AW: [governance] Thank you to Parminder

Mon Dec 22 13:20:39 EST 2008

Being back from the hospital after a knee surgery and crawling through my e-mails I can only join Jeanettes comment in thanking Parminder for his energy and creativity. As Jeanette has pointed out, the simple fact that CIR is now a fully accepted subject of discussion for the IGF, goes also back to Parminders never ending critical questions with regard to EC & CIR. 

When I saw Parminder next to Richard Baeird from the US State Department at the IGF Hyderabad Plenary I was asking myself whether we could have imagined in PrepCom1 in 2002 - when we were knocking at closed doors in the GICC - that governmental officials and  CS reps will sit as equals on a high level podium of the world largest and most representative Internet Governance meeting? Certainly - Parminder himself would argue - this is not yet real politics, this is also a little bit "just for the show". Real politics is made - like in 2002 - behind closed doors. This is true. But we have now an additional layer to raise our voice and we have much more supporters - also among governments - than in 2002. 

I also remember when Sammssekou promised in September 2003 that CS input will have impact. When we confronted him during PrepCom3+ with the draft declaration, where non of our 96 proposals were reflected and called this "governmental ignorance" we pushed the summit into a hectic phase which led to the elovbarqation of the CS Geneva Declaration. CS input had only little impact in the governmental documents of 2003. It was more in 2005 (after WGIG). Today it is still too less, but more than 2003 and 2005. 

Thank you Parminder for your input which had impact indeed. 

Wolfgang

________________________________

Von: Jeanette Hofmann [mailto:jeanette at wzb.eu]
Gesendet: Do 18.12.2008 18:05
An: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Willie Currie
Betreff: Re: [governance] Thank you to Parminder

Hi everyone,

thank you, Willi, for this detailed and fair appraisal of Parminder's
role as coordinator, particularly during the time when is was acting
practically on his own. I also agree with what you say about Parminder's
role in pushing 'enhanced cooperation' onto the agenda. I heard several
people saying that they are not longer suspicious about addressing this
topic in the context of the IGF. It is unlikely that we would have
achieved this without Parminder's persistence.
Being one of those who frequently disagree with Parminder, I am still
grateful that he devoted so much time to the Caucus and I hope he won't
give up on it.

jeanette

Willie Currie wrote:
> I'd also like to thank Parminder for his commitment and hard work as IGC
> coordinator.
>
> Parminder has played an important role for the IGC during a difficult
> period of adjustment to a post-WSIS global policy space in internet
> governance, when a sustained attempt to deflect attention from the need
> for global public policy principles for managing critical internet
> resources was underway as a backlash to the gains made in the WSIS. It
> is largely to Parminder's credit that the issue of 'enhanced
> cooperation' could be discussed in Hyderabad without the sky falling
> down. Indeed a little more attention to public policy principles at an
> earlier stage may have helped the IPv4/6 transition as the IGF open
> policy dialogue on the matter demonstrated. Like the banking system, I
> think we have been witnessing the limits of the claims for technical
> expertise in the absence of suitable policy and regulation in the public
> interest in this area.  And no one had an adequate answer to Jeanette's
> question as to who is in charge? Parminder suffered unjustifable attack
> while coordinator of the IGC when he did raise questions of public
> policy. And I think the shambles around the IPv4/6 transition vindicates
> his concerns for public policy frameworks in internet governance.
>
> There was a long stretch in which Parminder was virtually carrying the
> IGC coordination alone. I would like to commend his work for the IGC as
> beyond the call of duty and while many may have disgreed with his
> arguments, Parminder nevertheless ensured that there was considerable
> engagement on the list during his watch.
>
> All the best, Parminder!
>
> Willie
>
>
> Peter wrote:
>>
>> Everyone,
>>
>> 
>>
>> In a few days we will have a new Co-coordinator to congratulate.
>> Please don't forget to vote!
>>
>> 
>>
>> All of which means that this is the last few days of Parminder's term
>> as Co-coordinator.
>>
>> 
>>
>> I have had the please of working with Parminder in this role over the
>> last six months, and in working closely with him over this period got
>> to appreciate what a splendid job he has done for our Caucus.
>>
>> 
>>
>> Parminder has had a huge commitment to openness and transparency. He
>> had worked very hard to help the Caucus to adopt consensual positions
>> on policy matters. He has shown a great policy mind, a firm commitment
>> to civil society and its advancement, and a lot of strength in dealing
>> with difficult issues.
>>
>> 
>>
>> I said a few words along these lines in Hyderabad for those who were
>> present, but I do want to mark this milestone by thanking Parminder
>> for his commitment to IGC. I am glad he is remaining involved and look
>> forward to working with him in the future.
>>
>> 
>>
>> All the best, Parminder, and thank you very much!
>>
>> 
>>
>> 
>>
>> 
>>
>> Ian Peter
>>
>> PO Box 429
>>
>> Bangalow NSW 2479
>>
>> Australia
>>
>> Tel (+614) 1966 7772 or (+612) 6687 0773
>>
>> www.ianpeter.com
>>
>> 
>>
>> 
>>
>
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.cpsr.org
To be removed from the list, send any message to:
     governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org

For all list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance

____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.cpsr.org
To be removed from the list, send any message to:
     governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org

For all list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance