[New-imc] SWAZILAND (initial response)

[Jay]

Hi Daniel and the rest of the aspiring Swazi IMC,

Jay from the Philadelphia IMC and the new-imc working group here.  I 
usually respond to new-imc requests from Africa.  Again, I'm sorry I've 
taken a few days to respond.  I've been off-line lately more frequently 
than I've been on.

First of all, I'd like to commend you for undertaking the daunting task of 
forming a powerful, sustainable independent media center in Swaziland.  As 
you well know there are a lot of legitimate obstacles to setting up an 
independent media project in Swaziland.  I'm sure everyone at the new-imc 
working group is excited to hear about your desire to overcome them.

I don't know how you came to find Indymedia, but certainly a first step is 
to familiarize yourselves as much as possible with the Indymedia network to 
see if this project is something you definitely want to join.  Each local 
IMC is an autonomous group, so you'd generally be on your own, but there 
are tremendous benefits to being part of an international network.  People 
throughout the Indymedia network generally work together and support one 
another, as well as providing resources and knowledge to each other when 
possible.  If you haven't already, take time to familiarize yourselves with 
diversity of the local IMCs (you'll find them listed on the left column of 
www.indymedia.org).

The next step is to take a thorough look at the information on the 
http://newimc.indymedia.org web site.  This will give you a step-by-step 
guide to how to proceed, as well as pointers to a lot of information about 
the network.  Those documents will direct you to spend a lot of time doing 
solid organizing work.  The most successful IMCs are the ones that are 
broad, diverse and cross many ethnic, geographic, economic and gender 
lines.  So, take as much time as you need to look through that information, 
and to build a strong IMC organizng group that has is inviting, committed, 
and not controlled by any one specific faction or narrow point of view.

The new-imc working group (new-imc at indymedia.org) will be here to help you 
by answering your questions as you proceed through the organizational part 
of the process.  As for setting up your web site, there are people on the 
new-imc working group that have techincal knowledge who can help you, but 
you may also try e-mailing "imc-tech at indymedia.org" once you have specific 
questions.

One thing you may want to do is to set up an e-mail list for the Swaziland 
IMC so people around Swaziland with e-mail access can participate.  Also, 
this will help supporters from the around the world keep connected with 
you.  You'll have to decide on what level of openness is safest on the 
list, though Indymedia lists are recommended to be as open and public as 
possible so as to be as inviting as possible.  You can get a list set up by 
filling out the form at "http://newlist.indymedia.org" and/or by e-mailing 
listwork at indymedia.org.

Good luck with your organizing, and feel free to ask any questions at any 
time.  Also, let me know if you'd like me to pass along your contact 
information to the other IMCs in Africa, both those that are formed 
(Nigeria and South Africa) as well as those that are forming (Zambia, 
Egypt, etc.).  I think there are enough imcs in Africa now for a regional 
imc-africa network to really get going.

Jay

At 9/7/2002, swazis at union.org.za wrote:
>Submitted by: Daniel Brett <swazis at union.org.za> on Saturday, September 
>7th, 2002 @ 5:17:37 am (-0700)
>
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>Online Form Fields
>------------------
>
>imc_name:
>Swaziland
>
>city:
>Mbabane
>
>state:
>
>
>country:
>Swaziland
>
>contact_name:
>Daniel Brett
>
>contact_email:
>swazis at union.org.za
>
>contact_phone:
>
>
>tech_name:
>
>
>tech_email:
>
>
>tech_phone:
>
>
>supporting_groups:
>Swaziland Solidarity Campaign
>Simunye news service
>
>regional_focus:
>yes
>
>critical_dates:
>
>
>resources:
>We are unfamiliar with the technology behind Indymedia, but we are eager 
>to learn.
>
>outreach:
>We are in contact with CANGO (Swaziland\'s NGO organisation), Swaziland 
>Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), People\'s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), 
>Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), Media Institute of Southern 
>Africa - Swaziland branch.
>
>introductory_statement:
>The UK-based Swaziland Solidarity Campaign already runs the Simunye news 
>service (http://www.simunye.org.uk/), but we feel that Swazi civil society 
>should have full participation in their own media service without having 
>to go through a third party. As all opposition newspapers have been closed 
>down by the Swazi government and political parties have been banned, a 
>Swazi IMC would be a vital link between the Swazi nation and the 
>international community. Indymedia would be offering a wholly Swazi-owned 
>independent news service, thus empowering a nation that currently has no voice.
>
>
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