.org.za / www.thusanang.org.za





***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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