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Dear Kamran Mir Hazar,
I am in receipt of your mail of 24th April in response to my previous
communication. I note that you were established only two years ago,
which may explain your insensitivity to what I am trying to explain.
You force me to make myself quite clear on these matters of name and
identity. Your self-proclaimed new organisation cannot be allowed to
infringe on our right, established since 1921, to the name of
International PEN Club, or words associating to this name in whatsoever
combination.
International PEN, the World Association of Writers, is in Formal
Consultative Relations with UNESCO, and is the only organisation
representing the field of literature at UNESCO. We are also members of
WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization, which deals with the
intellectual rights of writers, including copyright and the right to be
correctly named as originator or author to one's own works. Furthermore,
as the long-standing and respected international world association of
writers, we have Special Consultative Status with the Economic and
Social Council of the United Nations.
It is quite clear to me that in your website at least you are
consciously using International PEN’s name and activities – known and
admired world-wide – as your own. Why otherwise have you chosen to
attach the words ‘International pen Afghanistan Centre’ to your own
‘RAHA, THE INDEPENDENT WRITERS’ HOME’?
And why otherwise do you include, as if it were a part of RAHA, a
description of International PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee and its
work, written by Karin Clark, Vice President of the German PEN Centre,
together with her report on the occasion of the Frankfurt Bookfair in
2002? Why otherwise does this page appear above RAHA’s copyright line,
when copyright in the text does not belong to you? Where is any
reference to the fact that the Writers in Prison Committee of
International PEN has no connection with RAHA? Why have we not received
any communications from you requesting permission to use PEN’s name and
material or asking whether International PEN would agree to establish a
link between our websites?
I believe your members have the right to be fully informed of what is at
stake for them. Should there be a continued infringement of our name and
unauthorised use of PEN material, this will be duly reported to UNESCO
and the Permanent Representatives of all Governments of UNESCO member
states. We would also alert our 136 Centres in 94 countries of any
attempt to usurp our name and reputation. This could seriously affect
those things your members might be interested in: public support,
international travel, the availability of international platforms for
seminars and congresses, as well as individual invitations and readings.
You would be misleading your own members, possibly risking any
international ambition they may have, if you ascribe to them membership
of a PEN Club or PEN Centre without the proper authorisation of
International PEN, London.
This has nothing to do with your ambitions as writers or as people
wishing to work for the common good. You may just not call yourselves an
international PEN club, or PEN Centre, or imply that you are anything to
do with International PEN. I ask you to immediately communicate this
message fully and fairly to all your members. I also request you to
change your website within seven days from receiving this letter. May I
also repeat that any individual writer in Iran or any other country
could, following due process, be welcome to apply for membership with
any of the Member Centres of International PEN, London.
Yours sincerely
Terry Carlbom
International Secretary
International PEN
9/10 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road,
London EC1M 7AT, United Kingdom
tel: + 44 (0)20 7253 4308 fax: + 44 (0)20 7253 5711
e.mail: intpen@dircon.co.uk website: www.internatpen.org
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