Annual Reports

May PEACE Prevail in Sierra Leone!
May PEACE Prevail on Earth!

Welcome to Edition 173 of e-Civicus - Connecting civil society worldwide!

2 August - 8 August 2002

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE SCANDALS RAISE CHALLENGES
FOR CIVIL SOCIETY

"Corporate governance is about promoting corporate fairness,
transparency and accountability." (James Wolfensohn, World Bank
Group President, quoted in the Financial Times, June 21, 1999).

Wherever I have been over the last couple of months, questions are
raised about the appropriate role for civil society in the wake of
several high profile corporate scandals and turmoil in stock
markets around the world. As I write this from Washington, the
media is rife with stories of aggressive and creative accounting,
fake profits and "cooked books". A number of CEO's and senior
corporate executives face hefty jail sentences and ordinary citizens
stand to lose a significant part of their retirement funds if certain
companies do not recover significantly.

These events are affecting individual investors. Earlier stock
market crises of 1929 or 1987 mostly hit institutional investors. In
an attempt to close the proverbial door after the horse has bolted,
US President, George W. Bush, has just signed into law historic
provisions seeking to curb what Alan Greenspan, the head of the
US Federal Reserve called the "infectious greed" of a significant
number of corporate leaders. This new legislation creates a
regulatory board to oversee the accounting industry, protects
whistle-blowers, provides longer prison terms for corporate crime
and establishes new grounds for prosecuting corporate wrongdoing.
All of this is important. However, many now raise the concern that
more fundamental change is needed to change the way the
international economy works. The current system is one that does
not promote equity and fairness, is to a large extent anarchic and
is victim to the whims of sentiment, rumor and manipulation, both
in terms of currencies as well as in terms of stock markets.

Unfortunately, no serious work is being done to substantively
reform markets and trading systems. This new legislation, while
undoubtedly a step in the right direction, endorses the framework of
current rules and procedures. We need to raise afresh questions
of what constitutes fair and just processes of wealth accumulation.
We need to consider whether we want to live under what has been
called the "casino capitalism culture" where, well performing
companies share prices plummet on the basis of rumor, or badly
performing companies prosper on the basis of fudging and creative
accounting. Do we really want to live in a world where markets
reward excessive consumerism, when more and more evidence
tells us how this threatens our environmental sustainability? Do we
really want to live in a world where markets applaud thunderously
virtually each time a company announces that they are going to lay
off large numbers of employees?

As all of this unfolds in the US, some civil society activists are
suggesting that big business should never be trusted. In recent
years, I have come to discern three groups amongst civil society
organizations, in terms of how they relate to business and the
corporate sector.

Firstly, there are the Principle Non-Engagers who believe that
business, and particularly big business, are the very source of
many global problems and that dialogue with them around social
responsibility is a waste of time. To the contrary some of these
groups actively campaign against various corporate interests.

The second group is what we might call the Selective Engagers:
these are civil society organizations that engage with business
entities on a very selective, and often time-specific, basis.

The third group is the Comprehensive Engagers, who genuinely
embrace the view that business, including big business, is a
relatively uncomplicated resource to draw upon for various
developmental efforts.

Several organizations have emerged around the world to look at
ways to encourage business to become serious partners in
meeting the challenges that communities face around the world.
The Business Partners for Development (BPD) initiative for
example, sought to look at innovative ways in which governments,
business and civil society could work towards development. The
BPD initiative was based on the idea that sound partnerships
between these three sectors could provide long-term benefits to the
corporate sector, meet the social objectives of civil society, and
help the state by creating a stable social and fiscal environment.
Many now argue that while this work is well intentioned it might be
somewhat naïve in terms of putting so much faith in the capacity
and good intentions of big companies that are so driven by the
bottom line.

This kind of inter-sectoral co-operation, provided that civil society
organizations can retain their autonomy and integrity, should still
be explored if benefits can be harnessed for public benefit. The
current woes of corporate America are not only the responsibility of
dishonest executives siphoning off profits and corrupt politicians
wanting handouts and campaign contributions. It is true that
improved oversight, stricter controls and more ethical corporate
governance are crucial, and that both business and government
must be held to account for this massive wrongdoing. But it is up
to civil society, from individual investors and corporate employees
to organized groups, to mobilize for a saner, more just and more
transparent business practice.

Bear in mind that we live in a world where much of what I have
written in this piece makes no sense or has no meaning. The very
notion of a pension is a dream to many. The idea of having
disposable income to even consider stock market speculation is an
impossibility for billions of people, millions of whom would be
pleased to have a conventional bank account with a modest
amount of savings in it.

Therefore it is not surprising that an increasing number of citizens
are crying out, not only for incremental improvements to a system
that privileges those who already have access to power and capital.
Many are articulating demands for, what President Bill Clinton
called, in the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997, "a
new international financial architecture".   Civil society energies
must ultimately, while trying to hold companies to behave
appropriately within existing frameworks however imperfect they
might be, must now also ask the big macro-economic question of
what really needs to happen to create an global economic system
that helps create a more just, humane, equitable and fair world.

Best wishes,

Kumi Naidoo

For more information, go to:
http://www.bpdweb.org/
http://www.corpwatch.org/
http://www.encycogov.com/WhatIsGorpGov.asp
http://www.cesj.org/
http://www.corpgov.net/
_______________________________________
Contents

IN BRIEF: CIVIL SOCIETY 'ROUND THE GLOBE

Middle East: Egyptian human rights defender jailed on politically motivated
charges

Pacific: High Commissioner for Human Rights criticizes Australian government's treatment of asylum seekers

North America: No Kyoto, but tax breaks for wind power in Canada
WSSD Watch: Millions spent on infrastructure in Johannesburg, while poor
get short shrift and shifted

FEATURE OF THE WEEK
Where does the buck stop? Challenges for micro-enterprises

VOICE OF CIVIL SOCIETY
We do not accept Nepad. Another Africa is Possible! - Civil Society
Declaration on Nepad

WHAT'S UP ON THE WORD FRONT
Publications of interest
Calls for papers; calls for comments
New and interesting websites; Internet news

CLASSIFIEDS
Jobs and volunteer opportunities
Scholarships, fellowships and awards
Training courses and programmes
Conferences, workshops and exhibitions
______________________________________
IN BRIEF: CIVIL SOCIETY 'ROUND THE GLOBE

MIDDLE EAST

Egypt

Amnesty International (AI) condemned this week's sentencing of human rights defender, Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim, to seven years imprisonment. Charges included accepting foreign funds without authorisation, disseminating fals
e information harmful to Egypt's interest, and embezzlement.

"This trial against human rights defender Saad Eddin Ibrahim aims to
silence the human rights movement in Egypt," AI said. In a retrial, the
Supreme State Security Court sentenced Ibrahim, Director of the Ibn Khaldun
Center for Development Studies in Cairo, and his co-defendants to up to
three years' imprisonment.

Amnesty International adopted Saad Eddin Ibrahim and three other human
rights defenders - all of them staff members of the Centre - as prisoners
of conscience following their conviction and imprisonment in May 2001.

Reference: http://www.amnesty.org

PACIFIC

Australia

Australia's controversial policy of locking up illegal immigrants violates key UN rights treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention against Torture, and conditions for detained asylum
seekers in the country are cause for concern, according to a report released last week by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Civil society organisations across Australia are also actively mobilising resources to protest against the government's tactics. Cultural events, bus tours to far-flung detention sites, rallies outside Parliament and reg
ular action meetings are drawing support from diverse citizen groups. Online petitions lobby for fair treatment and protest human rights violations, e-lists provide subscribers with regular news updates, e-mail addresses
for politicians are widely publicised and dozens of websites provide alternative information on the refugee issue. Churches, charities, trade unions, environmental groups and individuals are joining the call for a revised
strategy. In the meantime, hundreds of asylum seekers languish in remote detention centres, awaiting their fate.

References: http://www.unwire.org
http://www.refugeeaction.org/
http://www.safecom.org/network.htm

NORTH AMERICA

Canada
The Canadian government, under fire for dragging its feet on whether to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate-change, said it would use tax breaks to encourage investment in renewable energy and energy conservation project
s. Deputy Prime Minister, John Manley, this week announced two proposed changes to income tax rules that he said would make it financially attractive to build wind turbines and ensure that renewable energy projects
could raise financing in the same way as non-renewable energy projects. The Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 and aims to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. Adherence to the Protocol wou
ld oblige Canada to cut its 1990 level emissions by six percent before 2010. In 1999, however, Canada's emissions were 15 percent higher than this 1990 figure.

Reference: http://www.reuters.com

WSSD WATCH

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Council of the WSSD host city, Johannesburg, is spending more
than R65 million (US$6.5 million) to host the tens of thousands of expected delegates at the World Summit on Sustainable Development this month. A large portion of this money is being spent on infrastructure development.
The Council estimates the Summit will generate about R1
billion (US$99 million) for the city and create about 14 000 jobs. Some 200 metro buses will be made available to transport delegates to summit venues and tourism destinations around the city and to the Sandton Conference
Center, where the official Summit will take place.

Meanwhile, landless people from communities across the Johannesburg area, complain they are suffering forced removals at the hands of theCouncil. "The government's brutal strategy to forcibly remove poor and landless peop
le from their homes is aimed at hiding South African poverty from the world ahead of the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development," the Landless People's Movement said in a recent statement.

Due to the threat of protests during the event, a number of businesses in
Sandton are planning to temporarily relocate to Midrand, 10 kilometres to
the north. The companies are concerned that promised civil society action
could disrupt their business operations.

Reference: http://www.ens-news.com
______________________________________
FEATURE OF THE WEEK

Where does the buck stop? Challenges for micro-enterprises

In a world where an estimated three billion people live on less than US$2 a day, and where well-paid, skilled jobs are few and far between, micro-enterprise becomes an important vehicle to alleviate poverty and create emp
loyment.

Credit schemes for low-income, small-scale entrepreneurs have been practised throughout the developing and developed world for more than 20 years. There are a few success stories that have been well recorded and publicise
d - possibly the most famous is the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh that provided short-term loans to poor women and recorded a repayment rate of 100 percent. However, the general picture is often one of failure, particularly
characterised by low levels of loan recoverability, and the early collapse of a high proportion of the small businesses generated.

Arguably, the lack of success of micro-business and the resulting low payback rate is due to the fact that financial aid often comes without the necessary training and capacity building support. Starting, and sustaining,
a small business is complex and requires a level of skill.

Yet, micro-entrepreneurs often also work incredibly hard at their businesses in a survivalist economy. They must often borrow from unscrupulous lenders who charge high interest rates or buy their stock on credit, meaning
that any profits go into paying back creditors. A small loan can cut the cost of purchasing equipment or goods, and can dramatically assist businesses to become sustainable.

Young entrepreneurs find it especiallydifficult, if not impossible, to access micro-finance from traditional finance institutions, as they generally have no collateral and no credit history. The South African scenario is
probably not very different to most developing countries. In South Africa, 2 million young people (of a population of 40 million) are unemployed. According to research conducted by the Community Agency for Social Enquiry
(CASE), at least 78 percent of youth see self-employment as a good way to earn a living. Yet of the nearly one-third of unemployed young people who have tried to set up micro - enterprises, more than 51 percent have fail
ed.

The School Leavers Opportunity Trust (SLOT), a South African-based NGO involved in training of young entrepreneurs, states that those financial institutions that do provide access to start-up capital for micro businesses
charge up to 40 percent interest rates. Such high interest rates make it extremely difficult to service the loan as well as make a profit," says Melly Trollip of SLOT. "Once students have completed SLOT training, they us
ually face the problem of start-up capital. We encourage
prospective business people not to apply for micro finance, but
rather to borrow the money from family and friends, because the
interest is so prohibitive," explains Trollip.

"The borrowing approach has worked successfully for many of our
trainees. For example, several successful small businesses
cooking and catering for schoolchildren, factory workers and rush
hour commuters, initiated by past students of SLOT, started up in
this way. Many of our students have also opened small business in
the area of fashion and dress design. Unfortunately, not everyone
is able to access money from their families and friends,"
comments Trollip.

While lending institutions generally argue that the interest rates are
high due to the low payback rate, Trollip argues that a new
approach, where all the parties concerned work more closely
together, will ensure the businesses' success, especially in the
initial stages. "All indications are that if a small business owner
can survive the first six to eight months, and iron out the difficulties
around areas like budgeting, profit margins,
understanding where and why they made a loss and so on - they
are well on their way to success," explains Trollip.

The voucher training system introduced in countries across Latin
America and Africa, has met with a good deal of success. Local
service providers and business concerns are given incentives, by
micro-lending institutions, to work with young people in their
geographic area to give capacity building training. This approach
avoids the situation where the young
entrepreneur is left to operate in isolation. It contributes to
communicating the launch of the service, assists in identifying
potential clients, and plays a critical role in on-going support and
mentoring. It is also important for international donors that support
training programmes in the micro-enterprise sector, to alter their
focus from life skills and skills training only, to the provision of
financial support for new businesses, through the service providers
they support. This would allow for the quick expedition of loans, as
well as providing mentoring from the lending institution.

As the chances of entering the formal employment sector grow
more and more unlikely for millions of young people across the
developing world, and increasingly in the developed world, starting
micro-enterprises is one option to consider. However, the
necessary ingredients remain access to finance at affordable
interest rates, and the necessary training and mentoring required
to sustain these enterprises.

For more information on micro-financing, go to:
http://www.alternative-finance.org.uk/cgi-
bin/keywordindex.pl?language=E
http://www.earthtimes.org/mar/businessmicrofinancingmar5_02.htm
http://accion.org
or email: slotho@3i.co.za

VOICE OF CIVIL SOCIETY

We do not accept Nepad. Another Africa is Possible!

The following is an edited version of the recently drafted African Civil
Society Declaration on Nepad:

We, members of social movements, trade unions, youth and
women's organisations, faith-based organisations, academics,
NGOs and other popular civil society organisations from the whole
of Africa, meeting in Port Shepstone, South Africa, 4-8 July 2002
on the threshold of the launch of the African Union and Nepad in
Durban, critically examined Nepad in the context of the struggles
for Africa's development and emancipation.

While conscious of the importance of joint endeavours for the
development of Africa, this 'new international partnership' initiative
ignores and sidelines past and existing programmes and efforts by
Africans themselves to resolve Africa's crises and move forward
from programmes such as the Lagos Plan of Action (1980) and the
Abuja Treaty (1991), the African Alternative Framework to
Structural Adjustment Programmes (AAF-SAAP, 1989),
the African Charter for Popular Participation and Development
(Arusha Charter, 1990) and the Cairo Agenda (1994).

In contrast to such programmes, Nepad is mainly concerned with
raising external resources, appealing to, and relying on external
governments and institutions. In addition, it is a top-down
programme driven by African elites and drawn up with the corporate
forces and institutional instruments of globalisation, rather than
being based on African peoples experiences, knowledge and
demands. A legitimate African programme has to start from the
people and be owned by the people.

We conclude that:

1.We need to continue our efforts to create different types of local,
regional and inter-regional trade, and a different role for trade in our
economies.
2. We will continue to campaign and mobilise the African peoples
to pressurise their governments to resist an expansion of the scope
and powers of the WTO through new issues and to resist a new
WTO round being pushed since the Doha Ministerial Conference.
3. We will continue to campaign for our governments to resist
unilateral, bilateral and multilateral trade agreements that do not
address the inequities of the international economic system.
4. We will continue to build the popular movement at national,
continental and international levels against neo-liberal economic
globalisation and against the World Trade Organisation as the main
institutional force driving globalisation.

We do not accept Nepad plan, as a process and in its content. We
are to committed to joint efforts for Africa's development and
emancipation, and we call upon all African peoples' organisations
and movements to continue their existing efforts to produce
sustainable, just and viable alternatives that will benefit all the
people of Africa.

Centre for Civil Society
University of Natal
Durban,
South Africa
http://www.nu.ac.za/ccss

_______________________________________
WHAT'S UP ON THE WORD FRONT

PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST

Colorlines Magazine
http://www.arc.org/C_Lines/ArcColorLines.html
Published by the US-based Applied Research Center, this is a
national, multi-racial magazine devoted to covering the politics and
creations of communities of colour.

The Europa World Year Book 2002
A comprehensive reference work, including detailed surveys of over
250 countries and territories; listings of over 1650 International
Organisations; access to the very latest statistics, directory
information and current analysis; and an in-depth and up-to-date
focus on world-wide affairs.

For more information or order forms contact:
Asia Pacific Infoserv
GPO Box 2987
Sydney, 1043
Australia
email: aapi@aapi.com.au

Nuevos Libros Hablados Digitales producidos en el INCI
DSNNETPRESS
http://www.pasoapaso.com.ve/sensi/sensi
El programa libro hablado en el INCI, es una respuesta a la
necesidad de informacion de personas con limitacion visual. El
programa de libro hablado en el INCI ha iniciado el proceso de
digitalizacion de acuerdo con las normas establecidas a nivel
internacional por el Consorcio DAISY (Organismo internacional que
reune organizaciones de diferentes partes del mundo con el
proposito de definir estandares para el libro hablado digital).

Los siguientes son los nuevos titulos producidos:

* Fundamentos de Filosofia - Bertrand Russell
* Muerte accidental de un anarquista - Dario Fo
* Gitanjaeli - Rabindranath Tagore
* Cuentos Romanos - Alberto Moravia
* Nosotras que nos queremos tanto - Marcela Serrano
* Las ciudades invisibles - Italo Calvino
* El ultimo suspiro del moro - Salman Rushdie

The Best Democracy Money Can Buy - by Greg Palast
A book review by Julian Creme
http://simedia.org/new/jc_best-democracy.html
Investigative reporter Palast reveals how Republicans stole the
2000 US Presidential race in Florida, World Bank and IMF
manipulations to ensure debt payments, corporate fraud and more.

Weaving consensus: the Papua New Guinea-Bougainville peace
process Conciliation Resources now available on the web:
http://www.c-r.org/accord/accord12

The Bougainville Peace Agreement signed in 2001 brought to a
definitive end the most violent conflict in the South Pacific since the
Second World War. Triggered in part by disputes between
indigenous local landowners and the international proprietors of the
world's largest copper mine, violent resistance met an abusive
response from the PNG security forces resulting in a decade of
displacement, death and violence. As the already diverse
island society fractured, further violent internal conflicts erupted
between different Bougainvillean groups. This publication, produced
in collaboration with the Bougainville Inter-Church Women's Forum,
documents an array of innovative peace initiatives that succeeded
not only in ending the organised violence but also in weaving back
together the diverse social fabric of Bougainville.
_________________________________________________
NEW AND INTERESTING WEBSITES; INTERNET NEWS

Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC)
http://www.prrac.org

PRRAC is a non-partisan, multiracial, national, non-profit
organisation convened over a decade ago by major civil rights, civil
liberties and anti-poverty groups. PRRAC's mission is to generate,
gather and disseminate information on the relationship between
race and poverty, and to promote policies and practices that
alleviate conditions caused by that interaction. PRRAC publishes a
bimonthly newsletter, Poverty and Race.

Sustainable Development ONLINE (SDO) - Web Portal on
Environment and Sustainable Development
http://sd-online.ewindows.eu.org

This portal features 1574 browsable web sites active in the
environmental area; training courses covering everything from
sustainable development to EMAS and LCA; networks for
researchers, activists and those interested in ethical business
practices; online listings of upcoming events on a wide range of
topics including Bioenergy, Greenhouse Gas Control, Earth
Sciences, Eco-cities and Eco-tourism; and tools, including
software tools for a more sustainable future.

Alternative Worlds Web project
http://www.zmag.org/altworlds/altworlds.htm

The international web sites Porto Alegre 3
(www.portoalegre2003.net) and ZNet www.zmag.org/weluser.htm
both involved in preparation of WorldSocial Forum 3, are creating
and will jointly host this web project A first draft of this effort can be
viewed at the above web address

HIVTools
http://www.hivtools.lshtm.ac.uk

The HIVTools web-site is the online presence of the HIVTools
Research Group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine. The site provides up-to-date information on the group's
activities, as well as the latest downloads for:

* HIVTools/UNAIDS costing guidelines
* HIVTools mathematical models for estimating the impact of
different HIV prevention interventions
* Publications and reports
* Presentations
* Links to funders, collaborators and relevant HIV resource lists
_____________________________________
CLASSIFIEDS

JOBS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

The following job postings are drawn from Dev-Zone International
Development Practitioners Update:
Hassall International - Community Fisheries Adviser
Papua New Guinea
For more information:
http://www.dev-zone.org/jobs/Detailed/3663.html

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) - Self Help
Group Empowerment Expert
Djakarta
Indonesia
For more information:
http://www.dev-zone.org/jobs/Detailed/3660.html

Asian Development Bank (ADB) - Conflict and Rehabilitation
Specialist
Department for International Development UK
Sri Lanka
Closing date for applications: 19 August 2002
For more information:
http://www.dev-zone.org/jobs/Detailed/3657.html
______________________________________
SCHOLARSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS

Social Science Research Council - International Dissertation Field
Research Fellowships
Deadline for applications: November 12 2002

Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the International
Dissertation Field Research Fellowship (IDRF) Programme provides
support for social scientists and humanists to conduct dissertation
field research in all areas and regions of the world. The programme
will award up to fifty fellowships in 2003.

Applications can be downloaded at:
http://www.ssrc.org
or contact:
Trusha Reddy
P.O. Box 65261
4090
Reservoir Hills
South Africa
Tel: +27 31 262 2348
Fax: +27 31 262 2348
email: trusha77@hotmail.com
______________________________________
TRAINING COURSES AND PROGRAMMES

Arab Women Speak Out (AWSO) - Middle East/North Africa
AWSO is an advocacy and training programme that aims to help
Arab women overcome social, economic, educational, and political
obstacles to achieve their potential outside the home. AWSO offers
a series of 10 video profiles, training and discussion materials, a
tool for monitoring the image of women in the media, and a case
study publication of 30 women from five Arab countries. The
materials were produced by Arab women researchers and film
producers, and feature examples of women who have taken the
initiative to make positive changes in their lives.

For more information:
http://www.comminit.com/pdskdv32002/sld-4315.html
email: cunderwo@jhuccp.org (attention Carol Underwood)

North-South Training Course for Youth
Spain
20-27 October 2002
Deadline for registration: 6 September 2002

The North-South Training Course for youth organisations is a week-
long training course for 30 representatives of youth organisations
from both Europe and the continents of the South. It aims to train
multipliers in youth organisations in developing and implementing
programmes for their organisation aimed at North-South Co-
operation, as well as awareness-raising on global interdependence.
An additional aim of this course is to create strong working
relations and networks between youth organisations in Europe and
in the South.

Interested organisations should obtain application forms from:
http://www.freenet.de/ayf
email: ayf@gmx.net

ASAFE (Association pour le Soutien et L'Appui a La Femme
Entrepreneur)
Cameroon
This programme focuses on enterprises and initiatives owned or
managed by women. Activities fall into four categories:
microfinancing; new information and communication technologies;
counselling and the provision of information to members; training
workshops; and research and consultations.

For more information:
http://www.comminit.com/pdskdv72002/sld-5012.html
email: asafe@camnet.cm
_______________________________________
CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXHIBITIONS

Iniciativa global de Apoyo a Madres (IGAM) Conferencia
Latinoamericana 2002
- 'Fortaleciendo Alianzas para el Apoyo a Madres'
Lima
Peru
25-31 de Agosto 2002

http://www.lactared.com.pe/conferencia/conferencia.htm

Este evento tiene como propósito revisar, compartir y discutir
aspectos técnicos, metodológicos de experiencias significativas en
el: "Apoyo a la Madre en el marco del IGAM".

Esta reunión promete ser muy interesante y productiva, si desea
inscribirse a este evento favor de ingresar a nuestra Página Web:
http://www.lactared.com.pe
Asi tambien obtendra toda la informacion detallada sobre este
evento.

Open Society and the Challenge of September 11th
A one-day public conference organised by Privacy International and
the Electronic Privacy Information Center
6th September 2002
The Old Theatre,
London School of Economics

The events of September 11th have placed unprecedented
pressures on such fundamental rights as privacy, freedom of
association and freedom of expression. National security and law
enforcement agencies have moved quickly to increase their
mandate, often without the checks and balances of transparency
and accountability. Legislators have rushed to promulgate
security laws, often without open debate.

In an era of concern over public safety, what is the future for civil
liberties and open society? One year after September 11th, this
important conference brings together key figures from throughout
the world to discuss these crucial issues. Speakers and
respondents will discuss developments in privacy and surveillance,
free speech and censorship, national security, international
government co-operation, freedom of information, law enforcement
capability, financial privacy, identity and tracking systems and the
role of civil society.

For more information:
email: london2002@privacy.org
________________________________________________________

The editors value your comments, suggestions and contributions.
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Appeal Letters