Message-ID: <9811170435.AA12360@menris1.icimod.org.np> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 09:25:26 +0000 From: mailto:shahid@ICIMOD.ORG.NP Subject: Invitation to an e-discussion on the Internet in South Asia To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
From: Arun Mehta <mailto:amehta@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in>
Subject: Invitation to an e- discussion on the Internet in South
Asia
South Asia is the world's most illiterate region, and confronts myriad
man-made and natural problems. Can the Internet help us overcome these?
Undoubtedly yes. But what needs to be done to remove the roadblocks that
the Internet itself faces in the region, and what are the right steps to
take, to promote its use? How can we help and learn from each other?
Questions such as these will be taken up in an electronic discussion, which
started in early October and which you can join by visiting:
http://www.PanAsiaNetworking.org.sg/cgi-bin/majordomo/lwgate.sasianet/sasianet
For about 16 participants of this electronic discussion, the organisers
will be able to fund the travel and stay for a 3-4 day workshop, at either
Dacca, where we will have the opportunity to see the very interesting
example of Grameen Telecom, or in Khatmandu some time next February. The
rest, we hope, will participate electronically in this workshop as well.
I do hope you will join, and actively participate in this discussion, which
will enable you to make friends and useful contacts in this region, plus
contribute to its development. Please pass on this message to anybody else
who you feel may be interested as well.
Warm regards,
Arun
____________
THE INTERNET : SOUTH ASIAN REALITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Introduction
The Internet offers a rare opportunity to policy-makers, regulators, NGOs
and citizens,
since it bears the potential for increasing wealth and improving health and
education in
nations that learn to use it well. At the same time, it brings with it
problems, as its
inherent anarchy resists regulation and planning. Because of this, success
can only
come in societies that engage in comprehensive discussion of the issues
involved in
promoting the Internet. All the players mentioned above are inextricable
parts of this
complex, and there is a dire need to open communication channels between them.
The countries of South Asia face similar problems with the Internet, yet
they have
adopted very different models for its advancement. While in Pakistan the
private sector
dominates, in India the government has so far been the monopoly service
provider.
Bangladesh has been remarkably innovative in bringing telecom to the poor,
demonstrating clearly the considerable scope there is to learn from each
other.
To facilitate this comprehensive discussion, and to help look for solutions
to the
blockages in the path of the Internet in South Asia, the International
Centre for Integrated
Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu
<http://www.south-asia.com/icimod.htm> with financial support of the
International
Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada <http:www.idrc.org>, proposes to
organise a workshop in February 1999.
Approximately 16 key players and observers in this rapidly changing field
will be invited
from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, bringing together experts from
government, regulatory bodies, NGOs, ISPs and the user community. The
participants of
this workshop will be selected primarily from the contributors to a
moderated electronic
discussion, which will be open to anyone wishing to contribute meaningfully
to this
process.
While there are a large number of issues to discuss in this endeavor, it is
hoped that the
electronic discussion will help prioritize and select key issues for
face-to-face
discussion.
Issues
A preliminary list of issues for electronic discussion is given below:
1) Access
a) A comparison of models of ISP ownership (eg., private, government, NGO)
b) Providing access to the poor and illiterate
c) Technological aspects relating to bandwidth (eg. quality and
quantity) issues
relating to technical manpower and the sharing of technical expertise
d) Regional backbone and ISP collaboration in South Asia
e) Security
f) Gender-related issues
2) Content
a) Culture -- threats and opportunities
b) Generation of local-language content, and cross-border flows
c) Direction and flow of information (e.g. North--South) and its
implications
d) Applications in health, etc
e) Use of the Internet in distance education, and as an educational tool
3) Regulation
a) Regulation vis-a-vis the Internet and policy formulation -- what
works and what
doesn't, pricing policy/tariffs, licensing practices
b) Role of Government, ISPs, Regional and International Bodies, Users
c) E-Commerce in the South Asian region
d) Mechanisms for user feedback into policymaking
4) Opportunities for regional cooperation in promoting the growth of the
Internet
It is expected that the electronic discussion will add to this list, and
hopefully select
approximately six issues, in which a face-to-face discussion could
significantly help
raise the level of clarity in areas where decisions need to be taken by the
countries
involved.
The organizers will also set up a web-site to collect and present
information emanating
out of the electronic discussion, including links to other useful sites in
the areas under
discussion.
A small working group consisting of one representative each from
Bangladesh, India,
Nepal and Pakistan as well as the ICIMOD project coordinator for this
initiative and the
electronic discussion list moderator will be created to plan this
initiative further. The
working group members will also help to propogate this initiative further,
seek greater
country-level participation in the electronic discussion as well as prepare
and present a
country paper/report at the workshop itself.
While funding is available for travel and living expenses of about 16
participants, others
are invited to participate electronically in the deliberations at the
workshop, which will
last 3 or 4 days (exact dates and venue yet to be decided).
Tentative Agenda
Day 1: Introduction of participants. Presentation of country reports, which
highlight the
current situation of the Internet in each country.
Presentation of summary report by the moderator of the electronic
discussion list,
highlighting the key issues emerging out of the electronic discussion.
Discussion of
agenda for working groups andestablishment of the same
Day 2: Meetings of working groups to cover the priority issues identified
by the
electronic discussion list. Plenary meeting to finalise recommendations.
Day 3: Continuation of Working group meetings to discuss identified
priority issues.
Possibly a field visit.
Day 4: Concluding plenary session.
Report
Shortly after conclusion of the workshop, a brief report highlighting the
issues discussed
and the conclusions reached will be added to the web site, and possibly
published in a
journal. If there is sufficient interest among the participants, electronic
discussion will
continue after the workshop is concluded, to foster on-going contact
between experts of
the region.
Moderator
Dr. Arun Mehta, mailto:amehta@cerf.net, a Delhi-based net activist who has been
involved in several campaigns relating to cyber rights and who moderates
the "India-gii"
discussion list, will serve as the moderator for this exercise. He will
also present the
summary results of the discussion list at the workshop in February 1999 and
prepare a
final report of the workshop.
Project Coordinator
Mr. Shahid Akhtar, mailto:shahid@icimod.org.np who is in-charge of ICIMOD's
communication, information and networking activities, is the project
coordinator and will
oversee the entire activity in all its dimensions from beginning to end.
Arun Mehta, B-69, Lajpat Nagar-I, New Delhi-110024. Phone 6841172, 6849103
http://www.cerfnet.com/~amehta mailto:amehta@cerfnet.com, amehta@cpsr.org
Shahid Akhtar
Head,Documentation,Information & Training, and
Coordinator,Mountain Forum - Asia Pacific,
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD),
GPO Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Phone: (977-1) 536741, 525313
Fax: (977-1) 524509, 524317
Url: http://www.south-asia.com/icimod
Email: mailto:shahid@icimod.org.np
Shahid Akhtar
Head,Documentation,Information & Training, and
Coordinator,Mountain Forum - Asia Pacific,
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD),
GPO Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Phone: (977-1) 536741, 525313
Fax: (977-1) 524509, 524317
Url: http://www.south-asia.com/icimod
Email: mailto:shahid@icimod.org.np