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@apc.org <
alice@apc.org>
wrote:
>> Home
>>
>>
About
>>
>> Contact
>>
>>
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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