This was posted on the IMCP site. I think the writer hits the issues right on.
Please refer to jerusalem.indymedia.org/news/2002/08/69483.php

Strategy change seems strange
by us imc volunteer * Friday August 30, 2002 at 10:55 AM

(To see the list of IMC editorial boards: lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/)
This new strategy is becoming very worrisome.

When did you reach consensus on this?

Please post the meeting minutes.


IMC
Principles of Unity
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.

IMC MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA - DRAFT Each IMC and Global Working Group is expected to:
a. Agree in spirit to the NIMC Mission Statement and Principles of Unity,

PIMC
3. The member should support the civil society from the Marxist prospective
4.The member should be against the Oslo Agreement and any others which are contradicting the national legitimate/natural rights / social/ economical / of the Palestinian society rights.

These membership requirements seem VERY problematic.
IMC
c. Have open and public meetings (no one group can have exclusionary "ownership" of an IMC), All IMC's consider open exchange of and open access to information a
prerequisite to the building of a more free and just society. 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

PIMC
The official spoke persons:
Those should be independent in their positions and in very strong way and
affected by the others . This reflects the Palestinian society in very critic and accurate way and can not be changed or played with.

Spokespersons are representatives to the global collective, not "official" who
can not be changed or played with.
IMC
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,

PIMC
There should be some qualifications to our editing grp
1.Leading the web according to our policy membership
2. The ability to write, to criticize, following up in general of what is happing on the ground and giving positions accordingly.
3. The imc collective group should be their reference ,But not to forget, to give the freedom in some cases . As the daily report is not a duty on us and not a main item .This returns on us ,and on our time since we do not have a location yet.

having an editorial group that gives positions seems a little dangerous and they are NOT to have freedom and only use the collective as a reference.
IMC
e. Establish and publish an editorial policy which is developed and functions through democratic process, and with full transparency,


(From a letter by the new "official" spokesperson

i think heather is the only person whom dosnt agree,
dosnt matter we care about imc group desicio not for heather view

To say you don't care is very worrisome. And there is apparently more than one
person who doesn't agree
IMC
g. Adopt a decision-making policy that is in alignment with consensus principles which include open, transparent and egalitarian processes,

I will be following this closely.

I am curious, when did this strategy change get consensus?

Please post the meeting minutes for this consensus


Quoting Bilal Salameh

oh attacking people it is easy :
first : it is imc palestine to people and me and lubna represent proposal for the strategy of imc palestine which all the group in the finnal signed on his agree " we have the paper and the signiturure of imc member >
second : it is not pflp site coz lobna is cominist party , islam " liftis islamic party , hamdan and nader is fateh ......................... moatasem is elso fateh
the agreement or the strategy that signed by all is to pevent the invasion the organization or people to controling in us , so we have fattah we have pflp we have populal party .... liftis Islamic
if it pflp why the people that not pflp member of imc palestine poor descusion that you suggest to atack go back to imc strategy of imc palestine for one year freedom


calluna wrote:Again, It is excellant that you wish to start your own organisation, but as we can see from the 'strategy' posted on the main page of the IMCP what you are working towards is something very different than an IMC.

As for lying, you need to be more clear on this because I do not believe that I have lied in any way.

The IMCP group that has reformed is open to any who would like to attend the meetings and many past members of IMCP are there as a direct result of the oppression in what is know as the current IMCP group specifically because of the membership criteria and the dictator like attitude of its current 'director'.

Again I am requesting that the IMCP site be frozen because there has not been a 'group' working on it. The goals and information posted have been done by one person only without any group process or any semblance of consensus. The space that has been taken in Dehaishe is not only competely ridiculous as a potential IMC space it is a conflict of interest because it was rented from a family member. There are so many problems here and so much information that is being kept hidden that it will take ages to work them out.

This is not a personal anger laced issue unless you count the six months worth of work that I contributed. As to that I am very frustrated that the IMCP has been co-opted and changed into something very different from how it started out and that is certainly reflected in the site and from the international reports.

Calluna


Quoting Bilal Salameh :

salamat :

there is no understanding or personal issues that heather gight to acheif it for that you lie many time and excuse people that they are lieing ;
many many many time we discuss the finnancail issue and we send all the money paper to all the group and to the list , if you want bills you can take it if you ask , the bills that the person who own the office that we want to rent .
"14000 NIS , 2000 nis to work material , 400 nis to fix computure , we own 1500nis for internet use , and for transportation 82 coordinating with panorama center ,,,,,,,
the palce that imcpl rent is group desicion not min , bleciero was in that meeting after two days two if imc pal make an argument about the place , we stoped "if it wrong bleciro you can clarify " after we make the meeting all all alll the group agree ( i think heather is the only person whom dosnt agree,
dosnt matter we care about imc group desicio not for heather view ) and if there is respect the group descion why heather make meeting in jadal
or
aic what ever , without invit or make group descion .
to make new group without go to member it is roud and bad way to traid (maybe farid or nassar told you to do that ) i surprise , but i think there is personal interest which push heather to do that
to stop imc page : it is not your descion heather it is nassar descion , he threaten me to do that if i refuse to go to beet sahour "befor two week " for that i refuse to go to meet him another time when he call me . i told him it is imc palestine descion not min ,so it seems to me you that you work in the same side " it is mean destroyed or stop imc site .oh it is easy to you but
to
the imc pal gruop not , coz they work hard to doit the site important thing : we volunteer in many places many year , in this time we want
to volunteer for somthing that we organize it , for that wqe want to work as independent and start alone and agchief somthing alone ./ this our idea that
we work
hope evrybody understand us
freedom

calluna wrote:(I sent this out very quickly to the process list. Soph - Could you forword it to any you feel need it as well. I will send it to Hamdan and Bilal and hope it is given to the group.)

Hello there,

Unfortunatly the situation with IMC Palestine has come to a dramatic head and until it can be resolved I am asking for the IMCP page to be frozen.

Currently there are several issues that need outside intervention to be resolved.

1. Financial

Money from the IMCP bank account was used to buy a space. The space is inappropriate and the decision was taken by one member who received the money.

Other funds and equipment have also not been accounted for and prior financial

aggreements, specifically bills to our old space have been reneged on.


2. Membership

As can be seen on the main page of the IMCP site the strategy laid out
clearly defines that an IMCP member must be a Marxist. I attended the meeting where this was laid out and it was clearly said that members must be affiliated with the PFLP (local political organisation) and that they must be approved by a specific member, Bilal S. A woman from IMC Madrid was also there for confirmation.

A SF IMC member has been working here for a few months and, like myself, witnessed people being turned away from meetings, specifically women.

Individuals that have been with this project since the start have been voicing protest and have been threatened with physical harm by Bilal, including myself and a handicapped volunteer who is happy to discuss the situation with those who are interested (English and Arabic only).

This is NOT an IMC and it is a disgrace to Indymedia and its Principles of Unity. Currently there is a group that has formed organically of people from the old group and new members from all over the Bethlehem district. They wish to proceed with the IMC project but are trying to establish their policies concretely. It is the general feeling in the community that Bilal would like to start some kind of seperate political organisation. This is perfectly acceptable but in doing so he is using his administrative power to sabatoge the IMC Palestine.

This is a very serious issue and must be dealt with as soon as possible. On the ground IMC people who have worked with IMCP include Blicero (Italy), Marga (Spain), Timo (Chiapas) and Soph (Chicago).

Thank you,

(To see the list of IMC editorial boards: lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/)