Here is ICANN's announcement calling for Statements of Interest from  
those interested in volunteering to be appointed by the board to  
represent noncommercial users:
    http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-05aug09-en.htm

"... Of the four new Stakeholder Group Charters approved by the Board  
last week, this temporary seat selection by the Board is unique to  
the NCSG. It reflects a fundamental view that the current non- 
commercial community participation in the GNSO is not yet  
sufficiently diverse or robust to select all six of the NCSG's  
allocated Council seats (as was originally intended by the Board's  
GNSO Improvements initiative)...."

ICANN claims we are not "sufficiently diverse or robust enough to  
select all six" GNSO Council seats.  Yet NCUC represents 137  
noncommercial organizations and individuals from 48 countries.  Our  
membership has increased by 205% since the parity principle was  
established.  There never was any bar for us to meet - that rhetoric  
was invented by the commercial constituencies and selectively adopted  
by ICANN staff to justify why 137 noncommercial organizations and  
individuals are not entitled to elect their own representation.

Too bad noncommercial users will not be given electoral parity with  
commercial users as the BGC originally promised.  Another empty  
promise, another rigged process.  ICANN is more aggressive than ever  
in squeezing out noncommercial users in policy development.  So sad.

Robin


IP JUSTICE
Robin Gross, Executive Director
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