This was on another mailing list I am on and I thought it was very
interesting. It is about a South Asian forum aimed at promoting the use of
the Internet in the region. I have reposted the email posting in full.
Cheers
David
----------
From: SMTP:owner-apple@ns.apnic.net/
To: SMTP:apple@apnic.net/
Subject: FW: Invitation to electronic discussion
Date: Tuesday, 6 October 1998 13:24
--- On Mon, 05 Oct 1998 21:45:42 +0600 Arun Mehta
<amehta@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in> wrote:
South Asia is the world's most illiterate region, and confronts myriad
man-made and natural problems. Can the Internet help us overcome these?
Undoubtedly yes. But what needs to be done to remove the roadblocks that
the Internet itself faces in the region, and what are the right steps to
take, to promote its use? How can we help and learn from each other?
Questions such as these will be taken up in an electronic discussion, which
you can join by visiting
http://www.PanAsiaNetworking.org.sg/cgi-bin/majordomo/lwgate.sas
ianet/sasianet
For about 16 participants of this electronic discussion, the organisers
will be able to fund the travel and stay for a 3-4 day workshop, at either
Dacca, where we will have the opportunity to see the very interesting
example of Grameen Telecom, or in Khatmandu some time next February. The
rest, we hope, will participate electronically in this workshop as well.
I do hope you will join, and actively participate in this discussion, which
will enable you to make friends and useful contacts in this region, plus
contribute to its development. Please pass on this message to anybody else
who you feel may be interested as well.
Warm regards, Arun
____________
THE INTERNET : SOUTH ASIAN REALITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Introduction
The Internet offers a rare opportunity to policy-makers, regulators, NGOs
and citizens, since it bears the potential for increasing wealth and
improving health and education in nations that learn to use it well. At the
same time, it brings with it problems, as its inherent anarchy resists
regulation and planning. Because of this, success can only come in societies
that engage in comprehensive discussion of the issues involved in promoting
the Internet. All the players mentioned above are inextricable parts of this
complex, and there is a dire need to open communication channels between
them.
The countries of South Asia face similar problems with the Internet, yet
they have adopted very different models for its advancement. While in
Pakistan the private sector dominates, in India the government has so far
been the monopoly service provider. Bangladesh has been remarkably
innovative in bringing telecom to the poor, demonstrating clearly the
considerable scope there is to learn from each other.
To facilitate this comprehensive discussion, and to help look for solutions
to the blockages in the path of the Internet in South Asia, the
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in
Kathmandu <http://www.south-asia.com/icimod.htm> with financial support of
the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada
<http:www.idrc.org>, proposes to organise a workshop in February 1999.
Approximately 16 key players and observers in this rapidly changing field
will be invited from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, bringing
together experts from government, regulatory bodies, NGOs, ISPs and the user
community. The participants of this workshop will be selected primarily from
the contributors to a moderated electronic discussion, which will be open to
anyone wishing to contribute meaningfully to this process.
While there are a large number of issues to discuss in this endeavor, it is
hoped that the electronic discussion will help prioritize and select key
issues for face-to-face discussion.
Issues
A preliminary list of issues for electronic discussion is given below:
1) Access
a) A comparison of models of ISP ownership (eg., private, government,
NGO)
b) Providing access to the poor and illiterate
c) Technological aspects relating to bandwidth (eg. quality and
quantity) issues relating to technical manpower and the sharing of
technical expertise
d) Regional backbone and ISP collaboration in South Asia
e) Security
f) Gender-related issues
2) Content
a) Culture -- threats and opportunities
b) Generation of local-language content, and cross-border flows
c) Direction and flow of information (e.g. North--South) and its
implications
d) Applications in health, etc
e) Use of the Internet in distance education, and as an educational tool
3) Regulation
a) Regulation vis-a-vis the Internet and policy formulation -- what
works and what doesn't, pricing policy/tariffs, licensing practices
b) Role of Government, ISPs, Regional and International Bodies, Users
c) E-Commerce in the South Asian region
d) Mechanisms for user feedback into policymaking
4) Opportunities for regional cooperation in promoting the growth of the
Internet
It is expected that the electronic discussion will add to this list, and
hopefully select approximately six issues, in which a face-to-face
discussion could significantly help raise the level of clarity in areas
where decisions need to be taken by the countries involved.
The organizers will also set up a web-site to collect and present
information emanating out of the electronic discussion, including links to
other useful sites in the areas under discussion.
A small working group consisting of one representative each from Bangladesh,
India, Nepal and Pakistan as well as the ICIMOD project coordinator for this
initiative and the electronic discussion list moderator will be created to
plan this initiative further. The working group members will also help to
propogate this initiative further, seek greater country-level participation
in the electronic discussion as well as prepare and present a country
paper/report at the workshop itself.
While funding is available for travel and living expenses of about 16
participants, others are invited to participate electronically in the
deliberations at the workshop, which will last 3 or 4 days (exact dates and
venue yet to be decided).
Tentative Agenda
Day 1: Introduction of participants. Presentation of country reports, which
highlight the current situation of the Internet in each country.
Presentation of summary report by the moderator of the electronic discussion
list, highlighting the key issues emerging out of the electronic discussion.
Discussion of agenda for working groups andestablishment of the same
Day 2: Meetings of working groups to cover the priority issues identified by
the electronic discussion list. Plenary meeting to finalise recommendations.
Day 3: Continuation of Working group meetings to discuss identified priority
issues. Possibly a field visit.
Day 4: Concluding plenary session.
Report
Shortly after conclusion of the workshop, a brief report highlighting the
issues discussed and the conclusions reached will be added to the web site,
and possibly published in a journal. If there is sufficient interest among
the participants, electronic discussion will continue after the workshop is
concluded, to foster on-going contact between experts of the region.
Moderator
Dr. Arun Mehta, amehta@cerf.net, a Delhi-based net activist who has been
involved in several campaigns relating to cyber rights and who moderates the
"India-gii" discussion list, will serve as the moderator for this exercise.
He will also present the summary results of the discussion list at the
workshop in February 1999 and prepare a final report of the workshop.
Project Coordinator
Mr. Shahid Akhtar, shahid@icimod.org.np who is in-charge of ICIMOD's
communication, information and networking activities, is the project
coordinator and will oversee the entire activity in all its dimensions from
beginning to end.
Arun Mehta, B-69, Lajpat Nagar-I, New Delhi-110024. Phone 6841172, 6849103
http://www.cerfnet.com/_amehta amehta@cerfnet.com, amehta@cpsr.org
-----------------End of Original Message-----------------
-------------------------------------
Name: Laina Raveendran Greene
E-mail: laina@singnet.com.sg
Date: 06/10/98
Time: 09:23:14
This message was sent by Chameleon
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Australian Broadcasting Authority
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phone: +61 2 9334 7938 fax: +61 2 9334 7799
URL: http://www.aba.gov.au
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