Often times these kinds of registration requirements for NGOs are ways of harassing them because they may be critical of the government. I know that India and Russia also treat NGOs with suspicion and can use this kind of leverage to punish them if they become too much of a thorn in the government's side. By conditioning the right of domain name ownership to such things, ICANN raises the same danger. 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: NCSG-Discuss [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
> Of Sam Lanfranco
> Sent: Saturday, July 5, 2014 8:00 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [NCSG-Discuss] Fwd: [] Fwd: A million domains taken down by
> email checks
> 
> I would like to add a comment to flag the problems around maintaining
> adequate domain name registration data, this in the case of ICANN’s
> targeted support for the Internet in Africa, and NCSG’s focus on the not-for-
> profit sector.
> 
> Consider South Africa, by ordinary measures the most developed country in
> Africa. Earlier this year the government de-registered over 300 South African
> NGO’s and put an equal number on alert that they are about to lose their
> registration. Without registration the NGO cannot even own a bank account.
> The reason: failure to keep their required document filings up to date. If they
> own a domain name (gTLD or ccTLD) there is a high probability that they are
> not even aware of those registration data obligations and a high likelihood
> that they won’t keep that data current.
> 
> As well, think of the nightmare that will arise for registrars, et. al.
> if the civil society groups that are de-listed have one of the new domain
> names where registered status is a requirement. Any policy that carries
> requirements should not be based on the ideal situation, and should take
> seriously subjecting itself to stress testing. As well, there is scope for
> enlightened or unenlightened government policy here on the continued
> ownership of particular gTLD domain names. If, for example, .ngo means a
> registered NGO and registration is lost, who will be empowered, or obliged,
> to act?
> 
> Sam L.