<div dir="auto"><br><br><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Carlos Raúl GUTIERREZ<br>Apartado 1571-1000<br>San José COSTA RICA</div></div><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: "Renata Aquino Ribeiro" <<a href="mailto:raquino@gmail.com">raquino@gmail.com</a>><br>Date: Jul 21, 2017 12:23<br>Subject: Statement - Amazonians speak about .amazon<br>To: <<a href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@listserv.syr.edu">NCSG-DISCUSS@listserv.syr.edu</a>><br>Cc: <br><br type="attribution">This statement is open now to sign up endorsements<br>
<br>
<a href="https://bestbits.net/amazon/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bestbits.net/amazon/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
Amazonians speak about .amazon<br>
<br>
<br>
We, the people in the Amazon, would like you to stop talking about us<br>
without hearing us first<br>
<br>
<br>
*****<br>
This is a response about the latest decision in the delegation process<br>
of the .amazon new gTLD domain by the Independent Review Panel at<br>
ICANN to Amazon<br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/irp-amazon-final-declaration-11jul17-en.pdf" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.icann.org/en/<wbr>system/files/files/irp-amazon-<wbr>final-declaration-11jul17-en.<wbr>pdf</a><br>
<br>
The context of this dispute is summarised in this article<br>
<br>
<a href="http://domainnamewire.com/2017/07/18/amazon-com-gets-big-win-domain-battle-may-yet-get-amazon-domain/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://domainnamewire.com/<wbr>2017/07/18/amazon-com-gets-<wbr>big-win-domain-battle-may-yet-<wbr>get-amazon-domain/</a><br>
****<br>
<br>
In light of the twists in the process of the new gTLD .amazon, many<br>
parties have come forward speaking "for the benefit of the people of<br>
the Amazon" and staking their claim that they were doing what is best<br>
for the region development.<br>
<br>
<br>
Not once, during all this time, anyone cared to ask what our thoughts<br>
are or what we think the best for our region is.<br>
<br>
<br>
Well, we would like to ask all parties to stop talking about us as if<br>
we can't speak for ourselves. It must not be forgotten that the Amazon<br>
region involves the population of nine South American nation-states.<br>
For us, this is a time of challenges over the Amazon such as illegal<br>
mining, deforestation, water pollution among others. Any policy<br>
decision about the region or its name (in any language) is a matter of<br>
great interest for all of us, and we cannot be left aside.<br>
<br>
<br>
Let's start with the view of .amazon being a brand as well as a region<br>
and a river. We were never asked, again, when the name was used in the<br>
first place. The consequences of this can be seen now, when we are<br>
mistaken as a faceless, plain, uncharacteristic area in a world map<br>
without content or people, an exoticly empty part of the world to be<br>
conquered and debated abstractly by trademark lobbyists, private<br>
companies and governments.<br>
<br>
<br>
We have faces, names, content, history. Using our name to tell another<br>
story, a company's history, would de-characterize us? Likely not. We<br>
will not disappear. Instead the Amazon is a vibrant region, which bets<br>
on sustainable development and becomes increasingly more involved with<br>
internet governance, alongside with Northeast Brazil, which hosted<br>
IGF2015.<br>
<br>
<br>
However, using our name without acknowledging our importance is<br>
certainly a mistake. Using our name refers directly to a vast land of<br>
rich diversity, with much to uncover and with many cultural gems<br>
already discovered. So if using our name, at least acknowledge us,<br>
respect us. Give back to the "lung of the Earth," to a river which<br>
hosts hundreds of communities by its riverbanks. Invest on us. We want<br>
the same you do, more education, a thriving internet market and<br>
respect to sustainable development for a better future.<br>
<br>
<br>
It is also important to note that ICANN's Independent Review Panel<br>
comes at a moment when the discussion about the use of geographical<br>
names is very controversial, as it was seen in meetings in<br>
Johannesburg. And it is surprising, given there is no consensus yet<br>
about this theme in the community.<br>
<br>
<br>
Governments of nine nations also speak our name. With such ownership<br>
and familiarity that you could sometimes forget that we do not belong<br>
only to one of them. The Wikipedia, which also does not belong to only<br>
one company or government, can enlighten that:<br>
<br>
<br>
"This region includes territory belonging to nine nations. The<br>
majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with 60% of the<br>
rainforest, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and with<br>
minor amounts in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and<br>
French Guiana. States or departments in four nations contain<br>
"Amazonas" in their names. The Amazon represents over half of the<br>
planet's remaining rainforests, and comprises the largest and most<br>
biodiverse tract of tropical rainforest in the world, with an<br>
estimated 390 billion individual trees divided into 16,000 species."<br>
<br>
<br>
This means that even if you agree with nine governments on whatever<br>
decision they take on the Amazon, you could still be in disagreement<br>
to half of the planet, and their thoughts on the importance of our<br>
region. Governments representational crisis is real and does not<br>
belong to one country or another. Governments should listen to their<br>
citizens. Yet, none of our major political powers are located in the<br>
Amazon and have not spoken to us about any aspect of the recent<br>
process.<br>
<br>
<br>
This becomes much more complicated when the Amazon is referred to as<br>
an area of indigenous population. Our indigenous population was not<br>
asked when colonized, the majority did not elect the government of the<br>
nine nation-states which comprise the Amazon. Likely, the majority of<br>
our indigenous population suffers from abandonment, land conflicts,<br>
health crisis and lack of an education system. More importantly, our<br>
indigenous population wants, just as companies or governments, an<br>
internet market which provides jobs and enables development.<br>
Indigenous population may not speak only Portuguese or Spanish but<br>
they can speak too.<br>
<br>
<br>
So why does everyone insists on talking about us without listening to us?<br>
<br>
<br>
The rainforest is disappearing fast. This process is not going to slow<br>
down unless there is responsibility from all stakeholders in a<br>
dialogue about our region and how to respect it. When referring to the<br>
new gTLDs or any issue of public policy, public and private sector<br>
need to address us, we are all part of a cross border region and an<br>
strategic navigation channel and this dialogue has to take this unique<br>
situation in account. It must not be forgotten that, after all, the<br>
multistakeholder model that we all support to have a free and open<br>
Internet, involves multiple parties. This is not only an issue of the<br>
private sector and governments, the population is a key participant,<br>
that in this particular matter was never consulted.<br>
<br>
<br>
So please, consult us.<br>
<br>
Don't take our name without talking to us.<br>
<br>
Stop talking about us as if we can't speak.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Renata Aquino Ribeiro - Brasil<br>
<br>
Worked with Amazon region researchers and maintains an independent<br>
research group with collaborators in the region. Mixed ethnicity with<br>
relatives and friends in the region. Lives in NE Brazil. NCUC ICANN<br>
LAC representative. IGF MAG Civil Society 2016-2017.<br>
<br>
Lilian Ivete Deluque Bruges - Colombia<br>
<br>
Lives in Barranquilla, Colombia. Works in local government with<br>
indigenous population and vulnerable groups. Mixed ethnicity. Alumni<br>
from the South School of Internet Governance 2016. LACNIC27 fellow.<br>
<br>
<br>
Bertnell Auclene Malisa Richards - Guyana<br>
<br>
Lives in Georgetown, Guyana. Works with education and technology.<br>
Plans on creating IGF Guyana. ICANN58 fellow. NCUC ICANN member.<br>
LACRALO ICANN Member, ISOC Guyana.<br>
<br>
Patricia Vargas - Peru<br>
<br>
Researcher, PhD Candidate, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University. .<br>
<br>
<br>
Lia Solis - Bolivia<br>
<br>
LACNOG Program Committee member, LACNIC member, ICANN Fellow, LACRALO<br>
ICANN participant, ISOC Bolivia Board.<br>
<br>
<br>
Maureen Hernandez - Venezuela.<br>
<br>
ISOC Venezuela board of directors. Systems Engineer working with<br>
community networks in Central and Latin America. Born and raised in<br>
Venezuela and has been meeting indigenous communities for connectivity<br>
development for the last 2 years.<br>
<br>
<br>
Jessica Botelho - Brazil<br>
<br>
Journalist. Researcher at the Federal University of Amazonas / CNPq.<br>
Member of the ISOC Youth Observatory and the Center for Studies and<br>
Practices in Cyberculture (Manaus, Amazonas, Northern Brazil). Student<br>
of the Brazil Internet Governance School 2016 and the InternetLab<br>
School 2017.<br>
<br>
<br>
Maurília Gomes - Brazil<br>
<br>
Public Relations. Master in Communication Sciences. Researcher of<br>
cyberculture and social activism. Member of ISOC Brazil. Lives in<br>
Manaus, Amazon. Member of the Popular Audiovisual Center (CPA), an<br>
organization that works on human rights, indigenous population, land<br>
conflicts and climate change. Is also a member of the Center for<br>
Studies and Practices in Ciberculture (NepCiber). Mixed ethnicity with<br>
indigenous descent. Alumni from the Brazilian School of Internet<br>
Governance 2015.<br>
<br>
<br>
Hemanuel Veras - Brazil<br>
<br>
Journalist. Master in Communication Sciences. Researcher of<br>
cyberculture and democracy. Lives in Manaus, Amazon. Member of the<br>
Popular Audiovisual Center and the Center for Studies and Practices in<br>
Ciberculture (CPA/NepCiber). Alumni from the Brazilian School of<br>
Internet Governance 2016.<br>
<br>
<br>
Allan Gomes - Brazil<br>
Journalist. Researcher of cyberculture. Lives in Manaus, Amazon.<br>
Coordinator of the Popular Audiovisual Center (CPA) and member of the<br>
Center for Studies and Practices in Ciberculture (NepCiber). Approved<br>
to the Brazilian School of Internet Governance 2017.<br>
<br>
<br>
Sebastian Roa - Brazil<br>
<br>
Currently lives in the state of Amazonas. Journalism student and<br>
researcher of the study group of urban anthropology. Also research<br>
adolescents indigenous in the urban context and TICS. Currently work<br>
with UN with the Venezuelan emergency. Member of the Center for<br>
Studies and Practices in Ciberculture (NepCiber). Approved to the<br>
Brazilian School of Internet Governance 2017.<br>
<br>
<br>
Sinuhe Nascimento e Cruz - Brasil<br>
<br>
Born and raised in the State of Acre, the most werstern state in the<br>
brazilian amazon. Currently lives in São Paulo, where is developing a<br>
bachelor’s degree in Law at the University of São Paulo. Founder<br>
member of the Nucleum of Studies on Technology and Society of the<br>
University of São Paulo and also a member of the Environmental Law<br>
Clinic Paulo Nogueira Neto at the Law School of the University of São<br>
Paulo.<br>
<br>
<br>
Paola Perez - Venezuela<br>
<br>
Vice - president ISOC Venezuela and co- Chair LACNIC Public Policy<br>
Forum, OEA Cybersecurity Bootcamp fellow 2017, South School internet<br>
Governance 2016 alumni, ICANN LACRALO and NCUC member.<br>
<br>
<br>
Luã Fergus<br>
<br>
Researcher, born and raised in the Amazon region, Master's degree<br>
student in Sao Paulo, Brazil.<br>
</div>