ICANN meeting and security concerns

Fri Jan 22 11:35:28 CET 2010

For me I am shocked at the reckless media over-blowing of this issue,
perhaps in response to recently published regulations to govern
broadcast regulation to protect our country from degenerating to the
pre-elections media inflamed tensions leading to the sad 2007-08 Post
elections violence.

Regards,

Alex

On Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 1:24 PM, McTim <mctim at bushnet.net> wrote:
> Bill,
>
> I haven't cross posted to ALAC or any other list, but want to give NCUC
> members a first hand perspective.
>
> Nairobi is no less safe now than when ICANN decided to hold its March 2010
> meeting here.  Last weeks violence happened because police banned a
> demonstration from happening after Friday prayers.  The Jamaican cleric was
> deported last night.  It was a very, very small scale skirmish. I've been in
> far worse riots in Washington D.C.
>
> It would be an over reaction IMHO to cancel or move the March meeting from
> Nairobi at this point.   Kenyan and other African stakeholders who are
> looking forward to the meeting would be very annoyed indeed, and with good
> reason.
>
> --
> Cheers,
>
> McTim
>
> On Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 12:36 PM, William Drake
> <william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch> wrote:
>>
>> 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.
>> 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.
>> Bill
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>> From: Adam Peake <ajp at glocom.ac.jp>
>> Date: January 21, 2010 8:48:50 AM GMT+01:00
>> To: ALAC Internal List <alac-internal at atlarge-lists.icann.org>
>> Subject: Re: [ALAC-Internal] ICANN meeting and security concerns
>> Reply-To: ALAC Internal List <alac-internal at atlarge-lists.icann.org>
>>
>> Rebecca's posted a follow-up to her article.  Worth a look, not about
>> security, but ICANN and Africa in general
>> <http://wanjiku.co.ke/eng/articles/main/uxn1264057592/>  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 :-))
>>
>> 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!
>>
>> 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 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_el-Faisal> 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.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> 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?
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> 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.)
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Adam
>>
>>
>>
>> Perhaps it would be useful to Vanda  in the upcoming Board meeting on this
>>
>> issue (Friday)  for us to have IN THIS LIST,  some opinion / discussions
>> on
>>
>> this issue...
>>
>> For example it is My view that unless serious and substantial *security
>>
>> risks* exist (and I assume the Board will have some access to proper
>>
>> briefings on any that do) AND I do NOT mean street crime that can happen
>> any
>>
>> where in my view...  Then we should hold the Nairobi meeting either as
>>
>> planned (or with relevant modifications / precautions arranged...
>>
>> *IF* however for what ever good reason there is the meeting is moved (and
>> it
>>
>> should be MOVED *not* Cancelled we have way too much to do we need this
>> F2F
>>
>> opportunity... Then it must be clear that this is not for any phobic
>> reason
>>
>> rather a matter of real risk mitigation or management  AND if that did
>>
>> happen then significant effort into outreach and regional activities MUST
>> be
>>
>> undertaken by ICANN (in partnership with others perhaps) to
>>
>> also effectively mitigate the 'opportunities lost' by the meeting Not
>> being
>>
>> held as planned...
>>
>> What are your thoughts??
>>
>> And Yes I will go wherever it is held... Preferable in Nairobi...
>>
>> CLO
>>
>> 2010/1/21 Patrick Vande Walle <patrick at vande-walle.eu>
>>
>> FYI
>>
>> http://wanjiku.co.ke/eng/articles/main/pte1263978626/
>>
>> 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!
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Cheryl Langdon-Orr
>>
>> (CLO)
>>
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>> ***********************************************************
>> William J. Drake
>> Senior Associate
>> Centre for International Governance
>> Graduate Institute of International and
>>  Development Studies
>> Geneva, Switzerland
>> william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch
>> www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html
>> ***********************************************************
>>
>>
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