[governance] RE: [bestbits] Rousseff & Chehade: Brazil will host world event on Internet governance in 2014

Fri Oct 11 02:13:08 EDT 2013

I agree… Somethng clear and crips that supports Dilma now, as the forces of opposition begin to get organized and that establishes us as a collaborator with her/them in this important enterprise.

We can go into detail later if/when we have standing… But if we wait until later our likelihood of having signiificant standing is substantially diminished.

M

From: bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net [mailto:bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net] On Behalf Of parminder
Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 10:39 PM
To: bestbits at lists.bestbits.net; governance at lists.igcaucus.org
Subject: Re: [governance] RE: [bestbits] Rousseff & Chehade: Brazil will host world event on Internet governance in 2014

Since as argued below, in our judgement, time is strategically of essense, some of us would keep working on a posible text over today and try to present something to IGC and BB by the end of the day.... We do very much hope IGC and BB can sign on it by consensus, but it doesnt happen we would open it to organisations and people who want to sign it (sorry, this is a practice I normally do not like so much, but I dont think it is ok that we can produce a statement to critique a UN process is just no time, with all kind of ambiguous languages, and on such an important - potential game changer - initiative  from a developing country, a paralysis seems to be setting in)...

parminder 

On Friday 11 October 2013 11:02 AM, parminder wrote:

Well let then that be as it has to be... "There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune"... 

Leadership doesnt come searching for you, you have to seize it.... President Rousseff was made, what would have perhaps been, somewhat a regular kind of offer. She seized it with both her hands, even announced the like month etc.. That is what gave it such a sudden high prominence, and people are celebrating Rousseff, and somewhere, if it plays its cards well, Brazil have now got an edge.... which it can use to further its interest...

Civil society also is supposed to be representing some interests - real interests of real people, who are most marginalised, and we have to take our own responsibility seriously . We cannot be eternally paralysed, which hurts these interests. If there are real differences of views, well, that counts.... But a permanent simple wait-and-watch attitude would do us no good...

Lets analyse what we have here.... Or what risks we run and what gains we can make...  And others must also contribute what they think are risks or advantages.... merely saying we are not sure yet, tells talk more, do face to face and all,,,, Such stuff I think, just my own view, is not the appropriate response. 

ICANN, either on its own or tech community's behalf tries to cosy up to the Brazilians (perhaps in anticipation of the new proposal for democratising global IG that Rousseff said Brazil will soon present - BTW, the day of the annual discussion on WSIS and IG issues in the UN GA is 22nd Oct, but whatever...) . It proposes a real dialogue to see what needs to be changed about the global governance of the Internet. Rousseff immediately seizes the initiative, and even declares a possible timeline, just like that, off-hand.... That is leadership material. That is all that has happened, and that is all anyone knows has happened. There is nothing hidden that civil society may suddenly become complicit to if they support this proposal.

In supporting it, we would only be saying - 
(1) yes, we agree that 'a real dialogue' on what needs to change in global governance of the Internet should take place with some urgency, 
(2) such a dialogue should take place in an open and not  a hidden manner, 
(3) it is certainly encouraging that the initiative comes from one of the key developing nations - the main votaries of a 'real change' - and ICANN or the technical community - seen as the main symbol and defender of status quo,and that 
(4) we want civil society to be equally there in the middle of all action, as the dialogue shapes and takes place...

Nothing more and nothing less. (If anything sinister about the proposed meeting surfaces at any later time we can as publicly withdraw our support, saying this is  not at all what we bargained for)

So either people here agree to the above, and we can write a statement, or they dont... This is the time to do the statement, when people are still wondering what kind of initiative it really is, and with what implications. Throw in our hat - and well, kind of make this thing somewhat trilateral from its current bi-lateral status (Brazil - ICANN tech community) We may not succeed, but we must try. .... In a few weeks, the initiative would already be too solidified in fact, or in people's mind for civil society support to have this kind of impact....

Parminder 

On Friday 11 October 2013 05:56 AM, Ian Peter wrote:

I agree with Deborah – lets wait till a bit more information emerges. We can draft a letter which is more meaningful when we have a better idea of the scope, objectives, possible outcomes, likely attendees, and possible processes for the conference. It’s quite likely more information will emerge in the next week or so, therefore I think we should discuss at Bali and before then try to find out a little more.

Ian Peter

From: Deborah Brown <mailto:deborah at accessnow.org>  

Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 10:35 AM

To: Nnenna Nwakanma <mailto:nnenna75 at gmail.com>  

Cc: mailto:bestbits at lists.bestbits.net 

Subject: Re: [governance] RE: [bestbits] Rousseff & Chehade: Brazil will host world event on Internet governance in 2014

Dear all,  

I see the advantage of engaging early on this, but I'm a bit concerned that we are rushing unnecessarily to finalize a letter before many of us travel and are otherwise overstretched. I wonder if it might make more sense to continue this discussion online and take advantage of the in-person meetings in Bali, for those of us attending, to develop a CS agenda. Also, as others have pointed out, we know so little about the initiative at this point.

The draft text (available here: http://igcaucus.org:9001/p/Brazil2014) does not seem to capture the cautious optimism that a number of people have expressed. I also have concerns about providing our "strongest endorsement" of the Marco Civil process, when that process is not yet complete. Of course the text of the letter could change dramatically in just a few hours ;)

I find Nnenna's approach to be sound, but it does imply a follow on communication with more concrete proposals. I wonder if it might be more effective to streamline our communication to the Brazilian president and head of ICANN. 

To sum up, I see clear advantages to both "striking while the iron is hot" and a more cautious approach. But given the factors I mentioned above, I would support taking some extra time if we need it. In any case, I'm looking forward to hearing others' ideas and continuing the discussion around this important development. 

Best regards, 
Deborah 

On Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 3:41 PM, Nnenna Nwakanma <nnenna75 at gmail.com> wrote:

Dear all

1.	I do believe that if any support there is, from the civil society, it is support for an IDEA that "appears" more open and inclusive that the current IGF 
2.	So I am cautious about writing a letter that may be in any way understood as  "Civil Society lauds Dilma and ICANN's push". 
3.	A short letter informing that global Civil Society that are working on, concerned about and/or interested in IG and Internet issues  intend to play key roles in the summit. 
4.	I believe we should communicate key values we plan to pursue in the summit 
5.	Underline the central idea of multistakeholder participation 
6.	Say that we are beginnning discussions about the diverse roles that CS can play and that some time in Bali will be dedicated to the issue during the BB meeting in Bali.

If we recall, workshop 127 in Bali will be discussing the MS Selection processes, and I do hope, personally that we can use that opportunity to sharpen the focus.  A reminder of the WS is on http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/wks2013/workshop_2013_status_list_view.php?xpsltipq_je=127

I am traveling in unconnected rural areas but will be back online and I'm happy to contribute language if any text begins to surface.  In case I do not, here are my ideas:

1.	Say what exactly it is the global CS is supporting, which is the idea, and not the institutions 
2.	Make a clear statement on our willingness to engage 
3.	Recall that our engagement is based on the Multistakeholder principle 
4.	Inform that discussions have started and are ongoing 
5.	Say we will be coming up with ore concrete engagement proposals 
6.	Requesto have fundamental info, if available, to help us scope the idea itself.

Best

Nnenna

On Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 7:01 PM, Joana Varon <joana at varonferraz.com> wrote:

Dear people, 

For the level of information I have (which is basically: Brazil and ICANN have proposed to host a Summit on Internet after April - coincidentally or right after the meeting on Sharm el Sheik and before the presidential elections period), I don't feel comfortable about writing a letter congratulating for something I dont really know what it is. 

But I do truly support Anja's suggestion to start working on our agenda online and, with a potential to be much richer, during our several meetings in Bali. (what do we want from all this besides participating in the Summit??) 

In the meanwhile, I rather take breath to understand and discuss this with the Brazilian government and Brazilian colleagues from civil society or other sectors. And see what is the final draft of Marco Civil that the government will bring to our table very soon (if it truly endorses all the principles she has mentioned at the UNGA). 

I'm sorry if it's a bit of a skeptic or over cautious position, but I really need more inputs to see the big picture.  

All the best

joana

On Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 2:59 PM, michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com> wrote:

+1

M

-----Original Message-----
From: bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net
[mailto:bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net] On Behalf Of Carlos A. Afonso
Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 10:12 AM
To: McTim
Cc: governance at lists.igcaucus.org; michael gurstein; Lee W McKnight; Rafik
Dammak; Joana Varon; &lt,bestbits at lists.bestbits.net&gt,; NCSG List
Subject: Re: [governance] RE: [bestbits] Rousseff & Chehade: Brazil will
host world event on Internet governance in 2014

Dear compa McT,

You being a rigorous techie, maybe you will not change your logical view...
:) And I understand there is a lot of people in all sectors who feel
disturbed by the emerging presence of Brazil and its concrete proposals to
finally move on.

At the very beginning Fadi describes the motivation -- Rousseff's statement
at the UN, her clear adherence to the basic principles most of civil society
defends (which she has repeated several times in her radio program and her
twitter @dilmabr), and her proposal to build a planetary framework of
rights. This did not come out of the blue, from a meeting of IP addressers
in a wonderful city called Montevideo. Do you think Fadi just dropped by the
presidential door in Brasilia, knocked and entered to sell that proposal? :)

Anyway, it is relevant to understand that this is not a proposal for yet
another Icann meeting, or a reedition of the UN chatting space called IGF,
as both Dilma and Fadi made it very clear. It is a major achievement that
that motivation brought Icann to colead this effort jointly with BR.

All the more so because, as you know, there are strong sectors within the
government who would love to bring the root-zone to the purview of the ITU,
who hate Icann, who do not like the pluriparticipative model of governance
we defend, and who are basically associated with the transnational telecom
oligopoly which controls the main networks in BR.
Dilma is courageously up against a huge wall here, to defend those
principles, and receiving Fadi and emerging from the meeting with thar
proposal was a major political milestone for her in those internal disputes
as well.

[] fraterno

--c.a.

On 10/10/2013 10:14 AM, McTim wrote:
> At 55 seconds in, Fadi says:
> "Her Excellency President Rousseff has accepted our invitation that we
> hold next year a Global Summit"
>
> Seem fairly clear to me.
>
> On Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 9:10 AM, Carlos A. Afonso <ca at cafonso.ca> wrote:
>> McT, maybe you should watch the video a few times more... :)
>>
>> --c.a.
>>
>> On 10/10/2013 09:57 AM, McTim wrote:
>>> On Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 11:50 PM, michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com>
wrote:
>>>> Why so pessimistic and cynical everyone.. I may be wrong but this
>>>> isn't just about ICANN, although hats off to Fadi for getting this

>>>> going and putting that into play.

>>>
>>>
>>> I'm not pessimistic or cynical.
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> But I would be extremely surprised if the Pres. of Brazil is going
>>>> to invite the world to Rio in April next year to discuss names and
>>>> numbers. Rather my reading is that she is by-passing the quite
>>>> evident log-jam at the ITU, the frivolities of the IGF, the now
>>>> discredited "Internet Freedom" crusade and the status quo which it

>>>> was intended to cast into concrete errr. (non) rules and regs.

>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> It appears to me, after watching the video again several times that
>>> it is ICANN (and I assume the rest of the Montevideoans) that are
>>> spearheading this.  In other words the idea of the Summit comes from
>>> the T&A folks, not Brasilia.
>>>
>>>
>
>
>

-- 
-- 

Joana Varon Ferraz
@joana_varon
PGP 0x016B8E73

-- 

Deborah Brown

Senior Policy Analyst

Access | accessnow.org

rightscon.org

@deblebrown

PGP 0x5EB4727D

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