I support your position Sam.  I am as disgusted as anybody about what is 
going on in Morocco re free speech, but a protest within our agenda does 
not really fit in the mandate of ICANN, and inflaming the high level 
meeting of Ministers which will be going on simultaneously is IMHO not a 
great idea tactically, and embarrassing the Moroccan government is a 
certainty given the profile of that event.  Having a parallel event, 
such as Akdeniz et al did in Turkey beside the IGF last year might be a 
better solution.  We do not want to undo the good work of getting human 
rights wording into the bylaws.
Stephanie Perrin

On 2015-12-09 15:11, Sam Lanfranco wrote:
> NCSG Colleagues,
>
> I would like to caution a rush to decision here. But first I want to 
> put my credentials on the table so there is no questioning of 
> motives.  I have been engaged in civil rights struggles since the 
> 1950's and 1960's where (in Berkeley) I, and my car, were shot at 
> (tear gas grenades). For the past quarter century I have worked with 
> the Ambedkar Centre for Justice and Peace in Mumbai (ACJP is a human 
> rights, atrocity prevention and amelioration ngo dealing with 
> Dalit/untouchable human rights and abuse).
>
> Niels has put a proposal on the table and one cannot but agree with 
> the concerns around human rights and freedom of expression, while at 
> the same time having major reservations about the proposed activities. 
> I will state my personal objections here, and suggest an alternative.
>
> Since there is time between now and Marrakesh, after consultation, I 
> will come back later with a position based on what the NPOC membership 
> has to say about the proposed activities.
>
> First, it is important to remember that there is a vast difference 
> between asking ICANN to be introspective, accountable and transparent 
> about the relationship between activities within its remit and human 
> rights. That has been the central focus of human rights discussions 
> within ICANN up to now. The proposal to address Moroccan human rights 
> issues within ICANN sessions is a quite different activity and 
> essentially proposes that elements of the ICANN constituencies engage 
> in broad human rights advocacy within ICANN. Also, look at the Human 
> Rights Watch reports on ICANN's African GAC members. One could ask, 
> why stop at Morocco? Africa produces an almost endless list of human 
> rights abuses, mainly based on curbing freedom of expression. There is 
> a better way.
>
> It would make more sense for individuals within ICANN constituencies, 
> Niels' Article Nineteen, and local Moroccan human rights advocates to 
> arrange concurrent events outside ICANN, using the opportunity of 
> people attending ICANN in Marrakesh to engage in those events. This is 
> superior to pressing for events within ICANN for two key reasons.
>
> The first is that engaging within the ICANN program in national human 
> rights issues outside ICANN's remit is dangerous scope creep for 
> ICANN. ICANN can advocate for the stability and security of the DNS, 
> and it can be concerned about the relationship between the stability 
> and security of the DNS as that relates to human rights, but it should 
> stop there, at the border of its remit. Engaging in advocacy within 
> ICANN would of course anger Morocco, and such anger and concern would 
> go viral across GAC members and drive an even bigger (toxic) wedge 
> between GAC and the NCSG constituencies, both within ICANN and at home.
>
> The second reason is that trying to fit Moroccan human rights issues 
> into the already overly tight and compressed ICANN meeting agenda 
> would be a disservice to Moroccans engaged in human rights advocacy. 
> There is a real risk that Moroccan colleagues would expect more than 
> could be delivered within ICANN meeting constraints. Even follow up 
> press coverage would be highly constrained and risk coloring ICANN 
> with an advocacy ting that would serve nobody.
>
> On the other hand, a concurrent event, organized in cooperation with 
> but mainly by Moroccans and with extensive participation by those 
> attending the ICANN meetings, would have more substance and more scope 
> for follow up press coverage. ICANN people could attend the Moroccan 
> event as individuals, or with the formal blessing of their own 
> constituency organizations, outside of ICANN.
>
> Let us try to do this one right. A good idea badly executed is a 
> lose-lose for all.
>
> Sam L.