[discuss] FW: civil society coordination group membership

Fri Dec 27 03:53:38 UTC 2013

This message was originally sent in response to certain activities within the CS community. However, given the nature of the message and the anticipated role of Inet in the Brazil event it should probably be circulated to the Inet list as well, including giving notice that the Community Informatics community feels that it has no other choice as indicated below but to independently nominate for the various Brazil committees.  

Given the highly diverse nature of the CI community (roughly a third are academics or researchers working with grassroots and associated communities) we will be identifying/nominating suitable candidates for the “academic” slots as well. 

As previously pointed to on this list, the CI community has, in the context of the Brazil event published a consensus document of the community An Internet for the Common Good - Engagement, Empowerment, and Justice for All <http://cirn.wikispaces.com/An+Internet+for+the+Common+Good+-+Engagement%2C+Empowerment%2C+and+Justice+for+All>  which is now more broadly open for both individual <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dFNjZ2tKVHpxUloyakFoWEhVTmdNZFE6MA>  and organizational <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?usp=drive_web&formkey=dERVUzg2dllmcElGX3U0TkdFRVRkN3c6MA#gid=0>  endorsement.

Best,

Mike

From: michael gurstein [mailto:gurstein at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, December 26, 2013 6:40 PM
To: 'Ian Peter'; governance at lists.igcaucus.org; bestbits
Subject: RE: civil society coordination group membership

Thanks for getting back Ian, and I wanted to consult with some CI colleagues before I replied.

And of course, no one would expect these kinds of decisions to be made without “due consideration”.  However, since I’ve been making this or similar requests in one form or another actively for at least the last month and more passively for the last ten years, the issue of additional time and “due consideration” seems to have other motivations as its background.

I of course, look forward to the outcome of your processes when they have been completed;  however, since we and others all know that time is of the essence here if an effective contribution is to be made to the Brazil event, the CI community will be launching a nominating process for those slots identified for CS representation, which we will of course, forward to and through the appropriate parties as they are identified.  

Once having done that we expect that these nominations will be given appropriate consideration as providing voice for grassroots Internet users (and non-users) including marginalized communities in Developed and Developing Countries, Indigenous peoples, older person, people with disabilities among others all as framed by the Community Informatics Declaration <http://cirn.wikispaces.com/An+Internet+for+the+Common+Good+-+Engagement%2C+Empowerment%2C+and+Justice+for+All>  which of course, you and others are encouraged to endorse <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dFNjZ2tKVHpxUloyakFoWEhVTmdNZFE6MA>  alongside individuals and organizations from a wide variety of communities globally.

Mike

From: Ian Peter [mailto:ian.peter at ianpeter.com] 
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2013 4:13 PM
To: Michael Gurstein
Subject: civil society coordination group membership

Dear Michael,

 I am replying to your request to the civil society coordination group to make you a member of the group, representing Community Informatics. You have suggested that no reply from us affirming you as a member in a time frame of about 30 hours would be considered by you as a “no”,  and that you would be informing others and taking various actions.

 You have also pointed out in correspondence that the “decision that you folks make will have quite serious ramifications both for yourselves, for civil society in internet governance, and perhaps even for internet governance itself”

 We also take this decision seriously. We do not think it is appropriate to make such a decision without due consideration, including considering a number of other organisations who would have equal and perhaps better cases to make as regards joining a co-ordination group which must be kept to a manageable size.

 Accordingly, and because any decisions we make here can have substantial ramifications, we have decided to delay any decisions on expansion of membership of the co ordination group until they can be considered properly. In the current circumstances of limited availability for many people, that will be after we have completed the Brazil committee nomination processes in mid January. With the holiday season and other commitments as well as the Brazil processes, we simply do not have time to do this now with the thoroughness it deserves.

 We understand the sincerity of your desire to have your groups viewpoints heard and considered, which prompted your actions. I can assure you that the members of the co-ordination group take their roles seriously, and are determined that their actions and the representatives appointed through this process will represent the diversity of viewpoints and perspectives held within civil society, and not just individual organisations.

 I will be copying this reply to the Best Bits and IGC lists so that others are also aware of this situation and our reasons for not making a decision at this stage.

Sincerely,

Ian Peter

for Co-ordination Group - Virginia Paque (Diplo), Robin Gross (NCSG), Chat Ramilo (APC), Jeremy Malcolm (Best Bits) ; replacement member for IGC still being determined.

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