[governance] Internet Shutdown: An IGC Statement to the ISOC Cameroon Chapter?
Arsène Tungali
arsenebaguma at gmail.com
Wed Feb 1 10:26:30 EST 2017
Hi everyone,
Thanks Mawaki for your comments and explanation about the spirit behind the
letter.
Thanks Anriette and everyone who made a comment or approved it already.
As promised, we have few hours for us to close it and send it.
So, if you have an addition or a comment, please feel free to write to the
list.
Regards,
A
------------------------
**Arsène Tungali**
Co-Founder & Executive Director, *Rudi international
<http://www.rudiinternational.org>*,
CEO,* Smart Services Sarl <http://www.smart-serv.info>*, *Mabingwa Forum
<http://www.mabingwa-forum.com>*
Tel: +243 993810967
GPG: 523644A0
*Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo*
2015 Mandela Washington Felllow
<http://tungali.blogspot.com/2015/06/selected-for-2015-mandela-washington.html>
(YALI) - ISOC Ambassador (IGF Brazil
<http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/igf-ambassadors-programme/Past-Ambassadors>
& Mexico
<http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/Current-Ambassadors>)
- AFRISIG 2016 <http://afrisig.org/afrisig-2016/class-of-2016/> - Blogger
<http://tungali.blogspot.com> - ICANN Fellow (Los Angeles
<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-07-18-en> & Marrakech
<https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/marrakech55-attendees-2016-03-14-en>
). AFRINIC Fellow (Mauritius
<http://www.afrinic.net/en/library/news/1907-afrinic-25-fellowship-winners>)*
- *IGFSA Member <http://www.igfsa.org/> - The HuffingtonPost UK
<http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/liza-bel/drc_b_8958150.html>
2017-02-01 17:15 GMT+02:00 Anriette Esterhuysen <anriette at apc.org>:
> The letter looks very good to me. Apologies for missing the deadline.
>
> Anriette
>
>
> On 01/02/2017 11:18, Mawaki Chango wrote:
> > Dear Arsène et al.
> >
> > We deliberately decided to keep it short, on purpose. This should not be
> > approached as an input from IGC to a complex global policy issue, on the
> > world stage. (Not to mention that we did not want this to get into
> > endless debates as IGC is accustomed to.) Neither did we want it to take
> > a turn to, or us to be suspected of, lecturing. That's why we further
> > motivated the exercise, with a narrow focus, by recalling the specific
> > communication that prompted it.
> >
> > You can see from Javier's first response that even those precautions
> > prove not to be enough to warrant our declaration, in his view.
> > Apparently he would want us to withdraw altogether from, and keep quiet,
> > on the issue (if I'm being mistaken here on the implications of your
> > response, I stand to be corrected.)
> >
> > In the meantime, I personally think our above described precautions
> > should suffice. The statement doesn't get into the presumably complex
> > political and security issues that the government might be dealing with
> > on the ground. In the communication that prompted our statement, maybe
> > Janvier just got carried away in an attempt to avoid a wholesale
> > condemnation of his country in the global community of civil society.
> > But the email posted is there including terms and a rationale which are
> > unacceptable to us, and we needed to express our concern and register
> > our disapproval of such. We are not making claims as to how hard working
> > and committed ISOC Cameroon may or may not be toward facilitating
> > Internet access to all in Cameroon, in ordinary times.
> >
> > Mawaki
> >
> > On Feb 1, 2017 6:13 AM, "Arsène Tungali" <arsenebaguma at gmail.com
> > <mailto:arsenebaguma at gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> > Dear Norbert, Mawaki,
> >
> > Thank you for the draft as suggested. It is very short, i wonder if
> > anyone who was not part of these discussions or who will see it for
> > the first time on our website will be able to understand the
> > background. Just thinking outloud :)
> >
> > I leave it open to the community for comments, etc if applicable. I
> > suggest we close it by 11:pm UTC this Feb 1st.
> >
> > We will then post it on our website and send it to the appropriate
> > persons, to follow the process as agreed here.
> >
> > Meanwhile, i see Mr Janvier already responded (which is a good sign
> > imo) and i suggest we discuss his response once we have formally
> > sent this letter.
> >
> > Hope this is fine with you'all.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > A
> > -----------------
> > Arsène Tungali,
> > @arsenebaguma
> > +243 993810967 <tel:%2B243%20993810967>
> > GPG: 523644A0
> > Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone (excuse typos)
> >
> > > On Jan 31, 2017, at 9:32 PM, Norbert Bollow <nb at bollow.ch
> > <mailto:nb at bollow.ch>> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dear Arsène and all
> > >
> > > Please find our proposal at
> > >
> > >
> > https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQjEQ5UtR4D7f0HYeJsK0upPKnJTE
> yWULk-fUSajTd8/edit
> > <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQjEQ5UtR4D7f0HYeJsK0upPKnJTE
> yWULk-fUSajTd8/edit>
> > >
> > > I'm also including the text below.
> > >
> > > Greetings,
> > > Norbert
> > >
> > >
> > > -- draft starts --
> > > To the ISOC Cameroon Chapter
> > >
> > > Dear Colleagues
> > >
> > > The Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus (IGC,
> > http://igcaucus.org)
> > > is a global network of civil society actors who originally came
> > > together in the context of the World Summit on the Information
> Society
> > > (WSIS) to promote global public interest objectives in Internet
> > > governance policy making.
> > >
> > > We are firmly convinced that Internet shutdowns are not acceptable
> in
> > > regard to any region and not justifiable in any way, and that such
> > > shutdowns must be opposed vigorously.
> > >
> > > We would have expected everyone who associates themselves with
> ISOC to
> > > be committed to ISOC's principle stating that “The Internet is for
> > > Everyone”.
> > >
> > > For further elaboration of the important principle of /Internet
> access
> > > and affordability/ along with related rights and freedoms, we
> refer to
> > > the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms,
> > > http://africaninternetrights.org/articles/
> > <http://africaninternetrights.org/articles/> .
> > >
> > > In light of these principles and rights, we would like to
> respectfully
> > > urge the ISOC Cameroon Chapter to adopt a corresponding strong
> stance
> > > in regard to Internet shutdowns in some regions of the country,
> and to
> > > denounce and oppose such dreadful measures with all earnestness.
> > >
> > > The reason why we write to you in this matter is a posting to our
> > > mailing list on January 26, 2017, which was signed “ISOC Cameroon,
> > > President” and which expressed views that were not at all
> consistent
> > > with the above.
> > >
> > > Best regards
> > > Internet Governance Caucus (IGC)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Cc: ISOC’s regional contact for Africa, bekele at isoc.org
> > <mailto:bekele at isoc.org>
> > >
> > > -- draft ends --
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:54:30 +0200
> > > Arsène Tungali <arsenebaguma at gmail.com
> > <mailto:arsenebaguma at gmail.com>> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Dear Norbert,
> > >>
> > >> Thanks for Mawaki and yourself for willing to take on this task.
> I am
> > >> happy with the process as you suggest it (with the hope that
> everyone
> > >> is happy as well): writing to ISOC Cameroon with cc to ISOC
> Global.
> > >>
> > >> Please do send us the draft once finalized and we will allow at
> least
> > >> 24 hours for the IGC to comment before this can be sent. Please do
> > >> share it in a Google Drive (do not allow edit by anyone but just
> > >> allow people to make contributions in form of comments in the
> margins
> > >> of the doc).
> > >>
> > >> Regards,
> > >> A
> > >>
> > >> ------------------------
> > >> **Arsène Tungali**
> > >> Co-Founder & Executive Director, *Rudi international
> > >> <http://www.rudiinternational.org
> > <http://www.rudiinternational.org>>*,
> > >> CEO,* Smart Services Sarl <http://www.smart-serv.info>*,
> *Mabingwa
> > >> Forum <http://www.mabingwa-forum.com>*
> > >> Tel: +243 993810967 <tel:%2B243%20993810967>
> > >> GPG: 523644A0
> > >> *Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo*
> > >>
> > >> 2015 Mandela Washington Felllow
> > >>
> > <http://tungali.blogspot.com/2015/06/selected-for-2015-
> mandela-washington.html
> > <http://tungali.blogspot.com/2015/06/selected-for-2015-
> mandela-washington.html>>
> > >> (YALI) - ISOC Ambassador (IGF Brazil
> > >>
> > <http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-
> leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/igf-
> ambassadors-programme/Past-Ambassadors
> > <http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-
> leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/igf-
> ambassadors-programme/Past-Ambassadors>>
> > >> & Mexico
> > >>
> > <http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-
> leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/Current-Ambassadors
> > <http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-
> leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/Current-Ambassadors>>)
> > >> - AFRISIG 2016 <http://afrisig.org/afrisig-2016/class-of-2016/
> > <http://afrisig.org/afrisig-2016/class-of-2016/>> -
> > >> Blogger <http://tungali.blogspot.com> - ICANN Fellow (Los Angeles
> > >> <https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-07-18-en
> > <https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-07-18-en>> & Marrakech
> > >>
> > <https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/marrakech55-
> attendees-2016-03-14-en
> > <https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/marrakech55-
> attendees-2016-03-14-en>>
> > >> ). AFRINIC Fellow (Mauritius
> > >>
> > <http://www.afrinic.net/en/library/news/1907-afrinic-25-
> fellowship-winners
> > <http://www.afrinic.net/en/library/news/1907-afrinic-25-
> fellowship-winners>>)*
> > >> - *IGFSA Member <http://www.igfsa.org/> - The HuffingtonPost UK
> > >> <http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/liza-bel/drc_b_8958150.html
> > <http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/liza-bel/drc_b_8958150.html>>
> > >>
> > >> 2017-01-30 16:36 GMT+02:00 Norbert Bollow <nb at bollow.ch
> > <mailto:nb at bollow.ch>>:
> > >>
> > >>> Dear Arsène and all
> > >>>
> > >>> After a quick exchange with Mawaki, I'm happy to report that
> Mawaki
> > >>> and I are willing to work out a joint proposal.
> > >>>
> > >>> In regard to who the letter should be addressed to, Mawaki and I
> > >>> think that the statement should be addressed to ISOC Cameroon. At
> > >>> the most, we can cc ISOC Global for the record. As made clear in
> > >>> the communication excerpts forwarded by Arsène, ISOC Global is
> > >>> already taking action and Chapter office holders are volunteers
> who
> > >>> are not bound to the organization by a required line of conduct
> as
> > >>> would be expected from staff of ISOC Global. Therefore we cannot
> > >>> reasonably hold the global organization accountable for any
> Chapter
> > >>> official's position and put them in the position to be answerable
> > >>> about it -- which will appear as being the case if we address a
> > >>> letter to ISOC Global, -- especially when their response is
> already
> > >>> known.
> > >>>
> > >>> We think that the statement should be short and narrowly focused,
> > >>> and articulated on the basis of some basic principles which
> should
> > >>> be sufficiently self-evident to not need any in-depth debate in
> IGC.
> > >>>
> > >>> You may expect us to post proposed text shortly.
> > >>>
> > >>> Greetings,
> > >>> Norbert
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> On Mon, 30 Jan 2017 11:02:56 +0200
> > >>> Arsène Tungali <arsenebaguma at gmail.com
> > <mailto:arsenebaguma at gmail.com>> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>> Dear colleagues,
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Starting a new thread.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I would like to thank everyone for raising your concern about
> > >>>> what's going on in Cameroon which is just another country added
> > >>>> to the list of African countries that have experienced Internet
> > >>>> shutdown. I am from the DRC and we have experienced this more
> > >>>> than 3 times and I am in the best position to highly condem this
> > >>>> new form of oppression.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I would also like to thank everyone who have expressed their
> > >>>> concern over what Mr. Janvier had to say about the shutdown in
> > >>>> his country, where he volunteerly serve as ISOC Cameroon
> > >>>> President. I join you all and condemn his position on this,
> which
> > >>>> I can assure you, is his own position, not shared by his other
> > >>>> colleagues at theISOC Chapter. Proof is he reacted to his other
> > >>>> colleague who had a different view and who was making an appeal,
> > >>>> asking for more coverage and action regarding what's going on in
> > >>>> his country.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> For your information, ISOC has issued a statement
> > >>>>
> > <http://www.internetsociety.org/lets-keep-internet-
> everyone?utm_content=
> > <http://www.internetsociety.org/lets-keep-internet-
> everyone?utm_content=>
> > >>> bufferc442c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com
> > <http://twitter.com>&utm_campaign=buffer>
> > >>>> condemning the shutdown in Cameroon as well as in other
> countries.
> > >>>> This show that ISOC, as an organization, does not support
> > >>>> shutdowns but rather condem it firmly (as we all know).
> > >>>>
> > >>>> And, on a different mailing list, Mr. Nicolas Seidler
> > >>>>
> > <https://www.internetsociety.org/who-we-are/people/mr-
> nicolas-seidler <https://www.internetsociety.org/who-we-are/people/mr-
> nicolas-seidler>>,
> > >>>> who is Senior Policy Advisor for ISOC said the following:
> > >>>>
> > >>>> We felt it was time to formally express our long-standing
> > >>>> concerns on such measures, in the context of the Cameroon
> > >>>> situation and in view of others to come up in the future. We are
> > >>>> also supporting and giving visibility to efforts from Access and
> > >>>> members of the Keep it on campaign on our social media channels.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> And he reacted on Mr. Janvier's stance and ONLY had this to say:
> > >>>> Finally, we have an ISOC Chapter in Cameroon, as in many other
> > >>>> parts of the worlds. While not all members of Chapters share the
> > >>>> same view (a Chapter is made of local volunteers, not staff),
> > >>>> there are some who want to act and we’ll make sure to direct
> them
> > >>>> to Deji, Julie and others involved in the advocacy effort.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>> From the above, we understand that it was a personal point of
> > >>>>> view from Mr.
> > >>>> Janvier which, as most of our colleagues said here, is
> completely
> > >>>> wrong. I do personally believe that when a single person is
> > >>>> restricted access, this should be raised and condemned. In
> > >>>> Cameroon, we have 2 regions affected and this is terrible.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> *Now, coming back to the discussion on this list regarding a
> > >>>> statement, I would like to suggest the following:*
> > >>>> 1. We can issue a statement adressed to ISOC Global (to ISOC
> > >>>> Executive Director for example) condemning the public stance
> > >>>> taken by ISOC Cameroon President. May I suggest *Norbert and
> > >>>> Mawaki* to make an initial draft statement and share with us
> > >>>> within the next 48 hours (if at all possible)?
> > >>>>
> > >>>> 2. We then issue a more general statement condemning Internet
> > >>>> shutdown across the world as a civil society coalition because I
> > >>>> am sure this is the new form of opression that Gov are taking
> (as
> > >>>> said by Snowden). It will be very useful we use the expertise we
> > >>>> have here to draft this and circulate it widely in all networks
> > >>>> as a way to condemn the act but also to raise awareness about
> the
> > >>>> issue (which is still unfamiliar with those who are not actively
> > >>>> involved in these discussions or who have never experienced any
> > >>>> shutdown). *For this, I would like to ask request few volunteers
> > >>>> to make an initial draft statement as well?*
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Please do let me know what you think or if there is another
> > >>>> approach that we can all agree on and take action without
> > >>>> wassting more time. If you want to be part of the team of 3 to
> > >>>> draft the second statement, please do let us know on this list
> > >>>> within the next 48 hours.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Very best,
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Arsene, IGC Co-cooordinator
> > >
> > > ____________________________________________________________
> > > You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
> > > governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> > <mailto:governance at lists.igcaucus.org>
> > > To be removed from the list, visit:
> > > http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
> > <http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing>
> > >
> > > For all other list information and functions, see:
> > > http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> > <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
> > <http://translate.google.com/translate_t>
> >
> >
> > ____________________________________________________________
> > You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
> > governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> > <mailto:governance at lists.igcaucus.org>
> > To be removed from the list, visit:
> > http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
> > <http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing>
> >
> > For all other list information and functions, see:
> > http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> > <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
> > <http://translate.google.com/translate_t>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ____________________________________________________________
> > 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
> >
>
> --
> -----------------------------------------
> Anriette Esterhuysen
> Executive Director
> Association for Progressive Communications
> anriette at apc.org
> www.apc.org
> IM: ae_apc
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.igcaucus.org/pipermail/governance/attachments/20170201/db96f3b0/attachment.htm>
-------------- 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
More information about the Governance
mailing list