Work cut out for new SABC chief
Moffet Mofokeng
GENDER and experience seem to have put new SABC boss Lulama Mokhobo in good stead when she was appointed this week, outdoing former acting group chief executive officer Phil Molefe and another unnamed woman candidate in the race for the position.
She becomes the first woman to head the troubled broadcaster, which battles with corporate governance issues, fraud and corruption and a mass exodus of key staff.
The Sunday Independent has established, from officials in the government and the broadcasting sector, that Mokhobo, who has worked at the public broadcaster before, won the race for the top post because “she has the right qualifications” for the job and “she (is) a woman”, something that was in line with the ANC’s policy to empower women.
However, a trade union leader said Mokhobo was “not part of the defeated Polokwane elite” which quit the SABC after the removal of former president Thabo Mbeki from office a few years ago.
“She was not among those people,” the leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. “It was on that basis that she was given the thumbs up to take over the reins at the SABC. The ANC is committed to woman leadership.”
The appointment of the SABC CEO – which is approved by the cabinet with the blessings of Luthuli House – is highly contested in the ruling party. For three years now, the SABC has been plunged into turmoil as warring factions within the ruling party could not agree on who should be in charge of the broadcaster.
SABC board chairman Ben Ngubane refused to comment on the matter, saying the SABC made a recommendation to Communications Minister Dina Pule, and she made the appointment.
“We submitted our findings to the minister and she made her decision. It is her decision and we are happy with it,” he said.
The SOS Coalition – a group consisting of labour federation Cosatu, the Communications Workers’ Union, Media Monitoring Africa, the Freedom of Expression Institute, the SA Screen Federation and the Broadcasting Electronic Media and Allied Workers’ Union – welcomed Mokhobo’s appointment and said she had tough decisions to make ahead.
“We note the enormous pressures of this job and the tough decisions that need to be taken to ensure the successful implementation of the SABC’s turnaround strategy. We will keep a watchful eye on all progress in this regard.
“SOS and its members note the need for strong leadership in this position,” SOS co-ordinator Kate Skinner said. “The coalition must highlight an ongoing problem which needs attention and resolution – the issue of appointments of SABC executives.”
The SABC has not, for more than four years now, had a permanent chief operating officer and a chief financial officer.
Mokhobo is the sixth SABC CEO – including those who were appointed on an acting capacity – to be in charge of the broadcaster since 2009.
Before her, there was Dali Mpofu, who quit after accepting a R14 million settlement; Gab Mampone, who left under a cloud; and Solly Mokoetle, who was also paid millions of rand to go.
Former chief financial officer Robin Nicholson, who also acted in the CEO’s post, has taken the SABC to court for unceremoniously terminating his contract.
Molefe will return to his job as the head of TV and radio news.
Late last year, Ngubane clashed with board member Cawe Mahlathi over the CEO’s appointment.
Mahlathi, who was said to be “the most vocal” board member, urged Ngubane at a board meeting to come clean on a letter that former Communications minister Roy Padayachie wrote to the board demanding to know why Tau Morwe, the chief executive officer of Transnet’s National Ports Authority, was recommended for the SABC top post when in fact “he did not have any broadcasting experience”.
Instead of informing all board members about the minister’s letter, Ngubane took all the documents that came from Spencer Steward, a recruitment agency that interviewed, among others, Morwe and Joe Mjwara – a director at Business Connexion who has in the past worked for the Communications Department as a deputy director-general – for the job, and gave them to Padayachie.
At that meeting, sources said, Mahlati insisted that Ngubane should have told all board members about the letter and she demanded to know why board members were not informed of it.
Ngubane said Mahlati was critical of him over the CEO’s post because she was “heavily conflicted” in the matter.
In an e-mail to The Sunday Independent, Ngubane said Mahlati had applied for the CEO’s job – which she did not get – when in fact she was nominated for a position on the board of the SABC.
Ngubane said Mahlati was then made to choose between being a candidate for the board post, or the CEO position, which she failed to get after a “pre-interview” selection process aimed at short-listing candidates for the CEO job.
In the e-mail, which he sent to The Sunday Independent last year, Ngubane said Mahlati proceeded to the “pre-interview” process and did not withdraw her nomination for a post on the board, suggesting that she was fighting Ngubane because she did not get the CEO position.
Ngubane said he “deliberately” sent the report on the CEO selection process to Padayachie because the report contained “sensitive information” about Mahlati’s application.
“In the pack to the minister, there was sensitive information which talks about the application and assessment of board member Cawe Mahlathi. When she applied for the position of GCEO at SABC, she had been already nominated for selection by the parliamentary portfolio committee for communications. She was given a choice that she had to choose between going for the interview process for GCEO or withdrawing from the portfolio committee process for the SABC board.
“She chose to go for the GCEO position, was given a pre-interview for the purpose of short-listing candidates and was not short-listed. She had not withdrawn from the board selection process and was subsequently appointed SABC board member,” Ngubane said.
“With such a conflict she should not be speaking on the matter of selection of the GCEO.”
The ANC has been accused of interfering with the process of appointing the SABC CEO and the dismissal of Nicholson, who acted at the time as the CEO.
Morwe, who came out tops during the interviews, was the board’s preferred candidate for the post.
However, a board member said at the time, the ANC was “unhappy” about the selection process as it and Padayachie wanted Mjwara to be appointed.
Communications Minister Dina Pule said; “After the board conducted a thorough and intense search and interview process for an employable CEO, they forwarded me the shortlist.
“I looked at the names and satisfied myself with the integrity of the process and that of the candidates. I then appointed the best qualified and the most suitable person for this very important position.
“The board and management team have my full support as they embark on the very important task of stabilising the SABC and putting the public broadcaster on a sustainable path.”
-------------------------------------------
JLF Day 4 Diary: Rushdie drama refuses to die down
The agony of waiting for Salman Rushdie, words of wisdom from Ben Okri and Amish Tripathi and a rather strange interaction with a Muslim activist who refuses to name the author he's protesting against. That was the second last day of the Jaipur Literature Festival, reports Abhishek Mande.
The festival, as William Dalrymple pointed out on Day One, had 262 speakers other than Salman Rushdie. The number of course, dwindled by at least four when Ruchir Joshi, Jeet Thayil, Hari Kunzru and Amitava Kumar were asked to leave when they read out passages from The Satanic Verses in protest of Rushdie's absence.
As Day Four dawned, the rumours of Rushdie addressing the audience via video conference -- which had been floating since the very first day -- got stronger.
And as yet another day went in anticipation of whether the author would put up an appearance or not, we were informed by Sanjoy Roy, the festival producer at the end of the day that Rushdie would indeed be there via video link and will address the session at 3.45 pm in the front lawns.
---------------------------------------------
Nagaland tense NSCN factional feud intensifies
Nagaland continues to be tense with the factional feud between NSCN (Khaplang) and NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) intensifying during the past few days.
The turf war which started in Dimapur in December last year shifted to Zunheboto, the hometown of Kitovi Zhimomi, the general secretary of NSCN (Khole-Kitovi), and then to Athibung where NSCN (Khaplang) over-ran the designated camp of its rival faction last week.
In a renewed spate of violence, the two rival NSCN groups clashed at Zunheboto where one cadre of the Khole-Kitovi group was critically injured, while in another skirmish in Kohima, an NSCN(K) commander and his son were injured.
In Zunheboto, NSCN (K) cadres reportedly attacked the residence of Kitovi Zhimomi, Ato Kilonser of NSCN (Khole-Kitovi), at Amiphoto Colony in the wee hours of Sunday and also later in the afternoon.
Hokugha, political organizer (PO) of the group, hailing from Melahumi village in Sumi region was critically injured in the attack.
According to the Khole-Kitovi group, four armed cadres of NSCN (K) attacked Hokugha while he was alighting from his vehicle near Shotomi village.
He was critically injured in the gunfire.
In another incident at Kohima Saturday evening, the town commander of NSCN (K), ‘SS' Maj Kivekhu and his son, Tovito, were injured when suspected armed cadres of NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) fired at them near the Community Hall of Forest Colony at around 6:00 pm.
The firing continued for nearly 10 minutes.
While Tovito sustained injuries on his shoulder, Kivekhu has been admitted to the ICU with stomach injuries.
Sources said Kivekhu's daughter, who was also in the vehicle, escaped unharmed.
Security has been beefed up across the state to prevent further escalation of factional clashes, police sources said.
Police and the Assam Rifles have been pressed into service to prevent movement of armed cadres and to ensure that the Ceasefire Ground Rules are adhered to, sources said.
AR personnel are to be deployed near NSCN-designated camps.
Meanwhile, with the increase in inter-factional rivalry in the state resulting in firing and disturbing the peace of populated areas, the IGAR (N) has assured the general populace that security forces would be deployed around the designated camps of the two factions to deter unauthorized movement of armed cadres to and from the camps.
A press release issued by IGAR (N) said the security forces would carry out spot-checking in the region to protect innocent civilians.
The aim of the security forces is to defer the unauthorized move of armed cadres from the designated camps, the release said.
The IGAR (N) sought the cooperation of the common people and also appealed to all NGOs, civil societies, Naga Hohos and the Church to ensure that good sense prevails among the Nagas.
-------------------------------------------
'We Can Be Heroes': DC Superheroes Fight Famine in Africa
The Justice League of America, including Earth protectors Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, are all teaming up to fight famine in the Horn of Africa as part of an campaign called "We Can Be Heroes." The new initiative -- backed by DC Entertainment, Time Warner and three NGOs -- strives to bring food and nourishment to those in need by donating up to $2 million over two years to Mercy Corps, Save the Children, and the International Rescue Committee, which are all currently working to end famine in Africa.
"In the Horn of Africa, 13 million people are suffering through the worst hunger crisis in 60 years," says the campaign video. "They need a hero. You are needed. Thousands of children are struggling to stay alive. One small act can make you a hero. Join the Justice League to fight the hunger crisis. Give now. DC Entertainment will match it 100%. We can be heroes."
Time Warner, including its divisions like Warner Bros., has also pledged to match any employee donations. The campaign also banks on an online store, where users can buy clothes or accessories that send 50 percent of all proceeds to the three individual charities.
The fight to end famine is nothing new, but DC Entertainment has brought awareness to the effort by leveraging its popular coalition of superheroes, collectively called the Justice League of America. On the campaign's Web site, each hero represents a quality that hopes to inspire consumers to donate their dollars to the cause.
Superman represents Strength. "Superman is the world's most powerful and iconic superhero. Sent to Earth from the planet Krypton, he was raised with unwavering morals and internal strength to always do what is right."
Batman represents Justice. "Unrelenting vigilante and master strategist, Batman has dedicated his life to protecting the innocent. He is a man pushed to his physical and mental limits in the pursuit of justice."
Wonder Woman represents Equality. "Wonder Woman is the world's most iconic female superhero. On a mission to battle evil wherever it lurks, she is a symbol of power, inspiration and quality."
Green Lantern represents Willpower. "Chosen for his ability to overcome fear, headstrong test pilot Hal Jordan is the first human member of the intergalactic police force called the Green Lantern Corps."
The Flash represents Drive. "The fastest man alive, the Flash is committed to stop crimes from happening and solve those he's too late to prevent."
Aquaman represents Responsibility. "Half-human and half-Atlantean, Aquaman is forever an outsider to both worlds. He inherits the responsibility to protect land and sea, from themselves and one another."
Cyborg represents Communication. "After a horrific accident, football star Victor Stone was rebuilt into Cyborg, a digital and physical tank. As the world's greatest hub for communication and information, Cyborg fights to hold onto his humanity while protecting us all from technological threats."
While its platform may use heroes with otherworldly abilities to promote the cause, the campaign centers around the idea that anyone can be a hero, even through a small, generous act.
"[The tagline] extends not just to the everyday people, but to the Africans suffering on the ground," said George Rupp, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee. "Such people often have to fight for survival or overcome great odds to provide for their families."
Africa will need a Herculean effort from the DC and Time Warner campaign; the famine is the worst to hit the continent in more than 60 years. Subject to untreated water and rampant diseases like malaria, Africa is home to more than 750,000 malnourished children, and in Somalia alone, one child dies every six seconds.
--------------------------------------------
NEWS FLASH FROM THE STONE AGE! THE FLINTSTONES ARE STILL ALIVE AND PLAYING IN MOSCOW
“Russia’s federal security service, the successor to the KGB, has launched a cold-war style attack on non-governmental organisations and human rights groups, linking them with alleged espionage by British diplomats in Moscow.The accusations against the British diplomats come within weeks of Russia assuming the presidency of G8 from Britain and just days before a meeting of finance ministers in Moscow which will be attended by Gordon Brown, the UK chancellor…
The FSB on Monday confirmed claims made in a state television programme that it had uncovered a James Bond-style spying operation involving four British diplomats using a transmitter hidden in a fake rock on a Moscow street to gather information.
It said the spies had also financed NGOs, including the Moscow Helsinki Group, one of the most prominent human rights campaigners in Russia.
“The most important thing is that we caught them (the spies) red-handed while they were in contact with their agents and established that they were financing some non-governmental organisations,” said Sergei Ignatchenko, a spokesman for the FSB.
The UK Foreign Office rejected “any allegations of improper conduct in our dealing with Russian NGOs”. It said it had openly given financial support to projects implemented by Russian NGOs in the field of human rights and civil society… Russian analysts said the programme was inspired by the FSB and aimed to discredit all foreign sponsored NGOs as outfits of foreign intelligence services.
“This was a classic special operation [by the FSB] aimed at limiting any form of foreign influence in Russia, including NGOs and foreign media,” one Russian commentator said.”
– Financial Times (Arkady Ostrovsky), January 23, 2006
“If we send them away, more will come. Maybe clever ones will come. And we will have to struggle to find them. It has now become clear to many why Russia passed a law regulating NGO activities.”
– President Vladimir Putin, February 2006
“There’s not much you can say. The spy rock was embarrassing…you can’t really call up and say ‘I’m terribly sorry about that, it won’t happen again’. I mean, they had us bang to rights. Clearly they had known about it for some time and had been saving it up for a political purpose.”
– Jonathan Powell, chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2006, BBC Channel 2 Interview broadcast on January 19, 2011
“Vladimir Putin has been handed a propaganda gift, according to some analysts, after an admission that British embassy officials deployed a fake rock to spy on Russia…Commentators said Mr Powell’s admission could increase pressure on Russian NGOs just as they are coming under renewed fire.
“In the current political situation, this admission [by Mr Powell] could be used as proof that Putin is right when he claims that foreign intelligence services are behind the protests,” said Nikolay Petrov, analyst at the Moscow Carnegie Center. “If numbers fall at the next protest on February 4, then I think they will ratchet up this line to the full extent: that NGOs are receiving orders from the enemies of Russia to destabilise the country.”
– Financial Times (Catherine Belton), January 20, 2012
“This is one of the few cases when on an official, political level such an official admission is made. The admission we heard is a serious signal from London that it is time to improve our relations. It is a propaganda step. The British policy on information will also change to say: ‘We are open, we do not hide facts.’ ”
– Nikolai Kovalyov, Colonel-General and former head of Federal Security Service (1996-98), in interview with RIA-Novosti, January 19, 2012
Read more: http://johnhelmer.net/?p=6622#ixzz1kLqnHtDI
------------------------------------------------
THE SKY ISN'T FALLING, BUT THE PARTY IS OVER!
WHILE many in Grenada continue to debate the recent firing of Joseph Gilbert, it is important not to over-react, but to put everything in its proper context.
There are varying degrees of opinion about both the letter – delivered or undelivered, signed by the now fired minister, and whether it was deserving of the action of Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.
Let me say the obvious, that under our system, Prime Ministers have a right to decide who they want in their cabinet – and can fire for good reason or no reason.
As a student of the broader science of politics – I try to always go beyond debating what happened – to the more fundamental point – what it means.
Last week’s political developments in Grenada did not change the fundamental realities on the ground – social and economic. The people in Snell Hall, Hermitage or River Sallee are not any better served or worse served for it.
So when my response to the news last week was that people should not get too excited or get their “undies’’ unduly wet because “the sky is not falling”, it is because fundamentally nothing has changed.
This current National Democratic Congress government is being run by the triumvirate of Prime Minister Thomas, Finance Minister Nazim Burke and the Minister of Everything (my phrase) Glen Noel; a triumvirate supported by a cabal of official and unofficial advisors that former Attorney General Jimmy Bristol described as the “Second Cabinet’’.
Every other member of cabinet – except for Thomas, Burke and Noel – is expendable. And every member of cabinet is subject to the highest standards of behavior – save the triumvirate.
Accept my sympathies Patrick Simmons, Michael Lett, Peter David, Sylvester Quarless, et al – you have no power to effect the change people voted for – more than I have.
And that brings me to the crux of the matter – the policies of this government would not change from its IMF-inspired obsession of balancing the books without caring too much about balancing people’s lives.
Make no mistake about it – this debate and this struggle is about power. But not narrow political power. It is about economic power. It is about empowerment.
People see danger signs where there are none; and the emergency lights that are flashing in the real things that matters, people miss them.
Another budget is upon us, maybe the penultimate one before elections, and the seniors still won’t have the campaign promise of $400 a month fulfilled; unemployment will still hover near 30 percent with no real break in sight and small businesses will be tottering on the brink of closure.
I am less concerned about the job of Joseph Gilbert – he is an engineer, he would probably now make more money anyhow than he did as a minister – than I do about my friends in Munich and La Digue and wherever.
As I listened to the Prime Minister this past week and as I read Joe Gilbert as well, I was asking myself – how does that all matter – how does that all make sense to my cousins who could not pay the cable or internet bill to watch the speech on TV or read the statements online?
What happened last week was more important in the context of what will happen next – as who will be our new government next year.
Yea, I said next year. I don’t think there will be a general election this year.
Most politicians are not Jean Bertrand Aristide. They do not allow themselves to be put on a plane to be flown off to an unknown destination.
So this will be drawn out for as long as the constitution allows.
What is maybe clearer to a lot of people now – though it’s been clear in my mind for a while – is that this ruling party as we know it is effectively finished. The party is over.
Even if friends and well wishers say a million Hail Marys while holding the rosary, a miracle won’t happen that will make Tillman Thomas bring himself to run on the same platform with David, Roberts, Quarless, Walker, Gilbert and Hood. (And vice versa. Neither can they go on a platform and still say Uncle Tilly is the best thing since – well, Keith Mitchell).
Of course, Lett is not a factor because he is retiring; Simmons has no stomach for the fight, he will go too.
Given that scenario – who can boldly declare that the party now exists as we once knew it?
We say it clichéd, but it is true – it is the majority of Grenadians that will have to find a way to sort this out.
They will have to decide if there is a third way – and whether there is no choice but to go back to Mitchell.
There is a myth that NDC won the last general election – and that somehow Thomas, Burke and David delivered us from all evil.
It was a broad coalition of NGOs, trade unions, churches and community organizations that came together and ushered this bunch into office.
It is the people of the coalition that must reclaim their change because the current keepers have given it a bad name.
In the end though, with eternal faith, this will sort itself out – and the people in the end will get some kind of government they deserve.
PS: Democracy does not guarantee us a good government; but it guarantees us the opportunity to change a bad one.
------------------------------------------
Haitians No Longer Excluded From Biggest U.S. Temporary Foreign Worker Program
A couple of weeks ago, the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti came and went with a slew of media reports looking at the difficulties of rebuilding the country: half the pledges from the international community remain unfulfilled, homelessness and displacement are still significant problems, and economic, social and political reconstruction following the country’s huge losses in 2010 is slow. The country dubbed the “republic of NGOs” is still struggling to recover.
Good news for Haiti, however, was revealed late last week by Michael Clemens of the Center for Global Development. Haiti, which had been excluded from America’s largest temporary foreign worker program (the H-2 visa program for temporary and seasonal workers) was added to the list of more than 50 countries eligible to participate, “ending a longstanding policy of excluding Haitians from America’s largest temporary employment-based visa program.” This is important, significant news. It opens the door for economic migrants from Haiti to come seek higher wages for temporary work in the U.S., and will strengthen the flow of remittances to Haiti, providing Haitians with new sources of income to rebuild their businesses, send their children to school and generally be in a better position to support themselves.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, “remittances are among the most tangible links between migration and development.” According to World Bank estimates, officially-recorded remittances flows in 2010 totaled over US$440 billion worldwide. In comparison, official development aid from OECD countries totaled $119.6 billion. Critics note that unless remittances are invested in the country of origin, their long term impact on economic growth and development is limited. Nevertheless, for a country like Haiti, with low-paying wages even for qualified work, the opportunity to earn more and bring a much needed cash and income in the country can have a significant impact, alleviating the need for credit and spurring livelihoods. CGD’s Michael Clemens lays out the benefits:
* Each H-2 worker admitted would typically raise the income of a Haitian family by $19,000 per year.
* A moderate flow of H-2 workers, over ten years, would put almost $400 million into the pockets of Haitian families, including the workers.
* Roughly 30-40% of H-2 workers’ income would be sent to Haiti.
* Each dollar sent to Haiti expands the Haitian economy by three dollars or more.
* Disposable income for Haitian families complements U.S. reconstruction efforts.
Click here for the full analysis
In spite of all the NGO and foreign donor efforts, reconstruction and recovery in Haiti have been slow and laborious. Giving Haitians the possibility of directly participating in the rebuilding of their country by opening up new opportunities for migration is significant, important news.
--------------------------------------------
Why support gays, Utusan columnist asks Bar Council
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — A bureau chief at Umno’s Utusan Malaysia questioned today why the Bar Council “supported” homosexuality among Malaysians, calling it part of a “deviant wave” that is fast gaining acceptance throughout the world.
Noraini Razak, who was a news editor at the Malay daily until last month, accused the lawyers of supporting gays, lesbians and transgendered people despite Malaysia being among 70 out of a total of 195 countries which banned homosexuality.
“It is honestly very strange when this deviant wave which is being defended by this group (Seksualiti Merdeka) as a human right gets the direct and indirect support from many local NGOs, including the Bar Council,” she wrote in her column today.
Seksualiti Merdeka, a movement championing the freedom of sexual orientation and gender identity, was not allowed by the authorities to hold the festival last year despite having held it annually since 2008.
Its organiser filed a judicial review earlier this month against the ban, saying it is “absolutely unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic”.
Noraini, who is now Putrajaya bureau chief, quoted academic Professor Salleh Buang as saying that “among the 12,000 law practitioners active in this country, surely there are many Muslims. Why have they not made their voices heard?”
“Salleh’s question is can this country continue to uphold its beliefs from being affected by this deviant wave? If so, for how long, especially with the emergence of active groups demanding that sodomy be excluded from the list of heavy offences in the Penal Code?
“There is also internal support from among our country’s legal experts. What about support for the government in tackling this wave, this deviant movement?” the editorial asked.
Utusan recently accused Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of supporting homosexuality during an interview with BBC.
In the said interview, the BBC reporter had reportedly asked Anwar whether he was prepared to push for the idea of anti-discrimination as far as gay rights were concerned, to which he had allegedly said “we will have to review some of our archaic laws.”
“We Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia generally believe and are committed to support the sanctity of marriage between men and women, but we should not be seen to be punitive and consider the archaic law as relevant,” Anwar had told BBC.
But he had also pointed out that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) did not support homosexuality, an excerpt of the interview which Utusan did not include.
Anwar is now demanding a total of RM150 million in damages from the Umno daily for allegedly tarnishing his reputation in an article accusing him of being a gay rights proponent.
-----------------------------------------------
Civil society NGOs under threat, says Access
Attacks on the freedom-of-speech community worldwide seemed to grow in 2011, according to umbrella organization Access.
The group, whose members include civil society NGOs around the world, says the security and “cyber warfare” skills available to activists don’t match the skills available to their attackers – whether they are criminals, individuals or governments.
“LGBT [lesbian, gay, bi and transgender] activists, environmental advocates, and corporate campaigners are facing … foes, who are using the Internet to disable, disarm, and neuter them”, the group writes in the report, Global civil society at risk: An overview of some of the major cyber threats facing civil society.
The lack of “deep information security knowledge, skills, and experience” puts individuals and NGOs at risk, since they often only realize that they’re at risk “when communications with a colleague suddenly cease and their fate becomes unknown”, the report says.
The report says that since Access was founded after the Iran elections in 2009, it has documented pretty much the full range of attacks against member organisations, including DoS, blocking and filtering, man-in-the-middle attacks, surveillance, communication blackouts, compromised user accounts, Website defacements, data leakage, takedown notices, and attacks on NGO’s sources of funding.
All of these events were, of course, familiar to tech news-watchers: the hosing of the Sarawakreport.org Website in April 2011, apparently by the Malaysian government; the increasingly-widespread Internet censorship efforts even in supposedly-liberal societies like Australia, the US and the UK; the compromising of the Comodo and DigiNotar CAs; surveillance in a host of countries, not only on the Internet but in the world of wetware via increasingly-pervasive CCTV systems; shutdowns that were observed pretty much wherever the “Arab Spring” spread; and so on.
Access’ concern, however, is not for the tech-savvy, but rather for the activists who are at risk, are attacked, and lack the means to defend themselves. As well as documenting the forms attacks are taking, the report is a call for help:
“It is imperative that members of the global technology community, including the corporate sector, consider what they can do to assist civil society to meet the cyber threats they face,” the report says.
Access is calling for assistance creating products that are human-rights friendly by design, offering products to NGOs at prices that meet their budgets, sharing threat information with NGOs, or open-sourcing products that help them secure their communications and defend their operations. ®
Moffet Mofokeng
GENDER and experience seem to have put new SABC boss Lulama Mokhobo in good stead when she was appointed this week, outdoing former acting group chief executive officer Phil Molefe and another unnamed woman candidate in the race for the position.
She becomes the first woman to head the troubled broadcaster, which battles with corporate governance issues, fraud and corruption and a mass exodus of key staff.
The Sunday Independent has established, from officials in the government and the broadcasting sector, that Mokhobo, who has worked at the public broadcaster before, won the race for the top post because “she has the right qualifications” for the job and “she (is) a woman”, something that was in line with the ANC’s policy to empower women.
However, a trade union leader said Mokhobo was “not part of the defeated Polokwane elite” which quit the SABC after the removal of former president Thabo Mbeki from office a few years ago.
“She was not among those people,” the leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. “It was on that basis that she was given the thumbs up to take over the reins at the SABC. The ANC is committed to woman leadership.”
The appointment of the SABC CEO – which is approved by the cabinet with the blessings of Luthuli House – is highly contested in the ruling party. For three years now, the SABC has been plunged into turmoil as warring factions within the ruling party could not agree on who should be in charge of the broadcaster.
SABC board chairman Ben Ngubane refused to comment on the matter, saying the SABC made a recommendation to Communications Minister Dina Pule, and she made the appointment.
“We submitted our findings to the minister and she made her decision. It is her decision and we are happy with it,” he said.
The SOS Coalition – a group consisting of labour federation Cosatu, the Communications Workers’ Union, Media Monitoring Africa, the Freedom of Expression Institute, the SA Screen Federation and the Broadcasting Electronic Media and Allied Workers’ Union – welcomed Mokhobo’s appointment and said she had tough decisions to make ahead.
“We note the enormous pressures of this job and the tough decisions that need to be taken to ensure the successful implementation of the SABC’s turnaround strategy. We will keep a watchful eye on all progress in this regard.
“SOS and its members note the need for strong leadership in this position,” SOS co-ordinator Kate Skinner said. “The coalition must highlight an ongoing problem which needs attention and resolution – the issue of appointments of SABC executives.”
The SABC has not, for more than four years now, had a permanent chief operating officer and a chief financial officer.
Mokhobo is the sixth SABC CEO – including those who were appointed on an acting capacity – to be in charge of the broadcaster since 2009.
Before her, there was Dali Mpofu, who quit after accepting a R14 million settlement; Gab Mampone, who left under a cloud; and Solly Mokoetle, who was also paid millions of rand to go.
Former chief financial officer Robin Nicholson, who also acted in the CEO’s post, has taken the SABC to court for unceremoniously terminating his contract.
Molefe will return to his job as the head of TV and radio news.
Late last year, Ngubane clashed with board member Cawe Mahlathi over the CEO’s appointment.
Mahlathi, who was said to be “the most vocal” board member, urged Ngubane at a board meeting to come clean on a letter that former Communications minister Roy Padayachie wrote to the board demanding to know why Tau Morwe, the chief executive officer of Transnet’s National Ports Authority, was recommended for the SABC top post when in fact “he did not have any broadcasting experience”.
Instead of informing all board members about the minister’s letter, Ngubane took all the documents that came from Spencer Steward, a recruitment agency that interviewed, among others, Morwe and Joe Mjwara – a director at Business Connexion who has in the past worked for the Communications Department as a deputy director-general – for the job, and gave them to Padayachie.
At that meeting, sources said, Mahlati insisted that Ngubane should have told all board members about the letter and she demanded to know why board members were not informed of it.
Ngubane said Mahlati was critical of him over the CEO’s post because she was “heavily conflicted” in the matter.
In an e-mail to The Sunday Independent, Ngubane said Mahlati had applied for the CEO’s job – which she did not get – when in fact she was nominated for a position on the board of the SABC.
Ngubane said Mahlati was then made to choose between being a candidate for the board post, or the CEO position, which she failed to get after a “pre-interview” selection process aimed at short-listing candidates for the CEO job.
In the e-mail, which he sent to The Sunday Independent last year, Ngubane said Mahlati proceeded to the “pre-interview” process and did not withdraw her nomination for a post on the board, suggesting that she was fighting Ngubane because she did not get the CEO position.
Ngubane said he “deliberately” sent the report on the CEO selection process to Padayachie because the report contained “sensitive information” about Mahlati’s application.
“In the pack to the minister, there was sensitive information which talks about the application and assessment of board member Cawe Mahlathi. When she applied for the position of GCEO at SABC, she had been already nominated for selection by the parliamentary portfolio committee for communications. She was given a choice that she had to choose between going for the interview process for GCEO or withdrawing from the portfolio committee process for the SABC board.
“She chose to go for the GCEO position, was given a pre-interview for the purpose of short-listing candidates and was not short-listed. She had not withdrawn from the board selection process and was subsequently appointed SABC board member,” Ngubane said.
“With such a conflict she should not be speaking on the matter of selection of the GCEO.”
The ANC has been accused of interfering with the process of appointing the SABC CEO and the dismissal of Nicholson, who acted at the time as the CEO.
Morwe, who came out tops during the interviews, was the board’s preferred candidate for the post.
However, a board member said at the time, the ANC was “unhappy” about the selection process as it and Padayachie wanted Mjwara to be appointed.
Communications Minister Dina Pule said; “After the board conducted a thorough and intense search and interview process for an employable CEO, they forwarded me the shortlist.
“I looked at the names and satisfied myself with the integrity of the process and that of the candidates. I then appointed the best qualified and the most suitable person for this very important position.
“The board and management team have my full support as they embark on the very important task of stabilising the SABC and putting the public broadcaster on a sustainable path.”
-------------------------------------------
JLF Day 4 Diary: Rushdie drama refuses to die down
The agony of waiting for Salman Rushdie, words of wisdom from Ben Okri and Amish Tripathi and a rather strange interaction with a Muslim activist who refuses to name the author he's protesting against. That was the second last day of the Jaipur Literature Festival, reports Abhishek Mande.
The festival, as William Dalrymple pointed out on Day One, had 262 speakers other than Salman Rushdie. The number of course, dwindled by at least four when Ruchir Joshi, Jeet Thayil, Hari Kunzru and Amitava Kumar were asked to leave when they read out passages from The Satanic Verses in protest of Rushdie's absence.
As Day Four dawned, the rumours of Rushdie addressing the audience via video conference -- which had been floating since the very first day -- got stronger.
And as yet another day went in anticipation of whether the author would put up an appearance or not, we were informed by Sanjoy Roy, the festival producer at the end of the day that Rushdie would indeed be there via video link and will address the session at 3.45 pm in the front lawns.
---------------------------------------------
Nagaland tense NSCN factional feud intensifies
Nagaland continues to be tense with the factional feud between NSCN (Khaplang) and NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) intensifying during the past few days.
The turf war which started in Dimapur in December last year shifted to Zunheboto, the hometown of Kitovi Zhimomi, the general secretary of NSCN (Khole-Kitovi), and then to Athibung where NSCN (Khaplang) over-ran the designated camp of its rival faction last week.
In a renewed spate of violence, the two rival NSCN groups clashed at Zunheboto where one cadre of the Khole-Kitovi group was critically injured, while in another skirmish in Kohima, an NSCN(K) commander and his son were injured.
In Zunheboto, NSCN (K) cadres reportedly attacked the residence of Kitovi Zhimomi, Ato Kilonser of NSCN (Khole-Kitovi), at Amiphoto Colony in the wee hours of Sunday and also later in the afternoon.
Hokugha, political organizer (PO) of the group, hailing from Melahumi village in Sumi region was critically injured in the attack.
According to the Khole-Kitovi group, four armed cadres of NSCN (K) attacked Hokugha while he was alighting from his vehicle near Shotomi village.
He was critically injured in the gunfire.
In another incident at Kohima Saturday evening, the town commander of NSCN (K), ‘SS' Maj Kivekhu and his son, Tovito, were injured when suspected armed cadres of NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) fired at them near the Community Hall of Forest Colony at around 6:00 pm.
The firing continued for nearly 10 minutes.
While Tovito sustained injuries on his shoulder, Kivekhu has been admitted to the ICU with stomach injuries.
Sources said Kivekhu's daughter, who was also in the vehicle, escaped unharmed.
Security has been beefed up across the state to prevent further escalation of factional clashes, police sources said.
Police and the Assam Rifles have been pressed into service to prevent movement of armed cadres and to ensure that the Ceasefire Ground Rules are adhered to, sources said.
AR personnel are to be deployed near NSCN-designated camps.
Meanwhile, with the increase in inter-factional rivalry in the state resulting in firing and disturbing the peace of populated areas, the IGAR (N) has assured the general populace that security forces would be deployed around the designated camps of the two factions to deter unauthorized movement of armed cadres to and from the camps.
A press release issued by IGAR (N) said the security forces would carry out spot-checking in the region to protect innocent civilians.
The aim of the security forces is to defer the unauthorized move of armed cadres from the designated camps, the release said.
The IGAR (N) sought the cooperation of the common people and also appealed to all NGOs, civil societies, Naga Hohos and the Church to ensure that good sense prevails among the Nagas.
-------------------------------------------
'We Can Be Heroes': DC Superheroes Fight Famine in Africa
The Justice League of America, including Earth protectors Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, are all teaming up to fight famine in the Horn of Africa as part of an campaign called "We Can Be Heroes." The new initiative -- backed by DC Entertainment, Time Warner and three NGOs -- strives to bring food and nourishment to those in need by donating up to $2 million over two years to Mercy Corps, Save the Children, and the International Rescue Committee, which are all currently working to end famine in Africa.
"In the Horn of Africa, 13 million people are suffering through the worst hunger crisis in 60 years," says the campaign video. "They need a hero. You are needed. Thousands of children are struggling to stay alive. One small act can make you a hero. Join the Justice League to fight the hunger crisis. Give now. DC Entertainment will match it 100%. We can be heroes."
Time Warner, including its divisions like Warner Bros., has also pledged to match any employee donations. The campaign also banks on an online store, where users can buy clothes or accessories that send 50 percent of all proceeds to the three individual charities.
The fight to end famine is nothing new, but DC Entertainment has brought awareness to the effort by leveraging its popular coalition of superheroes, collectively called the Justice League of America. On the campaign's Web site, each hero represents a quality that hopes to inspire consumers to donate their dollars to the cause.
Superman represents Strength. "Superman is the world's most powerful and iconic superhero. Sent to Earth from the planet Krypton, he was raised with unwavering morals and internal strength to always do what is right."
Batman represents Justice. "Unrelenting vigilante and master strategist, Batman has dedicated his life to protecting the innocent. He is a man pushed to his physical and mental limits in the pursuit of justice."
Wonder Woman represents Equality. "Wonder Woman is the world's most iconic female superhero. On a mission to battle evil wherever it lurks, she is a symbol of power, inspiration and quality."
Green Lantern represents Willpower. "Chosen for his ability to overcome fear, headstrong test pilot Hal Jordan is the first human member of the intergalactic police force called the Green Lantern Corps."
The Flash represents Drive. "The fastest man alive, the Flash is committed to stop crimes from happening and solve those he's too late to prevent."
Aquaman represents Responsibility. "Half-human and half-Atlantean, Aquaman is forever an outsider to both worlds. He inherits the responsibility to protect land and sea, from themselves and one another."
Cyborg represents Communication. "After a horrific accident, football star Victor Stone was rebuilt into Cyborg, a digital and physical tank. As the world's greatest hub for communication and information, Cyborg fights to hold onto his humanity while protecting us all from technological threats."
While its platform may use heroes with otherworldly abilities to promote the cause, the campaign centers around the idea that anyone can be a hero, even through a small, generous act.
"[The tagline] extends not just to the everyday people, but to the Africans suffering on the ground," said George Rupp, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee. "Such people often have to fight for survival or overcome great odds to provide for their families."
Africa will need a Herculean effort from the DC and Time Warner campaign; the famine is the worst to hit the continent in more than 60 years. Subject to untreated water and rampant diseases like malaria, Africa is home to more than 750,000 malnourished children, and in Somalia alone, one child dies every six seconds.
--------------------------------------------
NEWS FLASH FROM THE STONE AGE! THE FLINTSTONES ARE STILL ALIVE AND PLAYING IN MOSCOW
“Russia’s federal security service, the successor to the KGB, has launched a cold-war style attack on non-governmental organisations and human rights groups, linking them with alleged espionage by British diplomats in Moscow.The accusations against the British diplomats come within weeks of Russia assuming the presidency of G8 from Britain and just days before a meeting of finance ministers in Moscow which will be attended by Gordon Brown, the UK chancellor…
The FSB on Monday confirmed claims made in a state television programme that it had uncovered a James Bond-style spying operation involving four British diplomats using a transmitter hidden in a fake rock on a Moscow street to gather information.
It said the spies had also financed NGOs, including the Moscow Helsinki Group, one of the most prominent human rights campaigners in Russia.
“The most important thing is that we caught them (the spies) red-handed while they were in contact with their agents and established that they were financing some non-governmental organisations,” said Sergei Ignatchenko, a spokesman for the FSB.
The UK Foreign Office rejected “any allegations of improper conduct in our dealing with Russian NGOs”. It said it had openly given financial support to projects implemented by Russian NGOs in the field of human rights and civil society… Russian analysts said the programme was inspired by the FSB and aimed to discredit all foreign sponsored NGOs as outfits of foreign intelligence services.
“This was a classic special operation [by the FSB] aimed at limiting any form of foreign influence in Russia, including NGOs and foreign media,” one Russian commentator said.”
– Financial Times (Arkady Ostrovsky), January 23, 2006
“If we send them away, more will come. Maybe clever ones will come. And we will have to struggle to find them. It has now become clear to many why Russia passed a law regulating NGO activities.”
– President Vladimir Putin, February 2006
“There’s not much you can say. The spy rock was embarrassing…you can’t really call up and say ‘I’m terribly sorry about that, it won’t happen again’. I mean, they had us bang to rights. Clearly they had known about it for some time and had been saving it up for a political purpose.”
– Jonathan Powell, chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2006, BBC Channel 2 Interview broadcast on January 19, 2011
“Vladimir Putin has been handed a propaganda gift, according to some analysts, after an admission that British embassy officials deployed a fake rock to spy on Russia…Commentators said Mr Powell’s admission could increase pressure on Russian NGOs just as they are coming under renewed fire.
“In the current political situation, this admission [by Mr Powell] could be used as proof that Putin is right when he claims that foreign intelligence services are behind the protests,” said Nikolay Petrov, analyst at the Moscow Carnegie Center. “If numbers fall at the next protest on February 4, then I think they will ratchet up this line to the full extent: that NGOs are receiving orders from the enemies of Russia to destabilise the country.”
– Financial Times (Catherine Belton), January 20, 2012
“This is one of the few cases when on an official, political level such an official admission is made. The admission we heard is a serious signal from London that it is time to improve our relations. It is a propaganda step. The British policy on information will also change to say: ‘We are open, we do not hide facts.’ ”
– Nikolai Kovalyov, Colonel-General and former head of Federal Security Service (1996-98), in interview with RIA-Novosti, January 19, 2012
Read more: http://johnhelmer.net/?p=6622#ixzz1kLqnHtDI
------------------------------------------------
THE SKY ISN'T FALLING, BUT THE PARTY IS OVER!
WHILE many in Grenada continue to debate the recent firing of Joseph Gilbert, it is important not to over-react, but to put everything in its proper context.
There are varying degrees of opinion about both the letter – delivered or undelivered, signed by the now fired minister, and whether it was deserving of the action of Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.
Let me say the obvious, that under our system, Prime Ministers have a right to decide who they want in their cabinet – and can fire for good reason or no reason.
As a student of the broader science of politics – I try to always go beyond debating what happened – to the more fundamental point – what it means.
Last week’s political developments in Grenada did not change the fundamental realities on the ground – social and economic. The people in Snell Hall, Hermitage or River Sallee are not any better served or worse served for it.
So when my response to the news last week was that people should not get too excited or get their “undies’’ unduly wet because “the sky is not falling”, it is because fundamentally nothing has changed.
This current National Democratic Congress government is being run by the triumvirate of Prime Minister Thomas, Finance Minister Nazim Burke and the Minister of Everything (my phrase) Glen Noel; a triumvirate supported by a cabal of official and unofficial advisors that former Attorney General Jimmy Bristol described as the “Second Cabinet’’.
Every other member of cabinet – except for Thomas, Burke and Noel – is expendable. And every member of cabinet is subject to the highest standards of behavior – save the triumvirate.
Accept my sympathies Patrick Simmons, Michael Lett, Peter David, Sylvester Quarless, et al – you have no power to effect the change people voted for – more than I have.
And that brings me to the crux of the matter – the policies of this government would not change from its IMF-inspired obsession of balancing the books without caring too much about balancing people’s lives.
Make no mistake about it – this debate and this struggle is about power. But not narrow political power. It is about economic power. It is about empowerment.
People see danger signs where there are none; and the emergency lights that are flashing in the real things that matters, people miss them.
Another budget is upon us, maybe the penultimate one before elections, and the seniors still won’t have the campaign promise of $400 a month fulfilled; unemployment will still hover near 30 percent with no real break in sight and small businesses will be tottering on the brink of closure.
I am less concerned about the job of Joseph Gilbert – he is an engineer, he would probably now make more money anyhow than he did as a minister – than I do about my friends in Munich and La Digue and wherever.
As I listened to the Prime Minister this past week and as I read Joe Gilbert as well, I was asking myself – how does that all matter – how does that all make sense to my cousins who could not pay the cable or internet bill to watch the speech on TV or read the statements online?
What happened last week was more important in the context of what will happen next – as who will be our new government next year.
Yea, I said next year. I don’t think there will be a general election this year.
Most politicians are not Jean Bertrand Aristide. They do not allow themselves to be put on a plane to be flown off to an unknown destination.
So this will be drawn out for as long as the constitution allows.
What is maybe clearer to a lot of people now – though it’s been clear in my mind for a while – is that this ruling party as we know it is effectively finished. The party is over.
Even if friends and well wishers say a million Hail Marys while holding the rosary, a miracle won’t happen that will make Tillman Thomas bring himself to run on the same platform with David, Roberts, Quarless, Walker, Gilbert and Hood. (And vice versa. Neither can they go on a platform and still say Uncle Tilly is the best thing since – well, Keith Mitchell).
Of course, Lett is not a factor because he is retiring; Simmons has no stomach for the fight, he will go too.
Given that scenario – who can boldly declare that the party now exists as we once knew it?
We say it clichéd, but it is true – it is the majority of Grenadians that will have to find a way to sort this out.
They will have to decide if there is a third way – and whether there is no choice but to go back to Mitchell.
There is a myth that NDC won the last general election – and that somehow Thomas, Burke and David delivered us from all evil.
It was a broad coalition of NGOs, trade unions, churches and community organizations that came together and ushered this bunch into office.
It is the people of the coalition that must reclaim their change because the current keepers have given it a bad name.
In the end though, with eternal faith, this will sort itself out – and the people in the end will get some kind of government they deserve.
PS: Democracy does not guarantee us a good government; but it guarantees us the opportunity to change a bad one.
------------------------------------------
Haitians No Longer Excluded From Biggest U.S. Temporary Foreign Worker Program
A couple of weeks ago, the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti came and went with a slew of media reports looking at the difficulties of rebuilding the country: half the pledges from the international community remain unfulfilled, homelessness and displacement are still significant problems, and economic, social and political reconstruction following the country’s huge losses in 2010 is slow. The country dubbed the “republic of NGOs” is still struggling to recover.
Good news for Haiti, however, was revealed late last week by Michael Clemens of the Center for Global Development. Haiti, which had been excluded from America’s largest temporary foreign worker program (the H-2 visa program for temporary and seasonal workers) was added to the list of more than 50 countries eligible to participate, “ending a longstanding policy of excluding Haitians from America’s largest temporary employment-based visa program.” This is important, significant news. It opens the door for economic migrants from Haiti to come seek higher wages for temporary work in the U.S., and will strengthen the flow of remittances to Haiti, providing Haitians with new sources of income to rebuild their businesses, send their children to school and generally be in a better position to support themselves.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, “remittances are among the most tangible links between migration and development.” According to World Bank estimates, officially-recorded remittances flows in 2010 totaled over US$440 billion worldwide. In comparison, official development aid from OECD countries totaled $119.6 billion. Critics note that unless remittances are invested in the country of origin, their long term impact on economic growth and development is limited. Nevertheless, for a country like Haiti, with low-paying wages even for qualified work, the opportunity to earn more and bring a much needed cash and income in the country can have a significant impact, alleviating the need for credit and spurring livelihoods. CGD’s Michael Clemens lays out the benefits:
* Each H-2 worker admitted would typically raise the income of a Haitian family by $19,000 per year.
* A moderate flow of H-2 workers, over ten years, would put almost $400 million into the pockets of Haitian families, including the workers.
* Roughly 30-40% of H-2 workers’ income would be sent to Haiti.
* Each dollar sent to Haiti expands the Haitian economy by three dollars or more.
* Disposable income for Haitian families complements U.S. reconstruction efforts.
Click here for the full analysis
In spite of all the NGO and foreign donor efforts, reconstruction and recovery in Haiti have been slow and laborious. Giving Haitians the possibility of directly participating in the rebuilding of their country by opening up new opportunities for migration is significant, important news.
--------------------------------------------
Why support gays, Utusan columnist asks Bar Council
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — A bureau chief at Umno’s Utusan Malaysia questioned today why the Bar Council “supported” homosexuality among Malaysians, calling it part of a “deviant wave” that is fast gaining acceptance throughout the world.
Noraini Razak, who was a news editor at the Malay daily until last month, accused the lawyers of supporting gays, lesbians and transgendered people despite Malaysia being among 70 out of a total of 195 countries which banned homosexuality.
“It is honestly very strange when this deviant wave which is being defended by this group (Seksualiti Merdeka) as a human right gets the direct and indirect support from many local NGOs, including the Bar Council,” she wrote in her column today.
Seksualiti Merdeka, a movement championing the freedom of sexual orientation and gender identity, was not allowed by the authorities to hold the festival last year despite having held it annually since 2008.
Its organiser filed a judicial review earlier this month against the ban, saying it is “absolutely unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic”.
Noraini, who is now Putrajaya bureau chief, quoted academic Professor Salleh Buang as saying that “among the 12,000 law practitioners active in this country, surely there are many Muslims. Why have they not made their voices heard?”
“Salleh’s question is can this country continue to uphold its beliefs from being affected by this deviant wave? If so, for how long, especially with the emergence of active groups demanding that sodomy be excluded from the list of heavy offences in the Penal Code?
“There is also internal support from among our country’s legal experts. What about support for the government in tackling this wave, this deviant movement?” the editorial asked.
Utusan recently accused Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of supporting homosexuality during an interview with BBC.
In the said interview, the BBC reporter had reportedly asked Anwar whether he was prepared to push for the idea of anti-discrimination as far as gay rights were concerned, to which he had allegedly said “we will have to review some of our archaic laws.”
“We Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia generally believe and are committed to support the sanctity of marriage between men and women, but we should not be seen to be punitive and consider the archaic law as relevant,” Anwar had told BBC.
But he had also pointed out that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) did not support homosexuality, an excerpt of the interview which Utusan did not include.
Anwar is now demanding a total of RM150 million in damages from the Umno daily for allegedly tarnishing his reputation in an article accusing him of being a gay rights proponent.
-----------------------------------------------
Civil society NGOs under threat, says Access
Attacks on the freedom-of-speech community worldwide seemed to grow in 2011, according to umbrella organization Access.
The group, whose members include civil society NGOs around the world, says the security and “cyber warfare” skills available to activists don’t match the skills available to their attackers – whether they are criminals, individuals or governments.
“LGBT [lesbian, gay, bi and transgender] activists, environmental advocates, and corporate campaigners are facing … foes, who are using the Internet to disable, disarm, and neuter them”, the group writes in the report, Global civil society at risk: An overview of some of the major cyber threats facing civil society.
The lack of “deep information security knowledge, skills, and experience” puts individuals and NGOs at risk, since they often only realize that they’re at risk “when communications with a colleague suddenly cease and their fate becomes unknown”, the report says.
The report says that since Access was founded after the Iran elections in 2009, it has documented pretty much the full range of attacks against member organisations, including DoS, blocking and filtering, man-in-the-middle attacks, surveillance, communication blackouts, compromised user accounts, Website defacements, data leakage, takedown notices, and attacks on NGO’s sources of funding.
All of these events were, of course, familiar to tech news-watchers: the hosing of the Sarawakreport.org Website in April 2011, apparently by the Malaysian government; the increasingly-widespread Internet censorship efforts even in supposedly-liberal societies like Australia, the US and the UK; the compromising of the Comodo and DigiNotar CAs; surveillance in a host of countries, not only on the Internet but in the world of wetware via increasingly-pervasive CCTV systems; shutdowns that were observed pretty much wherever the “Arab Spring” spread; and so on.
Access’ concern, however, is not for the tech-savvy, but rather for the activists who are at risk, are attacked, and lack the means to defend themselves. As well as documenting the forms attacks are taking, the report is a call for help:
“It is imperative that members of the global technology community, including the corporate sector, consider what they can do to assist civil society to meet the cyber threats they face,” the report says.
Access is calling for assistance creating products that are human-rights friendly by design, offering products to NGOs at prices that meet their budgets, sharing threat information with NGOs, or open-sourcing products that help them secure their communications and defend their operations. ®
0 comments:
Post a Comment