[Imc-communication] about the proposal to purge Darwin-imc

[Pim VDP]

Dear Petros,

While we may differ in opinion I greatly appreciate your efforts to
have a meaningfull discussion about this. It is true that an important
issue like this should not go by unnoticed.

A lot of things can be said about the current conflict. I will try to
stick to the facts which are relevant for the current proposal:

- This conflict is going on for a LONG time (+-6 years if I'm correct).
It has deep roots in the personal level as well as in organisational
bodies (NAP, PARIAH, and the various imc's). This leads me to believe
that this conflict CANNOT be 'resolved' by any form of cyber-mediation.
- The conflict is not one-sided. However, various local imc's in the
region - who are much closer to the problem than you or me - have a
common view on this issue. The principle of autonomy implies that their
opinions were constructed seperately, and as such carry more weight
than those of one collective, or individual. On top of this the
supporters of the proposal include former allies of Mick.
- Whatever the reason, Petros agrees that Mick is currently unfit to be
liaison for imc-Darwin. Petros also states that imc-Darwin has so far
been unable to have a dialogue with new-imc without Mick. What does
this say about the balance of power within imc-Darwin? It seems that if
imc-darwin was allowed to exist, it would be merely a tool to wage war
on other imc's in the region.

Anyway, it seems to me that the motivation to block the proposal is not
based on the facts in this conflict, but rather irrational fear (what
ifs...?) that widespread purgings will follow this proposal. Imho there
are enough checks and balances in our procedures to prevent abuse of
disaffiliation.
We must accept that there ARE individuals and groups in the world who,
whatever their motivation, intend to harm imc's and indymedia as a
whole. If we let these rampage on because of our fears and political
correctness our name will become an empty shell and there will be no
unity at all, only another label.

Love,
Pim.

> We don't have to agree about whether Mick Lambe is a good or bad
> person, 
> about whether he is a victim or a perpetrator (in the current phase
> he 
> is both) - there are more important values that we already agree on, 
> which bind us together as colleagues into a network. Regardless of
> what 
> we think of Mick, we need to be able to separate our own 
> responsibilities from his.
> 
> We have our principles of unity to uphold, and our editorial policy.
> In 
> order to preserve these, we need to disengage from conflict with
> Mick, 
> and to be supportive of the re-validation process that was set up a
> few 
> months ago between the new-imc group and the two groups into which
> the 
> Darwin group has been split. Let's give that process a chance to
> work.
> 
> 
> If we accept that any of the local imc collectives now can take an 
> initiative to dictate members (by name!) to other collectives at the 
> threat of the entire group's expulsion, where will this end?
> Tomorrow, 
> any one of our groups might face the same: "either expel this person,
> or 
> the whole group shall be expelled".
> 
> Instead, I ask of you, I ask of all of us, to please find some way to
> 
> disengage from conflict, and to exercise compassion: all, or most of
> our 
> local imc groups have troubled members, all of us know indymedia
> members 
> who, if they are harrassed sufficiently can be driven to publishing
> an 
> endless stream of non-sensical material. Is that enough justification
> to 
> purge an imc local? Or to purge a particular member?
> 
> What happened to our principle of autonomy and self-determination? I 
> believe that most of us in indymedia have a true and genuine respect
> for 
> it and I believe you do too. I'd like to invite you to please
> reconsider 
> this approach.
> 
> It's not just a slogan that we say we uphold the principle of
> autonomy. 
> It is a good guide to solving problems of this type. In harmony with 
> this principle, we can look for internal (local) solutions to
> problems 
> which otherwise if ignored, only lead to outside interventions and an
> 
> endless cycle of conflict.
> 
> Do we want that endless cycle of conflict? I can assure you that the 
> expulsion of Mick or of the entire Darwin-imc group is not going to
> end 
> the conflict: it will lead to an entrenchment of the conflict, one
> that 
> will be even more difficult to reverse.
> 
> Please reconsider.
> Thanks,
> Petros
> _______
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 


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