[New-imc] palestine indymedia?

ryan ryan at linefeed.org
Mon Mar 20 12:32:53 PST 2006 

Hi all,

I'm definitely interested in seeing all these parties come together
for a revitalized Palestine IMC and I think I can volunteer tech
coordination to help.

However, I would prefer we try to establish a forum on a mailing list
per the proposal on imc-process from a few months ago which
establishes that this how we should move forward.

I continue to be in contact with the people in Deheishe who were part
of the dispute. 

Could we possibly manage an IRC meeting for people interested in
discussing conversationally something and then deciding on a course of
action?

Jenka, would you be amiable to this?

-ryan



sing and dance <jenka at indymedia.org> said:
> hello.  this is jenka (of indymedia - various..), in palestine with george rishmawi, ghassan andoni, sami awwad, saed bannoura, manar jibreen and several other folks with several independent media organizations -- we have written this proposal for a new palestine indymedia, and are sending it to everyone we can find who was involved in some way in the earlier effort.
> 
> summary (english):
> we want to form a palestine indymedia combining Palestine News Network (PNN) and the International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) in arabic and english,
> with an editorial policy like quebec indymedia's.
> we also want to expand our audio reports (we work with free speech radio news and democracy now already), and have a live web stream on the site.  there is already a live stream in arabic.
> (new-imc web form submission from last year is at the bottom of this message)
> 
> summary (french):
> nous voudrons former un indymedia en Palestine combinant le 'Palestine News Network' (PNN) et l'"International Middle East Media Center" (IMEMC) en arabe et anglais, avec une politique éditoriale comme de indymedia Québec. nous voulons aussi d'augmenter nos rapports audio (nous travaillons avec 'free speech radio news' et 'democracy now' maintenant déjà), et avons un jet de phase d'enchaînement sur l'emplacement. il y a déjà un jet de phase en arabe 
> (la nouvelle-imc soumission de forme d'enchaînement de l'année dernière est au fond de ce message)
> 
> summary (spanish):
> deseamos formar un indymedia de Palestina que combina la red de las noticias de Palestina (PNN) y el centro por los medios internacionales del Medio-este (IMEMC), en árabe e inglés, con una política editorial como indymedia de Quebec. también deseamos ampliar nuestros informes audio (ya trabajemos con 'democracy now' y 'free speech radio news'), y tenemos una webstream viva de la tela en el sitio. hay ya una webstream viva en árabe 
> (la sumisión nueva-imc de la forma de la tela a partir del año pasado está en el fondo de este mensaje)
> 
> -----------------------
> long version (english only sorry):
> on the imc-translation site, 'peter from imc south africa' asks, on jan. 6, 2006:
> Request for information about the status of IMC Palestine.
> 
> Quoting blue from IMC Beirut: "In Palestine, the group, which was in the beginning a well working collective, was monopolized by two activists (so I heard from other Palestinian activists from Nablus)." This is a very serious allegation - and if true, a clear violation of Principle of Unity # 6: "All IMC's recognize the importance of process to social change and are committed to the development of non-hierarchical and anti-authoritarian relationships, from interpersonal relationships to group dynamics. Therefore, shall organize themselves collectively and be committed to the principle of consensus decision making and the development of a direct, participatory democratic process that is transparent to its membership."
> 
> I notice that, as of today, the Palestine IMC site, aka. jerusalem.indymedia.org, simply redirects to www.indymedia.org. I am CC'ing this message to imc-pal-contact at lists.indymedia.org as that is listed as the contact list for that IMC.
> 
> I would like to have clarity on blue's statement, especially from Palestinian IMC activists.
> 
> Thank you,
> Peter
> IMC South Africa
> 
> -----------------------
> A bit of background on the saga of Palestine Indymedia (the parts I know):
> 
> after a long and arduous debate in the new-imc list, it seems the site finally managed to go live in early 2002:
> http://archives.lists.indymedia.org/new-imc/2002-February/001554.html
> (post from 'calluna[at]onebox.com' - apparently a woman named heather who was active in the original formation of the palestine imc)
> 
> Palestine Indymedia was active mainly in 2002.  This period, especially March and April, were some of the most violent of the current intifada - nearly 500 Palestinians were killed in both March and April by the Israeli military, and the non-violent resistance, with international support, was very active.  So the Palestine Indymedia, as I saw it (as an activist in Palestine at the time), was somehow a combination of some Palestinians from Deheishe refugee camp in Bethlehem and the Alternative Information Center (mainly international volunteers), with support from Rapprochement/ISM.
> 
> There was some tension in april 2002 with a planned 'caravan' from the US and europe when Palestinians and internationals who had been working on indy palestine felt patronized by the way the 'mobile intervention' caravan was proposed:
> http://mail.indymedia.org/imc-process/2002-March/002872.html
> 
> This issue, i think, was resolved...but the group pretty much fell apart when certain members (Palestinians unfortunately) began bullying others and closing the site, hoarding the password, excluding women and taking money from global indymedia for personal use.
> 
> Some of this is evident in this post from Sept. 2002, when the Alternative Information Center decided to no longer be associated with this dysfunction:
> http://archives.lists.indymedia.org/imc-eastern-mediterranean/2002-September/000252.html
> 
> the site became less and less updated as internationals left the scene....by mid-2003, the site was broken:
> http://archives.lists.indymedia.org/new-imc/2003-May/003989.html
> http://archives.lists.indymedia.org/imc-process/2003-May/004901.html
> 
> didn't really get revived after that.
> i guess in mid-2004, someone attempted to make a nablus indymedia but it doesn't appear that it went anywhere....
> --------------------------------
> 
> proposal for a new palestine indymedia:
> 
> We are proposing combining the work of the two main non-profit media organizations in palestine: the international middle east media center, and the palestine news network
> into an indymedia palestine site, also in coalition and with support of other palestinian NGOs and independent journalists here in Occupied Palestine.
> 
> Our current websites are:
> http://www.imemc.org -- International Middle East Media Center, which has 3 full time staff and about 12 volunteers
> http://www.pnn.ps - The Palestine News Network, which has 8 staff and 30 contributing reporters from all over palestine.
> http://www.rafahtoday.org - a few people, mainly mohamed omer, updating news from rafah camp
> http://bethlehemghetto.blogspot.com - blogs from some international volunteers
> 
> The main way we would collaborate in combining sites is that the Palestine News Network (PNN), which has the capacity to get real-time reports from the ground in arabic from its reporters, would be providing the content for the arabic section.  this would be translated in the english section by the IMEMC staff and volunteers (as well as volunteer remote editors who can edit online), with tech help from university students here, and would also include an rss feed from other alternative news websites, and a section with re-posts from other sources.  we also want to expand our audio reports (we work with free speech radio news and democracy now, as well as producing ten-minute weekly reports), and hopefully have a live web stream on the site.  there is already a live stream in arabic.
> 
> although PNN offers arabic, french, hebrew and english on its site, only the arabic section is really strong right now.  with this collaboration, PNN would be in partnership with the IMEMC to make english content that is updated regularly.
> 
> The situation here is a little different than many other places....the problem is not necessarily that these stories are not getting out to a local audience, as in other places.  the local audience knows VERY well what is going on.  the conflict is well-reported in arabic media.  but the problem is that it is not getting out beyond the arabic-speaking population.  that is why we have an english-language site, as well as an arabic one -- to make these stories, the day-to-day violence of the israeli occupation, available to a wider audience.
> 
> Because of the rapid frequency of events and the highly volatile atmosphere re: media about this conflict, a traditional indymedia 'free for all' on the newswire is not what we want in this case.
> 
> though we are committed to the principle of open publishing, and the culture of 'be the media!' that is inherent in indymedia's philosophy, we also want to be able to provide up-to-date, accurate, on-the-ground reports about the ongoing occupation in palestine, without being slammed by denial-of-service attacks, spam or a massive influx of zionist propaganda on the newswire.
> 
> this is what we propose - a site that combines the best parts of PNN and the IMEMC (as well as collaborating with rafahtoday.org and theheadlines.org, and other groups in palestine), based in open-source software and committed to the principle of free expression, with an editorial policy similar to the one used by quebec indymedia.
> 
> Quebec Indymedia is open to submissions, but does not choose to publish all submissions (the rejected submissions are still available to view, in another section of the site)
> 
> The editorial policy of CMAQ (Quebec Indymedia) is found here:
> http://quebec.indymedia.org/en/node/7920
> 
> it reads, in part:
> ---------------------
> "The CMAQ belongs to the Indymedia network and supports the philosophy of Open Publishing.
> However, since its beginnings, the CMAQ Collective chose -- as opposed to the rest of the network -- to function using a validation system for its submissions, which disqualifies submissions that transgress its Editorial Policy. Material submitted to the CMAQ is thus validated by a Committee BEFORE rather than AFTER its publication online.
> 
> The selection is determined according to a set of criteria resumed in the CMAQ's Editorial Policy.
> 
> This choice stems from of a concern for rigour and a will to insure the cohesion of the site.
> ...
> Any material which does not meet the requirements defined in the Editorial Policy is excluded from the main categories listed on the main page, but remains accessible to users via the "Hidden Zone" (Dungeon).
> -----------------------------------------
> 
> last year, the IMEMC proposed to be the palestine indymedia, but was rejected.
> 
> last year's proposal through the new-imc form:
> (ghassan andoni, btw, is one of the founders of the international solidarity movement, which has become known for the non-violent resistance to the occupation)
> 
> Quoting g_andoni at yahoo.com:
> 
> > Submitted by: Ghassan Andoni <g_andoni at yahoo.com> on Saturday, April
> > 9th, 2005 @ 12:45:37 am (-0700)
> > 
> > Client Variables
> > ----------------
> > 
> > HTTP_USER_AGENT:
> > Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; Alexa Toolbar)
> > 
> > Online Form Fields
> > ------------------
> > 
> > proposed_imc_name:
> > Palestine
> > 
> > proposed_imc_url:
> palestine.indymedia.org
> > imemc.org
> > 
> > current_url:
> > imemc.org
> > 
> > city:
> > bethlehem
> > 
> > state:
> > west bank
> > 
> > country:
> > Palestine
> > 
> > contact_name:
> > Ghassan Andoni
> > 
> > contact_email:
> > g_andoni at yahoo.com
> > 
> > contact_phone:
> > 0097222772018
> > 
> > tech_name:
> > George Rishmawi
> > 
> > tech_email:
> > abunimir at yahoo.com
> > 
> > tech_phone:
> > 0097222772018
> > 
> > focus:
> > regional_focus
> > 
> > critical_dates:
> > 
> > 
> > supporting_groups:
> > Palestinian Center for rapprochement between people
> > 
> > introductory_statement:
> > already we have a team working in media. has developped a data base
> > driven website and have been publishing for two years on
> > Palestine-Israel
> > 
> > resources:
> > we already have a server hosting the site, a team of 5 working on the
> > site
> > 
> > outreach:
> > we have initiated a project by which local and international reporters
> > are working together.
> > 
> > identity_makeup:
> > our group is fairly representative of the diversity of our community, in
> > both age and sex. 
> > 
> > steps_represent_diversity:
> > 
> > 
> > steps_involve_new_workfields:
> > we ahve a 17 years experince in doing group work through PCR and then
> > through ISM (international solidarity movement)
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > imc-process mailing list
> > imc-process at lists.indymedia.org
> > http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-process
> >

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