Welcome to BASE21

Nov. 20, 2001

An Asian Internet Rights Conference was held recently at the Chung-Ang University in Seoul South Korea. Gathered at the conference were academics, technical experts and activists. The Conference aimed to discuss the relationship between developments in technology and communications and social movements di Asia.

The frigid weather of the capital could not deter heated debates about the Internet which erupted even on the first day. For example, the conference was witness to a sharp exchange over the issue of the hegemony of the English language which ended without any conclusion.

It has been a general knowledge the Internet technology represents a revolution in the way people communicate. The borders that seperate countries are no longer a hinderance to communication. And with the birth of the internet an opportunity for the dissemination of information to become more democratic in its nature. Apart from technology, languages are the all-important tools for commnication. In this regard the English language has become a dominant tool of communication. This has raised several conflicts with regard to the democratisation of the realm of cyberspace.

According to Toshimaru Ogura from JCANET, a progressive Japanese NGO the Internet can be a site to promote a global democratisation process.

밒n the globalization age now. I think that the language isue is very important. Because english language is a dominant language in a worldwide for communicate internationally. On the other hand most of the people cannot understand english language. So actually that are many people are excluded from decision making in the globalization. This is very undemocratic institution in the globalization. I think the internet is very useful tools for the global democracy from below.?

However Toshimaru doesn뭪 agree with returning to an identitarian or nationalist resolution of the problem. This is because the coercive national language policy will marginalise minoriti languages.

밡ot for national language, Not one language, but more more plural, more diversity language policy. It is very idealistic. But we try
to establish desirable language circumstances.?

As for Sanjiv Pendita of the Hong Kong-based workers rights organisation - Asian Monitor Resource Center - everyone has a right to express their opinion on this issue.

밯e have this misconception because we have may to think from our begining that English is the way you can do it. We haven뭪 yet explore the other alternatives. So I basically think that Internet should be full of all languages all possible languages. Representing different social opinion, different social and different cultures to make it really a multi-culture things. Because the world is moving towards multi-culturalism. And we do not to impose mono-culture in the net also.?

Arun Mehta, an communications technology expert from India and activist with the Society for Telecom Empowerment, has a differrent take of this issue. According to Mehta there is no reason why indidviduals shouldn뭪 speak more than one language. And while English is the language of a former colonial power its become a necessity for him to learn the language.

밒 think that the dominant language on the internet is English and will remain English for the forseeble future. So I don뭪 see how one can change that. I also think that it is very important that there it be a common language. I really don뭪 care which but it should be language that people of the world can speak.?

There was a suggestion that an translation machine or software ought to be invented. However, Mehta doesn뭪 believe that this will solve the problem.

밠y answer really than is just one word. Education. I뭢 a very strong believer of an education. and I think the people can learn languages. And I think the more people communicate in a language the more they learn it. So the way to reduce the gap is to communicate them.?

The language issue is actually quite complexs. The question of colonial history and neo-colonialism though globalisation has sharpened the conflict on the question of the hegemony of English. A resolution is far from easy. And in addition it has to go beyond rhetoric. But its man뭩 condition to continually search for answers for the millions of questions that arise in life. No one can provide the final answer.