I. How to Improve Human Rights Activities By Use Of Web-sites

A Reading

It is time that every village, every town, every city, every workplace develop a people’s web-site. Such a site will give information about people, for example, rights violations against individuals; instances of torture and discrimination; the denial of people’s rights; the condition of education and health facilities; drinking water-related issues; the experiences of women.

It will be a place to share views on important topics and vote in the arena of public opinion, etc. It will provide an opportunity for people to speak or themselves and to be heard. Above all, it will preserve the stories of the people and their pictures. Such sites will alter human discourse in every area of life. Instead of hearing endlessly about a few people considered important by the establishment, we will hear about the ordinary folk who alone really represent the genuine instincts and impulses of life.

This web-site can create a place of human interaction in cyberspace, which can sustain democracy and defeat militarism and dictatorship. Thus, an age in which the influence of the folk is felt everywhere can be created. This is a possibility now, and I hope a reality in the future.

( Taken from a paper presented By Basil Fernando,AHRC, at the 2nd International Conference on Colonialism, Authoritarianism, Democracy and Human Rights of South East Asia , held by the May 18th Institute of Chonnam National University at the May 18 Cultural Hall, Gwangju, South Korea from 15-17, on the occasion of the commemoration of the Gwangu Uprising of 1980.)

Questions For Discussion

(A). Did you think of having a web-site for your organization; for the causes you fight for; for your village; for your work place?

( B). Do you think it is very difficult to organize a web-site for your purposes.? If so, what are those difficulties?

( C). Do you know that some other organization ( For example AHRC) can help you to put up your web-site and can help you also to maintain it?

(D). When you try to build the working group of your organization, do you give priority to recruiting persons who have a good working capacity for the use of modern communication facilities?

(F). When you allocate your funds and when you try to raise funds do you give priority to this aspect?