[kictanet] ICANN meeting and security concerns
Adam Peake
ajp at glocom.ac.jp
Wed Jan 20 16:50:39 EAT 2010
At 12:36 PM +0000 1/20/10, Grace Bomu wrote:
>This would be unreasonable. There are many high profile meetings going
>on in Nairobi despite our insecurity problems. In addition, conference
>tourists who come to Nairobi venture out to social spots in search of
>entertainment on their own.
>It is a high time we got more reps into the decision making organs of
>ICANN. Any Kenyans running?
Grace, Hi. Good idea, and ICANN's nominating
committee is taking applications for candidates
now <http://nomcom.icann.org/>
I too hope the meeting happens. Looking forward
to seeing many of you in a couple of months, and
hopefully at the KICC or a bar in town, not stuck
on a bus for hours on the way to or from the UN
:-)
How many local people would bother to attend of
the meeting was at the UN? Understand from
Rebecca's comment it's something like a separate
country and a pain to get in. ICANN meetings
should be open. That's one of the requirements of
the request for proposals for holding a meeting.
And I think McTim's right, the host country
paying for a gala dinner is another requirement
(ICANN picks up the rest of the bill for the
meeting, everything from conference rooms to
power.)
A thought, or really a question about last
Friday's disturbances. Were they a one off, or
might they happen again? Is this a permanent or
semi-permanent change, or will the trouble pass
and be over when the Jamaican guy is deported and
things calm down? I know this is impossible to
answer 100%, and I'm definitely not looking for
an official position on this, but what do those
of you in Nairobi think? If I were an ICANN
board member thinking about the meeting, this
might be useful to hear comments on.
Adam
>On 1/20/10, alice at apc.org <alice at apc.org> wrote:
>> Home
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>> ICANN meeting and security concerns
>>
>> 20 01 2010
>> By rebecca wanjiku
>> Comments: 0
>>
>> Available in: English
>>
>> In March 2008, Nairobi was supposed to host Internet Corporation for
>> Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) meeting. This is a huge meeting, ICANN
>> uses about $ 2 million for these meetings, am sure you know what it means
>> for the economy.
>>
>> But the events that followed the 2007 elections meant that the meeting was
>> cancelled, it was such a shame but that was understandable; after all, you
>> do not want the people who control internet resources to fall into the traps
>> of rival tribal gangs or to be caught in the cross fire.
>>
>> After another round of presentations last year, the Kenya delegation led by
>> Kenic and the Communications Commission of Kenya was able to convince the
>> ICANN community that Kenya is safe enough, and they agreed to host the
>> meeting this March.
>>
>> We have been busy sweeping the roads and upgrading the hotels just to make
>> sure that the most important ICANN community is happy, but they have never
>> been, and I do not think they will ever be, if you ask me. I have been
>> talking to sources within the organizing committee and ICANN has always had
>> one niggling problem after another.
>>
>> Last Friday's fracas with the muslims seems to have tipped the balance;
>> ICANN now is contemplating moving the meeting to another safer city.
>>
>> But if you ask me or any other ordinary Kenyan, I think ICANN does not
>> understand the country and how it operates. Since 1998, Kenya has never been
>> secure, according to US and UK embassies, yet its their installations that
>> make us targets.
>>
>> For whatever reasons, the country has always been rated poorly security
>> wise, but which city is safe? New York? J' Burg? Cairo? Cassablanca? Am sure
>> this is open to debate.
>>
>> I think ICANN has its double standards; if they were truly concerned about
>> the security, the meeting in Seoul would not have taken place; South Korea
>> is always under alert because of North Korea nuclear intentions.
>>
>> The meeting in Mexico city would not have gone on, after all every one there
>> is said to carry a gun and the senior executives within ICANN membership
> > were at risk of kidnappings. But the meetings took place.
>>
>> So, why all the security farce about Nairobi?
>>
>> I would love to point out a similar incident during the 2005 or around there
>> Cricket world cup, where New Zealand forfeited their match with Kenya in
> > Nairobi because of security situation. Sri Lanka agreed to play their match
>> in Nairobi provided they were given top notch security, the government
> > obliged.
>>
>> By the time the plane carrying the Sri Lanka cricket team entered the Kenyan
>> air space, they were escorted by helicopter gunships and all the other stuff
> > you see in the movies. But Sri Lanka soon realized that no one was bothered
>> with them; we whipped them and by the time they were going back to the
>> airport, they took taxis and realized that no one cares.
>>
>> In short, ICANN should know that they will come, they will hold their
>> meeting, they will go away, and no one will probably remember they were
>> here. How many people know about ICANN and what it does? How many people
>> know that the people present are online millionaires?
>>
>> ICANN has made demands that the meeting be moved to the UNEP Complex in
>> Gigiri, and that the government should pay for all the charges bla bla... I
>> think this is a move to alienate themselves from the ordinary kenyans.
>> Getting to Gigiri is hectic let alone getting through the mean UN security
>> staff.
>>
>> Trust me, I have had my share of security incidences in Nairobi, but I do
>> not think its worth canceling a meeting.
>>
>> >From my sources, I am told the government is paying for the gala dinner and
>> all that, in other countries, ICANN has paid for that. So I think this is
>> just a way for ICANN to make their demands and demonstrate their authority.
>>
>> I am not saying that security measures should be ignored, but just know that
>> poor security rating means more hardship allowance for the UN and embassy
>> staff, so its in their interest to show Kenya on fire all the time.
>>
>> One thing you should know that Kenya is a highly political company, all year
>> round, stupid politics and we the media love it and exalt it, so deal with
>> that. When you come and when you go, we will remain the same, and it does
>> not mean ICANN will change anything, so get over it.
>>
>> By the way, most people who will come will be holed up in lavish 5-star
>> hotels where the thugs will not reach. The insecurity problem is for people
>> like us who will have to walk home and deal with the neighborhood thugs.
>>
>> The upshot of it is that ICANN should come, hold their meeting, give us the
>> revenue, visit Maasai Mara and all the other areas, and go home. I am sure
>> there will be enough cops guarding everywhere.
>>
>> So, insecure or not, I think the meeting should go on. If you guys are not
>> convinced, then you can move the meeting to wherever you want!
>>
>> Ends
>>
>> by rebecca
>>
>>
>> Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone from Zain Kenya
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>
>--
>Sent from my mobile device
>
>Grace L.N. Mutung'u (Bomu)
>+254721898732
>+254736091242
> Kenya
>
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