CENSORSHIP!
AT THE UNITED NATIONS
African saying... "When a fish begins to rot, it begins from the head of the fish."
Attention: NGOs and Governments Worldwide.
There is a brand new (as of September 1999) threat to world stability and peace coming from the United Nations and it's current staff/management. The new head of the Department of Public Information, Mr. Kensaku Hogen (Japanese) has just stopped the videotaping of United Nations meetings and the sharing of the information with the peoples of Civil Society... NGOs, Governments, Ambassadors, Ministers and others.
We are not sure just who is behind this new trend? Is it the management of SG,Kofi Annan, .. a Government, .. group of Governments, .. or a small group of selfish Mafia-type of staffers? As of now, we do know some of the key players involved. See Blockers section of this web site. While the UN speaks of "transparency" it is in effect now operating on Censorship and non-sharing of inside information.
| Just last week (October 19-21, 1999) in Tehran, Iran at the "International Conference on Aging", two speeches were read at the conference; one from Kofi Annan, and one from Mark Malloch Brown, Head of UNDP. Basically, asking for the "transparency" and sharing of the conference information with the UN and UNDP for them (UN-UNDP) to use as a "best practice" for the rest of the world." All while at the same time, restricting and censoring their own inside information from the NGOs, Governments, and Ambassadors. |
The previous management (Boutros Boutros-Ghali & Samir Sanbar) believed in one of the key solutions to the world's problems (which are rapidly increasing with "Globalization" and the "New World Economic Order" taking shape) was in "openness" and "transparency" and the "sharing" of the United Nations information. For the past SIX years we have been videotaping meetings and sharing the tapes with everybody and anybody who was interested in helping to solve the world's problems.
NOW, Hogen and others (see BLOCKERS) have decided that information is no longer to be shared! They have officially stopped the videotaping of the past SIX years and are now operating on a platform of CENSORSHIP and RESTRICTION of the peoples (NGOs) activities at the United Nations.
In fact, the UN now has a "BLACKLIST" for NGOs! The distinction of being the first name on the list rests with Dr. Larry T. Gell. And would you believe... He is a current Member of the "UN DPI/NGO Executive Committee of the Department of Public Information," a TEN year supporter of the UN and the DPI. He is also the person who has for the past SIX years been videotaping and providing hundreds of videotapes FREE to the UN, DPI, every Head of the UN Departments of the Secretariat, UNDP, Ambassadors, UN Missions, Ministers and other Government officials.
With out the free flow of information... the Developing Countries have almost NO chance of development. . . (see Changes at the UN)
With the tremendous debt burdens, agriculture economies, reduction of funds (ODA), focus of the "private sector" for the only development, and the rapidly separating Rich from the Poor, along with the Human suffering and dying for lack of available resources, and restricting of available technologies.
We are astounded at Mr. Kensaku Hogen's Rush Limbaugh attitude of, "you are NOT entitled to help! or the Information any more."
We find this an atavistic throwback to the "dark ages."
SUGGESTION: We suggest you organize your organizations concerns towards this alarming new reversal of transparency and CENSORSHIP now coming from the United Nations.
"A lack of Alternatives, Clarifies the Mind."
- H.E. Ambassador Cristian Maqeira, Mission of Chile to the United Nations, at a recent UN meeting.
- updated 10/29/99
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