[kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Kenya communications(amendment)Bill: Is media overacting?

[Crystal Watley]

The Patriot Act was established in the United States in light of terrorist
activities and the Iraqi war to silence any public discussion or protest.
The US government was able to make a list of organizations and people they
considered to be "terrorists" and to use a variety of means powers to
contain those they believed to be "dangerous to US interests". This Act was
used to arrest many peaceful protesters, environmental activists, and to
detain Muslims without trial for extended period of time at places like
Guantanamo Bay. Every democratic government must respect human rights. The
Patriot Act was a time bound piece of legislature and it has thus lapsed.
Democratic governments should not attempt to use legislation to suppress the
voice of the people. Kenya is not the only country where a minority of the
population with vested interests have attempted and have often succeeded to
dominate and control the population. We should learn from the lessons of
history, rather than repeat the same mistakes.

Crystal

On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 7:35 PM, <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:

> David,
> I thought this UK law would make our section 88 look like an evening game
> of soccer.  From the Independent.
>
> 23 November 2003
>
> Sweeping measures to deal with terrorist attacks and other emergencies are
> to be announced this week, giving the Government power to over-ride civil
> liberties in times of crisis, and evacuate threatened areas, restrict
> people's movements and confiscate property.
>
> The Civil Contingencies Bill, which covers every kind of disaster from
> terrorism to the weather, will be the biggest shake-up of emergency laws
> since the early part of the last century, replacing legislation which saw
> the UK through a world war and the IRA bombing campaign.
>
> Some of the proposals in the draft version of the Bill, drawn up in the
> summer, have alarmed civil rights activists, notably a clause that gives
> the Government the power to suspend parts or all of the Human Rights Act
> without a vote by MPs.
>
> Once an emergency has been proclaimed by the Queen, the Government can
> order the destruction of property, order people to evacuate an area or ban
> them from travelling, and "prohibit assemblies of specified kinds" and
> "other specified activities".
>
> If these rules had been in force during the Iraq war, critics say, they
> could have been used to to ban street demonstrations, making anyone who
> travelled to protest guilty of a criminal offence. After a major terrorist
> attack, forums made up of local councils, the emergency services and
> utility companies would be put in charge of trying to get shattered
> communities back together.
>
>
> Ndemo.
>
>
>
>
> > Ok. Thanks.
> >
> > Sent from my BlackBerry(R) wireless device
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: bitange at jambo.co.ke
> >
> > Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:12:04
> > To: <dmakali at yahoo.com>
> > Cc: <bitange at jambo.co.ke>; KICTAnet ICT Policy
> > Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Kenya
> >      communications(amendment)Bill: Is media overacting?
> >
> >
> > David,
> > There was a hitch.  It will be in all papers tomorrow and will ensure you
> > get the soft copy.
> >
> >
> > Ndemo.
> >
> >
> >
> >>
> >> I have treid to find the amended bill online with no success; was it
> >> uploaded as promised? someone please?
> >> david
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________
> >>
> >> "If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live,
> >> I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster."
> >> â€" Isaac Asimo, Columbian Author and Scientist
> >> _______________
> >>
> >> PO Box 3234
> >> 00200 Nairobi, Kenya
> >> cell: +254 722 517 540
> >>
> >>
> >> --- On Mon, 12/15/08, bitange at jambo.co.ke <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:
> >>
> >>> From: bitange at jambo.co.ke <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
> >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Kenya
> >>> communications(amendment)Bill: Is media overacting?
> >>> To: dmakali at yahoo.com
> >>> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> >>> Date: Monday, December 15, 2008, 1:04 AM
> >>> Mike,
> >>> Thank you for your objective views.  You know very well
> >>> that there are
> >>> thousands of youth out there who have patiently waited for
> >>> this bill to
> >>> allow them trade on-line.  Now Media calls theirs.
> >>>
> >>> The outcomes of the Kriegler and Waki would hopefully deal
> >>> with political
> >>> impunity.  Who will deal with media impunity?  In my view
> >>> we must push
> >>> this Bill to ensure that electronic media does not continue
> >>> to corrupt our
> >>> children's minds.
> >>>
> >>> Ndemo.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> > Dr. Ndemo,
> >>> >
> >>> > I hope that the media note that they are on the wrong
> >>> path and move to
> >>> > change their approach. In hindsight they might realize
> >>> that the issues at
> >>> > hand could have been tackled differently.The
> >>> media's most recent actions
> >>> > only make it more difficult to resolve the very same
> >>> issues they are
> >>> > protesting.
> >>> >
> >>> > The Nation's editorial perhaps represents the
> >>> divergence in views between
> >>> > the media owners, their supporters and responsible
> >>> journalists who may
> >>> > have
> >>> > seen that things are steering in a dangerous
> >>> direction. As the matter
> >>> > drags
> >>> > on, various elements will try to take advantage and
> >>> jump onto the
> >>> > bandwagon
> >>> > to further certain agendas. It is this catalyst that
> >>> is worrisome, as
> >>> > there
> >>> > is the possibility that just as the media issue has
> >>> somehow been tied to
> >>> > economic issues, the media issue could easily be
> >>> misused by those who have
> >>> > little to do with the media.
> >>> >
> >>> > The country has many volatile problems that should not
> >>> be exploited, some
> >>> > of
> >>> > those jumping onto the media bandwagon may be seeking
> >>> to detract from
> >>> > matters facing them, others have personal agendas in
> >>> mind that can only
> >>> > progress if they are disguised as media and economic
> >>> issues. The media
> >>> > hopefully is looking at these issues in a responsible
> >>> manner, will
> >>> > exercise
> >>> > diplomacy and engage the Government in a civil way as
> >>> the best way to
> >>> > resolve the impasse. There are many Kenyans suffering
> >>> today from matters
> >>> > not
> >>> > within their control, it is a dangerous thing for the
> >>> media to act in a
> >>> > way
> >>> > that could easily stir these masses to non-civil
> >>> action as measures are
> >>> > being taken to alleviate these problems. The media has
> >>> a corporate
> >>> > responsibility in ensuring that it exhausts all civil
> >>> means of ensuring
> >>> > the
> >>> > matters are resolved.
> >>> >
> >>> > It is encouraging to know that the Government is open
> >>> for discussion, but
> >>> > there is only so much that the Government can do on
> >>> legislative matters.
> >>> > The
> >>> > Government can draft, prepare and adjust laws but it
> >>> cannot pass the same
> >>> > in
> >>> > parliament. The media must do more on its own in
> >>> approaching not just key
> >>> > leaders but ultimately the legislators who actually
> >>> vote to pass the same
> >>> > laws.
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > On Sun, Dec 14, 2008 at 5:11 PM,
> >>> <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:
> >>> >
> >>> >> Thanks Theuri,
> >>> >> Since Government is open for discussion, diplomacy
> >>> would yield better
> >>> >> results.  I have seen their action plan which by
> >>> the way violates cck
> >>> >> licence agreement it is not the best rout to take.
> >>>  Having spent all
> >>> >> weekend
> >>> >> using public resources (frequencies) to propagate
> >>> violence, they should
> >>> >> at
> >>> >> least wait to hear from cck.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> If you read today's Nation editorial on how to
> >>> end impunity including
> >>> >> media
> >>> >> impunity you wonder if they are the same people
> >>> inciting the public to
> >>> >> violence.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Ndemo
> >>> >> Sent from my BlackBerry(R)
> >>> >>
> >>> >> -----Original Message-----
> >>> >> From: "Mike Theuri"
> >>> <mike.theuri at gmail.com>
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:19:01
> >>> >> To: <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
> >>> >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy
> >>> Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> >>> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Kenya
> >>> communications
> >>> >>        (amendment)Bill: Is media overacting?
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
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-- 
Crystal "Naliaka" Watley
Voices of Africa
crystal at voicesofafrica.org
http://www.voicesofafrica.org/

"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
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