[Imc-india] Editorial changes

Mon Sep 8 17:13:39 PDT 2003

Hi all,

I did not write earlier simply because I didn't want
to get embroiled in a long email discussions - I don't
have the time nor the email tenaciousness.  But here
goes....

Thanks Ganesh and Harsh for responding to my first
email.  It did clarify some things.  Here are some
further thoughts that will hopefully get across where
I'm coming from.

I couldn't block the proposal since I don't live in
India and am not technically part of the IMC India
collective.  I was part of the IMC-India support group
based in the US, but we were asked by global IMC folks
that IMC-india needs to be run locally (i.e. people
living in India).  We agreed to this and I have to
respect that line.

But when I see Boud (living in Poland), Harsh from
FRance, and Ganesh (in Calcutta, but I thought from
the email address that you're in Ireland - Sorry),
proposing and changing IMC India rules, it comes off
as very inconsistent with previous decision have local
control of IMC-INdia.

On top of all this, Sanat's email from 8/28 was
basically ignored (at least no messages to the list). 
Sanat was also a member of the US based support group
for IMC-India.

This proposal comes across as giving IMC India control
to a Europe based support group with Ganesh as a local
proxy.  Hence my sentiments of a power grab.

The proposal itself:

Please go to the bottom of each these links that are
shown in the proposal.  5 out of the 6 have a
particular picture of a mutilated murdered man.  I'm
assuming that'w why the Madurai collective hid them,
but I'm not sure.  I do not believe that the Madurai
collective was hiding these posts because the
collective turned right wing.  

Articles hidden by the Madurai collective, which have
no racist or violence content
?Resources for secular action?, 30 August,
http://india.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7245
?Is India going the way of 1930s Germany??, 29 August,
http://india.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7212
?Nickerwalas suck history out of their thumbs. Who
needs facts??, 29 August,
http://india.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7209
?VHP has hijacked Hindu religion?, 29 August,
http://india.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7191
?My letter to the President of India?, 27 August,
http://india.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7085
?Anti-Modi demonstration in London?, 26 August,
http://india.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7010

I think these posts underscore the nature of how
difficult it is to moderate open publishing.  I agree
the articles should not have been hidden, but I can
also see why some would choose to hide the pictures.

I agree with you that something is wrong with the
Madurai collective - they are not responding.  And I'm
not against proposals to change how IMC-india is
operated but I want to make sure that we follow a fair
process.  

If the local people on this list (people currently
living in India) have agreed that IMC-INdia is in
disarray and needs to be overhauled, then I think they
need to go through a more formal process on
IMC-process at the global level.  

This would solidify their foothold in the IMC and
legitimize a transfer of control from the Madurai
Collective to them.

I hope I've explained why this does feel like a power
grab to me. 

I want to finally qualify again that this is not a
block - I'm expressing my concerns and if one could
allay my fears, I would really appreciate it.  

BTW, who has the hiding control of the newswire?  

Thanks for listening. 

Sivaram

--- Montgomery Cheddar <ganeshmukti at yahoo.ie> wrote:
> Sivaram,I write in response to your email.As far as
> I can see, the Madurai collective had plenty of
> opportunity to respond to complaints made about hate
> messages on India Indymedia - complaints that have
> been made for months. They have not responded. The
> emergency editorial policy was proposed with a
> seven-day deadline, in consultation with members of
> the global IMC process team as well as members of
> the IMC India list. No-one - not even you - raised
> an objection. If you had, the policy would not have
> been passed or would have been reviewed. The new
> policy is by no means a coup d'etat, but a
> reaffirmation of India IMC's democratic values and
> desire to maintain an alternative media free of
> prejudice.There is nothing to stop members of the
> Madurai collective from being involved in India
> Indymedia. I don't think anyone is stopping them.
> The problem has been, all along, the Madurai
> collective's failure to open up their editorial team
> to new-comers. In fact, it seems the Madurai
>  collective has faded out of existence, causing many
> problems.I hope the new policy will enable more
> people, not just the Madurai collective, becoming
> involved in the editorial process, making IMC India
> a more democratic form of alternative media.
> EVERYONE is invited to participate and contribute.
> No one group has or should have "control".The
> response to the new policy on the India IMC newswire
> has largely been positive
>
(http://india.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7704).
> So it's a shame that you have now voiced objections,
> particularly given your long association with India
> IMC.It would be good to have constructive,
> forward-thinking proposals on how India Indymedia
> can develop and how we can build on this new
> situation.Ganesh.
> Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner
> online.Post your profile.>
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