[governance] Proposal for IGC to formally respond to "Please Cameroon did not shut down the Internet !!!"

Mawaki Chango kichango at gmail.com
Sun Jan 29 17:48:34 EST 2017


+1 to this proposal for a statement by IGC. Thanks

mC


On Jan 29, 2017 10:43 PM, "Norbert Bollow" <nb at bollow.ch> wrote:

(Cc list trimmed)

Being fully in agreement with the points that have been made very
eloquently in regard to this issue by multiple people including
Milton and Mawaki, and being apalled by the stance which the current
president of ISOC Cameroon Chapter seems to have taken, I wonder whether
it might make sense for IGC to issue a statement in the form of a
letter to the ISOC Cameroon Chapter, in which we would urge the ISOC
Cameroon Chapter to adopt a clear stance that regional Internet
shutdowns are not acceptable in regard to any region and not justifiable
in any way.

Greetings,
Norbert


On Sun, 29 Jan 2017 17:57:51 +0000
Mawaki Chango <kichango at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks all trying to report out of Cameroon.
>
> Like others, I was struck by the implications from Janvier's
> reporting, or rather his attempt at a "mise au point" which
> completely missed the mark, I'm sorry.
>
> Government is blocking Internet access only in 2 regions out of 8, so
> the situation is not that bad as the whole Cameroon being shutdown
> and we should chill?
>
> Oh, and money remittance operations to those 2 regions are also
> suspended, but not a big deal really?
>
> And you say that's done by the government for the sake of the whole
> population in those 2 regions? How's that? We just need to swallow
> that assertion made by you or the government and keep moving, nothing
> to see here?
>
> Interesting enough, the other 6 regions don't need that security and
> safety which is supposed to be found in shutting down the Internet
> (do you really think if there was a real terrorism threat from a
> section of the population accessing the Internet, that threat will go
> away by maintaining access only for their neighbors?) It's all in the
> (government)  motivation, isn't it? If one cannot question the actual
> government's motivation in taking such extreme measures then it's
> going to be hard to come to a consensus on lasting peaceful solutions.
>
> I myself was born francophone and still a national of the same African
> francophone country of birth, and I can relate to that notion of
> "pleins pouvoirs"-- not to say  "pouvoir absolu"-- found in some of
> our countries, which Joash was referring to. But I would urge ISOC
> Cameroon to try to relate also to the global culture of individual
> rights, particularly in the age of the Internet. Then whatever you'll
> be able to accept as the right of any Cameroonian, should be the
> right of all Cameroonians without distinction of language, ethnicity,
> religion, political views or location, etc.
>
> And, addressing the government here, I personally can't even begin to
> understand what is so difficult to understand in the notion that
> being a bilingual country is an asset, an advantage rather than a
> threat or drawback.
>
> So yes, we get it, not the whole of Cameroon is cut off from the
> Internet. But no, that doesn't make it any more acceptable that
> "only" a couple of regions are targeted by what seems like a
> punishment for a "crime de lèse majesté".
>
> Now the question on our table here is what we, global civil society
> coalitions, can do about a situation like this. I recall working for a
> short while at APC on those universal periodic reviews (hope I'm not
> messing up with that heavily acronym based terminology) at the UN
> Human Rights Council, and Cameroon was up for review at some point.
> Has any progress been made since? Any other course of action to look
> into?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mawaki
>
>
> On Jan 28, 2017 4:37 PM, "Mwendwa Kivuva"
> <Kivuva at transworldafrica.com> wrote:
>
> It is quite unfortunate the situation in Cameroon, especially how
> people argue out human rights issues when the pinching shoe is on the
> neighbors leg, when their "enemy", imagined or real, is being
> persecuted.
>
> ______________________
> Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya
> twitter.com/lordmwesh
>
>
>
> On 28 January 2017 at 18:19, Nyangkwe Agien Aaron
> <nyangkweagien at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Dear All
> >
> > I am right here in Douala Cameroun. And when I read Janvier, I will
> > want many people to understand one thing. Mister Janvier is
> > francophone. To many francophones, rights belong to authorities and
> > not peoples . People must fear not respect authorities because the
> > said authorities have all powers (they call it in french (plein
> > pouvoirs) to do and undo on every citizen.
> >
> > To him, a Sous Prefet can ask for internet to be suspended in some
> > part of Cameroon, he is in his right as an authority. Currently, a
> > Supreme Court Atorney General, Mr Paul Ayah Abine is arrested and
> > is in detention without due process. The same is the case another
> > Magistrate in Buea who was arrested and ferried to Yaounde a day
> > ago. Their crime; for supporting the anglophone call for a
> > federation.
> >
> > To the likes of Janvier, it is the Government that gives liberty
> > (C'est le gouvernement qui donne la liberté in French)
> >
> > The civilized world must act against such egregious obscurantism
> >
> > Agien Nyangkwe
> >
> > On Sat, Jan 28, 2017 at 8:03 AM, Evelyn Namara
> > <evelyngeek at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Dear all,
> >>
> >> As a person who has been on the side of the shutdown, it is not
> >> right and justifiable to shutdown the Internet, even for a few
> >> regions. Mr. Janvier, your comments in this email hit me so hard.
> >> As a person who has some level of authority, you should be
> >> concerned and fight for all rights of all citizens.
> >>
> >> The 6 million plus people who make up the 2 regions that are
> >> deprived of the Internet also matter. Everyone matters, and like
> >> the Internet Society always says "The Internet is for everybody".
> >>
> >> Let's all fight and make leaders accountable.
> >>
> >> I stand with the people of Cameroun.
> >>
> >>
> >> On Fri, Jan 27, 2017 at 12:08 PM, Joash Moitui
> >> <joash.moitui at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Thank you all.
> >>>
> >>> This is a vital interesting topic. Having lived in Cameroon for 3
> >>> years, I would say that the shutdown in these two region is no
> >>> different from shutdowns witnessed in Uganda and Gambia for
> >>> instance. It is simply the political elite using their political
> >>> influence to prevent the human rights violations calling for
> >>> federation in these areas. The two areas made up of Anglophones,
> >>> who have been marginalized largely because of their language and
> >>> their calls for federation have been met by internet shutdown and
> >>> full force of security agents. It is this that the Cameroon
> >>> government does not want to be easily distributed within the
> >>> social media.
> >>>
> >>> Joash
> >>>
> >>> On 27 Jan 2017, at 10:56, Nonhlanhla Chanza
> >>> <nonhlanhlachanza at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I still weep blood for those two regions. I have never been
> >>> convinced by the argument that there might be circumstances that
> >>> justifies a shutdown. So many places in turmoil and war in the
> >>> world but people have access still to the Internet.
> >>> On 26 Jan 2017 17:59, "Janvier NGNOULAYE" <jnoulaye at gmail.com>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Hi to all,
> >>>> It seems to me that the problem of access to Internet in
> >>>> Cameroon is very much amplified here on the Net. There are 10
> >>>> regions in Cameroon, the problem of access to the Internet is
> >>>> only concerning 2 Regions. These 2 regions actually has some
> >>>> political or social crisis. The government and other
> >>>> stakeholders in these 2 areas are looking for suitable
> >>>> solutions. Meanwhile, the government has seen fit to cut these
> >>>> two regions of Internet access and Western Union money transfer
> >>>> services, for the sake of the entire population of these 2
> >>>> regions. Internet works well everywhere else in the other 8
> >>>> regions. I'm sending this mail from Yaounde in Cameroon. So the
> >>>> situation is not a disaster as some seem to publish on the Net.
> >>>> The ISOC Chapter can only encourage the government and the other
> >>>> stakeholders to seek lasting peace solutions, even if it
> >>>> involves a temporary suspension of Internet and Western Union
> >>>> services.
> >>>>
> >>>> ISOC Cameroon Chapter
> >>>> President
> >>>>
> >>>> 2017-01-26 15:45 GMT+01:00 Renata Aquino Ribeiro
> >>>> <raquino at gmail.com>:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Hi
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Indeed, this is a terrible situation, which can happen in any
> >>>>> country, which is why everyone should take action.
> >>>>> I'd think bringing in ISOC and other organizations will help
> >>>>> deepen these efforts.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On Thu, Jan 26, 2017 at 11:36 AM, Deji Bryce Olukotun <
> >>>>> deji at accessnow.org> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> Thank you, Arsène for the introduction and the summary.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Judith, as Arsène explained, the #KeepitOn coalition
> >>>>>> <http://accessnow.org/keepiton> (111 organizations from 51
> >>>>>> countries) is pushing back against the shutdown. Our efforts
> >>>>>> are being led by Julie Owono from Internet Without Borders
> >>>>>> <http://internetwithoutborders.org/fr/
regional-internet-blackout-in-cameroon/>
> >>>>>> .
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> At present, we are fighting the shutdown in several ways:
> >>>>>> - open letter to government officials and agencies to restore
> >>>>>> access
> >>>>>> - media outreach
> >>>>>> - Tweet action at Cameroonian officials
> >>>>>> <https://act.accessnow.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=
1921&ea.campaign.id=62870&ea.tracking.id=tile>
> >>>>>> (please support!)
> >>>>>> - outreach to telcos operating in the country, including a
> >>>>>> statement from the Global Network Initiative
> >>>>>> <http://globalnetworkinitiative.org/news/gni-concerned-about-
restrictions-internet-access-cameroon>
> >>>>>> (Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Investors, academics)
> >>>>>> - outreach to international officials at the UN and AU
> >>>>>> - coordination with local groups in Cameroon
> >>>>>> - coordinating with CDN's and other measurement entities
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> We welcome any ideas or suggestions about how to get the
> >>>>>> internet turned back on. With each passing day, people are at
> >>>>>> increased risk of human rights violations and the economy is
> >>>>>> losing money. We'll reach out to ISOC to coordinate as well.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Best,
> >>>>>> Deji
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On Thu, Jan 26, 2017 at 3:44 AM, Arsène Tungali <
> >>>>>> arsenebaguma at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Hi Judith,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Thanks for sharing this with us. What's going on in Cameroon
> >>>>>>> is just a shame. For colleagues who have never experienced
> >>>>>>> Internet shutdown, please understand that it is a nightmare.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On this note about Cameroon, several organizations including
> >>>>>>> Access Now and Internet Without Borders
> >>>>>>> <http://internetwithoutborders.org/fr/
regional-internet-blackout-in-cameroon/>are
> >>>>>>> doing a lot of advocacy and statements
> >>>>>>> <https://act.accessnow.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=
1921&ea.campaign.id=62870&ea.tracking.id=Email&ea.url.id=836199>,
> >>>>>>> letters have been sent to officials in Cameroon to ask them
> >>>>>>> to bring back the Internet. A hashtag about this has been
> >>>>>>> started and you can take action as well:
> >>>>>>> #BringBackkOutInternet
> >>>>>>> <https://twitter.com/hashtag/BringBackOurInternet?src=hash>.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> You can learn more about the #KeepItOn
> >>>>>>> <https://twitter.com/hashtag/KeepItOn?src=hash> campaign here
> >>>>>>> <https://www.accessnow.org/keepiton>.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Eduard Snowden sent in a tweet
> >>>>>>> <https://twitter.com/Snowden/status/824312606596988933> where
> >>>>>>> he said: "*This is the future of repression. If we do not
> >>>>>>> fight it there, it will happen here*" and I cannot agree more
> >>>>>>> with him because it is just going from one country to
> >>>>>>> another. Over 8 countries in Africa, including mine the DRC,
> >>>>>>> have experienced shutdown and no one knows who is next. Acces
> >>>>>>> Now has reported <https://www.accessnow.org/keepiton>15
> >>>>>>> Internet shutdowns across the world in 2015 and 56 in 2016
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> If there is any question about all the statements and
> >>>>>>> campaigns, I am happy to help or convey your questions since
> >>>>>>> I am involved, on a personal capacity, in these movements
> >>>>>>> advocating and fighting Internet shutdowns across Africa.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Regards,
> >>>>>>> Arsene
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> PS: Copied is Deji Olukotun who works on Advocacy for Access
> >>>>>>> Now.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> ------------------------
> >>>>>>> **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 <+243%20993%20810%20967>
> >>>>>>> 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>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> 2017-01-26 5:34 GMT+02:00 Judith Hellerstein <
> >>>>>>> judith at jhellerstein.com>:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> HI All,
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Just passing on a note from Mafor Edwan of ISOC Cameroon
> >>>>>>>> about the Cameroonian Government shut down of the Internet
> >>>>>>>> in his country.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> I am at a loss for words of yet another country that has cut
> >>>>>>>> off Internet Access for its citizens. Thanks to ISOC
> >>>>>>>> Cameroon for all their efforts to resolve this crisis, even
> >>>>>>>> though they have not been successful, I am glad that they
> >>>>>>>> have tried. I am a passionate believer in an open Internet.
> >>>>>>>> One that is available to all. By connecting the world,
> >>>>>>>> working with others, and advocating for equal access to the
> >>>>>>>> Internet, We can make the world a better place. Edwan hopes
> >>>>>>>> people can share this word about this and hopefully some one
> >>>>>>>> can reach the President and tell him what a bad idea this
> >>>>>>>> is. I told him I would share it around. Hope others can do
> >>>>>>>> the same
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Best,
> >>>>>>>> Judith
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> ____________________________________________________________
_____________
> >>>>>>>> Judith Hellerstein, Founder & CEO
> >>>>>>>> Hellerstein & Associates
> >>>>>>>> 3001 Veazey Terrace NW, Washington DC 20008
> >>>>>>>> Phone: (202) 362-5139  Skype ID: judithhellerstein
> >>>>>>>> E-mail: Judith at jhellerstein.com   Website:
> >>>>>>>> www.jhellerstein.com Linked In:
> >>>>>>>> www.linkedin.com/in/jhellerstein/ Opening Telecom &
> >>>>>>>> Technology Opportunities Worldwide
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> >>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Chapter-delegates] FYI- Constance's blog post
> >>>>>>>> about the G20 - and the updated Internet Governance timeline
> >>>>>>>> Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2017 21:49:53 -0500
> >>>>>>>> From: Queen Mother <edwannfon at gmail.com>
> >>>>>>>> <edwannfon at gmail.com> To: Dan York <york at isoc.org>
> >>>>>>>> <york at isoc.org> CC: ISOC Chapter Delegates
> >>>>>>>> <chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org>
> >>>>>>>> <chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org>, Carl Gahnberg
> >>>>>>>> <gahnberg at isoc.org> <gahnberg at isoc.org>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Good evening Fellow ISOC Delegates,
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> I bring you sad news about the state of internet access in
> >>>>>>>> my home country Cameroon.
> >>>>>>>> I have sobbed uncontrollably for weeks as the govt of my
> >>>>>>>> country tortures and mimes her citizens and recently has cut
> >>>>>>>> off the ability to send financial support to our families
> >>>>>>>> through western union and has now cut off the internet.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Please if you can read the articles below.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Cameroon Cuts Internet in English-speaking Regions
> >>>>>>>> <http://www.voanews.com/a/cameroon-cuts-internet-in-
english-speaking-regions/3682688.html>
> >>>>>>>> http://www.voanews.com/a/cameroon-cuts-internet-in-english-s
> >>>>>>>> peaking-regions/3682688.html
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> How Cameroon pressured mobile operators to shut down the
> >>>>>>>> internet and stifle dissent
> >>>>>>>> <https://qz.com/893401/cameroon-pressured-mtn-and-
other-operators-to-shut-down-internet-in-bamenda-buea-regions/>
> >>>>>>>>   https://qz.com/893401/cameroon-pressured-mtn-and-other-opera
> >>>>>>>> tors-to-shut-down-internet-in-bamenda-buea-regions/
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Thank you.
> >>>>>>>> Mafor edwan
> >>>>>>>> Vice President #2
> >>>>>>>> ISOC Cameroon


____________________________________________________________
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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.igcaucus.org/pipermail/governance/attachments/20170129/c2c31097/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