<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I don't know whether all NCUC people are aware of the debate going on about the Nairobi meeting, and how many are planning on attending. But below with apologies to Adam is a useful cross posting from the extended Nairobi discussion on the ALAC list.<div><br></div><div>Apparently only 300+ people have registered so far. The board is having a call tonight to make a decision; it seems cancelation is a real possibility. I sat next to one boardie at dinner last night (at the ICANN Studienkreis in Barcelona) who said he was for canceling and repurposing the funds to allow AC/SOs to hold their own, disaggregated meetings.</div><div><br></div><div>Bill<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">Adam Peake <<a href="mailto:ajp@glocom.ac.jp">ajp@glocom.ac.jp</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">January 21, 2010 8:48:50 AM GMT+01:00<br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">ALAC Internal List <<a href="mailto:alac-internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org">alac-internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;"><b>Re: [ALAC-Internal] ICANN meeting and security concerns</b><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>Reply-To: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">ALAC Internal List <<a href="mailto:alac-internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org">alac-internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org</a>><br></span></div><br><div>Rebecca's posted a follow-up to her article. Worth a look, not about security, but ICANN and Africa in general <<a href="http://wanjiku.co.ke/eng/articles/main/uxn1264057592/">http://wanjiku.co.ke/eng/articles/main/uxn1264057592/</a>> She also reminds us there's an AFTLD meeting planned the week before the ICANN meeting, important training for the region. (I should have remembered, I hope to go to a few of the sessions :-))<br><br>I have a couple of projects with people in Kenya and East Africa so hear some general comments. The following is not a security assessment!<br><br>Background: There was a demonstration in the city last Friday over the deportation of a Muslim cleric, Abdullah al-Faisal, who was in the country illegally. Faisal <<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_el-Faisal">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_el-Faisal</a>> was convicted of racial hatred (I am not sure that's the name of the actual crime) in the UK, jailed and then deported. He found his way to Kenya around New Year and was preaching. He is now being jailed in Kenya while awaiting deportation and this led to demonstrations by some of the Muslim community in downtown Nairobi that turned violent with about 7 people being shot, one killed. The Kenyan police are not subtle, though they claim shots were fired from the demonstration.<br><br>The demonstrations were pretty violent with gangs of Kenyan youths seeming to have joined in on the side of the police, and all this happened in the downtown area close to where a number of the ICANN hotels are and the conference center where the meeting will be held. The central Mosque is in downtown, that's why people were there. The area where the demonstration happened seemed to be quite constrained. The concern for ICANN seems to be that the trouble was in downtown near the meeting location and hotels (although my understanding is the demonstration did not reach either.) ICANN knows there are areas of the city where you simply do not go, and these are the areas where there was violence after the elections a couple of years ago, but last Friday's violence was in downtown and this is new.<br><br>That said, three friends were out to dinner in downtown Nairobi last Friday and they didn't know of the troubles until one of them got some calls about ICANN's concerns! Sometimes news footage can make things look much worse than they are, and perhaps this is the case here?<br><br>Not trying to pretend this isn't serious, just that more information would be helpful. The UN has a very large office in Nairobi, location of the UN Environment Programme and UN-Habitat, both global programs. It would be good to know what the UN security assessment is, particularly if it has changed since last Friday's violence.<br><br>People in Nairobi seem to think it's a one off, although there might be a demonstration this coming Friday (which would be bad timing for the board meeting!) But my very non-expert sense is further demonstrations in downtown are not likely to continue, they can't afford the city center to be disrupted, its the hub of the city, the area around the law courts, administration etc. That said, there is certainly ongoing tension with the Muslim community.<br><br>There is some talk of moving the ICANN meeting to the UN center. There are a couple of problems with this. The UN center is out of the city, not many hotels near, and it is on a road known for traffic jams (traffic during rush hour in Nairobi is bad generally). And that road has construction planned for the next few months so the jams at the moment are terrible. It will be a nightmare to get to. As it's out of the city, and is also seen by many Kenyans as a bit of a separate 'country' (it's not easy to get in, all the usual UN security clearances needed) any meeting held there would not see many locals. Not good for the meeting generally, very bad for At Large in particular.<br><br>I think the article Patrick forwarded makes clear that there's a feeling that ICANN's concerns are a typical over reaction to events in a developing country. The demonstrations probably the only piece of news about Kenya the world's press has picked up on in weeks. And violence in Africa is often the only news we see. It becomes a stereotype. I am not trying to downplay the seriousness of this situation, but be aware of that point of view. Comments from African colleagues on this general point might he helpful.<br><br>Unless the security assessments have changed, assessments by the UN or perhaps major embassies such as the EU, I am happy to stick to arrangements in place (and no doubt anyway being updated to reflect any changes.)<br><br>For what it's worth, a very high level of security has been planned for the conference center and hotels. The conference center is used to handling high level meetings, ICANN is quite small by comparison to many.<br><br>If there's any change, a move from Nairobi to another city, or a change of planned conference venue in Nairobi, let it be based on a fact based independent assessment. ICANN owes Kenya and Africa that.<br><br>Thanks,<br><br>Adam<br><br><br><br><blockquote type="cite">Perhaps it would be useful to Vanda in the upcoming Board meeting on this<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">issue (Friday) for us to have IN THIS LIST, some opinion / discussions on<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">this issue...<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">For example it is My view that unless serious and substantial *security<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">risks* exist (and I assume the Board will have some access to proper<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">briefings on any that do) AND I do NOT mean street crime that can happen any<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">where in my view... Then we should hold the Nairobi meeting either as<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">planned (or with relevant modifications / precautions arranged...<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">*IF* however for what ever good reason there is the meeting is moved (and it<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">should be MOVED *not* Cancelled we have way too much to do we need this F2F<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">opportunity... Then it must be clear that this is not for any phobic reason<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">rather a matter of real risk mitigation or management AND if that did<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">happen then significant effort into outreach and regional activities MUST be<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">undertaken by ICANN (in partnership with others perhaps) to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">also effectively mitigate the 'opportunities lost' by the meeting Not being<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">held as planned...<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">What are your thoughts??<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">And Yes I will go wherever it is held... Preferable in Nairobi...<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">CLO<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">2010/1/21 Patrick Vande Walle <<a href="mailto:patrick@vande-walle.eu">patrick@vande-walle.eu</a>><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> FYI<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> <a href="http://wanjiku.co.ke/eng/articles/main/pte1263978626/">http://wanjiku.co.ke/eng/articles/main/pte1263978626/</a><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> In March 2008, Nairobi was supposed to host Internet Corporation for<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) meeting. This is a huge meeting,<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> ICANN uses about $ 2 million for these meetings, am sure you know what<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> it means for the economy.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> But the events that followed the 2007 elections meant that the meeting<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> was cancelled, it was such a shame but that was understandable; after<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> all, you do not want the people who control internet resources to fall<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> into the traps of rival tribal gangs or to be caught in the cross fire.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> After another round of presentations last year, the Kenya delegation led<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> by Kenic and the Communications Commission of Kenya was able to convince<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> the ICANN community that Kenya is safe enough, and they agreed to host<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> the meeting this March.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> We have been busy sweeping the roads and upgrading the hotels just to<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> make sure that the most important ICANN community is happy, but they<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> have never been, and I do not think they will ever be, if you ask me. I<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> have been talking to sources within the organizing committee and ICANN<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> has always had one niggling problem after another.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> Last Friday's fracas with the muslims seems to have tipped the balance;<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> ICANN now is contemplating moving the meeting to another safer city.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> ><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> But if you ask me or any other ordinary Kenyan, I think ICANN does not<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> understand the country and how it operates. Since 1998, Kenya has never<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> been secure, according to US and UK embassies, yet its their<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> installations that make us targets.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> For whatever reasons, the country has always been rated poorly security<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> wise, but which city is safe? New York? J' Burg? Cairo? Cassablanca? Am<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> sure this is open to debate.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> I think ICANN has its double standards; if they were truly concerned<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> about the security, the meeting in Seoul would not have taken place;<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> South Korea is always under alert because of North Korea nuclear<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> intentions.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> The meeting in Mexico city would not have gone on, after all every one<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> there is said to carry a gun and the senior executives within ICANN<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> membership were at risk of kidnappings. But the meetings took place.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> So, why all the security farce about Nairobi?<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> ><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> I would love to point out a similar incident during the 2005 or around<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> there Cricket world cup, where New Zealand forfeited their match with<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> Kenya in Nairobi because of security situation. Sri Lanka agreed to play<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> their match in Nairobi provided they were given top notch security, the<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> government obliged.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> By the time the plane carrying the Sri Lanka cricket team entered the<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> > Kenyan air space, they were escorted by helicopter gunships and all the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> other stuff you see in the movies. But Sri Lanka soon realized that no<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> one was bothered with them; we whipped them and by the time they were<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> going back to the airport, they took taxis and realized that no one cares.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> In short, ICANN should know that they will come, they will hold their<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> meeting, they will go away, and no one will probably remember they were<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> > here. How many people know about ICANN and what it does? How many people<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> know that the people present are online millionaires?<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> ICANN has made demands that the meeting be moved to the UNEP Complex in<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> Gigiri, and that the government should pay for all the charges bla<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> bla... I think this is a move to alienate themselves from the ordinary<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> kenyans. Getting to Gigiri is hectic let alone getting through the mean<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> UN security staff.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> Trust me, I have had my share of security incidences in Nairobi, but I<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> do not think its worth canceling a meeting.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> >From my sources, I am told the government is paying for the gala dinner<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> and all that, in other countries, ICANN has paid for that. So I think<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> this is just a way for ICANN to make their demands and demonstrate their<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> authority.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> I am not saying that security measures should be ignored, but just know<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> that poor security rating means more hardship allowance for the UN and<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> embassy staff, so its in their interest to show Kenya on fire all the time.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> One thing you should know that Kenya is a highly political company, all<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> year round, stupid politics and we the media love it and exalt it, so<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> deal with that. When you come and when you go, we will remain the same,<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> and it does not mean ICANN will change anything, so get over it.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> By the way, most people who will come will be holed up in lavish 5-star<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> hotels where the thugs will not reach. The insecurity problem is for<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> people like us who will have to walk home and deal with the neighborhood<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> thugs.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> The upshot of it is that ICANN should come, hold their meeting, give us<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> the revenue, visit Maasai Mara and all the other areas, and go home. I<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> am sure there will be enough cops guarding everywhere.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> So, insecure or not, I think the meeting should go on. If you guys are<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> not convinced, then you can move the meeting to wherever you want!<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> _______________________________________________<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> ALAC-Internal mailing list<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> <a href="mailto:ALAC-Internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org">ALAC-Internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org</a><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac-internal_atlarge-lists.icann.org">http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac-internal_atlarge-lists.icann.org</a><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> ALAC Wiki: <a href="http://st.icann.org/alac">http://st.icann.org/alac</a><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> At-Large Website: <a href="http://atlarge.icann.org">http://atlarge.icann.org</a><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">--<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cheryl Langdon-Orr<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">(CLO)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">_______________________________________________<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">ALAC-Internal mailing list<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="mailto:ALAC-Internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org">ALAC-Internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac-internal_atlarge-lists.icann.org">http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac-internal_atlarge-lists.icann.org</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">ALAC Wiki: <a href="http://st.icann.org/alac">http://st.icann.org/alac</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">At-Large Website: <a href="http://atlarge.icann.org">http://atlarge.icann.org</a><br></blockquote><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>ALAC-Internal mailing list<br><a href="mailto:ALAC-Internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org">ALAC-Internal@atlarge-lists.icann.org</a><br>http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac-internal_atlarge-lists.icann.org<br><br>ALAC Wiki: http://st.icann.org/alac<br>At-Large Website: http://atlarge.icann.org<br></div></blockquote></div><br><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">***********************************************************<br>William J. Drake<br>Senior Associate<br>Centre for International Governance<br>Graduate Institute of International and<br> Development Studies<br>Geneva, Switzerland<br><a href="mailto:william.drake@graduateinstitute.ch">william.drake@graduateinstitute.ch</a><br>www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html<br>***********************************************************<br><br></span>
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