[NA-Discuss] Proposed NARALO Statement - V2

[Evan Leibovitch]

Here are my contributions to the statement. I think this time, I may
have been even angrier than Danny ;-)
[ Note: I will likely not have access to email for the next 24-48 hours
-- please work on this in my absense. ]



Proposed NARALO Statement -- v.2

The North American Regional At-Large Organization
(NARALO) disassociates itself from the document
submitted to the ICANN Board Governance Committee
entitled "Joint users proposal GNSO structural
change".

Neither NARALO nor any of its At-Large Structure
(ALS) members were consulted, in the development of
a document supposedly designed to define At-Large
involvement in the GNSO. We were neither
participants in the formulation of this document nor
afforded the opportunity to comment upon its interim
drafts.

The document, in its final form, does not address many
issues previously identified by At-Large. We see
major problems with a recommendation that fails to
address the specific issues faced by the broad community of
registrants, or to acknowledge the vital role of
non-registrant user stakeholders.

Furthermore, we are astounded that the ALAC was
explicitly exempted from direct participation in the
new GNSO formulation, despite the document's preamble
which states that "ALAC is critical to ICANN’s external
perception". After many years of slow and painful
development, the ALAC has finally taken first baby steps
towards the fulfilment of its mandate to offer a focus
and catalyst for At-Large communications and policy
development. To explicitly exclude it from a role in
At-Large advocacy within the GNSO at this time is
beyond reason.

The process used to create this document was highly
objectionable. Significant changes in wording that
negatively impacted the role of At-Large were made
in last-minute revisions, which were not communicated
at all -- by ALAC, GNSO or Staff -- to ALSs or RALOs.
It was only through the personal diligence of our
own members that we were made aware of these changes
before the end of the comment period.

Therefore it is the view of NARALO that it would be
inappropriate for us to signal any support for the
specific formulations contained in this document. It
does NOT reflect the interests of NARALO or its
member ALSs.

We ask the Board Governace Committee to respect the
principle of representation set out in ICANN's MOU
that called for technical management structures to 
reflect the global and functional diversity of
Internet users and their needs