Comments on: Interview with Arvind Kejriwal: No democracy without right to information http://groundviews.org/2010/03/08/interview-with-arvind-kejriwal-no-democracy-without-right-to-information/ Groundviews is an award winning Sri Lankan citizen journalism initiative Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:35:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Groundtruth http://groundviews.org/2010/03/08/interview-with-arvind-kejriwal-no-democracy-without-right-to-information/#comment-15503 Groundtruth Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:38:53 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2802#comment-15503 Quite inspirational thinking behind RTIA. But as pointed out it also needs real democracy, rule of law and justice to make it work for the citizen it to be effective. In their absence it is a no-brainer. Quite inspirational thinking behind RTIA. But as pointed out it also needs real democracy, rule of law and justice to make it work for the citizen it to be effective. In their absence it is a no-brainer.

]]> By: Groundviews http://groundviews.org/2010/03/08/interview-with-arvind-kejriwal-no-democracy-without-right-to-information/#comment-15469 Groundviews Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:59:37 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2802#comment-15469 In India, deadly backlash against freedom of information activists - http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0310/In-India-deadly-backlash-against-freedom-of-information-activists In India, deadly backlash against freedom of information activists – http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0310/In-India-deadly-backlash-against-freedom-of-information-activists

]]> By: Lankan Thinker http://groundviews.org/2010/03/08/interview-with-arvind-kejriwal-no-democracy-without-right-to-information/#comment-15458 Lankan Thinker Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:27:18 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2802#comment-15458 The following article in the Christian Science Monitor gives a preview of what is likely to happen in Sri Lanka if an RTI act is implemented without also giving attention to the de-politicisation of the police force. <i>In India, deadly backlash against freedom of information activists Activists in India have been hospitalized or even killed as they tap the 2005 freedom of information act to expose government corruption - <a href="http://bit.ly/aFV4XE" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/aFV4XE</a> - (http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0310/In-India-deadly-backlash-against-freedom-of-information-activists)</i> Any law aimed at making those in government accountable for their actions also needs to ensure that politicians and civil servants are not above the law! The following article in the Christian Science Monitor gives a preview of what is likely to happen in Sri Lanka if an RTI act is implemented without also giving attention to the de-politicisation of the police force.

In India, deadly backlash against freedom of information activists
Activists in India have been hospitalized or even killed as they tap the 2005 freedom of information act to expose government corruption – http://bit.ly/aFV4XE – (http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0310/In-India-deadly-backlash-against-freedom-of-information-activists)

Any law aimed at making those in government accountable for their actions also needs to ensure that politicians and civil servants are not above the law!

]]> By: NoEalamInSL http://groundviews.org/2010/03/08/interview-with-arvind-kejriwal-no-democracy-without-right-to-information/#comment-15406 NoEalamInSL Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:27:23 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2802#comment-15406 Timely topic, excellent information exposed by Mr Arvind to people and politicians on right to information. Useful info for people to eradicate beaurcracy & bribery. How do you exercise your vote? How people know to whom they have to vote during an election without knowing what they have done, what they do, what they will do? Transparency of governance protected by right to information. Great! Politicians are Servants of people? In Sri Lanka, other way around. People are servents of politicians. People have to jump out of roads in to drains when politcos are on the road with highspeed security escort!! Many people died. When people vist local authorities, ministeries and parliament they hardly look at your face, but during elections they come to peoples doorstep begging votes. Democracy can not exist without right to information! Fine civil servants Rs 250 in Sri Lanka too, if documents get delay. Timely topic, excellent information exposed by Mr Arvind to people and politicians on right to information. Useful info for people to eradicate beaurcracy & bribery.

How do you exercise your vote? How people know to whom they have to vote during an election without knowing what they have done, what they do, what they will do? Transparency of governance protected by right to information. Great!

Politicians are Servants of people? In Sri Lanka, other way around. People are servents of politicians. People have to jump out of roads in to drains when politcos are on the road with highspeed security escort!! Many people died. When people vist local authorities, ministeries and parliament they hardly look at your face, but during elections they come to peoples doorstep begging votes.

Democracy can not exist without right to information!

Fine civil servants Rs 250 in Sri Lanka too, if documents get delay.

]]> By: praveen sakhuja http://groundviews.org/2010/03/08/interview-with-arvind-kejriwal-no-democracy-without-right-to-information/#comment-15397 praveen sakhuja Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:14:24 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2802#comment-15397 Efforts initiated and being inititaed by Shri Arvind are commendable. Revision or amendments in RTIA will crush the very motive of the Act which has created bit terror iif not fully n the minds of those who adopt illegal means to satisfy their ego and wishes. Amendments if initiated should be be part more power to citizens than to machinery implementingthe system. Efforts initiated and being inititaed by Shri Arvind are commendable. Revision or amendments in RTIA will crush the very motive of the Act which has created bit terror iif not fully n the minds of those who adopt illegal means to satisfy their ego and wishes. Amendments if initiated should be be part more power to citizens than to machinery implementingthe system.

]]> By: Lankan Thinker http://groundviews.org/2010/03/08/interview-with-arvind-kejriwal-no-democracy-without-right-to-information/#comment-15383 Lankan Thinker Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:15:44 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2802#comment-15383 I agree that the high-level description of the draft information act in the Sunday Times doesn't inspire any confidence that any resulting law will be effective. I also note that the Justice Ministry have not chosen to make the draft of this act available on their website. It is also hard to see how this law will work in practice since it seems the independent agency responsible for its oversight, the Freedom of Information Commission, depends on the establishment of the Constitutional Council - which the current government have shown no interest in doing! Arvind Kejriwal's interview highlights the wonderful societal benefits that accrue from a Right to Information act. However, he also raises the crucial point that this can only happen if the is a overwhelming demand for it from all sections of society. I wonder if this is the case in Sri Lanka? I agree that the high-level description of the draft information act in the Sunday Times doesn’t inspire any confidence that any resulting law will be effective. I also note that the Justice Ministry have not chosen to make the draft of this act available on their website.

It is also hard to see how this law will work in practice since it seems the independent agency responsible for its oversight, the Freedom of Information Commission, depends on the establishment of the Constitutional Council – which the current government have shown no interest in doing!

Arvind Kejriwal’s interview highlights the wonderful societal benefits that accrue from a Right to Information act. However, he also raises the crucial point that this can only happen if the is a overwhelming demand for it from all sections of society. I wonder if this is the case in Sri Lanka?

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