[Community-Discuss] "Fighting Internet Shutdown" - Any Role for AFRINIC?

Thu Apr 13 11:18:30 UTC 2017

+1.  A practical approach that could yield good results.  Last thing we want Afrinic to do is to complicate the situation with empty rhetoric and make an already bad situation worse.

Omo

> On 13 Apr 2017, at 12:11, Noah <noah at neo.co.tz> wrote:
> 
> Hi Seun,
> 
> Indeed Tutu has raise some great pointers and in addition to your centiments, i  am of the view this kind of approach is more fruitful ref: internet shutdowns and censorship.
> 
> I suppose AFRINIC has been in the past engaging governments through the AFGWG and i would be keep to get some insights from AFRINIC regarding the same.
> 
> Meanwhile, could AFRINIC organise a BoF during the upcoming meeting where all those who will be on the ground can discuss some of these pertinent issues openly. We could have a panel discussion and discuss this issue way better.
> 
> AFRINIC could also invite some of the government officials and other internet leaders to this kind of BoF.
> 
> I believe a BoF is one way for AFRINIC to be proactive in engaging the wider community.
> 
> Also we could get folk from countries where the internet has ever been disconnected including cameroon to share more ideas on how to approach this issue.
> 
> Noah
> 
> 
> On 13 Apr 2017 12:24 p.m., "Seun Ojedeji" <seun.ojedeji at gmail.com <mailto:seun.ojedeji at gmail.com>> wrote:
> <Taking this to the community list, where it belongs>
> 
> Dear Community,
> 
> Tutu raises a critical point and I also strongly agree that we should let this discussion live on. 
> 
> AFRINIC sure presently have provided various avenues to engage government and as i think there seem to be a slow but steady improvement in govt participation. I wonder how AFRINIC can futher leverage on this to drive down the point about why government needs to stop considering a shutdown of internet or certain service as an option. May be good to hear from staff how participation of the AFGWG has been so far - especially to try to identify challenges to participation and how to resolve them.
> 
> One other thing that comes to mind is whether AFRINIC can be pro-active instead of re-active i.e they are made aware of the planned act and issue strong statement against it hoping that it will get to the ears of relevant authorities and get them to reconsider. This may also be effective if the relationship between AFRINIC and the AU (and regional bodies like ECOWAS, EAC, COMESA etc) is strengthened as that can serve as a channel of communication to the respective governments.
> 
> That said, I will like to pause on the role of AFRINIC as it also seem to me that the role of ISPs is quite critical in this. Traffic distribution structure/topology varies by countries hence there is some level of dependencies that would exist and I wonder if ISPs can leverage upon that as well. Also there are situations where government would ask for shutdown of certain services of the internet(like social media) so connectivity still exist to reduce the outcry, perhaps in those cases, ISPs could also make it clear that its either a total shutdown or nothing and then hope that the country's community/citizens will notice and be loud enough to get government to change their order.
> 
> Just a few ideas i thought I should throw in here since we seem to have an understanding as a community that an RIR policy cannot be a way to address this very important issue. 
> 
> Regards
> On Thu, Apr 13, 2017 at 9:31 AM, Tutu Ngcaba <pan.afrikhan at gmail.com <mailto:pan.afrikhan at gmail.com>> wrote:
> Dear the Afrinic Ltd,
> 
> Since you put out a statement a few days ago condemning internet shutdown problem which is a serious issue.
> 
> Can you please take this issue up and drive it. I request that the Afrinic shall and should make this as an angenda topic also in meetings to come. 
> 
> We should also involve all isoc chapters in all our countries.
> 
> We can discuss the internet shutdown under the Africann and community mailing list and engage all members but not through policy.
> 
> This will make the statement the Afrinic made as about shutdown as the main agenda and even we use avenues like the Afrinic AFGWG. 
> 
> Multistake holder meeting is also important for engaging our governements.
> 
> So i believe we can all take this discussion to community and Africann mailing list and the Afrinic can engage the people.
> 
> This way we can get all concerned african people together and find wiser ways of engaging our governments.
> 
> Most African country economy depend on agriculture and not Internet. So internet is nothing to governments when they chose to shutdown temporaly since to them shutdown has only small term economic impact that is why some do it in most cases to contain chaos or riots.  
> 
> Let us keep in mind that some countries presidents are in power for so many years and the government can do anything.
> 
> So simple questions like why do some governments do it are important.
> 
> Awareness and education is more important not policy.
> 
> Best Regards,
> 
> Tutu Ngcaba
> Kwazulu Techno Hubs
> South Africa
> 
> 
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> 
> -- 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Seun Ojedeji,
> Federal University Oye-Ekiti
> web:      http://www.fuoye.edu.ng <http://www.fuoye.edu.ng/>
> Mobile: +2348035233535 <>
> alt email:  <http://goog_1872880453/>seun.ojedeji at fuoye.edu.ng <mailto:seun.ojedeji at fuoye.edu.ng>
> 
> Bringing another down does not take you up - think about your action!
> 
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Omo Oaiya
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