[Community-Discuss] Allegation of Harassment

Tue Mar 27 04:47:25 UTC 2018

> On Mar 25, 2018, at 00:07 , Badru Ntege <badru.ntege at nftconsult.com> wrote:
> 
> Owen
> 
> I like your attempt to get scientific here.  Up until a certain email was publicly shared and read by most of us who are responding we had no opinions on this issue.  

Fair enough.

> We are all reasonably intelligent to make our own conclusions on the matter at hand. 

I don’t believe I ever argued against this.

> In any part of the world it is not normal nor is it accepted for a board member to share the information we saw shared with a junior member of staff which definitely undermines the authority of the CEO.   

Nor, in any part of the world is it normal for such a private conversation to be shared with the general public by said junior staffer.

There are lots of things about this situation which are unusual.

> On that count alone ignoring the many other issues one ceases to be fit for office.   Apart from in our region where we are now being convinced that we need to spend money to prove a simple fact like that.  

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. In fact, I don’t entirely disagree. Nonetheless, there is a due process to be followed in that case unless and until such time as the person in question resigns (as he did today).

My argument was merely that until the due process is followed, calling for a lynching isn’t appropriate.

> Even if I ignore all other issues being pointed to the person in question.  
> 
> We are now in a situation where the likes of you are trying to tell us that we need to re-write our basic understanding of right and wrong. 

Not at all. At no point have I attempted to re-write the basic understanding of right and wrong. I have said that it is necessary to distinguish between allegation and fact. That it is necessary to follow due process rather than invoke vigilantes in a lynch mob. That a mob-justice mentality may lead to some subset of the community feeling good about the outcome for a while, but it rarely (if ever) leads to actual justice.

> I’m sorry that sickens me.  

I’m sorry, but I’ve been sickened by the multiple calls against due process and seeking expedited punishment without waiting for full consideration and investigation of the facts of the matter.

> Yes investigate the other claims but someone admitted to wrong doing and we are saying thanks for admitting and for your service but it’s time we move forward with new people while you handle your other issues and we wish you well.  

I haven’t suggested that anyone is not entitled to encourage Sunday to resign. I have said that we should not, must not, force him out of office without due process.

> Your attempt to read my email in other ways and calling our reaction as “mob mentality” is insulting to say the least. 

I’m sorry if I bruised your ego. After your multiple ad hominem attacks against me over the years, I would have thought that my small issue-based call of your attempts to force action absent due process as I saw it would not have such a strong impact.

> I have said it before and I will say it again here you seem to want us in Afrinic to accept things that no other RIR would ever accept.  And that continues to puzzle me to this day.  

Not at all. I have no desire or intent for AfriNIC to accept Sunday’s conduct. It shows a staggering case of bad judgment at the least, IMHO. However, I was opposed to any attempts to bypass due process in dealing with the situation. Something which would be unlikely to even be attempted in any other RIR and a behavior which is uniquely commonplace in AfriNIC.

Consider, for example, the deplorable lack of meeting decorum (and clear lack of good control of the meeting by those charing it) during the AfriNIC meeting in Kenya.

I’m sorry if you find my opinion of these matters insulting, but, your mischaracterization of my words demands such a response.

Owen

> 
> Regards 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On 23 Mar 2018, at 23:52, Owen DeLong <owen at delong.com <mailto:owen at delong.com>> wrote:
> 
>> 
>>> On Mar 22, 2018, at 21:41 , Badru Ntege <badru.ntege at nftconsult.com <mailto:badru.ntege at nftconsult.com>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> One becomes a board member as result of the will of the community through an election.  The ultimate owner of AFRINIC is the community.  
>> 
>> Technically, this is not quite accurate. One becomes a board member by the result of an election by the resource members, not the community. The community is a much larger body.
>> 
>>> The community is saying it has lost faith in the office bearer investigation or not since what the office bearer has admitted to is enough for community to feel he is no longer suitable. 
>> 
>> Again, this is also not quite true. Some members of the community are saying this, but no objective deterministic research has been presented showing that this position is held by a majority of the community.
>> 
>>> The office bearer also has an allegation which is personal and that needs to be investigated since it has far reaching implications to the individuals involved. 
>> 
>> At least there is one true statement in your email.
>> 
>>> The community is saying we need to move and he steps aside deals with his issues without affecting AFRINIC business. I think this is only fare.  
>> 
>> Some members of the community are saying this. Other members are calling for a rational approach to a valid and fair investigation and due process.
>> 
>>> However at the moment we are all being held hostage due to decisions made earlier.  
>> 
>> This is simply sensationalism which has no legitimate place in the discussion. Nobody is being held hostage. I realize that it is popular to use this term as rhetoric in AfriNIC discussions, but really, there are no prisoners here. There are no hostages. The due process is being followed with reasonable deliberate haste.
>> 
>>> We need to move 
>> 
>> What kind of movement are you seeking? Do you propose that we gather a lynch mob and take out all of those who are accused without bothering to investigate or establish the true facts of the situation?
>> 
>> I’m sure this would satisfy the more vocal members of the community, but I do not think it would shine a positive light on AfriNIC going forward.
>> 
>> I am very happy to see the current leadership attempting to continue with due process under the circumstances despite the mob mentality being expressed on this and other lists.
>> 
>> Owen
>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>> On 23 Mar 2018, at 07:33, Sunday Olutayo <olutayo at olutayo.ng <mailto:olutayo at olutayo.ng>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Why is judgment being pass without investigation and hearing? Why are some people eager to be the hangmen without due process? I believe in justice, and it can only be obtained or dispersed through due process.
>>>> 
>>>> We can not be passing judgment of yet to be proofed allegations. So let follow due process, the independent committee should it work.
>>>> 
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Sunday Olutayo
>>>> 
>>>> On Mar 22, 2018 11:39 AM, Noah <noah at neo.co.tz <mailto:noah at neo.co.tz>> wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 22 Mar 2018, 5:57 p.m. Wayne Diamond, <wayne at domains.co.za <mailto:wayne at domains.co.za>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Some body from the AfriNic board that is NOT implicated in either the harassment or breach of NDA needs to take control now and make a decisive statement to the community in the very near future (as in 72 hours) in order to inform the community of what is being done about each of the issues.
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks Wayne....
>>>> 
>>>> And to be pricise we have below board members who seem to lack cohesion but i could be wrong.
>>>> 
>>>> Mr.Masilela Lucky
>>>> Mr.Abibu Ntagihiye
>>>> Mr.Bope Christian
>>>> Mr.Ilunga Serge
>>>> Mr.Ojedeji Seun
>>>> Mr.Subramanian Moonesamy
>>>> Mr.Alan Barrett (ex-officio)
>>>> 
>>>> The reputation of AfriNic and the community cannot wait until the end of April for an investigation to start.
>>>> 
>>>> +++1 
>>>> 
>>>>  
>>>> 
>>>> To the board that are not involved in either, get your act together quickly or step down for a new interim board to be appointed in order to resolve this but this cannot continue any longer in this manner.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> +++1 
>>>> 
>>>> Noah
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