Dear Roosevelt, thank you for your kind follow-up. Please be so kind to find my answers in-line. On 30/05/2012 08:49, Roosevelt King wrote :
Dear Mr. Crepin-Leblond,
I was not aware that there was an English list and a Spanish list. I must therefore ask if there is a German list, a Russian list, a French list a Scandinavian list, etc? Is there a list for every language in all the regions? Why have regions that are so split up?
It all happened before my time so I don't know.
Let me say Mr. Crepin-Lablond, that I find your post rather threatening, insulting and typical of one who would seek to shut up others rather than listen to and act on a genuine complaint. Is this a case of the victim being turned into the culprit? As Chair of ALAC, it is in your interest to seek to resolve problems that will arise within the machinery of ICANN as in any organisation.
To try to ascribe blame, fault, misbehaviour and throw out charges of discrimination and lack of professional conduct is not to recognise that there is a problem or at best try to quash the problem by dictatorial means. Furthermore, while stating that you are not choosing sides, proceeds to speak of established positions. But seeing that the only recent postings along these lines came from the Caribbean, it means that you have chosen sides, not so?
I have never asserted such thing. The timing of my posting is such because prior to posting I have had to discuss the matter with several people including the ICANN Ombudsman and the Director for At-Large. The message is intended at all parties. My interest in helping the region help itself has started from way earlier than the message I sent to the list. For your information, I was instrumental in putting together the deal with other RALOs as well as with ICANN Finance plus the Board Finance and Budget Sub-Committee, that brought you and other ALS members in Costa Rica. I believe that this was beneficial to all. I have spent more time on LACRALO problems than on any other RALO since I started tenure as Chair of the ALAC in Cartagena. I think that I have clearly recognized that there is a problem a long time ago and your assertion that I am using dictatorial means is unfounded. My note to the LACRALO list is a reminder of the posting rules. It was not meant to target anyone specifically, but I am noticing that the messages on the list are becoming more and more agressive, from *all* sides. Do you think that this reflects well on LACRALO? I don't. It is not dictatorial behaviour. I am simply assuming the function which is clearly described in Rule 22 of the ALAC Rules of Procedure.
For such a large organisation I am appalled at the state of the rules. I look at them and shudder because this can only be a tragedy waiting to happen. What makes it more appalling is the amount of legal minds within ICANN. One can only conclude that the lawyers took a back seat for whatever reason.
...and your participation in the Rule of Procedure working group is very welcome. But you'll have to also contend with consensus which may, sometimes, not go the way you prefer. I would not discount the current rules that easily. I am sure they were the result of a lot of work and a lot of discussion and, like many things in a consensus based organization, they were the best that could be achieved at the time. With the new RoP working group, there is hope that these will be enhanced.
What is clear is that ICANN is not ready for the robustness of diversity and therefore not structured to properly manage it, as is reflected in your response. What your response does is effectively say that there is no solution so shut up. That is only my humble opinion, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. As victims within LACRALO, we are now left to feel that we are victims within ALAC as well.
I assure you that you are not a victim within ALAC. With all due respect, my response is quite the opposite from what you have understood. I am suggesting we find a solution together as a smaller group of people who are affected by this, making use of an ICANN-supplied mediator, Chris LaHatte, but also Elad Levinson whom I understand everyone really enjoyed working with in Costa Rica. What I am trying to avoid is a tit-for-tat exchange of angry public emails which will only lead to: - more angry words - an eventual self-destruction of the whole region by having member ALSes leave ICANN has spent serious staff resources on the subject so far and I have been assured that this high level of support will continue. But it is a two-way process, Roosevelt. Everyone needs to work together to find a solution.
This is a source of disappointment and cause for serious concern at the deeper polarisation this may likely cause. The Caribbean has serious difficulty relating to LA as a region and without any attempt to resolve the crisis within LACRALO, it may well turn out to be LARALO. How does this square with the mandate of ICANN to include all users?
The internal problems of LACRALO in bringing the voice of all of its members only affect any subject where a vote is required. I concede that this would affect selection of its ALAC members and its RALO leadership. This is what the regional leadership should be working on. I remind you that you are able to comment directly on any statement the ALAC is drafting. In fact, you strike me as someone who would be perfect to hold the pen on some of the ALAC's statements. Furthermore, you are able to join any ALAC working group, or indeed also be part of any GNSO Council working group that allows for non-GNSO folk to join. Kind regards, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond ALAC Chair