Feedback:
Alternative media at WSF in Mali
- most reporting in french as Mali former french colonie, also organisational and network wise,
- french language domination common as experienced it already in Senegal.
- WSF 2006 in 3 different locations, Karachi (Pakistan), Mali (Afrika), Caracas (Venezuela)
- 3 different locations worked out really well for involving more African pple, more locals and more broader discussion and representations,
- lots of french NGOs and french organisations
- not enough translation into english
- G8 talk of taking care of Africa, but we need more contact in Africa, and lots more knowledge about struggles in Africa,
- independent media perspective: rushed, not much preperation
- link of french people on the ground and english speaking africa imc collective difficult, need help from french IMCs
- practically over 5 days at WSF: strong focus on migration issues,
- Mali: grassroot activity is a luxury, so local journalists, also funding and NGOs issue, indymedia is working differently,
- in comparison to Africa: Latin America much more activism, ideological thinking on higher level,
- Islam primary religion,
- Indymedia: volunteer pool of translators
- spontaneous demonstration against french embassy deporting refugees back into Africa
- class issue of activism (western activists with laptops, African with paper)
- establishment of IMCs in Africa: how much is growing out and how much is parachuted in? What is the role of IMC?
- approach: technological inequality,
- next year's WSF in Kenia, Nairobi (english speaking)
- to set up IMC good connections of activists here and african pple necessary
- practicalities of local or non-local server space
- how did the local police react? Mali is quite open, fairly open press, but limit to freedom of speech,
- Project: IMC in Africa: looking forward to Nairobi,