[New-imc] IMC-Liege documents.

[turlututu]

Hi, here's the documentation about the collective of Liege.


MISSION STATEMENT

The collective Indymedia Liege in Belgium met for the first time in June
2003. With this occasion, the participants decided to launch a new local
site Indymedia. The reason of this choice is explained by differents
motivations. 

Initially, the town of Liege and its neighbourhoods are the places of
many alternative initiatives, social and political but theses
initiatives have pain to find a relay in the traditional and commercial
press. The size of the events as their topics find only too seldom
relays on the level of information.

Also, a many these inhabitant of Liege groups start to appear by
electronic ways. Not very present in the past on Internet, Internet
sites inhabitant of Liege starts to flower and with them, a will of
peoples to develop more and more electronic information.

This is why, at the image of Indymedia West-Vlanderen, there is a will
to develop a more increased local work in the province of Liege and to
offer an interface more easily accessible by the inhabitants of the
Province of Liege. We think that work on a smaller scale can imply a
greater diversity of individuals. The hope of the initiators of the
project Indymedia Liege is to offer to this world, a tool of information
which is freest as possible.

Work at the local level means also to extend the web of information
until deepest of the lanes of our cities and our campaigns. Each small
lived informations deserve an attention and the collective works so that
the maximum of people can use the resources of Community media like
Indymedia. 

In the same way, our collective wishes to take part in the development
of a new form of national organization in network. It would ideally be
based on local groups which would collaborate in the long term to offer
an alternative information and as rich as possible. This is mean: to
work local and think global.

http://212.100.232.161/process/about.php [FR]

===============


CHARTER (with edito rules)

This text has the ambition to fix our operating mode; it is, and it is
only the result of a common work of the collective from August to
September 2003; it neither is engraved in the marble nor cast in the
concrete. Any comment, any remark, is the welcome, in particular on
behalf of the one or the ones that joins the collective
liege.indymedia.org; It will be able, if it makes consensus (chapter
2.1), being integrated in a next version. 

Introduction 

The collective which manages the site liege.indymedia.org is defined by
the whole of the administrators and the regular contributors
(contributions to the site and the lists) present at the meetings; The
collective liege.indymedia.org is organized in an abstract way. It does
not have legal statutes. "collective liege.indymedia.org is called" all
the people who, regularly, meet and take part in the general lists, the
meetings, the site and more generally at the goals than network IMC.
Ideally, these people will live and/or will know the region of Liege. 


1. Policy of the members 
Introduction: the purpose of this chapter is used to responsabilize the
individual on his role as a regulator of indymedia but also of the fact
he takes part in a project within the collective and more largely within
the network indymedia with that theses engagements imply. 

- Any person as a representative of indymedia has a public role to play,
we must always privilege the respect and the dialogue. We represent the
image of indymedia near the readers. 

- A mutual respect is sincerely hoped, any member is equal in right and
duty (chap. 2) without consideration of seniority (ancienneté). 

- Any person can take part in Indymedia. There is no obligation for that
to be member of an organization and conversely of restriction for the
members of organizations, except for organizations fascist, racist,
sexists, integrist, sectarian and others. The participation in the
collective liege.indymedia.org is done individually, and not as a member
of an organization. 

- Members can't use indymedia for personal usage, proselytes or other
who would imply a manifest profit; even if that person is or not related
to an organization. 


2. Policy of the collective 
Introduction: this chapter has the function to define the operating mode
of the collective as well as the goals in which it subscribes

2.1 - Decisions - 

Any decision concerning the collective must be discussed in a open way
between all the members of the teams concerned. These decisions can be
decided by the way of the mailing-lists, IRC or during the physical
meetings. 

The indispensable conditions before decision-making are: 



a) The contents and the dates of the meetings must be announced
beforehand (10 days) so that the greatest number of members can take to
it. The opinion of the members which cannot be present to theses
discussions will have to be taken into account as well as the people
present. They allow for example to deliver their opinion with an email
or to elect a person in their place. 

b) The decisions will take effect only if 70% of the collective are
joined together. If it is not the case, second Ag will be programmed and
the decisions will be ratified by the unanimity.
 
2.2 - Independence - 

- Indymedia is independent media, its image can't be used by others
organizations. There can't be commercial publicity on the site.
Indymedia can't make partnership and can be made the official support of
no organization or candidates for the elections. Its relationship with
these last must be on non-partisanes bases. 

2.3 - Transparency - 

- The transparency is of primary importance and translated the wellbeing
of the site, any contrary act with this principle is to be banished.
Must be visible in "one" and remain operational the functions such as:
the keep (hidden), the comments (comments), the charter. The dates of
meetings must be visible in "one", and the public mails must be
accessible easily (only the public mails of the group "finances" are
accessible only to the members from the collective). This point also
includes the setting with vacuum partial or total of an article or its
badly intention of modification. 


3. Edito line 
3.1 - Feature - (column of the medium) 

Introduction: this sub-chapter defines the conditions for the
publication of features. 

Diversity: 

- The members of the collective must respect the diversities, that
passes by a cover without prejudice of all the events and/or components
of the "movement of the movements" whose network IMC is the window. 

Policy: 

- The promotion of candidates; political parties; sensational actions
with goal electoralist (disguised publicity or "publipost") is
prohibited. During election campaign, the collective liege.indymedia.org
engages itself to not cover the elections of the country, not because
we're against parties or anti-parliament, but with the goal to not
privilege such party with the detriment of another. 

3.2 - Newswire - (column of right-hand side) 

Introduction: this sub-chapter clearly defines the cinditions allowing
the removal of certain contents. 

To avoid any heard evil, it is obligatory to justify each article
withdrawn near the readers: 
- if the author left an address mall, then the administrator must
explain to him the reasons of the withdrawal of the article and send a
double of this mail to the edito list. 
- if the author did not let an address, then the administrator will have
to publish an comment located under the article and also let the address
of the edito list (imc-Liege-edito at lists.indymedia.org) so the author
can join to us if problem. 

The rules to withdraw an article are: 

- Racism *** (see low) 
- Sexism *** 
- Homophobe *** 
- Fascism, Nazism, neonazism *** 
- religious Intégrisme *** 
- Double publication 
- Publicity : commercial publicities or more generally not having a
relationship with the philosophy of indymedia will be withdrawn. If it
is about the publicity of a site, this one must then contain a
description. 
- Claim of censure : The reason at this origine must be explained and
described on the edito list in a chronological order. 
- Spam : The reason at this origine must be explained and described on
the edito list in a chronological order. 
- Electoral propaganda : the candidatures and the articles clearly
inviting to vote in favour of a party will be withdrawn. During election
time, the collective begins to set up a space distinct from publication
other than the newswire to gather the articles, analyses which will have
report with the elections. Ideally, this section will not be moderate to
not take party or make some favouritism.
- Not an article, error : the articles which are made up only one link
without description, a sentence, or which are incomprehensible or
illegible, will be withdrawn. 
- Announce of an action : if this action is not in “live” when it is
published or if it's only composed of one date, so it must be removed
and we have to indicate to its author where is the agenda reserved for
this usage. 
- Misinformation : if the misinformation is manifest and in the form of
an article, then it must be withdrawn. But if it's a comment, then it
can be contradicted but it can't be withdrawn. (This is based on the
principle that a person who is in truth, should not have too
difficulties of defending herself but also because there is no absolute
truth.) 
- Editoriale critic : critic of the reader with form of article can be
withdrawn if it is insulting and nonconstructive, but by respect of the
opinion of the reader, it must be let when it is a comment, it is
however not excluded to answer it. 


- Exceptions : There are always exceptions and they must initially be
discussed within the collective before any decision. 


*** When there are insinuations or a doubt, they can't be withdrawn,
they can be possibly discussed on the list where we will discuss of
their case. (It is also necessary to take the fact that the reader can
face himself this kind of situation and a good argumentation can
revealed more fatal for this ideology.)

Any member violating one of the rules of this charter exposes himself to
possible sanctions which will be discussed by the collective according
to the gravity and of the number of repetition.

An article deleted on the basis of specified criterion could be restored
in the newswire after debate within the edito team.

Notes: 
- An agreement of the collective means the consultation from at least
70% of this one (chapter 2.1).
- It is desirable to sign with the address edito for all that is in
relation to the management of the newswire.

http://212.100.232.161/process/charter.php [FR]

===============

MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA (we only precised the point "j")

a. Agree in spirit to the NIMC Mission Statement and Principles of
Unity, 

b. Have a committed membership substantial enough to sustain a
functional IMC, 

c. Have open and public meetings (no one group can have exclusionary
"ownership" of an IMC), 

d. Work toward developing a local Mission Statement or Statement of
Purpose. Network Mission Statement may be adopted or used on an interim
basis, 

e. Establish and publish an editorial policy which is developed and
functions through democratic process, and with full transparency, 

f. Agree to the use of Open Publishing as described in the NIMC
Editorial Policy [editorial collective comments: "We did agree that the
term "Open Publishing" was one that is still being defined by the Global
Network Collective, and we would wait and see what the results were
before rewriting this criteria], 

g. Adopt a decision-making policy that is in alignment with consensus
principles which include open, transparent and egalitarian processes, 

h. Have a spokesperson(s) willing and capable of participating in the
global decision-making process and meetings as a rotating
liaison/representative, with a clear understanding of the
responsibilities that come with this role, 

i. Participate in the key IMC Network Communication Methods that pertain
to the health and vitality of the Network and that contribute to the
work of the IMC. Assure that at least one person from your local IMC
participates at any given time on the IMC-Communications list, 

j. The participation in indymedia is done individually, and not as a
member of a political organization. Our relation from political parties
will be done in a distant and independent way, this is why we will not
make any promotion of party (or candidate), or some propaganda with
electoralist goal in general,

k. IMCs shall in no way engage in commercial for-profit enterprises. [We
could add: The IMCN is committed to the decommercialization of
information and will disassociate from any local IMC that decides to
become a for profit media corporation.] 

l. Display a i logo on your website and literature. 

m. Include the IMC Network current &Cities List² on your site,
preferably on the front page. 

http://212.100.232.161/process/charter.php#ca [FR]

===============

PRINCIPLES OF UNITY (not modified) 

1. The Independent Media Center Network (IMCN) is based upon principles
of equality, decentralization and local autonomy. The IMCN is not
derived from a centralized bureaucratic process, but from the
self-organization of autonomous collectives that recognize the
importance in developing a union of networks. 

2. All IMC's consider open exchange of and open access to information a
prerequisite to the building of a more free and just society. 

3. All IMC's respect the right of activists who choose not to be
photographed or filmed.

4. All IMC's, based upon the trust of their contributors and readers,
shall utilize open web based publishing, allowing individuals, groups
and organizations to express their views, anonymously if desired.

5. The IMC Network and all local IMC collectives shall be
not-for-profit. 

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. 

7. All IMC's recognize that a prerequisite for participation in the
decision making process of each local group is the contribution of an
individual's labor to the group. 

8. All IMC's are committed to caring for one another and our respective
communities both collectively and as individuals and will promote the
sharing of resources including knowledge, skills and equipment. 

9. All IMC's shall be committed to the use of free source code, whenever
possible, in order to develop the digital infrastructure, and to
increase the independence of the network by not relying on proprietary
software. 

10. All IMC's shall be committed to the principle of human equality, and
shall not discriminate, including discrimination based upon race,
gender, age, class or sexual orientation. Recognizing the vast cultural
traditions within the network, we are committed to building diversity
within our localities. 

http://212.100.232.161/process/charter.php#pu [FR]