I also recommend checking out the Impact on Community Coalition (IOCC)
website: http://iocc.ca
The organisation has no explicit position for or against the 2010
Games, but aims to to maximise positive impacts, minimise negative
impacts and work towards sustainability of the event. It work as an
independent body to monitor the games apart from VANOC, to ensure that
concerns of the local community is being heard. The website has a
substantial list of research and advocacy activities, focusing on
areas such as the environment, security and safety, community and
economic devt, civil rights, housing, transportation, and
accountability and transparency.
Regards,
Karen
--
Dr Karen P.Y. Lai
Postdoctoral fellow
Department of Geography
University of British Columbia
1984 West Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2
Canada
Tel: (+1) 604-822-9105
Fax: (+1) 604-822-6150
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://karenlai.wordpress.com
2009/11/26 <[log in to unmask]>:
> That's great, Cindy - thank-you. We deliberately didn't mention aboriginal
> issues (or indeed any specific groups) because it was outside the ambit of
> the group that devised the statement, and because we were aware of the
> existing campaigning efforts in this area. And we deliberately avoided the
> 'no Olympics' position because that would never have been agreed on by all
> those involved... these joint statements are really hard to put together!
>
> David.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Cindy Gorn <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thursday, November 26, 2009 15:37
> Subject: Re: Vancouver Olympics Researchers Statement
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Cc: [log in to unmask]
>
>> Thank you for sending this out. While I do not do work on
>> surveillance, I
>> do encourage interested researchers to check out the s campaign
>> against the
>> Olympics being supported by Native movements. http://no2010.com/
>>
>> Native folks in BC face some of the most intense surveillance,
>> repression,and abuse around the olympics. Speakers for
>> this tour have been stopped at
>> the US-Canadian Border, and faced uncountable other surveillance and
>> repression because of their activism. I encourage folks
>> interested to check
>> out the No Olympics campaign and to spread the word about it.
>>
>>
>> cg
>> 2009/11/26 <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>> > Dear all,
>> >
>> > Following recent discussion, a number of leading surveillance
>> researchers> have signed and issued the following ‘Vancouver
>> Statement’. If you are a
>> > researcher who has done any work on sports mega-events and/or
>> security and
>> > surveillance, and agree with the statement, please contact
>> Prof Richard
>> > Smith via his website http://blogs.sfu.ca/people/smith/?p=191,
>> with name,
>> > position and affiliation. It is reprinted below in English and
>> in French.
>> >
>> > In English:
>> >
>> > The Vancouver Statement of Surveillance, Security and Privacy
>> Researchers> about the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
>> >
>> > As researchers from Canada and the wider world, who are
>> conducting research
>> > on the global security dynamics of mega-events, we agree:
>> >
>> > - that the Olympic Games should be a celebration of human
>> achievement,> friendship and trust between people and nations.
>> >
>> > However, having analysed past and planned Olympics and other
>> mega events,
>> > from a variety of historical and international perspectives,
>> we recognise:
>> >
>> > - that recent Games have increasingly taken place in and
>> contributed to a
>> > climate of fear, heightened security and surveillance;
>> > - and that this has often been to the detriment of democracy,
>> transparency> and human rights, with serious implications for
>> international, national and
>> > local norms and laws.
>> >
>> > Therefore, we ask the City of Vancouver, the Province of
>> British Columbia
>> > and the Government of Canada:
>> >
>> > - to moderate the escalation of security measures for
>> Vancouver 2010 and to
>> > strive to respect the true spirit of the event;
>> > - to be as open as possible about the necessary security and
>> surveillance> practices and rationales;
>> > - to withdraw temporary bylaws that restrict Charter rights of
>> freedom of
>> > speech and assembly;
>> > - to work constructively with the Provincial and Federal Privacy
>> > Commissioners;to respect the rights of all individuals and
>> groups, whether
>> > they be local people or visitors, and pay particular attention
>> to the
>> > impacts on vulnerable people;
>> > - to conduct a full, independent public assessment of the
>> security and
>> > surveillance measures, once the Games are over, addressing
>> their costs
>> > (financial and otherwise), their effectiveness, and lessons to be
>> > learned for future mega-events;
>> > - not to assume a permanent legacy of increased video
>> surveillance and
>> > hardened security measures in the Vancouver/Whistler area, and
>> to have full
>> > and open public discussion on any such proposed legacy.
>> >
>> > We hope that these recommendations will contribute to a unique
>> and positive
>> > Olympic legacy by which Vancouver, British Columbia and Canada
>> will be
>> > remembered for setting the highest ethical standards.
>> >
>> >
>> > En Francais
>> >
>> > La déclaration de Vancouver des chercheurs sur la
>> surveillance, la
>> > sécurité et la vie privée propos des Jeux olympiques de 2010 à
>> Vancouver>
>> > En tant que chercheurs canadiens et
>> > internationaux effectuant des recherches sur la dynamique
>> globale de la
>> > sécurité lors de grands événements, nous estimons que :
>> >
>> > - Les Jeux olympiques doivent marquer la
>> > célébration des prouesses humaines, de l’amitié et de la
>> > confiance entre les individus et les nations.
>> >
>> > Cependant, ayant analysé les Jeux olympiques et autres grands
>> événements> passés à partir de perspectives historiques et
>> internationales,> nous reconnaissons que :
>> >
>> > - Les Jeux récents ont on contribué à instaurer un climat de
>> peur, de
>> > sécurité accrue et de surveillance et que
>> > - Cette tendance s’est réalisée au détriment de la démocratie,
>> de la
>> > transparence et des droits humains, induisant ainsi de sérieuses
>> > implications sur les plans des normes et lois internationales,
>> nationaux et
>> > locaux.
>> >
>> > En conséquence, nous demandons à la ville de Vancouver, à la
>> province de la
>> > Colombie-Britannique et au gouvernement du Canada :
>> >
>> > - de modérer l’escalade des mesures de sécurité pour les jeux
>> d’hiver de
>> > 2010 et de veiller à faire respecter le véritable esprit
>> olympique ;
>> > - d’être aussi francs et ouverts que possible à propos du
>> déploiement et de
>> > la justification des nécessaires pratiques de sécurité et de
>> surveillance ;
>> > - de retirer les règlements temporaires restreignant les
>> droits enchâssés
>> > des libertés d’expression et de rassemblement ;
>> > - de travailler de façon constructive avec les commissaires
>> provincial et
>> > fédéral de protection de la vie privée;
>> > - de respecter les droits des individus et des groupes, que ce
>> soit des
>> > gens locaux ou des visiteurs, et de porter une attention
>> particulière aux
>> > impacts potentiels sur les gens vulnérables ;
>> > - d’effectuer, une fois les Jeux terminés, une enquête publique
>> > indépendante et complète sur les mesures de sécurité et de
>> surveillance afin
>> > d’en déterminer les coûts (financiers et autres), l’efficacité
>> et les leçons
>> > à en tirer pour l’organisation de futurs grands événements ;
>> > - de ne pas supposer un legs permanent de surveillance vidéo
>> accrue et de
>> > mesures de sécurité plus sévères dans la région de
>> Vancouver/Whistler, et de
>> > tenir des débats publics sur toute tentative de créer un tel
>> héritage.>
>> > Nous espérons que ces recommandations contribueront à créer un
>> climat> olympique unique et positif par lequel Vancouver, la
>> Colombie-Britannique et
>> > le Canada seront reconnus pour avoir conçu et appliqué les
>> plus hautes
>> > normes éthiques en matière de sécurité et de surveillance.
>> >
>> >
>> > David.
>> >
>> > Dr David Murakami Wood
>> > Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Surveillance Studies | Associate
>> > Professor
>> > Surveillance Studies Centre | Department of Sociology |
>> Queen's University,
>> > Ontario
>> > e-mail: [log in to unmask] | blog: http://ubisurv.wordpress.com
>> >
>> > Managing Editor | Surveillance & Society |
>> > http://www.surveillance-and-society.org
>> >
>> > Trustee | Surveillance Studies Network |
>> > http://www.surveillance-studies.net
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cindy Gorn
>> Department of Geography
>> University of Washington
>> Smith 411
>> Box 353550
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>
> Dr David Murakami Wood
> Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Surveillance Studies | Associate Professor
> Surveillance Studies Centre | Department of Sociology | Queen's University,
> Ontario
> e-mail: [log in to unmask] | blog: http://ubisurv.wordpress.com
>
> Managing Editor | Surveillance & Society |
> http://www.surveillance-and-society.org
>
> Trustee | Surveillance Studies Network | http://www.surveillance-studies.net
>
>
|
