[governance] Why we are boycotting the IGF (by Yaman Akdeniz and Kerem Altiparmak)

Sun Aug 24 16:17:38 EDT 2014

Hi,

It think people boycotting the IGF will have a rich selection at the
Ungoverance Forum (which I pref to think of as an IGFringe - something
every IGF should have).  I also think there is real value in boycotts.
Especially when people not boycotting, work to make sure the message of
the boycotters is brought into the boycotted event.

For those of us not boycotting, we should find way to make sure the
message of the boycotters is heard inside the IGF.  I think visiting
locations that are engaged in Autocracy 2.0 makes sense for something
like the IGF, though best when there is an IGFringe and there is support
for the boycott's message inside the venue.  Locations still engaged in
Autocracy 1.0 and those that are dangerous for groups like women and
LGBTQI are best avoided.

avri

On 24-Aug-14 15:08, Barry Shein wrote:
> 
> Thank you Siva.
> 
> The one exception I would add would be a situation where a venue made
> certain potential attendees feel unsafe or unreasonably constrained.
> 
> For example there are venues where women would feel unsafe and at best
> confined to airport<->hotel more or less. Those should be considered
> unworkable venues. There are countries some can't travel to or only
> with great bureaucratic difficulty as another example. There are other
> analagous examples. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable traveling to
> Mogadishu for a conference at present, or Mosul, though I hope that
> will change one day.
> 
> As an act of protest, again, I think the press release has some merit
> in raising awareness of an issue. But the actual act of boycott itself
> is probably counter-productive. Perhaps a paradox, or just a
> problematic approach.
> 
> 
> From: Sivasubramanian M <isolatedn at gmail.com>
>> +1 Barry.
> 
> On Sun, Aug 24, 2014 at 4:14 AM, Barry Shein <bzs at world.std.com> wrote:
> 
>>
>> From: Chinmayi Arun <chinmayiarun at gmail.com>
>>> I just ran into this piece
>>> <
>> http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2014/08/boycotting-internet-governance-forum/
>>>
>>> by Yaman Akdeniz and Kerem Altiparmak. Civil society folks who will be at
>>> the IGF this year may find it interesting- it flags significant
>>> internet-related concerns in Turkey.
>>
>> Although I certainly understand the utility of making a statement vis
>> a vis such a boycott I have a different view.
>>
>> Personally I'd encourage an IGF in Pyongyang and everyone attend it.
>>
>> To boycott such an event is, other than the hope someone might notice
>> the press releases, nearly indistinguishable from being forbidden from
>> attending.
>>
>> Silence is silence.
>>
>> I suppose if a boycott mounted to the point that it crippled or even
>> cancelled the meeting that might attract some more attention to the
>> underlying issue at least among the I* community. It hasn't gone
>> unnoticed.
>>
>> But to my mind better to bring everyone together in the clear light of
>> day and confront these issues than to hope that one's non-appearance
>> will effect a statement.
>>
>> Notice, for example, some of the state pariahs who are welcomed to the
>> United Nations and even given a podium.
>>
>> It's not that I have a polyanna-ish hope in dialogue so much as a
>> pessimistic view of non-dialogue.
>>
>> --
>>         -Barry Shein
>>
>> The World              | bzs at TheWorld.com           |
>> http://www.TheWorld.com
>> Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 800-THE-WRLD        | Dial-Up: US, PR,
>> Canada
>> Software Tool & Die    | Public Access Internet     | SINCE 1989     *oo*
>>
>>
>> ____________________________________________________________
>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>>      governance at lists.igcaucus.org
>> To be removed from the list, visit:
>>      http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
>>
>> For all other list information and functions, see:
>>      http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
>> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
>>      http://www.igcaucus.org/
>>
>> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
>>
>>
> <div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:verdana,=
> sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">+1 Barry.</div></div><div class=
> =3D"gmail_extra"><br clear=3D"all"><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><a href=3D"https:/=
> /www.facebook.com/sivasubramanian.muthusamy" target=3D"_blank">Sivasubraman=
> ian M</a><br>
> <br></div></div>
> <br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sun, Aug 24, 2014 at 4:14 AM, Barry S=
> hein <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:bzs at world.std.com" target=3D"_=
> blank">bzs at world.std.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmai=
> l_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left=
> :1ex">
> <br>
> From: Chinmayi Arun <<a href=3D"mailto:chinmayiarun at gmail.com">chinmayia=
> run at gmail.com</a>><br>
> <div class=3D"">>I just ran into this piece<br>
> </div>><<a href=3D"http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2014/08/boycottin=
> g-internet-governance-forum/" target=3D"_blank">http://www.indexoncensorshi=
> p.org/2014/08/boycotting-internet-governance-forum/</a>><br>
> <div class=3D"">>by Yaman Akdeniz and Kerem Altiparmak. Civil society fo=
> lks who will be at<br>
> >the IGF this year may find it interesting- it flags significant<br>
> > internet-related concerns in Turkey.<br>
> <br>
> </div>Although I certainly understand the utility of making a statement vis=
> <br>
> a vis such a boycott I have a different view.<br>
> <br>
> Personally I'd encourage an IGF in Pyongyang and everyone attend it.<br=
>>
> <br>
> To boycott such an event is, other than the hope someone might notice<br>
> the press releases, nearly indistinguishable from being forbidden from<br>
> attending.<br>
> <br>
> Silence is silence.<br>
> <br>
> I suppose if a boycott mounted to the point that it crippled or even<br>
> cancelled the meeting that might attract some more attention to the<br>
> underlying issue at least among the I* community. It hasn't gone<br>
> unnoticed.<br>
> <br>
> But to my mind better to bring everyone together in the clear light of<br>
> day and confront these issues than to hope that one's non-appearance<br=
>>
> will effect a statement.<br>
> <br>
> Notice, for example, some of the state pariahs who are welcomed to the<br>
> United Nations and even given a podium.<br>
> <br>
> It's not that I have a polyanna-ish hope in dialogue so much as a<br>
> pessimistic view of non-dialogue.<br>
> <span class=3D"HOEnZb"><font color=3D"#888888"><br>
> --<br>
> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 -Barry Shein<br>
> <br>
> The World=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 | bzs at TheWorld.co=
> m=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0| <a href=3D"http://www.TheWorld.=
> com" target=3D"_blank">http://www.TheWorld.com</a><br>
> Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 800-THE-WRLD=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 | D=
> ial-Up: US, PR, Canada<br>
> Software Tool & Die=C2=A0 =C2=A0 | Public Access Internet=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
> =C2=A0| SINCE 1989=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0*oo*<br>
> <br>
> </font></span><br>_________________________________________________________=
> ___<br>
> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:<br>
> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"mailto:governance at lists.igcaucus.org">govern=
> ance at lists.igcaucus.org</a><br>
> To be removed from the list, visit:<br>
> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing" targe=
> t=3D"_blank">http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing</a><br>
> <br>
> For all other list information and functions, see:<br>
> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance" t=
> arget=3D"_blank">http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance</a><br>
> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:<br>
> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"http://www.igcaucus.org/" target=3D"_blank">=
> http://www.igcaucus.org/</a><br>
> <br>
> Translate this email: <a href=3D"http://translate.google.com/translate_t" t=
> arget=3D"_blank">http://translate.google.com/translate_t</a><br>
> <br></blockquote></div><br></div>
> 

-------------- next part --------------
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
To be removed from the list, visit:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing

For all other list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/

Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t